The TCEC14 computer chess superfinal: A perspective

Abstract

In a time when the pace of life is ever increasing and attention spans are ever decreasing, it seems strange that a chess match played between two machines at a long time control should prove so gripping, but the TCEC, LEELA CHESS ZERO and STOCKFISH managed it! The final score of 53.5-46.5, 14 wins to 7, was I think a fair reflection of the relative strength of both engines in a head-to-head contest: STOCKFISH seemed on the back foot more often than LEELA. Watching STOCKFISH hold the worse side of yet another 100-move draw with a long rear-guard action, I suddenly thought back to one of the key moments of the recent Carlsen-Caruana world championship match.