[Event "Stanley Random Chess: Challenge from eandrews"]
[Site "SchemingMind.com"]
[Date "2010.10.22"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Jesse"]
[Black "eandrews"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Variant "stanleyrandom"]
[WhiteCountry "ENG"]
[BlackCountry "USA"]
[WhiteElo "1543"]
[WhiteRD "198"]
[BlackElo "1156"]
[BlackRD "238"]
[GameID "264502"]

{
eandrews: Ok, so I made this a public game on the off chance that other SM players are as confused as we are. To that observer I say, we're going to comment on what moves we entered so as to compare them to the actual moves on the board. We're not trying so hard to win (though who among us can really not try to win?), but we're mostly trying to get an idea of how random it is. Cheers!
}
{
Jesse: (D4)
}
1. d4 h6
{
eandrews: e4 - calculated bad move.
}
{
eandrews: Nice.
}
2. e4
{
Jesse: (E4)- to dominate the centre.
}
{
Jesse: I propose that we name the intended move into the "with-move comment and place it in parentheses with a quick comment (which makes it visually distinct).  It's funny how both my first moves have been accepted!
}
2... d5
{
eandrews: d5, as though to do something.
}
3. f4
{
Jesse: (e5) to protect the pawn at the centre.
}
3... e6
{
eandrews: e6 - why not?
}
4. e5
{
Jesse: (e5 - again, perhaps it's legal this time?)
}
4... f6
{
eandrews: oh God don't move my queen...
}
{
eandrews: phew. that was the move I entered, but had visions of my queen moving to that square instead.
}
5. Be2
{
Jesse: (Nf3)- may as well bring out the knight.
}
5... c5
{
eandrews: (c5) fool's gambit?
}
6. h4
{
Jesse: (Be3) - mobilising the second bishops.
}
6... Kf7
{
eandrews: (Nc6) aspiring to develop, yet knowing that I've had more unmitigated moves in a row than my opponent. While this this move I'd like to make, some other moves could be acceptable.
}
{
eandrews: Good grief! Who does that? I'm trying that in my next game against a stranger for the pure head trip value of it. 
}
7. c4
{
Jesse: (Be3) - sometimes, the second attempt seems to work, and sometimes it's the thirtieth attempt that works.
}
{
Jesse: I find the game very entertaining.  I've seen the move "corrected" to be the worst possible legal move before.  I think the strategy that must be adopted is something along the lines of not exposing one's own pieces to attack, and taking pieces when they are vulnerable (followed by heading for cover).  Note that so far, neither of us has taken another piece.  I wonder if we keep positioning rather than taking if no pieces will be captured.  By the way, I love the Kf7 signature move.  That's a great move to play against a stranger.  Kf7 "Ethans trippy gambit"
}
7... Nc6
{
eandrews: (Nc6) let's try that again.
}
{
eandrews: Oh, that worked. But will it "work?"
}
8. Be3
{
Jesse: (Be3) - one more time?
}
{
Jesse: Finally, the move is allowed!  I can't tell if this move was actually a good choice anylonger.  That's something you need to keep an eye on with this.
}
{
Jesse: I'm interested in seeing what happens if neither of us attempt capture for quite a while, but you're free to play as your curiousity leads you.
}
8... b6
{
eandrews: (b6) pawns' day out
}
9. a3
{
Jesse: (Nf3) - knight at play
}
9... a5
{
eandrews: (c5xd4) In theory this will end up as an equal exchange, material-wise, but the random element could give one of us the advantage, assuming I can even commence the exchange...
}
{
eandrews: corn stalked, again!
}
10. Bh5+
{
Jesse: (nf3) - another attempt, in hopes of eventually castling and avoiding captures.
}
{
Jesse: Wow, now you're in check.  I think this means that the randomness is limted to legal moves - meaning either g6 or Ke7.
}
10... Ke7
{
eandrews: (g6) I can see how with limited moves we get more of an idea of what to expect, though somehow my odds of knowing what I'm going to get here — assuming it goes random — are still only 50/50.
}
11. cxd5
{
Jesse: (Bg6) - to keep pressure on things without actually capturing, and giving the horses a rest finally.
}
{
Jesse: By the way, I'm having an absolutely fantastic time with Jeff, and we actually played a game of OTB chess with 15 second move time limits.  Naturally both of us made shocking errors such as surrendering rooks accidentally (etc), but we each put up quite a fight, and we even made it to the endgame when Jeff resigned (his king was bare and I had a rook left).  It was fun, and such a contrast from our pre SM game OTB in the spring.
}
{
Jesse: I am also having a great time with Laura, with whom I'm not playing chess but it's lots of fun.  We've been seeing lots of things and talking about lots of things.  It's been great!
}
{
eandrews: Cool that you're doing some OTB chess. I have yet to play, against an adult, but recently came by a wooden chess board (nothing stunning but a step up from the hollow plastic pieces and cardboard I had before) and put new felts on the bottom of the pieces — an arduous task that has given me a nice sense of ownership over something that by some empirical calculation needn't be special. I have to say, I can't get into the idea of the 15 second time limit, though maybe it would be a fun thing to try. If I played like that it would definitely be one blunder after the next. I am curious about timed games though, where you use a chess clock. I like that idea.
}
11... exd5
{
eandrews: (exd5) an attempt to recover something.
}
{
eandrews: This game's fun but I find myself, in another game where I've fallen a critical tempo behind, thinking that I'll catch up as soon as one of my opponents moves is randomized. No such luck.
}
12. Ne2
{
Jesse: (Ne2) - trying a somewhat random move to see what random other move happens.
}
{
Jesse: The game with Jeff wasn't very satisfying due to the time limits, but we didn't want to spend much time in the cafe where they had the boards and pieces, so we arbitrarily set that limit (which we guesstimated).  I have played with a timer and you do really feel it's pressure if you play a short game.  I have to admit, aside from the convenience of limiting the time for a game, I don't really feel like timed chess is a game I'm drawn to.  It seems like you're only learning about someone's initial thoughts rather than their deeper thoughts.  It's like getting a summary of a really great plot, rather than enjoying the story itself. I'm thrilled to hear about your wooden chess board and the repair of the pieces.  I have quite a few chess sets now (nearly all aquired cheaply at thrift stores).  Most of the sets are travel sets, but I do find it satisfying to play on a larger more sturdy set.  By the way, I notice that the randomiser doesn't avoid captures - see my move 11 where I was deliberately avoiding a capture.
}
12... a4
{
eandrews: (a4) corn stalk defense?
}
13. Bf7
{
Jesse: (+++ kingside castle) - will it let me castle?
}
{
Jesse: That's the reason not to leave a piece where it can make a stupid move.  I ran into this problem in my other games.  now I have to spend all my time rescuing the bishop or count it more or less as lost.  In my other games, i'm going to lose for many reasons but chiefly material loss.
}
13... Bg4
{
eandrews: (Bg4)Might as well try to pin your queen. Maybe the move will be randomized so that I end up taking your bishop with my king...
}
{
eandrews: I think you should try to capture my knight, and then I should try to recapture with my rook. It's like Russian roulette.
}
14. e6
{
Jesse: (e6) - slowly but strategically closing the net.
}
{
Jesse: I agree about capturing the knight but that knight is going nowhere fast, so I'll get to that later.  The pin does seem important to address since the knight could leave e2 without my bidding at any time.
}
14... Kd6
{
eandrews: looking to set up a protected attack on the queen or something like that. As Eliot sometimes asks: Is this a winning game?
}
{
eandrews: (oh that last move was supposed to be Nxd4, ah well...)
}
15. Nbc3
{
Jesse: (that move was supposed to be Nc3 - as it turned out to be)
}
15... Ne5
{
eandrews: (Be2) - not sure if probability is on my side here with this brazen attack on your queen.
}
{
eandrews: er... nope.
}
{
Jesse: (f4xe5)- rule of thumb, put your opponent in check all the time.
}
16. Na2
{
Jesse: (Just a quick not to say that my move 15 was played correctly Nbc3 rather than Nec3, and to say that this last move Na2 was supposed to be f4xe5 which I indicated the comment beforehand)
}
16... Bxe2
{
eandrews: Trying again with brazen attack. Persistance hopefully mitigating chance.
}
17. Qb1
{
Jesse: (Qe2) If this reply goes poorly, then... uh-oh!
}
{
Jesse: That's not the worst outcome. By the way, what was your last move supposed to be? Did it come out like you planned?
}
17... Ra6
{
eandrews: (cxd4) my last move came out the way it was planned. Oh but now my bishop's just sitting there. Well, it's hard to get too worked up about any of it, isn't it.
}
{
eandrews: I'm waiting for a randomized move that's something better that what I would have thought of. That wasn't one.
}
18. h5
{
Jesse: (d4xe5) - queen is safe so back to my original strategy.
}
{
Jesse: I just hardly worry at all about it, the chance of getting your strategy to play out is so low at this stage.
}
18... Ng4
{
eandrews: (Ng4) three of the last four moves have been randomized. Maybe this knight saving move will work.
}
19. Kxe2
{
Jesse: (Ke2) - I guess it's time to deal with the bishop.
}
19... Ne7
{
eandrews: (Ne7) getting my knight out of the way?
}
20. Qd3
{
Jesse: (Qd3) - putting my queen into the danger zone and connecting my bishops.
}
{
Jesse: Dude, the last 4 individual moves have been as intended - your 18, both of our 19s and my 20.  Have we hit the mostly non-random section?
}
{
eandrews: I think the thing about randomness is that it only appears organized after the fact.
}
20... Qc8
{
eandrews: (Qc8) - giving these minimal thought and enjoying it. Half expecting to find myself in checkmate on the next move.
}
21. Bd2
{
Jesse: (Bd2) - sorry forgot to put that in the move.
}
21... c4
{
eandrews: (c4)
}
22. Qc2
{
Jesse: (Qc2)- help! my queen needs a bit of relief!
}
22... Qa8
{
eandrews: (Nc6) loosen up those ranks...
}
{
eandrews: Some random selections are more frustrating than others.
}
23. Rab1
{
Jesse: (Nb4) - to threaten (potentially) the rook.
}
{
Jesse: Drat, that wasn't a very successful outcome!  Just when we had a run of non-random moves!  By the way, I finished my two SRC games with a stranger and they seemed to have fewer random moves later in the game, but they were never completely free of randoms.
}
23... Qe8
{
eandrews: (Nc6) if at first you don't succeed...
}
{
eandrews: Ok. Now, I'm sort of annoyed with this game. If all the moves were random, I could appreciate it on a conceptual level, but this thing where, what, half the moves are randomized ... Why try?
}
{
eandrews: Or maybe I'm just pissed because my randomized just put my queen in direct danger of capture.
}
24. Bxe8
{
Jesse: (Bxe8) - naturally, this can't be passed up.  However, I fear that if it succeeds, the imbalance in the game will have serious repercussions.
}
{
Jesse: Brutal...  Hopefully this unwelcome outcome for you will be balanced out by something later in the game.  I think if it were fully random there would be no game, but I sort of wish it would be random till move x and then you just played normally, since it does make for very difficult strategy, you sort of spend most of the time trying to protect your own pieces.
}
24... Ra8
{
eandrews: (Ra8) an attempt to recoup, reposition.
}
{
eandrews: On a possible SRC strategy note, I thought about trying to move my g4 knight to e3 on the chance of taking your queen on the next move. Aside from the fact that two consecutive non-reassigned moves seems unlikely, I also noticed that there were two legal moves you could make to capture my knight right off the bat and some of your other pieces are tied up (pawns). So it didn't seem like a good bet, weighing all things.
}
25. Bd7
{
Jesse: (Bd7) - protecting the bishop
}
{
Jesse: I think that your assessment of the SRC risk for an E3 knight venture is accurate.  Not only could I take it deliberately, but there's the risk of three randomised moves that could result in you not eventually getting the queen.  On the other hand, such a gamble could succeed.  In some ways, I feel like you need to think about the risks inherent in any pieces moving legally.  In this way, my queen is quite vunerable, since most legal moves to the queen would be disasterously risky, fortunately my rooks are both safe basically.
}
25... Nf5
{
eandrews: (g5) time to move.
}
{
eandrews: Ok, so a weird inversion here. I had dragged an dropped my knight to that spot, then was playing around in the "analyse" field and came back to do a different move but didn't actually make it, beyond writing it in the comments section. What would have been really funny is if it had — through randomization — made the move I'd meant to make. Alas. Another dud move. This one, my own.
}
{
Jesse: (Nf5)! that's so funny that you actually played it and it correctly moved, but your comment was something else.  Like you say, it would have been perfect if the randomisation actually chose g5.
}
26. Qxf5
{
Jesse: (Qxf5) I'm playing a high risk move, since this places the queen in a position that's easier to threaten and easier for the queen to make a dud move.
}
26... Be7
{
eandrews: (g6) hmph.
}
27. Ra1
{
Jesse: (Qxg4) I'm feeling lucky.
}
{
Jesse: (uh, that's not the lucky that I meant actually).
}
27... Ne5
{
eandrews: (Ne5) self attacking?
}
28. Be1
{
Jesse: (d4xe5) chasing horses
}
{
Jesse: I have to admit that even when it's frustrating, the odd random moves like this are kind of amusing too.  When would you ever find yourself making a move like this?  It's so comical to move away from protecting a piece in order to interupt the mutual protection provided by connected rooks.
}
28... Rad8
{
eandrews: (Nd3) a little outpost?
}
{
eandrews: well... I'd considered that move, but not really.
}
{
eandrews: I agree with your assessment of the amusing moves. They are like the kinds of moves children make when first learning the game, which is to say, legal but utterly without direction.
}
{
Jesse: (d4xe5) another try
}
29. Rh2
{
Jesse: (d4xe5) another try
}
{
Jesse: The madness continues!  I don't think that moving my rook to H2 will prove the most decisive move.
}
{
eandrews: I think I made the same move about 10 moves ago, with similar head scratching.
}
29... Rh7
{
eandrews: (Nd3) another shot at the outpost.
}
{
eandrews: ah... ok?
}
30. Rh3
{
Jesse: (Qxh7) a new venture with success?
}
{
Jesse: Aha, gently easing up the rook in order to... have an eased up rook.
}
30... g6
{
eandrews: (g6) from exasperation, courage?
}
{
eandrews: We'll have to do a tally at the end and see how many moves were randomized. It feels like about three out of every four, but maybe that's just sour grapes.
}
31. Qxg6
{
Jesse: (Qxg6) - I hope that I can manage to save my queen.
}
{
Jesse: Whew!  Yes, I agree that we'll have to do an analysis in the end.
}
31... Nxg6
{
eandrews: (Ng6) could it be?
}
{
eandrews: Hot damn!
}
32. Kf1
{
Jesse: (g3) - a small step
}
32... Nxf4
{
eandrews: (Nf4) making up for lost time?
}
33. b4
{
Jesse: (Rf3) - beating a hasty forking retreat.
}
{
Jesse: Well, that's not exactly what I was imagining the rook and pawn would do.
}
33... Ng6
{
eandrews: (Nxh3) perhaps...
}
{
eandrews: hmm. I can think of at least one other place I'd rather have moved that knight.
}
34. Bg3+
{
Jesse: (Bg3) check?
}
{
Jesse: I think the only legal move you have is to return to F4 which sadly will reopen the opportunity for you to nail my rook, but I'm opening the opportunity for a checkmate too.
}
34... Ne5
{
eandrews: That's pretty good. Almost checkmate. I think I only have one move and in a normal game, I'd be finished.
}
35. Bxe5+
{
Jesse: (Bxe5+) I think this move must be like throwing away my bishop to capture your knight.
}
35... fxe5
{
eandrews: Oh, I was thinking this was mate. Ok, so I guess the rules of the game will require this move to go through as planned.
}
36. dxe5+
{
Jesse: (d4xe5) this almost guarantees the loss of the pawn, but there is one other legal move for you..
}
36... Kc7
{
eandrews: (oh, and that was the move I planned ... it was either an exposed king and an extra pawn for me or a protected king and you with doubled pawns. I went for the latter.)
}
37. Rh2
{
Jesse: (Bxa4) If I win this game, it will probably be on material.
}
{
Jesse: Actually... that move hadn't occured to me., but at least it's not Rh4
}
37... Rg7
{
eandrews: (Rf8) check?
}
{
eandrews: I feel like I entered my move via a child's game of Telephone.
}
38. Rh4
{
Jesse: (Bxa4) perhaps again something?
}
{
Jesse: That's exactly how this game feels sometimes, just like a childs game of telephone.
}
38... d4
{
eandrews: (d4) break for the endzone.
}
{
eandrews: I have to be careful going between this game and others where the moves actually are executed as planned. Here, it's like, what the heck, I'll try a wild move and maybe it will work — I'll recklessly endanger one of my pieces because what are the chances that my opponent will actually be able to take it? This is so different from the regular standard chess games where any little slip up can spell disaster.
}
39. Rxd4
{
Jesse: (Rxd4) endzone protection measure
}
39... b5
{
eandrews: (b5) darn, your rook capture worked.
}
{
Jesse: Whew! It actually worked, and it got me out of immediate danger.  That's such a good point about remembering not to treat the other games as SRC.  That could create such a significant error if you took a SRC style move in another game.  I have to say, this is the most amusing and relaxing game I've played.  It's very pleasant, like sitting down for a nice cup of coffee at a mountain summit or a artisanal ale at the seaside.  Somehow it takes the sting out of foolish moves, and even when things go the worst possible way, it's sort of amusing.  I've been learning a bit about the SM least played varient "Lao Tzou" and wishing I could try it out with someone.  If you feel up to another varient now or later, I'd be interested in trying it.  It seems to me that the description doesn't really indicate the full experience.  It seems like there's plenty of strategy but you're up against the unknown too.  Also, it uses the principles of basic chess as it's starting point, so you can still use chess knowledge (like here) to help.
}
40. Bxb5
{
Jesse: (BxB5) maybe my luck will hold out?
}
{
Jesse: Now I just have to hope my luck protects the totally unprotected rook.  I love the way this game plays!
}
40... Re8
{
eandrews: (Rxd4)
}
{
eandrews: Ok, I'm feeling a little spiteful about your successive pawn captures, followed by my "gentleman's courtesy" move.
}
41. Bxe8
{
Jesse: (Rxe8) it has to be done, but hopefully SM will unscramble the move and save you.
}
{
Jesse: Oh dear, that's not gentlemanly at all.  Your moves have shown such courtesy, and mine are positively barbaric.
}
{
eandrews: As frustrating as this game is, I might want to play again. I've been just sort of throwing stuff out to see what sticks, but I'd be curious to try it with more of a mind to strategy. Sorry if this sounds like "congratulations but I wasn't really trying."
}
{
eandrews: For instance, is it worth it to try to anticipate an imminent randomization (i.e. after three successful moves in a row, does the fourth stand a decent chance of being redirected?), or is there a method to limiting one's own possible moves (Like the "check" scenario where only moves that get the king out of check will be allowed)?
}
41... Rg5
{
eandrews: (Rg5)
}
42. Rxc4+
{
Jesse: (Rxc4+) check perhaps?
}
{
Jesse: I'd be happy to play more SRC.  I'm developing some ideas for strategy along those same lines, but with the addition that the games seem largely won on material and clevery forced moves (involving escapes from check).
}
{
Jesse: that's all for tonight!
}
42... Kd8
{
eandrews: (Kd8) Here's my go at a cleverly forced move, escaping from check.
}
43. Bxa4
{
Jesse: (Bxa4) may as well give this a shot again
}
{
Jesse: I just spotted something @ @ @ 41. (Bxe8) was my intention, but I wrote (Rxe8).
}
{
Jesse: Whew, we've just had a run of "uncorrected" moves (38-43 except your move 40), this fits the pattern I recall from my last game where there was an increase in prevalence of uncorrected moves later in the game.
}
43... Rxh5 44. Rd1+
{
Jesse: (Rd1+) If this takes, there's only one legal move for you that I can spot. 
}
{
Jesse: By the way, was that last move of yours the move you intended?
}
44... Bd6
{
eandrews: Yes, my last one was as planned, and that was probably my only legal move. Yup. Let's see how I can parlay my predicament into assured moves.
}
{
eandrews: I'm noticing that I don't have very many piece left on the board...
}
45. exd6
{
Jesse: (e5xd6) - sorry I forgot to write that in.  Yes, my two previous SRC games seemed to be going well and then I suddenly found I was in the endgame and the other fellow had a lot more pieces, so I tried to see in this game if it was possible to take pieces with minimal risk to my own.  I think it worked reasonably well. Also, once the moves become less random then having fewer pieces makes it much harder to gain any advantage.
}
45... Rh1+
{
eandrews: (Rh1) 
}
{
eandrews: Nice when the offensive moves work, not just the defensive ones.
}
{
eandrews: May your escape move be randomized. I see it be 50/50.
}
46. Ke2
{
Jesse: (Ke2)- one of twho possible legal moves
}
{
eandrews: It seems there are about 10 ways for you to win in the next three moves.
}
46... Rxd1
{
eandrews: (Rd1) last ditch effort

}
47. e7#
{
Jesse: (e7++) - either this works and the game finishes, or something strange happens
}
{
Jesse: I'd say this game was mostly won on material.  The safety of my pieces was not totally random, I was very selective about captures and tried to avoid exposing many of my pieces to high degrees of risk - partly by limiting the expression of pieces initially, and assuming that a less well developed board would help after move 30 where the game does seem to involve decreasing levels of move "correction".
}
1-0

