Rybka is the new 2007 World Computer Chess Champion!

Rybka is the new 2007 World Computer Chess Champion, with the fantastic score of 10 out of 11. The nearest rival Zappa trail behind with 8 point. The event were held at Science Park Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands from 11-18 June to 2007.


Full story here http://www.grappa.univ-lille3.fr/icga/news_item.php?id=25

The participant is Rybka , Zappa, Loop, Shredder, GridChess,Deep Sieng, Jonny,Diep, The Baron, IsiChess, The King and Micro-Max.

It’s interesting to note that two chessbase program Fritz and Junior didn’t participate in the event. Every chess fan would eager to watch both chess programs fight with Rybka to determine the "undisputed" World Chess Champion. Recently Junior and Fritz compete with each other in the Ultimate Computer Chess Challenge held together with the Candidate 2007 at Elista . Junior won that match. The final result of the match is 4-2 in favor of Junior. see http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3924

Rybka author Vasik Rajlich a Fide Master propose a controversial challenge to FIDE President Kirsan N. Ilyumzhinov, the sponsored of the Ultimate Computer Chess Challenge by offering a $100,000 computer chess challenge from Rybka to FIDE, who will be represented by the winner of the Ultimate Computer Chess Challenge 2007. The challenge consists of a 24 game match, at classical time controls, on unlimited hardware and with unlimited opening books, held at 2 games per day over twelve days, with Rybka giving a handicap of one point plus draw odds and thus requiring a score of 13 out of 24 or better to win the match. The prize fund of $100,000 should be a winner-takes-all, loser-pays-all proposition.
See the proposal from Rybka at http://rybkachess.com/docs/ChallengeToFIDE.htm

It is interesting to note that chessbase.com didn’t cover this year computer event at all although one of it program, Shredder took part. In the past, they always cover the event for example last year event won by Junior! see http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3277


Rybka final round game against Shredder:-

Rybka - Shredder , World Chess Championship 2007,
Amsterdam 18.06.2007, B97: Sicilian Najdorf: Poisoned Pawn

Analyze by Fritz and Hairulov

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 (The famous Poision Pawn Variation use by Bobby Fischer against Spassky in World Championship 1972. Spassky manage to trap Fischer queen ) 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 (Spassky played 10.Bxf6 in the famous game against Fischer who found her queen being trap on move 24! - 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Be2 h5 12.0–0 Nc6 13.Kh1 Bd7 14.Nb1 Qb4 15.Qe3 d5 16.exd5 Ne7 17.c4 Nf5 18.Qd3 h4 19.Bg4 Nd6 20.N1d2 f5 21.a3 Qb6 22.c5 Qb5 23.Qc3 fxg4 24.a4 h3 (if 24...Qe2 25.Rae1!)

....1-0 Spassky-Fischer 1972 World Championship)

10...dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 12.Ne4 h6 13.Bh4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 [14...Nxe5? doesn't work because of 15.Nb5 Theme: Clearance for d2-d8 15...f5 16.Nbd6+ Bxd6 17.Nxd6+ Kf8 18.Nxc8+-] 15.Qe3 Qxe5 [15...Nxe5 is clearly inferior 16.Nb3 Qxd1+ 17.Kxd1+-] 16.Be2 Bc5 17.Bg3 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qa5+ 19.Rd2 0-0 20.Bd6 Re8 21.0-0 f5 22.Qg3 fxe4 [22...Kh8 23.Bc7 Qb4 24.Nd6 Qxd2 25.Nxe8-/+] 23.Qg6 Rd8 [23...Qxd2 24.Qxe8+ Kh7 25.Bh5 Qe3+ 26.Rf2 Qc1+ 27.Rf1 Qe3+ 28.Rf2 Qe1+ 29.Rf1 Qe3+=] 24.Rf7 Qc3 [24...Qa1+ 25.Rd1 Qc3=] 25.Bg4= Nf8 26.Bxf8 Increases the pressure on g7. The isolani on e6 becomes a target 26...Qa1+? [>=26...Rxf8 is the best chance 27.Rxf8+ Kxf8+/=] 27.Rf1+- Qxf1+ 28.Kxf1 Rxf8+ 29.Rf2 Nc6 30.Bh5 Rxf2+ 31.Kxf2 Ne5 32.Qe8+ Kh7 photo: Vasik Rajlich 33.Ke3 b5 34.Kf4 Bb7 35.Qe7 Bd5 36.Kxe5 (Shredder should have resign here) 36...a5 37.g4 e3 38.g5 hxg5 39.Qxg5 Kg8 40.Qxe3 Rf8 41.Be2 b4 [41...Ba2 doesn't change the outcome of the game 42.Qb6 Rf5+ 43.Kd6+-] 42.Bd3 Rf3 [42...b3 hardly improves anything 43.cxb3 Rf3 44.Qd2+-] 43.Qg5 [43.Qa7!? makes it even easier for White 43...b3+-] 43...b3 44.Bg6 Rf6 45.Qh5 Rxg6 46.Qxg6 b2 47.Qe8+ Kh7 48.Qb5 Kh6 49.Qxb2 Ba8 50.Qc1+ Kh5 51.Qf4 Bd5 52.c4 Bc6 53.Qf7+ Kg4 54.Qxe6+ Kf3 55.Qxc6+ Ke3 1-0