Is the Mephisto Atlanta a pawn-catcher?

This forum is for general discussions and questions, including Collectors Corner and anything to do with Computer chess.

Moderators: Harvey Williamson, Steve B, Watchman

Forum rules
This textbox is used to restore diagrams posted with the fen tag before the upgrade.
Post Reply
Cornersquare
Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 1:46 pm

Is the Mephisto Atlanta a pawn-catcher?

Post by Cornersquare »

Hi everyone, a few days ago I happened to read a test position for the Mephisto Atlanta, a chess computer, which seems to be well known at this forum. The position appeared in the game Ljubojevic-Karpov in 1988 during the Roquebrune rapid, possibly a blitz tournament, I don't know. The complete game can be found at chessgames.

[fen]4r1k1/pR2npb1/2prp1p1/8/8/1QPq2P1/1P3PB1/2B1R1K1 w - - 0 1[/fen]

Anyway, it is White's turn, and you see, there is a helpless, lost black pawn next to the rook b7, which means that White has an easy opportunity to compensate, if he doesn't already have slight advantage yet. Will the Mephisto Atlanta capture that pawn and forget all other opportunities?

No, he won't. The Atlanta acts somewhat more mature than that and instead of beating the pawn he threatens the queen by moving instantly 27. Be4!.

The black queen has not many squares to withdraw herself now, in fact, if I didn't calculate wrongly, only b1 and a6. Let's take a6, because that looks more comfortable: 27. ... Qa6.

And now follows the hammer: 28. RxNe7! Instead of being greedy for the pawn the Atlanta sacrifices his rook! A sacrifice for a better outcome. Black can't take back, but has to move his rook e8 somewhere else. And thus White wins a knight.

Yet if Black took the rook e7, 28. ... Rxe7, White would give check with his queen: 29. Qb8+. It might follow 29. ... Kh7, 30. Kg2 Bh6 31. Rh1 and the game is over. Really, by replaying these moves I got quite impressed by how easily this chess computer handled that complicated position and discovered instantly decisive moves.
Cornersquare
Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 1:46 pm

Post by Cornersquare »

Oh, I'm sorry, I made a mistake. After 27. Be4! the black queen can't of course flee safely to b1 any longer. So, only a6 is left as asylum. :oops:
Post Reply