Chess960

Lately I've taken a passing interest in Fischerrandom chess.  I havent played any games using classic time controls, just 5/0 blitz.  While I don't consider myself adept at the game by any stretch of the imagination, so far I've had fairly good luck with my results - which I attribute to the likelihood that my opponents are generally as confused as I am.

Here's my latest game, not played here, which I was very lucky to have won, especially since I was running out of pieces. At one point in the middlegame my opponent had 37 pts. to my 27 pts., the equivalent to 2 Rooks and I was losing confidence.

I liked the mate!

John Wayne (it is said to be from him...) : Never quit and never tell a lie!

Thanks.

John Wayne played chess, but Tal was better at it - and had more fingers.

What's confusing to me is the very beginning and trying to understand the dynamics of the opening position without using up too much time.  There should be some sort of mental checklist.  But in the absence of such an aid, I usually try to simply open lines for my Bishops and Queen while keeping central spaces open for my Knights.  I still haven't figured out if castling is allowed. So far I've never been able to castle.

And yes, it IS fun because the positions aren't the same old thing.

You just need one finger to be trigger-happy !

I was also wondering if 9.0-0 (0-0-0)was allowed... I cannot figure out this 960...

The only change in rules is that castling is funky - when you castle, the king/rook end up in the same position as when they castle in regular chess (king on g-file and rook on f-file for kingside, king on c-file and rook on d-file for queenside).

If you experience a problem castling when there is only one square between the king and rook, click on the king and then on the rook.

Yes, it's definitely unpredictable.  I recommend people at least try it. As a rule, I dislike variants, but this type of game I do like.

There should be some Chess960 players here who know all the ins and outs.

Batgirl - I think you could have castled. I've only ever played 960 at 3 day time controls so I obviously had time to experiment using the analysis board. Sometimes you have to drag and drop the King (DD) outside the board (i.e. over and beyond the Rook in your case), sometimes DD right on top of the Rook. Obviously you didn't have time to fool around and find out what would work - and without an analysis board you can't experiment ... you're stuck with the move or it's rejected as illegal.

Edit: Looks like Kohai has the answer

Besides being a superlative natural talent, Morphy was also an opening specialist. In 960, there goes the book, so someone like Morphy may have an advantage in that natural talent counts for a lot, but also inheritat a disadvantage at having to give up his initial guarantee for a good position based on memorized book knowledge.

Well, I tried to castle in the above game, and nearly every game I've played, but have never been able to castle. As mentioned, the problem probably lies in my ignorance since castling is apparently legal.  I had no idea the King and Rook end up in a normal castling position.  Thanks y'all.

Good fun, batgirl.

I swore off playing any more 960 but still play the occasional game. It's different.

durn, Dozy, where have you been?

It's funny you should mention that Batgirl - My hero; Pal Benko detested opening theory, his own words:

"I admit that I was never able to study openings - it really bored me. ..... I found that I could always take a nap in any situation by just looking at some opening variation - my eyes would shut right away. Endgames, though, fascinated me. I wanted to dig deep for the ultimate truth ..." Pal Benko - My Life Games and Compositions

I think Benko would have loved 960.

Oddly enough, Benko is an endgame expert and had a few openings named after him.  Endgames do for me what openings did for Benko.  What an unusually choice for a chess hero. Not a bad one, just one seldom chosen. I once knew a man who was enamoured with Savielly Tartakower, which again I thought was unique. I only read one book by Benko. I think it was called either Chess Psychology or the Psychology of Chess.

Sorry, I've been a bit quiet since April. Scarcely visited chess.com except to play my games, and even those haven't been up to scratch.

There've been a few problems that I'm hoping will be history by November.

Bring on 2011!

Dozy,

I know I hadn't seen much of you.  I'm glad you're still around, even if occasionally.  Life has this nasty habit of interfering sometimes.  I hope all your problems resolve themselves to your satisfaction.

Thanks batgirl. One bad year out of 73 isn't so terrible but I've been a bit discombobulated for the past six months.

There's a distant parallel to the way my brain's been working in THIS STORY.

Yes - I'm aware of his pedigree Batgirl. Besides making it to the candidates (twice!) and playing along side (and beating) those we consider legends it is often forgotten that without Benko's genorosity there would have been NO Fischer-v- Spassky. This is a guy who missed his best chess years dodging the Nazi nigthmare in war torn Hungary, watched his mother die of despair and starvation, his brother and father shipped off to forced labour camps, and was himself imprisoned by the Soviets.

He later defected but it's no stretch to imagine that his best chess playing days may have been spent under different circumstances.

Then the ultimate act of genorosity - after another bout of typical hen house nonsense by Fischer - which precluded Fischer from participating in the 1972 World Championship cycle - Benko gave up his postion at the 1970 interzonal in favour of Fischer. The rest is history.

I think Benko would laugh at 1.g3 being named "Benko's Opening" solely because he spanked Tal and Fischer with this system in Curacao in 1962 - but it irks me to read of 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5!? as being a "Volga" - no man put more effort into popularising this opening than Benko:

"The names of chess openings tend to be chosen at random, but Benko deserves to be remembered for his efforts" GM McDonald - The Benko Gambit Revealed

After 73 years, it's time to show who's boss!

I'm not up to snuff on the details of Benko's life.  Of course I know about him reliquishing his place for Fischer.  I'm not sure there are many who would have done the same, though I can imagine Fischer thinking it only right.  Still, he is a unique choice, but certainly an interesting one. Thanks for the information.

I've enjoyed your articles, batgirl. So when I saw that you had a forum post about 960, I had to check it out. I'm a big 960 fan. (BTW, there's a great 960 group: Chess960 RandomChess . You're invited.)

At the beginning of a 960 game, in addition to the things you mentioned in your prior posts, you should always look for weak pawns. These are pawns that are either unprotected, or only protected by the King. This will make you aware of vulnerabilities on each side of the board. For example, White often targets the Black's f7 pawn in a typical King's Pawn Opening game (Ruy Lopez or Giuoco Piano) for just that reason.

Also, if you think you've got a handle on how castling works now, look at what has to be moved in order for you to get to one of the 'castled' positions, and if you think you'll be better off castling, or not. Some positions you may be content with the King right where he is.

Your earlier comment about taking some time to access the initial position was spot on. You fast players amaze me.

Hope this helped some.