http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=23814144

I find losses like this intriguing.  In standard chess, this guy has a 2500+, but he loses in this game to a 1300+ player at chess 960.  Any ideas?

standard chess is a completely different game.

The problems start at around move 27. I think he was winning before that. The Bishop and Rook up on Black's side of the board aren't properly defended. Also, White did comparatively little with his remanining Rook after that, and he gives it up for the pawn on move 49.

Well, I think I do pretty good in 960, since there is no theory.  I remember one of my first games, against a friend who normally is much stronger than me.  In 960, I beat him fairly convincingly.  He didn't have the normal aggressive setups he learned from GM's, and I used an offbeat opening scheme that got my pieces out, and gave me a good opening phase.

I am currently playing a game where my king began at g8 and my rook at h8, and I cleared f8 out, but it won't let me castle...I don't understand. 

I did see that these two had a rematch, and the second time, the higher player beat the pants off of him!

 Have you tried moving Kg8-g8 (it's crazy, I know) with no luck?

BirdBrain- In chess960, often castling is done by dragging the king onto the rook. In your game, you would castle kingside by dragging your king to h8.

I tried the Kg8-g8.  I will try h8 and see what happens.

Kg8-h8 was successful in analysis...thanks for the insight!  I was wondering what I was going to do!  I would have figured out something!  :-)

I'm not sure if this is what you meant, but it's almost equally easy to cheat in 960.

It IS weird that he didn't botch the opening instead (I've done this often :P), that's the only place where they really differ... But perhaps he was just having a bad day? Who knows?

Exactly.  Computers can still be used in Chess 960, to them it's no different except the fact that they can't use an opening book.  It's the same as setting up a position and getting them to look over it.

One thing that must be pointed out with regard to Chess 960 though is that you cannot use databases or books etc to help make your initial decisions (as none cover 960).  This could have an influence on the difference between the grades but I don't think it would feasibly separate the grades by 1200 elo.

Here's my opinion: the 2500-rated player completely won the opening. He made a tactical miscalculation in the middlegame that cost him 8 points of material. That's probably all it was.

I hate 960 !!!!

I've noticed a lot of 1200-1400 ranked players matching up exclusively against 1700-1800 rank players.  Sometimes you have to do more research to get the entire story.  Just a thought.

29 b4?!?!?!!!!!!!!

I know that the database on here can lead quite far into a game.  E.G.

chess960 is a different monster altogether. the rules are somewhat different and you either do well with this variation or you don't. I am sure that many players love this style, but i myself don't like it that much.

I love the 960 because your opponent has to think from move 1.  Of course, some can cheat, but if they are going to do that, they will do it anyway...