Hi,

I still don't believe that Zappa can do it. But if Zappa can win 3 in a row, why not rybka the next 5. Just play on your strengths. As black, clearly Zappa's strategy is to stretch the game longer and longer and finally win the endgame (see 180 moves game 4). Zappa is clearly taking advantage of the deeper search on 8 processors due to better scaling. I think that knowledge based engines will have problem in scaling on 8 processors as compared to heuristic search based engines due to knowledge representation problems. It seems that Zappa team has studied most of the games where Rybka has lost (may include Freestyle Rybka-Rybka games as well) and trained Zappa Mexico on most of the positions which Rybka somehow does not like. I also feel that shredder's tactical strengths have also been included in the Zappa and new Zappa Mexico is playing positionally and tactically both with better kingside attacks. May be the shredder bit bases are also helping Zappa in the end game accuracy as I have seen Deep Shredder 10.1 playing endgames quite well. So, the only option available with Rybka is to better its search and improve the endgame evaluations. If the knowledge base can also be increased (may be with Capablanka games) that can well help but I dunno how? Vas has done well with French Defence in Freestyle games. So why not give it a try here too. Good Luck to the Rybka team (off course to the Zappa team as well). I surely know, at least Rybka will level it 5-5.