The TCEC Season 29 Superfinal is underway, and for the first time in years it does not look like business as usual at the Top Chess Engine Championship. The reigning 18-time champion Stockfish is chasing a record-extending 19th title, but it is doing so against a challenger few predicted would be there.
For years, the top tier of computer chess has been defined by a familiar rivalry: Stockfish versus Leela Chess Zero. But in a dramatic and unexpected turn, that era has been disrupted. A new contender, Reckless, surged into the spotlight, setting up a headline-grabbing final against the reigning powerhouse.
Read about Reckless chess engine here
Stockfish leads the TCEC Season 29 Superfinal at the halfway point
Stockfish leads Reckless 28.5 – 21.5 at the halfway point of the TCEC Season 29 Superfinal, putting the reigning champion firmly in control of what had promised to be and is an exciting match. The seven-point advantage is a familiar sight for followers of the competition. Stockfish has consistently opened up commanding leads in recent superfinals, winning Season 28 against Leela by a final margin of +15. Reckless, for its part, has not been embarrassed; the challenger has shown flashes of the aggressive, combative chess that earned it a Superfinal berth in the first place.
Follow the second half of the TCEC Superfinal live
29 seasons of TCEC history
Stockfish is the defending champion of TCEC. It has won 18 TCEC Season (League) titles as of its most recent victory in Season 28. Stockfish has been in the TCEC competition since Season 4 and has won Seasons 6, 9, 11–14, 16, and 18–28, a total of 18 titles, including an unprecedented streak of eleven consecutive championships that is about to continue with a 19th title
TCEC Season 29 Superfinal games, openings, results
Engine
Engine
Score
Moves
Opening
Code
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
84
Robatsch (modern) defence
B06
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
89
Robatsch (modern) defence
B06
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
110
Ruy Lopez, closed, Chigorin, 12…Nc6
C98
Stockfish
–
Reckless
½-½
118
Ruy Lopez, closed, Chigorin, 12…Nc6
C98
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
96
English opening
A21
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
86
English opening
A21
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
101
Sicilian, Najdorf, Byrne (English) attack
B90
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
93
Sicilian, Najdorf, Byrne (English) attack
B90
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
73
Queen’s pawn, Franco-Indian (Keres) defence
A40
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
111
Queen’s pawn, Franco-Indian (Keres) defence
A40
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
97
Owen defence
B00
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
93
Owen defence
B00
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
90
King’s Indian, orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov, 9.Ne1
E98
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
99
King’s Indian, orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov, 9.Ne1
E98
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
45
Old Indian, Tartakower (Wade) variation
A41
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
123
Old Indian, Tartakower (Wade) variation
A41
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
65
Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rossolimo attack (with …g6, without …d6)
B31
Stockfish
–
Reckless
½-½
65
Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rossolimo attack (with …g6, without …d6)
B31
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
56
QGA, 3.e4
D20
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
98
QGA, 3.e4
D20
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
82
Trompovsky attack (Ruth, Opovcensky opening)
A45
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
89
Trompovsky attack (Ruth, Opovcensky opening)
A45
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
90
King’s Indian defence, 3.Nc3
E61
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
132
King’s Indian defence, 3.Nc3
E61
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
71
Pirc, Austrian attack
B09
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
94
Pirc, Austrian attack
B09
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
71
King’s Indian, 5.Be2
E73
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
92
King’s Indian, 5.Be2
E73
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
95
Pirc defence
B07
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
128
Pirc defence
B07
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
79
Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B45
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
105
Sicilian, Taimanov variation
B45
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
32
Bogo-Indian defence
E11
Stockfish
–
Reckless
½-½
52
Bogo-Indian defence
E11
Reckless
–
Stockfish
0-1
89
Vienna, Steinitz gambit, Fraser-Minckwitz variation
C25
Stockfish
–
Reckless
0-1
63
Vienna, Steinitz gambit, Fraser-Minckwitz variation
C25
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
53
Dutch-Indian, Alekhine variation
A90
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
115
Dutch-Indian, Alekhine variation
A90
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
64
Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres attack
B81
Stockfish
–
Reckless
½-½
58
Sicilian, Scheveningen, Keres attack
B81
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
155
Old Indian, main line
A55
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
152
Old Indian, main line
A55
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
105
King’s Indian, 3.g3
E60
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
79
King’s Indian, 3.g3
E60
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
42
French, Winawer, advance, 5.a3
C17
Stockfish
–
Reckless
½-½
78
French, Winawer, advance, 5.a3
C17
Reckless
–
Stockfish
½-½
85
Van’t Kruijs opening
A00
Stockfish
–
Reckless
½-½
52
Van’t Kruijs opening
A00
Reckless
–
Stockfish
1 – 0
106
Nimzo-Indian, Kmoch variation
E20
Stockfish
–
Reckless
1 – 0
78
Nimzo-Indian, Kmoch variation
E20