[Event "Live Chess - Chess960"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2019.07.07"] [White "visualdennis"] [Black "GM Konavets"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2302"] [BlackElo "2643"] [TimeControl "600+2"] [Variant "Chess960"] [ECO "?"] [Opening "?"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/visualdennis"] [FEN "rbnqbknr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RBNQBKNR w KQkq - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/V3hGm7Ko/IiLlstuW"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 d5 { Queen being on d1, d4 is probably the first and most natural move that comes to mind. The knight on g1 and rooks are on their usual place, but kings being on f1, it is much likely that both sides will be looking forward to castle kingside. The nature of the position feels like that the game will develop in a more solid and less unbalanced way. } 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nd3 { If the minor pieces on the queenside have swapped their places, as in the regular starting position, it would be much easier to develop them. But now that the knight on c1 cannot go to its usual place on c3, it feels like a bit of an issue to solve. I dont like my knight on b3 as, both my knights covering (hitting the wall on d4) feels intuitively not right and that im not using their maximum power. So c1 is like a bit of a problem piece and i wouldnt be upset exchanging. But how and where? Optimally on e5. } 3... c6 4. Nde5 Nb6 5. Ba5 { I dont know if this was a necessary move or the best way to use my bishop, but i felt like that the bishop on e1 was the only other "problem" piece for me. I could go d2-g5 but this felt bit slow. As white and the player who gets to move first, i always want to use this "temporal" advantage by being as fast as possible, putting as much as pressure on opponent and not letting him breathe for a second. By pinning the knight, i feel like i could cause some slight issues for him, in the sense that, if he eventually takes on e5, then he cannot put his bishop on c7 and if he moves queen away, then i ll probably take on b6 and play c3 and have a happy queenside structure. Also thought that if we potentially exchange on e5 and b6, then this would mean that i had already managed to exchange my both "problem" pieces (c1-e1) with one of his "problem" piece (c8) but also with his good piece (b8) and leaving the other corresponding "problem" piece on e8. } 5... Qc8 { Initially i was planning c3 but then got bit more ambitious and decided not to change on b6 but put more pressure with b3-c4. But maybe this was not necessary and i could complete my development first. But i simply didnt want his knight coming to c4, because than my bishop on a5 would look silly and also did not want to exchange on b6 now. } 6. b3 Bd7 { Now that the queen is on c8 and helping his bishop come to f5, i felt like id exchange it now and not with my bishop on b1. } 7. Nxd7+ Qxd7 8. c4 dxc4 9. Bxb6 axb6 10. bxc4 { After all these exchanges, the question is if my pawns in the center are asset or liability? } 10... e5 { I think this is a good move. Challenging my pawn structure. After a potential exchange on d4, if not recaptured with my e pawn (e3 and exd4) then c4 and a2 feel certainly weak. And after recapturing with my e pawn, c4-d4 pawns have bigger potential to be a liability. Unless i can come up with a good way of using the space that it offers me. } 11. e3 exd4 12. Qxd4 { With queens on the board, i felt like i can maybe handle my isolated pawns on a2 and c4 and if the queens exchanged i ll fix my pawn structure a bit first with exd4 and while those pawn are potential targets for him, in return, in the absence of queens, i can counter attack his b pawns if he is not quick (for example an idea like a4, Rhb1 and replying Bc7 with c5). } 12... Qc7 13. O-O O-O 14. Rd1 Ra5 15. h3 Rc5 16. Bc2 Qe7 17. Rab1 Bc7 { I found it hard to find a concrete plan here, game continued with few manoeuvers and attempts of improving pieces. } 18. Bb3 Re8 19. Qb2 Ne4 20. Rd4 Ng5 21. Qe2 Ne6 22. Rd2 Rf5 23. Rbd1 Nc5 24. Bc2 Rf6 { His rook on f6 took quite a journey from a8 to f6. } 25. Rd4 h6 26. Bb1 { Im trying to regroup my pieces to create some potential threats on kingside, exploiting the fact that rook is standing where a knight should be and leaving light squares undefended. } 26... g6 27. Nh2 { Provoking h5. } 27... h5 28. Nf3 Rd6 29. Qb2 { With the pawns on f7-g6-h5, now the dark squares are better spot to go after. Queen on b2 eyeballs both b6 and a1-h8 diagonal. It is not that easy for his bishop come to where it should be, namely, from c7 to g7, as my knight meets him on his route on e5 but also b6 pawn needs some love. } 29... Red8 30. Rxd6 Bxd6 31. Kf1 { If Qb6 Bh2 check and Rd1. But why not Kh1 but Kf1? Simply because there are less and less pieces on the board and we are heading towards endgame soon, where my king needs to be active. I believe my king on e2 would be more active than he would be unsafe. } 31... Qc7 { This misses a simple tactic due to blacks queen being overload. } 32. Bxg6 { If fxg6 then Qf6 and blacks queen cannot come to kingside without leaving d8 or d6 undefended and also trying to protect g6 with Kh7 will be replied with Ng5. } 32... Bf8 { Now if white becomes greedy and plays Rd8 Qd8 Bh5, loses after Qd1 Ne1 Qe1 Ke1 Nd3+ and Nxb2 next. } 33. Bc2 Rxd1+ 34. Bxd1 Qd7 35. Qd4 Qe6 36. Bc2 Bg7 { Here i definitely felt like i should have something and have much better position besides being pawn up. But i had only seconds here and was basically living on the 2-seconds increment, so i decided to be practical and settle down for the draw.. } 37. Qd8+ Bf8 38. Qg5+ Bg7 39. Qd8+ Bf8 40. Qg5+ Bg7 41. Qd8+ 1/2-1/2