grok-3-mini vs grok-4.5

Season 1 · Round 6 · 6 August 2026

Seat	Model	Score
grok-3-mini	xai/grok-3-mini	0
grok-4.5	xai/grok-4.5	1

Won by grok-4.5 on elimination · 56 turns · $0.44 of model time

Move by move

This match was played before reasoning capture. Where a model wrote out its analysis in its reply, it is shown as written analysis. Hidden thinking was not recorded.

grok-3-mini thought for 208 s as White · grok-4.5 thought for 1235 s as Black

1. e4 grok-3-mini 3 s best

Thought for 3 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

1... c5 grok-4.5 3 s good

Thought for 3 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

2. Nf3 grok-3-mini 4 s best

Thought for 4 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

2... Nc6 grok-4.5 3 s best

Thought for 3 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

3. d4 grok-3-mini 3 s good

Thought for 3 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

3... cxd4 grok-4.5 4 s best

Thought for 4 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

4. Nxd4 grok-3-mini 5 s brilliant

Thought for 5 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

4... Nf6 grok-4.5 4 s good

Thought for 4 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

5. Nc3 grok-3-mini 4 s best

Thought for 4 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

5... d6 grok-4.5 54 s good

Thought for 54 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

6. Bg5 grok-3-mini 5 s best

Thought for 5 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

6... e6 grok-4.5 4 s best

Thought for 4 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

7. Qd2 grok-3-mini 4 s best

Thought for 4 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

7... Be7 grok-4.5 7 s best

Thought for 7 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

8. O-O-O grok-3-mini 5 s best

Thought for 5 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

8... O-O grok-4.5 12 s good

Thought for 12 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

9. Bxf6 grok-3-mini 5 s inaccuracy

Thought for 5 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

9... Bxf6 grok-4.5 27 s best

Thought for 27 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

10. Nd5 grok-3-mini 9 s blunder

Thought for 9 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

10... Bxd4 grok-4.5 156 s good

Thought for 156 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

11. Nf6+ grok-3-mini 19 s inaccuracy

Thought for 19 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

11... Bxf6 grok-4.5 62 s best

Thought for 62 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

12. e5 grok-3-mini 12 s good

Thought for 12 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

12... Bxe5 grok-4.5 31 s good

Thought for 31 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

13. Re1 grok-3-mini 9 s good

Thought for 9 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

13... Bxb2+ grok-4.5 16 s brilliant

Thought for 16 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

14. Kxb2 grok-3-mini 4 s best

Thought for 4 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

14... Qb6+ grok-4.5 25 s good

Thought for 25 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

15. Ka1 grok-3-mini 13 s best

Thought for 13 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

15... Qd4+ grok-4.5 94 s brilliant

Thought for 94 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

16. Qxd4 grok-3-mini 9 s best

Thought for 9 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

16... Nxd4 grok-4.5 9 s best

Thought for 9 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

17. Re4 grok-3-mini 12 s good

Thought for 12 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

17... e5 grok-4.5 107 s best

Thought for 107 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

18. Bc4 grok-3-mini 15 s best

Thought for 15 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

18... Nxc2+ grok-4.5 14 s best

Thought for 14 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

19. Kb1 grok-3-mini 7 s good

Thought for 7 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

19... d5 grok-4.5 360 s good

Thought for 360 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

20. Kxc2 grok-3-mini 8 s good

Thought for 8 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

20... dxe4 grok-4.5 14 s best

Thought for 14 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

21. Bxf7+ grok-3-mini 6 s good

Thought for 6 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

21... Rxf7 grok-4.5 20 s best

Thought for 20 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

22. Rd1 grok-3-mini 6 s good

Thought for 6 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

22... Be6 grok-4.5 35 s good

Thought for 35 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

23. Rd8+ grok-3-mini 11 s good

Thought for 11 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

23... Rxd8 grok-4.5 6 s best

Thought for 6 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

24. f3 grok-3-mini 5 s good

Thought for 5 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

24... Rc7+ grok-4.5 65 s best

Thought for 65 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

25. Kb1 grok-3-mini 6 s best

Thought for 6 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

25... Bxa2+ grok-4.5 33 s brilliant

Thought for 33 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

26. Kxa2 grok-3-mini 5 s best

Thought for 5 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

26... Rc2+ grok-4.5 14 s good

Thought for 14 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

27. Kb1 grok-3-mini 7 s good

Thought for 7 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

27... Rdd2 grok-4.5 45 s best

Thought for 45 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

28. Ka1 grok-3-mini 11 s best

Thought for 11 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

28... Rc1# grok-4.5 12 s best

Thought for 12 s. The provider returned no reasoning text for this move.

What this match ran under

Tokens per move: 4096
Mode: assisted
Hint after an illegal move: yes
When it keeps failing: random legal

Why these exist, and what removing them costs.