[Event "London Fischer Random Rapid - February 2023"] [Site "London"] [Date "2023.02.25"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Claridge-Hansen, William"] [Black "Ghasi, Ameet K"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Ghasi, Ameet K"] [Variant "Chess960"] [ECO "?"] [Opening "?"] [FEN "nqrkrbbn/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NQRKRBBN w KQkq - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/tmA8chT3/jf8mlWVB"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 { William is a strong player in regular chess- but of course chess 960 is new to us all! } { [%emt 0:34:32] } 1... c5 2. c4?! { William favours a structure he plays in regular chess too - a Botvinnik English. Of course this is a perfectly respectable set-up in "normal" chess, but my gut feeling was that this move was a big mistake in this position. Suddenly the knight on a8 is a well positioned piece! } 2... Nc7 3. Nb3 (3. g3) 3... Ne6 4. f3 Ng6 { The last few moves have been fairly self-explanatory. Timing is key in such positions - if white gets g3 and f4 in immediately, he would have a huge position... } 5. g3 Ne5 { An important move...now f4 by white fails to Nf3. } 6. Be2 { [%csl Gg5][%cal Gg7g5] } 6... g5! { Because white had to take time out for Be2, black has been able to achieve active development with g5. } { [%cal Gg7g5] } 7. d4 { I thought this was a losing move.... } 7... cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Bxd4 Qd6 { Having seen upto Qd6 (from 3-4 moves earlier), I had assumed it was resignation time for white....however, white responded... } 10. O-O-O! { I recall jumping out my chair after realising that...white can castle!!! Still unfamiliar with the chess 960 castling rules, this came as a nasty surprise. Objectively, while white is no longer losing a piece, his position looks still dangerous due to the c-file threats. } 10... Nxc4 11. Bc3 Na3? { I think there were better options here - lot of pieces are hanging, but this move was intended to simplify to an endgame. } 12. Qd3 Qxd3 (12... Bg7 13. Qxd6 exd6 14. Rxd6) 13. Rxd3 Nc4 { I drained some time back on the= clock trying to find a better solution, but settled for a position where I am a pawn up in the endgame. However, white is far ahead in development and has compensation for the pawn. } 14. Kb1 d6 15. Rc1 { White has been playing a series of good/natural moves; black's moves are slightly less obvious. I decided that the best plan was to altogether not castle, and keep a solid centre instead. } { [%emt 0:00:15] } 15... f6 { [%emt 0:00:48] } 16. f4 { [%emt 0:01:23] } 16... Bh6 { [%emt 0:00:13] } 17. Bh5 { [%emt 0:02:12] } 17... Rf8 { [%emt 0:02:29] } 18. f5 { [%emt 0:02:41] } 18... Kd7 { [%emt 0:02:07] } 19. Nf2 { [%emt 0:00:18] } (19. Bd4) 19... Rc6 { I felt William was outplaying me around here - but still it is difficult for white to demonstrate adequate compensation for the pawn. The centre is solid, and I couldn't see any obvious tactics working with e5. } { [%emt 0:00:03] } 20. Be2 { [%emt 0:00:30] } 20... Rfc8 { [%emt 0:00:12] } 21. g4 { [%emt 0:00:48] } 21... b5 { [%emt 0:00:37] } 22. Rh3 { [%emt 0:00:50] } 22... Bg7 { [%emt 0:00:24] } 23. Nd3 { I think by now the position is a lot more in favour, and easier to play under time pressure, due to tricks along the c file. } { [%emt 0:00:31] } 23... a5 { [%emt 0:00:39] } 24. Be1 { [%emt 0:00:06] } 24... b4 { Successfully gathering space on the queenside. } { [%emt 0:00:19] } 25. Bd1 { [%emt 0:00:01] } 25... Kd8 { [%emt 0:00:25] } 26. Ba4 { [%emt 0:00:02] } 26... R6c7 { [%emt 0:00:01] } 27. Bb3 { [%emt 0:00:14] } 27... Ke8 { [%emt 0:00:08] } 28. Ba4+ { [%emt 0:00:01] } 28... Kf8 29. Bb3 d5 { [%emt 0:00:41] } 30. exd5 { [%emt 0:00:10] } 30... Bxd5 31. Bc2 { [%emt 0:00:05] } 31... Be4 { This pin will be terminal. } { [%emt 0:00:23] } 32. Rg3 { [%emt 0:00:08] } 32... h5 { [%emt 0:00:16] } 33. h3? { Allowing the knight to enter e3. } { [%emt 0:00:05] } 33... h4! { [%emt 0:00:01] } 34. Rg1 Ne3 { [%emt 0:00:01] } 35. Nxb4 { [%emt 0:00:07] } 35... axb4 { [%emt 0:00:07] } 36. Bxb4 { [%emt 0:00:05] } 36... Nxc2 { [%emt 0:00:05] } 37. Bc3 { [%emt 0:00:01] } 37... Rxc3 { [%emt 0:00:09] } 0-1