AlphaZero skepticism

Last week the Chess world learned of a new top dog, Deepmind's AI AlphaZero. It had bested (an older version) of Stockfish by the astonishing score of 28 wins, no loses, and 72 draws in a 100 game match. Two of the games looked like instant classics.

But some doubts started emerging. I didn't read the stories too closely, but I heard a few things via Twitter. Also, when I got to the club last Saturday, Paul had been looking at some of the games and had wondered why Stockfish had embarked on a risky looking piece sacrifice right out of the opening.

Here Stockfish 8 played 13 Ncxe5 fxe5 14 Nxe5, and eventually AlphaZero's extra material prevailed. Paul had found this perplexing and eventually stopped looking at the games. When Paul and I started discussing it, I had an additional piece of information, namely that the time control for the games had been one minute per move. (It seems that 13 Qc3 or 13 Be3 are both more sound.)

Anyone that has played around with computer programs has seen that sometimes a program will look at one move for quite some time before switching to another, better move. If the program is constrained by a time limit, however, it might choose a lone that it would later toss. That seems to be what happened here.

(Lars Bo Hansen tweeted:

My initial thought was "this cannot be good for White, my engine will easily refute White's play". Then I realized that the engine I wanted to consult was the one being crushed...Can't help feeling some concern for the future of mankind.

Turns out perhaps he should have tried it, and just let the engine "cook" a little bit longer that a minute!)

As it turns out, a fair number of people have expressed skepticism about the match, including someone that knows both AI and chess, IM Jose Camacho Collados. His article can be found here, and I recommend it to anyone interested in the topic. He covers several issues, including the time limit problem and hardware issues. Best of all, he includes links to other relevant articles in his footnotes. Check it out!

About the 25^th Space Coast Open Chess Festival

An event created by chess players for chess players! 

This page last updated December 9, 2017. 

Dates: April 27-29, 2018 or April 28-29, 2018

Confirmed Titled Players:

TBD

Past Space Coast Open Champions:

2017 – GM GM Timur Gareyev

2016 – GM Andrey Stukopin, GM Julio Becerra (tie)

2015 – GM Julio Becerra

2014 – GM Mikheil Kekelidze, IM Alex Reprintsev, IM Javad Maharramzade (tie)

2013 – IM Nikolay Andrianov, GM Alex Yermolinsky (tie)

2012 – IM Javad Maharramzade

2011 – GM Julio Becerra

2010 – NM Eric Rodriguez

2009 – NM Jeffrey Haskel

2008 – IM Javad Maharramzade

2007 (Wojtkiewicz Memorial) – GM Alex Stripunsky

2006 – GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz

2005 – GM Julio Becerra

2004 – GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz

2003 – GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz

2002 – GM Aleks Wojtkiewicz

2001 – GM Sergey Kudrin

2000 – IM Virgil Grabliauskes, IM Blas Lugo, NM Marcel Martinez, GM Gennady Sagalchik (tie)

1999 – IM Rashid Ziatdinov

1998 – NM Fabio La Rota

1997 – GM Sergey Kudrin

1995 – GM Gabriel Schwartzman

1992 – NM Mikhail Braude

1991 – Bruce Koopmans

USCF Grand Prix Points: 60

Master Section FIDE Rated (USCF ratings used for pairings and prizes)

5 round Swiss System, Top section FIDE rated at G/90+30 seconds increment. All other sections but Class E/U1200 G/120 d5, Class E/U1200 G/90 d5 (2-day Rd. 1 for all sections G/60 d5).

International Palms Resort, 1300 North Atlantic Avenue. (Hwy A1A), Cocoa Beach, FL 32931. 

$$20,000 b/240 paid, $15,000 Guaranteed     

6 Sections:

1. Master/Expert (open to rated 2000 and higher) $$2000+trophy-1000-500-300, U2400 $1500+trophy-750, U2200 $1400+trophy-700-400.
2. Class A (open to 1600-1999) $$1200+trophy-600-400-200.
3. Class B (open to 1400-1799) $$1100+trophy-500-300-200.
4. Class C (open to 1200-1599) $$1000+trophy-500-300-200.
5. Class D (open to 800-1399) $$900+trophy-450-200-100, Top Senior (55+) $250+trophy.
6. Class E/U1200 (open to under 1200) $$800+trophy-400-200. U1000 $500+trophy-300.  U800 $400+trophy-200, Top Senior (55+) $250+trophy. Trophies to top Brevard County scholastic players in grades K-3, K-5, K-8, K-12.

Special Prizes.

Top Upsets Rds 1-4: Book Prize
Wojtkiewicz Brilliancy Prizes: 1^st $200, 2^nd $100, 3rd $50 (Judge: IM Javad Maharramzade)

Master/Expert Section Modified Sofia Rule: No draw offers permitted prior to move 40.

All, Fine Print:

Players in Master section are required to turn in completed scoresheets at completion of each round (Reference USCF Rule 15G). Rated players may play in eligible sections as show in above Section prize details. Unrated may play in any section but may not win over $300 prize or trophy unless place prize (1st-4th overall) in Master/Expert section.
½-point Bye available any round if requested in advance and before round 2 (limit 2).  No Smoking. No computers. Wheelchair accessible.

Players may not use or watch cellphones during play. Continental Chess Association rules and penalties will apply. Seehttp://www.chesstour.com/devices.htm.

Entry Fee:

$114 by 4/20, $20 more later or on-site. $20 discount if unrated or under age 18.

Special EF for Brevard County students in K-12 playing in any section: $25 on-line by 4/20, $5 more later or at site (counts as ¼ entry for based on prize fund).

GMs and IMs free entry available on-line until 3/31, else $120 from prize.  Free entry to past Master Section winners listed above (GM/IMs enter on-line; Other past Champions e-mail your name, playing schedule & Byes requested to jon@bocachess.com)

Re-entries $50 by round 3 (½ point Byes for missed rounds).

Indicate 2-day or 3-day when mailing entry. Entries not indicating which schedule is desired will be placed in the 2-day schedule.

Registration ends ½ hr before 1st round (ends 7 p.m. Friday or 9:30 a.m. Saturday).

Rounds:          Rd. 1 7:30 p.m. Fri (2-day: 10a.m. Sat at G/60, d5),

Rd. 2 1:15 p.m. Sat.

Rd. 3 6:30 p.m. Sat. (except for Class E/U1200 which is at 5:45 p.m.)

Rd. 4 9:30 a.m. Sunday

Rd. 5 2:30 p.m. Sunday (except for Class E/U1200 which is at 1:45 p.m.)

Hotel Rate: $109, Oceanside $129, Loft $129. Resort fee waived. Reservations: Hotel phone number 800-206-2747 or 321-392-1647. Restaurants, bar & grill, pool, beach, beach volleyball, beach rentals.  Plus many other restaurants nearby. Group code SCC18. Group rate is available for 3 days before and after the tournament. VERY IMPORTANT: Reserve early. Group rate available until April 6 or until Group rooms are sold out, whichever comes first.  The group rate is *unlikely* to be available after the cut-off date.  RESERVE EARLY. Note: our book vendor, Steve Cernobyl, would like to share a room. If interested contact him at (954) 347-2661.

Side events:

Space Coast Open Blitz (USCF rated). G/5 d0. Prizes: Cash prizes based on entries. EF $20 (enter and pay at tournament site). Blitz starts at 10:15 pm Saturday.

Worldwide Broadcast: the top 5 boards will be broadcast on Chess24. Master section results and standings will also be posted on Chess24 after each round.

Extras and more Side Events:

Free Master and GM lectures:

- Saturday: 10am: TBD
- Saturday: 11am: TBD

Books and Equipment by Hollywood Kings Chess.

Send Entries payable to: “Space Coast Chess Foundation, Inc.”, c/o Jon Haskel, 2385 NW Executive Center Dr., #100, Boca Raton, FL 33431. PLEASE: no phone or e-mail entries. Credit Card entry available via this web site only (www.spacecoastchessfoundation.org/p/events.html).  ADVANCE ON-LINE REGISTRATION ENDS April 20, LATE ON-LINE REGISTRATION ENDS 5 PM APRIL 26. Otherwise, you may enter at the site.

General Info: Jon Haskel 561-302-4377 (jon@bocachess.com)