I've suspended my Rubinstein project to engage in quantitative analysis of the Lasker-Schlechter World Championship Match (1910) and Anand-Kramnik World Championship Match (2008). For background to this, see the Luis Ramirez de Lucena page.The first part of the project was to construct a method based on GM Nunn's engine blunder-check analysis of San Sebastian, but hopefully one that's more more sophisticated and rigorous. Basic idea is to rate the quality of a game and a match by its bad moves and blunders. I take it as axiomatic that a result cannot occur without bad moves and/or blunders.
<The elements of the method> are:
* each ply is subject to a minimum of 16 ply engine evaluation
* once the last move is inputted, the process is reversed, with each ply being subject to a minimum of 16 ply engine evaluation
* two separate weighting methods are used.
<Weighting method A>:
* a <blunder> is defined:
(a) as a losing move, ie: a move that shifts the position evaluation to greater than 1.40
or 1.40
, regardless of the proximate change in evaluation
(b) as a move that costs a win, ie: a move that shifts the position evaluation from greater than 1.40
or 1.40
, to below 1.40
or 1.40
, regardless of the proximate change in evaluation
(c) as a move that causes an engine evaluation shift of greater than 1.20, unless the game is a forced loss and the side with the superior position does not make a blunder that reduces the game position to below 1.40. Similarly, the loser in a position which is a forced loss will not be penalized for suicidal moves.
* default game weighting is 0. Each blunder adds 2.
* a <bad move> or an <error> is defined as a move that causes an engine evaluation shift of between 0.80 and 1.20 with the same caveat that applies to a <blunder>.
* each bad move adds 1 to a game's weighting.
* successive moves or short sequences of moves that accumulate an evaluation shift equivalent to a bad move may be deemed a <bad move> or an <error> if they are considered instrumental in causing a game loss, or could reasonably be expected to result in game loss.
* inflated evaluations that may occur in endgames will be dealt with on a case by case basis, depending on whether a result has occurred or would have in the normal course of events.
<Weighting method B>
* a <blunder> is defined as:
(a) as a losing move, ie: a move that shifts the position evaluation to greater than 1.40
or 1.40
, regardless of the proximate change in evaluation
(b) as a move that costs a win, ie: a move that shifts the position evaluation from greater than 1.40
or 1.40
, to below 1.40
or 1.40
, regardless of the proximate change in evaluation
(c) a move that causes an engine evaluation shift of greater than 1.20, with the same caveat that applies to a blunder in <weighting method A>.
* Default game rating is 0. Each blunder adds 2.
* a <bad move> or an <error> is defined as a move that causes an engine evaluation shift of between 0.80 and 1.20 with the same caveat that applies to a <blunder>.
* each <bad move>/<error> adds 1 to a game's weighting.
* a <dubious move> is defined as a move that causes an engine evaluation shift of between 0.60 and 0.79 with the same caveats that apply to a <blunder> and a <bad move>/<error>.
* each <dubious move> adds 0.5 to a game's weighting.
* successive moves or short sequences of moves that accumulate an evaluation shift equivalent to a dubious move <will not> be deemed a <dubious move>.
* inflated evaluations that may occur in endgames will be dealt with on a case by case basis, depending on whether a result has occurred or would have in the normal course of events.
<feedback welcome>:
As you can see some subjective judgments may need to be made. I welcome all critiques on this method so I can enhance it. The first World Championship match I'll analyze will be the Lasker-Schlechter match of 1910.
<The engine used for this analysis>:
is a Shredder 11 UCI installed on a Pentium 4 with a 3GHz processor and 512MB of RAM.
<TEST RESULT>: Using the method A, Zukertort vs Steinitz, 1886 is weighted at 8 (1 blunder by Steinitz, 1 blunder and four bad moves by Zukertort). Full analysis starts from the following link in this forum: Bridgeburner chessforum .
<visayanbraindoctor> kindly re-examined this game after Method B was devised and concluded that although the weighting under Method B was still 8, it was due to 1 <blunder> by Steinitz and 3 blunders by Zukertort. <visayanbraindoctor>'s amendments can be found at Bridgeburner chessforum.
<THE LASKER-SCHLECHTER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH GAMES>:
<The first game of the match> - Schlechter vs Lasker, 1910 - is weighted at 0 (no blunders or bad moves by either Schlechter or Lasker). Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum .
<The second game of the match> - Lasker vs Schlechter, 1910 - is weighted at 0 under both weighting methods (no blunders, or bad or dubious moves by either Schlechter or Lasker). Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum .
<The third game of the match> - Schlechter vs Lasker, 1910 - is weighted at 0 under both weighting methods (no <dubious moves>, <errors> or <blunders> by either Schlechter or Lasker. Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum
<The fourth game of the match> - Lasker vs Schlechter, 1910
Under weighting method A, weighting is 5.0 (no bad moves and 1 blunder by Lasker and 1 bad move and 1 blunder by Schlechter).
Under weighting method B, weighting is 5.0, (no bad moves and 1 blunder by Lasker and 1 bad move and 1 blunder by Schlechter; no dubious moves by either player).
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum and amended at this link: Bridgeburner chessforum.
<The fifth game of the match> - Schlechter vs Lasker, 1910
Under weighting method A, weighting is 6 (1 <blunder> by Schlechter, 2 <blunders> by Lasker)
Under weighting method B, weighting is 6.5 (1 <dubious move> and 1 <blunder> by Schlechter, and 2 <blunders> by Lasker).
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum
<The sixth game of the match> - Lasker vs Schlechter, 1910
Under weighting method A, weighting is 0 (no blunders or bad moves by either Schlechter or Lasker)
Under weighting method B, weighting is 1.0 (1 <dubious move> each by Schlechter and Lasker).
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum
<The seventh game of the match> - Schlechter vs Lasker, 1910
Under weighting method A, weighting is 1.0 (0 blunders and 0 bad moves by Schlechter and 0 blunders and 1 bad move by Lasker).
Under weighting method B, weighting is 1.5, (0 blunders, 0 bad moves and 1 dubious move by Schlechter and 0 blunders, 1 bad move and no dubious moves by Lasker).
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum .
<The eighth game of the match> - Lasker vs Schlechter, 1910
Under both weighting methods A and B, there were no <blunders>, <bad moves> or <dubious moves> as defined in either method, and accordingly the error weighting under both methods is 0.0.
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum
<The ninth game of the match> - Schlechter vs Lasker, 1910
Under both weighting methods A and B, there were two <blunders> each by Lasker and Schlechter, and accordingly the error weighting under both methods is 8.0.
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum
The tenth and final game of the match is currently being mapped and analysed: Lasker vs Schlechter, 1910
<THE ANAND-KRAMNIK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH GAMES>:
<The first game of the match> - Kramnik vs Anand, 2008
The weighting under both weighting methods A and B is 0 representing 0 blunders, and 0 bad moves and 0 dubious moves by both Kramnik and Anand.
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum
<The second game of the match> - Anand vs Kramnik, 2008
Under weighting method A, weighting is 2 (0 blunders, and 1 bad move by Anand, 0 blunders, 1 bad move by Kramnik).
Under weighting method B, weighting is 3.0 (0 blunders, 1 bad move and 1 dubious move by Anand, and 0 blunders 1 bad move and one dubious move by Kramnik).
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum, and an amendment to that analysis starts here: Bridgeburner chessforum and includes the first three posts.
<The third game of the match> - Kramnik vs Anand, 2008
Under weighting method A, weighting is 6 (1 <blunder> by Anand, and 2 <blunders> by Kramnik).
Under weighting method B, weighting is 6.5 (1 <blunder> by Anand, and 2 <blunders> and 1 <dubious move> by Kramnik).
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum and is amended at the three posts starting here: Bridgeburner chessforum
<The fifth game of the match> - Kramnik vs Anand, 2008
Under weighting method A, weighting is 2 (1 <blunder> by Kramnik)
Under weighting method B, weighting is 2.5 (1 <blunder> and 1 <dubious move> by Kramnik).
There were no blunders, or bad or dubious moves by Anand.
Full analysis starts from this link: Bridgeburner chessforum
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Akiba Rubinstein is my subject of study.
For an excellent short biography, and a collection of games by this great master, including his matches against Schlechter, Bogolyubov and Marshall, click on <Archives> collection at Game Collection: Akiva Rubinstein. For other information about Rubinstein's life and times, the bio (including links) on his player page, and discussion under that bio provides considerable information. In addition, User: Anyi 's website at http://rubina.yfw24.de/ is dedicated to Rubinstein, and User: RubinsteinLife is some additional information by User: Karpova.
Some other useful and interesting links:
* http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/... (Capablanca on Rubinstein)
* http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/... (Alekhine on Rubinstein 1929 - mentioned below the photo of Capablanca)
* http://www.olimpbase.org/1930/1930p... (Polish team results in the 3rd Olympiad, Hamburg)
* http://www.olimpbase.org/1930/img/p... (photo from the Olympiad in Hamburg)
* http://www.olimpbase.org/players/n1... (article by Terry Crandall)
* Akiba Rubinstein and Akiba Rubinstein (excerpts from chesshistory.com articles by W.Winter, given by User: Karpova)
*Akiba Rubinstein (description of Rubinstein's play by Reti - given by User: Karpova)
* http://jewishchesshistory.blogspot.... (simul game against 9 year old Nussdorf)
* http://picasaweb.google.de/AnitaEva... (Rubinstein gallery of photos (on User: Anyi's website)
* http://www.evrado.com/chess/autogra... (autographed line drawing of Rubinstein)
* http://www.kramnik.com/eng/intervie... (Kramnik's comments on Rubinstein (in the section dealing with Lasker)
* http://www.time.com/time/magazine/a... (short article by Time magazine from 12 August 1929)
* http://www.eilatgordinlevitan.com/k... ("The Rubinstein Family")
* http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/sta... and http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/sta... (obituaries)
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Rubinstein's record against the best players of his day is impressive. The only player to have proved to have had Rubinstein's full measure was that dark genius, Alexander Alekhine . Alekhine beat Rubinstein 8 to 5 (thanks <Karpova>), with 2 draws. (Rubinstein won their first four games). Even so, it's worth noting that Alekhine only gained his ascendancy during their last few games when Rubinstein was well and truly succumbing to his problems and Alekhine was at his peak, leading up to and subsequent to winning the world championship.
The only other player to have a plus score against Rubinstein (apart from the odd one-off game) was Emanuel Lasker with 2 wins against 1 loss, with 3 draws. Their final game gave Lasker the edge.
Against other players who had played World Championship matches during their careers, Rubinstein:
- tied Jose Raul Capablanca 1 to 1, with 7 draws.
- beat Carl Schlechter 6 to 2, with 13 draws.
- beat Frank James Marshall 11 to 9, with 15 draws
- beat David Janowski 5 to 3
- tied Efim Bogoljubov 14 to 14, with 10 draws
- beat Siegbert Tarrasch 8 to 0, with 12 draws
- beat Mikhail Chigorin 3 to 2
- tied Max Euwe 2 to 2, with 1 draw
Of the others, Rubinstein:
- beat Savielly Tartakower 8 to 6, with 11 draws.
- beat Aron Nimzowitsch 7 to 6, with 9 draws.
- beat Richard Reti 9 to 4, with 8 draws.
- beat Milan Vidmar 4 to 3, with 6 draws
- beat Geza Maroczy 5 to 1, with 8 draws
- beat Richard Teichmann 4 to 3, with 9 draws
- beat Rudolf Spielmann 15 to 12, with 8 draws
- beat Jacques Mieses 9 to 6, with 5 draws
- beat Georg Salwe 17 to 2, with 8 draws (see results of matches between these two below)
- beat Oldrich Duras 9 to 2, with 2 draws
- beat Erich Cohn 5 to 0, with 1 draw
- tied Ossip Bernstein 1 to 1, with 6 draws
- beat Fyodor Ivanovich Dus Chotimirsky 5 to 3, with 2 draws
- beat Eugene Aleksandrovich Znosko-Borovsky 2 to 1, with 4 draws
- beat Mir Sultan Khan 2 to 1, with 1 draw
- beat Frederick D Yates 8 to 2, with 7 draws
- beat Ernst Gruenfeld 4 to 0, with 10 draws
- tied Hans Kmoch 2 to 2
- beat Friedrich Samisch 6 to 0, with 6 draws
- beat George Alan Thomas 5 to 1, with 3 draws
- beat Edgar Colle 4 to 3, with 2 draws
- beat Karel Treybal 3 to 0, with 3 draws
- beat Vera Menchik 1 to 0, with 1 draw
- beat David Przepiorka 3 to 0, with 2 draws
- beat Gyula Breyer 2 to 0, with 1 draw
MATCHES
Rubinstein won every match he played except for:
<1.> the first of his three matches against Salwe, which he drew:
Rubinstein and Salwe played three matches in Lodz:
1903: 7-7 (+5 =4 -5)
1904: 5.5-4.5 (+4 =3 -3)
1907: 16-6 (+12 =8 -2)
Source: "The Uncrowned King" by Donaldson and Minev (courtesy of <User: archives;) and
<2.> the short playoff match for the master title against equal first-place getter Duras at Barmen in 1905: both games were drawn and both players were awarded the title. (Thanks you User: Gypsy)
Against Frank James Marshall in Warsaw:
1908: 4 - 3 (+ 4 - 3 = 0)
Against Richard Teichmann in Vienna:
1908: 3.5 - 2.5 (+ 3 - 2 = 1)
Against Jacques Mieses in Berlin:
1905: 3-0 (source <Karpova>)
1909: 6 - 4 (+ 5 - 3 = 2)
Against Alexander Flamberg in Warsaw:
1910: 4.5 - 0.5 (+ 4 - 0 = 1)
Against Moishe Leopoldowicz Lowtzky (match for the Warsaw City Championship)
1916: 2.5 - 0.5 (+2 -0 =1) (source: <Karpova>)
Against Carl Schlechter in Berlin:
1918: 3.5 - 2.5 (+ 2 - 1 = 3)
Against Efim Bogoljubov in Stockholm:
1920: 7.5 - 6.5 (+ 5 - 4 = 5)
Against Salo Landau in Amsterdam:
1930: 2.5 - 0.5 (+ 2 - 0 = 1)
Source: Bill Wall in http://maskeret.com/cgi-bin/wiwp.cg...
TOURNAMENTS
Complete results for Rubinstein's career can be found at http://www.phileo.demon.co.uk/uk_ar....
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Favorite scene in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series: Itkovian's gift to the T'lan Imass.
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