[Event "Fischer Random Rapid 2018"]
[Site "Baerum NOR"]
[Date "2018.02.09"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "DF"]
[Variant "chess 960"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "nnqrbbkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NNQRBBKR w HDhd - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "100"]
[EventDate "2018.02.09"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2015.08.21"]

1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nc2 Nb6 4. e3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. d4 {At this point,
other than the rooks in the corners, there is no real indication that this
wasn't a normal chess game. The exchanges over the next few moves tell us all
we need to know, i.e. that the game is essentially going to be symmetrical and
stay that way.} cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nc6 8. Nxd5 Rxd5 9. Nf3 Qd8 10. Rxd5 Qxd5 11. a3
Bd6 12. Be2 O-O 13. O-O Ne7 14. Bc3 (14. Bb4 {springs to my mind, and
doubtless it occurred to Magnus as well, but it may be that following} Bxb4 15.
axb4 Bb5 $1 {there is also no advantage. An optimistic try would be:} 16. Rd1
Qh5 17. Bxb5 Qxb5 18. Qc5 Qxc5 19. bxc5 {looking for Rd7 next, but} Nd5 $1 $11
{keeps comfortable equality.}) 14... Ba4 15. Qb1 Rc8 16. Rc1 Ng6 17. h3 b6 18.
Bd3 Be7 19. Be4 Qd7 20. Ne5 Nxe5 21. Bxe5 Rxc1+ 22. Qxc1 Qd1+ 23. Qxd1 Bxd1 24.
Bc6 {True to form, Magnus tries to make something out of this position, but it
never really gets off the ground.} Bb3 25. Kf1 Bf6 26. Bxf6 Bc4+ 27. Ke1 gxf6
28. Kd2 (28. g4 $5 {was a different plan, trying to limit the number of pawn
moves Black has and then perhaps even head for a pawn ending later.} Kg7 29. f4
Kg6 30. Be4+ Kg7 31. Kf2 h6 32. Bc2 Kf8 33. b3 Ba6 $11 {It remains hard to
think of what White could do by way of continuation (Kh4 is always met by Bf1)
but he seems to slowly be gaining practical chances.}) 28... Kf8 29. Kc3 Bf1
30. f4 Ke7 31. Kd4 Kd6 32. Bf3 f5 33. e4 fxe4 34. Kxe4 f5+ {Maybe as a matter
of principle this could have waited until after White's h4, but it is hardly
important.} 35. Kd4 h6 36. b4 Bb5 37. g4 Bf1 {Not giving White g5 ideas, even
if they don't work.} 38. gxf5 exf5 39. h4 Bb5 40. Bd1 Bd7 41. Bb3 Bc8 42. Bc2
Be6 43. Bb1 Bc8 44. Bd3 Bd7 45. Kc4 Kc6 46. Bf1 Be6+ 47. Kd4 Kd6 48. Bg2 Bc8
49. Bd5 Bd7 50. Bb7 Be6 1/2-1/2

[Event "Fischer Random Rapid 2018"]
[Site "Baerum NOR"]
[Date "2018.02.09"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "DF"]
[Variant "chess 960"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "nnqrbbkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NNQRBBKR w HDhd - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2018.02.09"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2015.08.21"]

1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Rxd4 d6 4. c4 {One thing which is quite interesting for
me is that within four moves, we have a Maroczy-type structure, and this
dictates the play so much that it can be of some use in understanding how to
play those positions in normal games too.} b5 $1 {Black is able to execute a
favourite Maroczy push immediately. Normally, this occurs around move 15, or
even is not allowed.} (4... g6 {would have been more 'faithful'}) 5. Nb3 Nc6 6.
Rd1 bxc4 7. Bxc4 Nb6 8. Be2 g6 9. Bc3 f6 (9... Bg7 {could have been played
anyway; Black has a slight structural edge in Sicilian positions (hence 'all
Sicilian endgames are better for Black') so it makes sense to get pieces off.}
10. O-O O-O 11. Bxg7 Kxg7 12. Nc3 f6 $11) 10. h4 h5 (10... d5 $5 {was
'thematic for the Sicilian'}) 11. Rh3 Bf7 12. Rg3 (12. Bd2 $5 {is something of
a one-mover, but it's not completely clear what Black should do to dodge Rc3.
Maybe the awkward} Qa8 $5) 12... Ne5 $1 {Black has now at least completely
equalised; the idea is ...Bh6 and White will face difficulties.} 13. Bxe5 dxe5
14. Rc3 Rxd1+ 15. Qxd1 Qa8 16. N1d2 Bh6 {Completing development. It is hard to
offer White advice, since his pieces are already reasonably well placed, but
this also means he lacks ideas.} 17. Rc7 Qb8 (17... O-O {could have been
played already, and this was maybe marginally more accurate.} 18. Rxe7 a5 $1
$44 {and Black obtains full compensation, based on White's tactically
vulnerable pieces as well as the obvious bishop-pair.}) 18. Qc2 O-O 19. Ba6 $1
{For tactical reasons, Black is now best advised to give back the bishop pair.}
(19. Rxe7 Rc8 $1 {and the rook gets trapped on the next move by ...B(K)f8.})
19... Bxd2 20. Nxd2 Rd8 $6 (20... Na8 21. Rb7 Qd6 22. Bc4 Nb6 23. Bxf7+ Kxf7
24. Rxa7 Rc8 $44 {and Black still keeps quite good compensation thanks to the
back-rank and rook-trap motifs.}) 21. Nf1 $2 {Missing a latent resource.} (21.
Rxe7 $1 Qd6 22. Rxa7 Qxd2 23. Qc7 $1 {was a freak tactical option; Black now
has nothing better than} Qe1+ 24. Kh2 Rd7 25. Qxb6 Rxa7 26. Qxa7 Qxe4 {or
similar (White could also interpose Qb8+ at some point.) But now White is
clearly better.} 27. Bf1 Qxh4+ 28. Kg1 $16 {and the queenside pawns run}) 21...
Rd7 {Now this equalises.} 22. Rxd7 Nxd7 23. Bc4 Qd6 24. Ne3 Qd4 25. b4 $6 {
This can only risk being worse.} (25. Bxf7+ Kxf7 26. Qc4+ Qxc4 27. Nxc4 Nc5 28.
f3 $11) 25... Nb6 26. Bxf7+ Kxf7 27. Qb3+ Kf8 28. Qb1 Nc8 29. Nf1 Nd6 30. Ng3
Nb5 31. a3 Qc4 (31... Nxa3 $6 32. Qc1 Qxb4 33. Qh6+ $132) (31... Qc3 $1 32. a4
Nd4 $17) 32. Qd1 Nd4 33. Qd2 Kg7 34. Kh2 Qc2 35. Qe3 a6 36. f4 exf4 37. Qxd4
fxg3+ 38. Kxg3 Qb3+ {Black had one last try, but it was hard to spot and
perhaps he had already reconciled himself to the draw.} (38... Qe2 $1 {is an
odd 'immobilising move' pointed out by the engine. Black wins a pawn under
better circumstances than in the game.} 39. Kh2 Qg4 40. g3 $2 Qe2+ 41. Kg1 Qf3
$17) 39. Kh2 Qxa3 40. Qc5 Kf8 41. Qc8+ Kf7 42. Qc4+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Fischer Random Rapid 2018"]
[Site "Baerum NOR"]
[Date "2018.02.10"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "DF"]
[Variant "chess 960"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rbqnnkbr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RBQNNKBR w HAha - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "2018.02.09"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2015.08.21"]

1. f3 c6 {Possibly not occupying enough of the centre- the Caro-Kann is a
normal enough opening in regular chess, but here Black lacks a way to gain
back space with the following moves.} (1... c5 2. c4 b6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Bxd4 f6
5. Bd3 Nc6 {would probably have been the continuation if I were playing myself}
) 2. c4 e5 (2... f6 3. d4 d5 {might have been a slightly better central break
to play for, but it is hard to shake the feeling that White has a little
something here.}) 3. d4 d6 4. Bd3 Ne6 5. e3 {Just like that, White has a plus.
This wasn't maybe the fairest position to start from.} Nf6 6. Qc3 exd4 7. exd4
h5 8. Be3 Bh7 (8... Qd7 9. O-O d5 10. f4 $5 {could have been another
continuation, and now maybe} dxc4 11. Bxc4 Ng4 {when Black can hope for a
bulwark in the centre to counteract the increasing pressure along the f-file.})
9. d5 (9. Bxh7 Rxh7 10. d5 $14 {came to the same thing}) 9... cxd5 10. cxd5
Qxc3 11. Nxc3 Nc5 12. Bxh7 Rxh7 13. Rc1 (13. Rd1 {and Nd3 is the plan that
suggests itself to me, having watched many an experienced ex-Yugoslav
grandmaster play 'light square only' chess against the Kings Indian.}) 13... a6
14. Bg5 {Not the most precise idea.} h4 {With the idea of ...Rh5, presumably,
but Black then doesn't follow up with that move.} 15. Bxf6 gxf6 16. Ne4 Kg7 (
16... Rh5 $1 {equalised immediately. It might appear that Black loses a pawn,
but in fact White is unable to take it in either of the obvious ways.} 17. b4
$5 {The real most critical move.} (17. Nxc5 $2 dxc5 18. Rxc5 Ba7 $17) (17. Nxf6
Rf5 18. b4 Rxf6 19. bxc5 dxc5 20. Rxc5 Ba7 21. Rc4 Rd8 $15) 17... Nd7 18. Rc8+
Ke7 $1 $11 {Black is untangling very soon, e.g.} 19. Nd3 Nb6 20. Re8+ (20. Rg8
Ba7 $15) 20... Kxe8 21. Nxf6+ Kd8 22. Nxh5 Nxd5 23. Nhf4 Ne3+ 24. Ke2 Ba7 {
There is nothing for Black to really worry about here.}) 17. Nxc5 {Taking this
pawn always seems to free Black's game, just as in the previous note.} (17. g4
$1 {continues the structural constriction of Black's position. The idea is
Ng2-e3-f5.} hxg3 18. Nxg3 Ba7 19. h4 $14) 17... dxc5 18. Rxc5 Ba7 19. Rc3 Rh5 {
Black is completely fine again.} 20. Rd3 Re5 (20... Rd8 21. d6 Rd7 $11 {
with ...Rb5 and ...Bb8xd6 to come is also fine}) 21. f4 $6 {This is a bit
ambitious and may hand Black an advantage.} Re4 22. Nf3 Rc8 $1 (22... Rxf4 23.
g3 hxg3 24. hxg3 Rc4 25. Kg2 {is not something Black has to get into; White
wants Nh4-f5 with an initiative.}) 23. Rc3 Rce8 $1 {With the idea of ...Re2-f2.
} 24. Rc2 Rxf4 25. d6 $6 (25. h3 $15 {was apparently the way to untangle,
keeping Black's edge to a minimum.}) 25... Rd8 (25... Re6 $1 {would have kept
White in real danger: now defending the pawn runs into further tempo moves.}
26. Rd2 Rc4 $1 27. Rd1 Ree4 $3 {Cutting out the interference move Nd4, and
thus cuing up ...Rc2 in earnest.} 28. Re1 (28. Ng1 Rc2 29. Nh3 Bb6 30. d7 Ra4
$19) 28... f5 29. d7 Bb6 $17 {The d-pawn will drop for free and White still
won't be developed. His position is close to lost.}) 26. Rd2 Re4 27. d7 f5 28.
g3 {Forcing his way out of the cage, since ...h3 meets Ng5.} hxg3 29. hxg3 Re7
30. Rdh2 Rexd7 31. Rh7+ Kf6 32. Kg2 {White can't really get any tactical
pressure against the Black king and has to reconcile himself to just being a
pawn down.} (32. R1h6+ Ke7 33. Ng5 $4 {only gets White mated:} Rd1+ 34. Kg2
R8d2+ 35. Kh3 Rh1#) 32... Be3 $15 {Black is now safe, but only slightly better
and White manages to whip up play.} 33. Rf1 Rg8 34. Kh3 Rd5 35. Nh4 Rg5 36. g4
$1 f4 (36... Rxg4 37. Nxf5 Rxf5 38. Rxf7+ $1 $18) 37. Ng2 Rd3 38. Kh4 Rg7 (
38... Rd2 39. Nxf4 $1 Bf2+ 40. Rxf2 Rxf2 41. Nh3 $11) 39. g5+ $1 {The final
drawing move.} Rxg5 40. Nxe3 Rxe3 41. Rxf4+ Kg6 42. Rhxf7 {Threatening mate
and the b7-pawn, so Black forces perpetual check.} Rh5+ 43. Kg4 Rg5+ 44. Kh4 {
Neither side has any way to play on.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Fischer Random Rapid 2018"]
[Site "Baerum NOR"]
[Date "2018.02.10"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "DF"]
[Variant "chess 960"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rbqnnkbr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RBQNNKBR w HAha - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "135"]
[EventDate "2018.02.09"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2015.08.21"]

1. d4 c5 (1... d5 {looks to me the most solid answer, but it makes little
sense to go into theoretical speculations about 960 positions.}) 2. dxc5 Qxc5
3. f3 Qc7 4. Qd2 {Trying to play with e4, Ne3, c4 et cetera: a kind of Maroczy
plan.} f5 (4... Nc6 5. e4 f6 6. Ne3 Nd6 7. b3 Bf7 8. c4 {looks slightly
unpleasant for Black; the follow-up could be Bd3, Bf2, 0-0.}) 5. c4 $1 {
The maximalist move.} Bxc4 6. Bxf5 Nd6 $1 (6... e6 7. Bc2 d5 8. Rc1 {is
probably humanly hard to play as well as being slightly worse; the c4-bishop
finds itself awkwardly situated outside an unusually shaped pawn chain.}) 7.
Bc2 Nc6 8. Rc1 Bf7 9. Bb3 O-O 10. Bxf7+ Nxf7 {Black has done well to get into
a normal-looking position and exchange the light-square bishops. Unfortunately,
his d-pawn is still a bit backward, which is why White probably mentally
awarded himself a small nibble here.} 11. e4 e6 12. Ne3 a6 (12... Qb6 $1 13.
Bf2 Qa6+ {generated sufficient counterplay against the White king to
compensate for the backward d-pawn.} 14. Nd3 Nfe5 $132) 13. Bf2 (13. Nc4 $5 {
deserved consideration, but here thanks to the position of the knight on f7,
White lacks a toe-hold in Black's structure and following the slightly unusual
bishop exchange} Ba7 14. Bxa7 Rxa7 $11 {White will end up being driven back
with ...b5}) 13... Nfe5 14. Nd3 Nxd3 15. Qxd3 b5 16. Qd2 Qb7 17. O-O {The
position has now normalised and is more or less equal, but thanks to the
backward d7-pawn, Black needs to watch out as long as there are major pieces
on the board.} Bf4 18. Bg3 Bxg3 19. hxg3 Rac8 20. Ng4 (20. Qd6 {looks
positionally desirable to me, but maybe White didn't like} Qa7 $5) 20... Ne7 {
Trying to play ...d5.} 21. Qg5 {Preventing the idea in a slightly roundabout
manner.} (21. Qd6 $14) 21... Ng6 (21... d5 22. Rxc8 $1 Nxc8 23. exd5 Qxd5 24.
Qxd5 exd5 25. Rc1 $14 {is exactly the sort of thing everyone dreads against
the present World Champion}) (21... d6 $5 $11 {deserved consideration, taking
away the dark-squared outposts from White's pieces.}) 22. Rxc8 (22. Rfd1 Rxc1
23. Qxc1 Qb6+ 24. Qe3 $14 {continues the cat-and-mouse game without ceding the
c-file}) 22... Rxc8 23. Rd1 Rc2 {Now Black gets play and the potential to take
some pawns, though White keeps it under control and retains an advantage
thanks to a superior king and queen.} 24. Qd8+ Nf8 25. Kh2 $1 Rc5 (25... Qa7 {
is the engine suggestion, but after} 26. Qg5 $14 {Black is still in trouble.
The threat is Nh6+ and Qe7.}) 26. Rd6 (26. b4 Rh5+ 27. Kg1 Qa7+ 28. Nf2 $14 {
throws Black's major pieces a bit more out of position; White can now play g4
or try and use the c-file himself.}) 26... b4 27. Rb6 Qa7 28. e5 {Not the most
precise. A new tactical motif now appears in the position- the trapping of
White's g4-knight.} Rc8 (28... Rb5 $1 $11 {forces the trade of rooks since} 29.
Rd6 h5 {ends up trapping White's knight.}) 29. Qe7 Ng6 30. Qxb4 h5 31. Rb7 Qc5
$14 (31... Rc4 $1 $11 {was a random move that happens to keep complete equality
}) 32. Qe4 hxg4 33. Qxg6 Qd5 34. Rb3 gxf3 35. Rxf3 Rf8 36. Rd3 $1 {Black will
probably offer the rook swap again; what is important is to effect a
favourable trade before accepting it.} Qxe5 37. Rxd7 Rf5 38. Rd8+ Rf8 39. Rd7
Rf5 40. Rd8+ Rf8 41. Rxf8+ Kxf8 42. b4 {This queen endgame is now pretty much
impossible to play for Black.} Qe2 (42... Qd5 43. Qc2 (43. a4 Qb3 $11) 43...
Kf7 $132 {might have been a start, trying to push ...e5 without further delays.
}) 43. a4 Qa2 44. a5 Qc4 45. Qb1 Kg8 46. Qe1 {White just has to keep playing
with small tactical motifs until Black misses one.} Kh7 47. Qe3 {Threatening
Qc5, but if this hadn't been possible White could have played Qd2-d6-c5
instead.} Qxb4 48. Qd3+ g6 49. Qxa6 Qc5 50. Qb6 {Now with best play White
should obtain a doubled-g-pawn position with queens.} Qh5+ 51. Kg1 Qd1+ 52. Kf2
Qd2+ 53. Kf3 g5 (53... Qd5+ 54. Ke3 Qxg2 55. Qc7+ Kh6 56. Qd6 $16 {might have
been a better try, even though White's king will get to join his a-pawn.}) 54.
Qxe6 Qxa5 55. Kg4 Qa8 56. Qf7+ Kh8 57. Qh5+ Kg7 58. Qxg5+ Kh8 59. Kh3 Qa1 60.
Qd8+ Kg7 61. Qe7+ Kg8 62. g4 {Now the position is technically winning, but of
course in practice it will be decided by a mistake by one or other side. Black
almost never has perpetual, so it is much easier for him to make the mistake
and then White will have a straightforward one. This is what happens in a few
moves.} Qc3+ 63. Kh4 Qb2 64. Qe8+ Kg7 65. Qd7+ Kg6 66. Qd6+ Kg7 67. Qd5 Kg6 $2
{A forced error in a lost position.} (67... Qf2+ 68. Kh5 {and the checks end})
68. Qg8+ {Queens will be swapped next.} 1-0

[Event "Fischer Random Rapid 2018"]
[Site "Baerum NOR"]
[Date "2018.02.11"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "DF"]
[Variant "chess 960"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "nqbnrbkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NQBNRBKR w HEhe - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "98"]
[EventDate "2018.02.09"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2015.08.21"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nb3 (2. e4 {suggests itself, thanks to the hint from Black's next 
(and the central positions of the rooks.)}) 2... e5 {A hard move to understand
properly. It is much better than it might initially appear- philosophically,
there is some similarity with the line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 in regular chess.} 3.
dxe5 Rxe5 4. Bf4 (4. g3 {possibly improved, trying to play e4 within the next
few moves.}) 4... Re8 5. Nc3 Bb4 $1 6. Bd2 (6. e3 {is not such a catastrophe,
but it is understandable that White would prefer to play without doubled pawns.
For instance:} Ne6 7. Bg3 Nb6 8. Rd1 Bxc3 9. bxc3 O-O $11) 6... Nb6 7. e4 Bxc3
8. Bxc3 (8. exd5 $5 {was an interesting freak tactical possibility which lends
validity to White's last.} Be5 9. f4 Nxd5 10. Rxe5 Rxe5 11. fxe5 b6 $11) 8...
dxe4 {Now White must either take his pawn back or prove compensation. He
chooses the second but it doesn't quite work.} 9. Qd1 (9. Bd3 $11) (9. f3 e3
10. Bd4 $11) 9... f5 10. Qd4 Ne6 11. Qe5 O-O {Now Black has caught up in
development, he should not be in any kind of trouble at all and White should
in fact take urgent measures to not end up worse.} 12. Nc5 Re7 13. Rd1 (13. Be2
Rff7 14. O-O-O $44) 13... Rff7 {Now Black consolidates.} 14. Be2 Nf8 15. Qf4
Ng6 16. Qg3 (16. Rd8+ Rf8 17. Rxf8+ Kxf8 18. Qd2 c6 $15 {is also not quite
enough.}) 16... f4 17. Rd8+ Rf8 18. Rxf8+ Kxf8 19. Qg5 c6 20. h4 f3 (20... Nd5
$17 {was also fine, giving back the pawn but tying White in some awkward knots.
} 21. h5 Ne5 22. Nxe4 h6 23. Qh4 Bf5) 21. gxf3 Nf4 22. Bf1 (22. Kf1 $5 {
could have been tried, keeping the re-sacrificed pawn by hook or by crook. Now
Black should accept this and play} Nbd5 $17 (22... Nxe2 $6 23. Bf6 $3 gxf6 24.
Qxf6+ Ke8 25. Qh8+ $11)) 22... exf3 {Not the best here either, and White is
nearly able to wriggle away.} 23. Nd3 Nxd3 24. Bxd3 h6 (24... Nd5 $15) 25. Qg3
Qxg3+ 26. fxg3 Na4 27. Bd2 {Now Black gets to rebuild his advantage.} (27. Bb4
$1 c5 28. Ba3 Re1+ (28... b6 29. O-O $14 {with Bb5-c6 to come and only White
can be better}) 29. Kh2 Re5 30. b3 Nb6 31. Bb2 Re7 32. Ba3 $11) 27... Kg8 28.
b3 Nb2 $1 $17 29. Bg6 Nd1 30. O-O Bg4 $1 {An unusual domination motif. Black
will just sit with Bg4, pf2, Nd1 and bring his king and pawns closer until
something crops up or White gets frustrated and sacrifices an exchange.} 31.
Bd3 f2+ 32. Kg2 b5 33. a4 a6 34. axb5 axb5 35. Bb4 Re5 36. Bd2 Re8 37. Bf4 b4 (
37... Kf7 {was a better way to creep closer- the next move can be ...Kf6 and
then ...g5.}) 38. Bd2 (38. Bc4+ Kh8 39. Ba6 {with the idea of Bb7 might have
offered some practical chances}) 38... c5 39. Bf4 Kf7 40. Bd6 {Here it is- the
frustration. The rest is not difficult really:} Ne3+ 41. Kxf2 Nxf1 42. Bxf1 Rc8
43. Be5 Bf5 44. Bc4+ Kg6 45. Ke3 Bxc2 46. g4 Re8 47. Kf4 Rf8+ 48. Ke3 Re8 49.
Kf4 Rd8 {A really good conversion overall by Nakamura, considering the
unfamiliarity of the position type and the time control.} 0-1

[Event "Fischer Random Rapid 2018"]
[Site "Baerum NOR"]
[Date "2018.02.11"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "DF"]
[Variant "chess 960"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "nqbnrbkr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/NQBNRBKR w HEhe - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2018.02.09"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2015.08.21"]

1. e4 {Not allowing Black ...d5, but it transpires that occupying the centre
with other pawns- any will do-is just as good.} e5 2. Nb3 c5 3. Ne3 Nc6 4. h4 {
Presumably trying for g3, Bh3 against Black's ...d6 rather than making a
genuine attempt at a kingside pawn storm!} h5 5. g3 b5 6. d3 d6 7. Bg2 (7. Bh3
Bxh3 8. Rxh3 Nb6 9. Nd2 $11 {was actually a reasonable way to play- the game
now takes on a rather strange Italianesque feel.}) 7... Be6 8. f4 $6 {
Prematurely opening the centre. Combined with the lack of castling this is to
blame for a lot of White's future problems.} (8. Nd5 $11 {was more consistent.}
) 8... exf4 9. gxf4 Nb6 {Now the centre is open and Black is better prepared
for this. There will follow ...c4, or under certain circumstances even ...d5.}
10. c3 c4 11. Nd4 (11. Nd2 cxd3 12. Qxd3 Nd7 13. O-O $132 {was a reasonable
attempt to turn things around}) 11... Nxd4 12. cxd4 Be7 13. d5 Bd7 14. d4 Qd8 {
Just winning a pawn, for which White now tries to find some compensation.} 15.
Bd2 Bxh4 16. Rf1 Bg3 17. e5 h4 18. Rf3 Bc8 19. Nf1 $2 {Not the best try in a
bad position, and possibly missing the impact of Black's 20th.} (19. Qe4 $15 {
kept Black's advantage to a minimum. There is genuinely a fair bit of
compensation here, though Black should keep something after for instance} Nd7 {
trying for ...Nf6.}) 19... Bg4 $1 20. Ra3 b4 $1 21. Rxa7 (21. Bxb4 Bxf4 $19 {
is even worse.}) 21... Qb8 (21... c3 22. bxc3 bxc3 23. Bc1 dxe5 24. fxe5 Nxd5
$17 {was probably a better continuation, and Black's c3-pawn and much better
co-ordination will be a huge headache going forward.}) 22. Ra6 (22. Rxf7 $5
Kxf7 23. e6+ {was worth a try, since Black runs into tactical problems trying
to keep all the material.} Bxe6 $1 (23... Kf6 24. Ne3 $40) (23... Kg8 $2 24.
Nxg3 hxg3 25. Rxh8+ Kxh8 26. Qg6 $14) 24. dxe6+ Rxe6 25. Rh3 $17) 22... Qb7 23.
Nxg3 {This way, White has still lost the exchange but has not been able to
open any lines against the Black king.} Qxa6 24. Ne4 c3 (24... h3 {could have
been an even better move, but it is all much of a muchness right now.}) 25.
bxc3 Nc4 26. Bf1 Nxd2 27. Nxd2 Qc8 28. Rh2 (28. c4 $5 {tries to generate some
counterplay based on the pawn mass, even if White is still close to lost.
Possibly, the problem White saw with this was the rook sacrifice:} dxe5 29.
fxe5 Rxe5 $3 {which, if Black manages to find, is winning on the spot after
some tactics. Nevertheless, in a lost position I would want to make my
opponent take this risk-in a game between humans, trying a move like this is
always a risk.}) 28... bxc3 29. Nc4 Bf3 30. Ne3 dxe5 31. fxe5 Qd8 {Winning the
d5-pawn thanks to the threat of ...Qg5. The rest could really have been spared.
} 32. Qf5 Bxd5 33. Qf4 Be6 34. Bh3 Rh6 35. Bxe6 fxe6 36. Ng4 Rg6 37. Rg2 Rf8
38. Qe4 Rf5 39. Nf6+ Rfxf6 0-1

[Event "Fischer Random Rapid 2018"]
[Site "Baerum NOR"]
[Date "2018.02.12"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "DF"]
[Variant "chess 960"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnknqbbr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNKNQBBR w HAha - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "92"]
[EventDate "2018.02.09"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2015.08.21"]

1. f4 f6 2. e4 e5 {Both players have abandoned any kind of hypermodern
approach- when there is no theory, or you don't know the theory, you can't go
for the equivalent of a Grunfeld, there is simply no choice but to play
classically as that is the most reliable style. Put pawns in the centre, and
pieces behind them.} 3. fxe5 fxe5 4. Nbc3 Ne6 5. Nd5 {It's not clear to me
what White wanted to acheive by this knight leap, except if he wanted c3 and
d4 (and if so, then why his 4th?)} (5. Bc4 {was a good 'classical' move.}) 5...
c6 6. N5e3 d6 7. g3 Nd7 {The initial position used this time was quite an
equal one, and White has played a bit lackadaisically, so maybe Black is more
comfortable already.} 8. Bh3 O-O-O 9. d3 Kb8 $15 10. Qf2 Ndc5 11. Nc3 Nd4 {
Thinking of ...d5.} 12. Ne2 (12. O-O-O g6 {doesn't really help; here Black
probably changes tack and plays without ...d5.}) 12... Nxe2+ 13. Qxe2 d5 14.
exd5 cxd5 15. Ng4 (15. O-O-O {could have been a good try with the centre
opening up, though Black is better after say} Qa4 $5 $15) 15... d4 16. Bg2 Bd6
17. h3 Rc8 18. Bf2 {Trying to evacuate the king, which in this case is quite a
creative defence!} (18. Nf2 {was consistent, but too slow:} Qb5 {with the idea
of ...Na4 forces major concessions and Black is close to winning.}) 18... h5
19. Nh2 e4 $1 (19... Qb5 20. O-O $3 {is the point, and while Black's position
is still more pleasant he has no real attack as such.}) 20. O-O (20. dxe4 $6 d3
$19) (20. Bxe4 {can be met with either the ambitious ...Bd5 or just simple
chess, e.g.} Nxe4 21. Qxe4 Qxe4 22. dxe4 d3 23. c3 (23. O-O h4 $19) 23... Bh7
$17) 20... e3 21. Be1 Ne6 22. Nf3 g5 {With so much of a space advantage, Black
finds that his forces re-route themselves easily.} 23. c3 {Basically obliging
Black to at least sacrifice a pawn for his attack.} g4 24. Nxd4 (24. hxg4 $2
hxg4 25. Nxd4 Qh5 {is of course close to mate}) 24... Nxd4 25. cxd4 gxh3 26.
Be4 h4 27. Qxe3 Bh7 (27... Bd5 28. Rf3 Qg8 {is better implementation, just
because d5 is a better square for the bishop.}) 28. Rf3 (28. g4 $5 Qe6 29. Qxh3
Rcg8 $19 {doesn't seem like a fully conclusive attack just yet, but Black is
of course close to winning.}) 28... Qh5 29. Bf2 Rhf8 30. Rxf8 Rxf8 31. Bxh7
Qxh7 32. g4 {The best practical chance.} h2+ 33. Kh1 Qg8 34. Bxh4 (34. Re1 Qxg4
35. d5 {might oblige Black to do more work, since he doesn't have obvious
attacking moves now.}) 34... Qxg4 35. Bf2 Qg8 36. Bh4 Qd5+ 37. Qe4 Qf7 38. Qg2
Qf4 39. Bg5 Qxd4 {Restoring the material parity, not that that has mattered
for a while. Eventually, White's chronically insecure g5-bishop and long
diagonal will combine in some decisive way.} 40. Bh6 Re8 41. Rd1 Qxd3 42. Rf1
Ka8 43. Rc1 Bb8 44. Qd2 Qe4+ 45. Qg2 Qe1+ 46. Qf1 Qe6 {White didn't see a
point continuing with the dance; at any rate, ...Rg8-g3 will force the White
queen off the long diagonal.} 0-1

[Event "Fischer Random Rapid 2018"]
[Site "Baerum NOR"]
[Date "2018.02.12"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "DF"]
[Variant "chess 960"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnknqbbr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNKNQBBR w HAha - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "238"]
[EventDate "2018.02.09"]
[EventType "rapid"]
[Source "ChessPublishing"]
[SourceDate "2015.08.21"]

1. d4 f5 2. f4 g5 $5 {An interesting 'Benko Gambit'!} 3. fxg5 h6 4. Ndc3 (4. g6
$5 {It is interesting, perhaps, to see how far we can take the analogy to the
Benko.} Qxg6 5. h4 $5 e5 $1 {Here Black doesn't need to get involved in the
struggle for the squares g5 and g6- a theme which reminds me of the American
puzzle game 'connect 4'. Instead, he can hit back in the centre, using the
fact that in this Benko, the kings are already more or less safe.} 6. Nbc3 (6.
dxe5 $6 Nbc6 $15) 6... Nbc6 7. d5 $132) 4... d5 $5 {An ambitious and maybe not
entirely correct move.} (4... hxg5 5. e4 f4 $132 {gives Black play of full
value.}) 5. g4 $1 {The centre is much more important than some flank pawn.} (5.
gxh6 e5 $1 {Here, since e3 is not possible, the White centre instantly loses
all its solidity.}) 5... fxg4 6. e4 {White seems to have won the opening
battle, but of course the position remains messy and unstereotyped enough that
almost anything can happen on short notice.} dxe4 7. Nd2 hxg5 8. O-O-O Nd7 9.
Ndxe4 Nf7 10. d5 $14 a6 (10... Nfe5 {immediately deserved attention.}) 11. Bd4
Rh6 12. Be2 (12. Qg3 O-O-O 13. Be2 Nd6 14. Nxd6+ exd6 15. Bxg4 $14 {was
another way to consolidate the advantage, but probably that chosen in the game
was better.}) 12... Nfe5 13. Nxg5 Rg6 14. Ne6 (14. h4 {would likely have ended
up winning a pawn, since Black cannot really take en passant. White can
continue Be3-f4, Qg3, etc, and take on g4 with a position that must be close
to winning.}) 14... Bxe6 (14... Nf3 $6 15. Bxf3 gxf3 16. Rf1 $16 {looks like
it makes the position interesting, but in fact the clarification is only to
White's advantage.}) 15. dxe6 Rxe6 {Logically, the only way Black can try and
hang on is to take a pawn for his troubles.} 16. Bxe5 Rxe5 17. Qg3 Bh6+ 18. Kb1
Re3 19. Qxg4 O-O-O $1 {Black has played the last 5 moves perfectly and it
seems that things are gradually becoming less clear.} 20. Nd5 Re5 21. Bxa6 (21.
Qg3 $5 {is a hard move to spot. The point is} e6 22. Nxc7 $1 Kxc7 23. Rxd7+ {
and White emerges with an extra pawn.}) 21... c6 (21... bxa6 22. Qc4 Rxd5 23.
Qxa6+ Kb8 24. Rxd5 Nb6 25. Rxd8+ Qxd8 $14 {is not curtains, but White would
likely have enjoyed this a fair bit.}) 22. Nb6+ Kc7 23. Nxd7 Rxd7 24. Rxd7+
Qxd7 25. Qxd7+ Kxd7 26. Bxb7 $1 {Maximalist and... correct.} (26. Bd3 {is more
conservative and White could have tried to press here instead, although in
fairness it does seem to me that Black can hold the balance with active play.}
Kd6 27. a3 Re3 $14 {and next there may follow ...e5 and ...Bf4}) 26... Ra5 27.
Re1 (27. Rg1 $1 {was playable immediately, based on Bxc6-type tactics.} Bf4 28.
Rg4 $1 (28. Rg6 Bd6 {is less clear}) 28... Bxh2 29. Rc4 $16 {White has managed
to extricate the bishop.}) 27... Bg5 28. Rg1 {Now White still gains a tempo,
but it is the wrong one, and ...Rb5 will gain it back later.} Bf6 29. Rg8 Rb5
30. Bc8+ Kc7 31. b3 Re5 32. Kc1 Re2 {The idea of ...Bc3 means that White's
pieces are still just about tactically unfortunate enough to generate some
counterchances for his opponent.} 33. h3 (33. Bg4 Rxh2 34. a4 $14 {is of
course a try but not really what White wants to do if there is a choice}) 33...
e6 $6 (33... Bc3 {leads to White holding both pawns, even if the resulting
position looks nearly impossible for him to win:} 34. Bg4 Re1+ 35. Bd1 Rh1 36.
Rg3 Be5 37. Rd3 $14) 34. Ba6 (34. Kd1 $1 Re3 35. Kd2 Rxh3 36. Bxe6 $16) 34...
Re3 35. Kd2 Rxh3 36. Bd3 Rh2+ 37. Ke3 Bc3 38. a4 $14 {White has played
slightly inaccurately and had to give back one of the pawns, but his king is
now out of any danger.} Kd6 39. Rg6 Rh3+ 40. Ke4 Rh4+ 41. Kf3 Rh3+ 42. Kg2 Rh7
$5 {Trying to swap rooks, even at the cost of a pawn.} 43. Rg4 (43. Rxe6+ Kxe6
44. Bxh7 Kd5 45. Kf3 Kd4 46. Be4 c5 47. Bd3 Ba5 48. Kf4 Kd5 $11 {is a draw:
Black meets Ke2 with ...Kd4 and Ke8 with ...Kd6, then White has no way in.})
43... Rg7 44. Bg6 c5 45. Kf3 Ba5 46. Ke2 c4 {Reasonable active defence,
although it was also possible to sit and ask White what he intends to do about
the pin on the g-file.} 47. Rd4+ Ke7 48. Be4 cxb3 49. cxb3 Rg3 50. Bf3 Rg1 51.
b4 Bc7 52. Rc4 Bd6 53. Be4 (53. b5 {and I suspect the position is now
technically winning.}) 53... Rg3 54. Kd2 Rb3 55. b5 Be5 56. Bc2 Rb2 57. Rc6 Kd7
58. Ra6 Bd6 59. Kc3 Be5+ 60. Kd3 Bf4 61. a5 Bc7 $1 {Avoiding the cheap tactic;
now sooner or later White has to consent to the swap of two pawns for a bishop.
} 62. Ra7 Kd6 63. Ra6+ Kd7 64. b6 Bxb6 65. axb6 Kc6 66. Ba4+ Kb7 67. Ra7+ Kxb6
68. Re7 Kc5 69. Rxe6 {Now, White tried for 50 moves to win with rook and
bishop against rook, but it didn't exactly work out. Incredibly, Carlsen played the position until his clock simply ran out.} Rb4 70. Bc2 Rd4+ 71. Ke3 Rd8
72. Be4 Rd6 73. Re5+ Kb6 74. Bd5 Kc5 75. Ke4 Rd8 76. Bf7+ Kc6 77. Rh5 Rd1 78.
Bb3 Rd2 79. Bd5+ Kc5 80. Bf7+ Kc6 81. Bb3 Kd6 82. Ke3 Rb2 83. Bc4 Rg2 84. Bd3
Rg1 85. Kd4 Rd1 86. Rh6+ Ke7 87. Ra6 Kd7 88. Ke4 Ke7 89. Bc4 Rd6 90. Ra7+ Rd7
91. Ra5 Rd1 92. Ke5 Re1+ 93. Kd4 Rd1+ 94. Bd3 Kd6 95. Ra6+ Ke7 96. Ke4 Rd2 97.
Ke3 Rd1 98. Ke4 Rd2 99. Bc4 Rd6 100. Ra5 Rd1 101. Ke5 Re1+ 102. Kd5 Rd1+ 103.
Kc5 Kf6 104. Ra6+ Kf5 105. Re6 Rc1 106. Re2 Rd1 107. Bb3 Rd8 108. Bc2+ Kf4 109.
Re4+ Kf3 110. Rc4 Rf8 111. Kb4 Ke2 112. Kc3 Ke3 113. Re4+ Kf3 114. Rd4 Rc8+
115. Rc4 Re8 116. Rb4 Re3+ 117. Kb2 Re2 118. Rb3+ Kf2 119. Rc3 Re7 0-1
