Learning from Stockfish13

A key concept in chess is pattern recognition. in a way, you can learn from past games and apply the techniques or concepts you've seen in your own games. Of course studying top GM games is a well-known method. But can we do the same with computer games, i.e chess engines games ?

After all, if Stockfish13 is stronger than top grandmasters, there is no better way to learn to take a look at the top engine games.

Now of course, no human can play at the level of Stockfish13, but re-using some of the ideas from stockfish13 is possible. also, if stockfish13 decides for a given move order or pawn push, we need to ask ourselves why, we cannot simply "copy" the moves. But same can be said for top GM games, if Kasparov plays the Najdorf, copying his first 10 moves will not guarantee you will have the same results. 

All this is very theoretical, so let me show concrete examples of how this can be done.

The famous h2-h4 or h7-h5 push. Harry the H-pawn.

POSITION I, Black to play

in the diagram I, Black to play. We have just finished the opening phase. it is quite close to a hedgehog formation. Stockfish13 goes for 14..h5!

The idea behind the pawn push is that White has advanced f2-f3 and g2-g3, weakening the pawn structure. h5-h4 is a real threat because the g3 pawn is target.

Diagram 1.B , Black to play

Note that Black has given up the a6 and b6 pawns on the queenside. Now comes 18..h5-h4!

Black has a strong attack due to the queen on e5 attacking g3 combined with the powerful bishop on the a8-h1 diagonal.

let's see how Stockfish13 wraps up the game from there : White(Fritz17) resigned on move 26. I am aware that Fritz17 is not as strong as Stockfish13, but at the same time Fritz17 is stronger than most GMs, so I purposely looking to see how Stockfish13 punishes White's move. It is more instructive than seeing a 100-move draw when Stocfkish13 plays itself.

Now lets take a look at the same theme but Stockfish13 playing White

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Position 2, White to play

Here again, right towards the end of the opening phase, Stockfish13 goes for 16.h4! and gives an eval of +1.29. 

Fritz17 responds with 16..d5 which is very logical. Historically, it has been said that the best response to a flank attack is a counter-attack in the center.

Which brings to the next diagram 2.B

White to play

in the diagram above, Stockfish13 uncorks 17Bg5! which is a brilliant way to use the rook on h1 against the black king. Eval is now +2.17. Black takes the piece by answer 17..hxg5 and it is quite instructive to see White's attack.  While the game ended on move 45, please note that the engine eval on move 25 is + 4.3 meaning the advantage is decisive.

Here's the rest of the game, which is an absolute textbook example of a decisive attacking play.