Beating highest level stockfish handicapped by a piece

I can beat stockfish by removing one of its rooks. Kingside rook is easy; queenside rook requires intense vigilance and concentration (the key is to get or force exchanges where possible).

I wonder if anyone here has ever beaten stockfish by removing only one of its minor pieces. I haven't tried but am quite sure I'd get my ass handed to me every time.

That’s probably good practice.

just to clarify, you use board editor to create the handicap?

Good idea, transferring this leveling of the chances approach that adult may take with kids, or very new chess learners.

I would also like to play with the search parameters to exaggerate or repress the usually impatient line preferences and see if that can push me to learn to play defensive or positional (learning what that might mean that way, hands on)), for example.

other scenarios with machines can be good training scenarios, that have not been taken advantage of, i think.

i guess there is not much love for the engines, so imagination in their use for training is timid, they seem to be only good as gladiators, or analysis (for which i think they are not best suited because emphasizing too much one style of play over others, i think that joint alpha-beta and statistical engines will be great tools for training and analysis once the psychological barriers will be overcome by imagination, i like to dream....

@dboing

Yes, I use the board editor at the beginning to remove a rook. You have to be careful though; it's a ruthless unforgiving bastard. But you can curse at it all you want. I'm a strong believer in never weakening its level. I don't understand why people do that. When you handicap with a piece, but leave the level at maximum, you see its best moves, but have a fighting chance. I learn a lot from its "brilliant" moves. Incidentally, it's not only parents playing children who spot pieces. The legendary Paul Morphy did it regularly. It's the only way people would agree to play him; he was without peer. One can look up those games; it's hilarious how quickly he would crush opponents while handicapped.

@Timegod

It is good practice indeed. Some people think playing an engine is dry and boring, or worse, demoraising. I look at it as an amazing opportunity to sit down and play the greatest player in history, who could wipe the floor with Fischer, Kasparov and Carlsen playing together.

I think you put too much stock in the fish.

wow

So has anyone here beaten stockfish handicapped by a piece?

@nayf
I'm sure there are many people who can. But playing real people is typically more fun.

@Irishman964

You're sure? I'm not.

@nayf
Anybody with a FIDE rating of over 2000 shouldn't stuggle too much with it. Over 2200 should be able to do it easily.