This article containts my selection of some of my top games from the Titled Player Phase of Fischer Random WC 2019 plus 2 games from the Knock-out stage.
I ve selected 15 games with which i am either satisfied with the way i played or i find instructive and i hope it will be inspiring for the reader. I have annotated games mainly based on what i have thought during the game, how i assesed & calculated and subjectively felt. So what you will find in these games are my own reasonings and logic behind my moves, basically my approach to the game. I did not use engine in any of these analyzes below. Because my primary aim is not only to understand my games and the nature of the game, but also to understand my understanding of it. Im very interested in examining my thought process on a meta level, the way my mind works during the game. One of the main goals of such examination is not only to discover the patterns of my mistakes but also to gain explicit awareness of the things i ve done and that did work, so i can use these motives in my future games.
Annonating these games, one thing i noticed was that during the games i felt that these games were mainly a tactical battle, where i felt like i ve been calculating most of the time but writing these annotations have shown me that i was mostly operating on a strategical level and how most of my decisions, especially in the opening stage of the game, were simple and of a positional nature. Tactical factors mainly came into play in order to justify or prove my strategical points. So it was surprising for me to see that i could annotate these games almost using only words and maybe only %5 percent giving calculated lines. So many of the lines i have calculated somehow too obvious to me that it felt unnecassary to include, because the words i used to describe my reasonings were enough to explain my moves or decisions.
It is also interesting to see that my commentary is much longer in the opening stage of the game, mostly my longest comments are right before or after the first move. The more game proceeds, my commentary gets shorter as the strategical plans become more pointedly, since the game takes more concrete shape or form with each move. Things and paths get clearer with time.
On a concrete level, it is apparent that at the beginning of the game i am mainly concerned with three main topics for the optimal orientation and harmonious piece arrangement:
a) Problem pieces
Pieces often fight for the same squares, how can i arrange them in a way that they are not in the way of each other but rather support their comrades. Activity of the queen is very important issue and needs to breathe as early as possible. This doesnt mean to make a move with her and bring her into the middle of the board quickly but clearing the way for her with a good pawn structure and giving her as much as space so she can have as many as options and decide where and when to go. Then comes the consideration about minor pieces.
I think about rooks mainly in relation to the point c), where i consider about king.
b) The fight for the center
What is the most effective way to take control of the center as quick & firmly as possible. As in regular chess, fight for center is crucial in chess 960, but can be very confusing how to do it with in harmony with our plans for piece set-up. Integration of point a) and b) in this sense is the main challenge of Fischer Random chess.
c) King safety and a prediction of the direction the game is likely to develop
Where to castle, kingside or queenside or leave the king where it is?
Bonus point: undefended pawns.
Is a7 hanging after 1.f4 and can i gain tempo? Can knight quickly jump and attack g7 threatinig mate or force my opponent to protect it in a way that develops his pieces awkwardly or weakening pawn pushes? Small things like these should be also taken into consideration, as they can be interacting with the three main points i ve mentioned above.
So, here we go!
Game 1:
Game 2:
Game 3:
Game 4:
Game 5:
Game 6:
Game 7:
Game 8:
Game 9:
Game 10:
Game 11:
Game 12:
Game 13:
And here are 2 games from the Knock-out stage of Fischer Random WC, where top 84 qualified players from the Titled Player phase have competed. I got eliminated by GM Vidit Gujrathi (2721 Fide) in the first round of Knock-out stage, but i still wanted to include those games to my list, as it was an important part of the whole FRWC experience for me.
Game 14:
Game 15:
Game 16 (Game 14 - with Engine Analysis):
Game 17 (Game 15 - with Engine Analysis):
Fischer Random World Championship 2019 as the first FRWC has been very unique experience for me. I have played the very first qualifier tournament for Non-Titled players at the end of April 2019 and qualified for Titled-Player Stage (June&July 2019). There i managed to qualify for the Knock-out stage (end of august) by getting into Top 7 in one of the 12 qualifiers. (In total 84 players, of which only 7 other players were non-titled like me, have moved onto Knock-out stage). So it has been quite a long journey, as it was spread throughout the year due to the format. It was not only exciting and fun to be part of it, but also very instructive. I ve discovered and learnt so much about chess and chess 960 in general. In this article, i have tried to share some of those insights i have gained in this tournament.
Hope you enjoyed reading it and found some inspiration!