Stockfish with a solid lead at the TCEC Superfinal halfway mark

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

Stockfish	18	6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28
Komodo	3	5, 7, 8

* Houdini was disqualified from TCEC in Season 20 due to plagiarism allegations. Titles from Seasons 1, 2, and 4 (Houdini 4 or earlier) remain valid; Season 10 results are disputed.

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