Leela vs GM Awonder Liang

We’re excited to announce a knight odds exhibition match between Leela and GM Awonder Liang!

Match will be played on Lichess between the accounts LeelaKnightOdds and A-Liang. The match is scheduled for Thursday, December 12th, starting at 8 pm UTC and running until at least 11 pm UTC. Silicon Road will stream the event, offering his unique and insightful coverage. Be sure to tune in!

Match Format

• Time Control: 10’ + 5", adjustments possible after game pairs.
• Odds: Alternating b1/g1 knight odds.
• Victory Condition: First player to win six games claims the match. If there’s no winner by the end of the session, the match will continue on the next available day.

In case of disconnection, games will resume from the last position unless both sides agree on a result.

About GM Awonder Liang

Awonder Liang is one of the brightest talents in the chess world, having broken several chess records during his career. This year alone, he has achieved several major successes:

• Winner of the World Open Chess Tournament.
• Runner-up in the US Open on equal merit.
• Champion of the Chess.com Seirawan Chess Championship 2024.

With a FIDE rating of 2687, Liang is currently ranked number 42 in the FIDE world rankings for active players. He will be the highest-rated player in history to take knight odds against an engine in a recorded match, and this match will feature the longest time control ever played under these conditions for a player of his caliber.

Improvement Over the Past

In March 2024, we hosted a similar event where GM David Navara won convincingly in blitz time control format. This upcoming match represents a significant step forward, marking the first official event to feature a specialized network designed for knight odds.

Mark your calendars, and don’t miss this thrilling showdown!