[Event "Live Chess - Chess960"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2019.06.30"] [White "GM DeviatkinAndrey"] [Black "visualdennis"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2653"] [BlackElo "2335"] [TimeControl "600+2"] [Variant "Chess960"] [ECO "?"] [Opening "?"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/visualdennis"] [FEN "rkqrbbnn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RKQRBBNN w KQkq - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/V3hGm7Ko/atX48ICH"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { [%clk 0:09:57] } 1... e5 { Most natural reply for me. I dont want to let white build a strong center so i need to fight back. Knights will go to g6 and f6, the path for bishop on f8 is clear. Rook on d8 looks already ready to challenge the center. King seems to be safe where he is now. Considering that there are so many pieces in the way for kingside castling, probably both players will play 0-0-0 at some point. Question is where will the queen and bishop on e8 go? I dont want to move my f pawn, as a gambit like f5 does not make sense and f6 contradicts the natural Nf6. This means i ll have to push my d pawn to bring my light square bishop into game, either to d7 or to c6. I ll then develop probably by using h3-c8 diagonal as a route for my queen to its final destination as im reluctant to push c pawn to make a room for my queen since i plan 0-0-0 later. } { [%clk 0:09:54] } 2. Nf3 { [%clk 0:09:55] } 2... Ng6 { [%clk 0:09:51] } 3. d4 { If i dont take and play d6, white plays d5 and causes some problems my dark bishop. Then id probably have to change my strategy to d6-Nf6-Be7-Bd7-c6-Qc7 and 0-0, which i dont like that much. } { [%clk 0:09:38] } 3... exd4 { [%clk 0:09:48] } 4. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:09:35] } 4... d5 { As Black, i always strive for active play, with this move, i not only challenge the center but also preparing to bring my queen and light square bishop into game. Drawback of this move is that i let him develop his bishop to c4 with tempo. } { [%clk 0:09:36] } 5. exd5 { [%clk 0:08:37] } 5... Rxd5 { [%clk 0:09:38] } 6. Bc4 { [%clk 0:08:28] } 6... Rd8 { [%clk 0:09:34] } 7. Bc3 { [%clk 0:08:20] } 7... Ne5 { Centralizing my knight and disturbing the bishop on c4 which annoys me a bit. If need (for example f4), i can return my knight to c6 and exchange on d4 and maybe put my bishop on c6 then. This also frees the g6, which i consider best place for my queen at the moment. Because if Bb3 after Ne5, then my queen on g6 wont be easily disturbed. She also guards my queenside from there, putting slight pressure on the whites king along the h7-b1 diag and also eyeballing g2 pawn in some cases. } { [%clk 0:09:18] } 8. Bb3 { [%clk 0:08:12] } 8... Bd6 { [%clk 0:09:09] } 9. Ng3 { [%clk 0:08:02] } 9... Qg4 { Rerouting my queen to g6. } { [%clk 0:08:47] } 10. Ndf5 { I underestimated this move and overlooked. It now creates a bit of problem for me, as the threat is Be5 and also i cannot play f6 because it hangs my knight on g8. } { [%clk 0:07:40] } 10... Nc6 { If Bishop g7 then probably Bd7 and some complications. But maybe Ng7 is a bigger threat. As Bf4 after Ng7, does not probably create much a problem for white. } { [%clk 0:06:38] } 11. Nxd6 { This exchange was a bit relief for me. Now i can at least complete my development at the cost of a weak d pawn. } { [%clk 0:07:21] } 11... Rxd6 { [%clk 0:06:34] } 12. Rxd6 { [%clk 0:07:18] } 12... cxd6 { [%clk 0:06:36] } 13. h3 { [%clk 0:06:28] } 13... Qg6 { [%clk 0:06:35] } 14. Qe3 { [%clk 0:06:23] } 14... O-O-O { [%clk 0:06:17] } 15. O-O-O { [%clk 0:06:24] } 15... Nge7 { [%clk 0:05:56] } 16. a4 { [%clk 0:05:42] } 16... Bd7 { [%clk 0:05:23] } 17. Qf4 { [%clk 0:05:17] } 17... Be6 { I have no choice but to give up one of the pawns, as trying to protect it makes my position just more passive, especially when he has a healthy looking bishop pair in this open position. Except the pawn on a4, which in my opinion, a bit of over-optimistic move, whites pieces look good. So at the cost of a pawn, at least im hoping to exchange one of his bishops to deprive white from seizing the power of bishop pair. } { [%clk 0:05:05] } 18. Bxe6+ { [%clk 0:04:20] } 18... Qxe6 { [%clk 0:05:01] } 19. Bxg7 { [%clk 0:04:16] } 19... Ne5 { I lost a pawn but with the absence of light square bishops, suddenly i have counter chances. Queen is eyeballing to penetrate into whites queenside camp via a2 and creating some issues with Nc4. The exchange on e5 would fix my pawn structure problem a bit and give me a good center. } { [%clk 0:04:39] } 20. b3 { [%clk 0:04:01] } 20... Rg8 { Forcing exchange on e5, as Bf6 is met with Nd5 and bishop on h6 would look too clumsy. } { [%clk 0:04:11] } 21. Bxe5 { [%clk 0:03:51] } 21... dxe5 { [%clk 0:04:08] } 22. Qe3 { [%clk 0:03:45] } 22... Kb8 { [%clk 0:04:07] } 23. Ne4 { [%clk 0:03:40] } 23... Nf5 { [%clk 0:03:54] } 24. Qd3 { [%clk 0:02:58] } 24... Nd4 { If we compare the current position with the position after 16th or 17th move, white seems to have lost the thread and black has managed to improve his position. My rook on g8 is making use of the open g file due to loss of my g7 pawn. My knight seems strong on d4 and suddenly c2 starts to look vulnerable. } { [%clk 0:03:52] } 25. g4 { [%clk 0:02:45] } 25... Rc8 { [%clk 0:03:50] } 26. c4 { [%clk 0:02:45] } 26... f5 { To create as many as possible targets for me. } { [%clk 0:03:17] } 27. gxf5 { [%clk 0:02:41] } 27... Qxf5 { [%clk 0:03:18] } 28. Kb2 { [%clk 0:02:39] } 28... Rf8 { Now, i certainly dont feel like im down a pawn when i have so many targets on h3-f2-b3. My knight is doing great job, not only restricting whites heavy pieces, but also giving me a chance to create possible dangers for his king on light squares (c2) The only way to disturb my knight would be with f4 and undermining e5, but that seems impossible now as i laid all my heavy pieces on the f file. } { [%clk 0:03:14] } 29. Rd2 { [%clk 0:02:39] } 29... Qg6 { Clearing the path for my rook and planning to bring my queen possibly either to queenside via b6 to put pressure on b3 or to kingside via g2 or g1. } { [%clk 0:02:03] } 30. a5 { [%clk 0:02:29] } 30... Rf3 { I think my opponent has simply missed this move, after which the material loss becomes inevitable. } { [%clk 0:02:01] } 31. Nc5 { [%clk 0:01:51] } 31... Rxd3 { [%clk 0:01:58] } 32. Rxd3 { [%clk 0:01:53] } 32... Qf5 { [%clk 0:01:47] } 33. Ka3 { [%clk 0:01:53] } 33... b6 { [%clk 0:01:36] } 34. axb6 { [%clk 0:01:54] } 34... axb6 { [%clk 0:01:38] } 35. Na6+ { [%clk 0:01:55] } 35... Kb7 { [%clk 0:01:40] } 36. Nb4 { [%clk 0:01:56] } 36... Nc2+ { Decisive move. White has resigned in view of Nc2 Qd3 or Ka4 Nb4 and further material loss. } { [%clk 0:01:36] } 0-1