Zor_champ wins Second PAL/CSS Freestyle Tournament
The final couldn't have been more thrilling. In a fierce last round battle, when the leading team "Zor_champ", located in the United Arab Emirates and running with the Hydra multiprocessor hardware program, had to fend off the attacks of the German centaur team "Ciron". Zor_champ finally gained the upper hand and took the title, as well as the first prize of US $8,000.
The second placed team, with a prize of $4,000, was International Master Vasik Rajlich, who has made a name for himself with his powerful chess engine "Rybka". Vasik and his engine played as a team. Rybka, playing unassisted (operated by Darren DiAlfonso, USA), took third and the prize of $2,000.
The entire tournament with more than 30 FIDE title holders and about 150 participants from 37 countries, was considered as a great success by the organizers. The Third Freestyle event is already scheduled for June 16-18 (main tournament) and July 14-16 (final). However there will be a change in the time controls: whereas the Second Tournament was conducted at the rate of 45 min + 5 sec per player and move, the next will probably be changed back to the 60 min + 15 sec. This is to allow human participants to play a more constructive role when they team up with the computer and compete against the pure engine participants.
Arno Nickel
Final standing
