1. f2f4 Is this the best first move $2 It's not clear. It is difficult to evaluate positions or make move judgments before the position becomes something that resembles conventional chess. But that's what I like about Chess960: the beauty of discovery. I like to start Chess960 games with moves that free my bishop or my queen, so 1.f4, 1.e4 and 1.c4 seem like good moves to me here. I used this initial first-move strategy to win one of the most important (and also the last) titles of my career: Fischer Random (as this variant is called there) Icelandic Champion, in 2019. How a Brazilian chess player, who doesn't live in Iceland, can achieve such distinction, is a bit of a long story to tell in this short space. 1... c7c6 The famous Caro-Kann move strikes again. 2. g2g3  2... f7f5 It's natural to gain space and open the path for the g8-bishop. 3. e1f3  3... d8b6  4. c2c3 [%c_effect c3;square;c3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Opening both the queen and the bishop. 4... b6g1  5. h1g1  5... e8d6  6. d2d3 This move seems unconvincing. 6... b7b5 [%c_effect b5;square;b5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Gaining space on the queenside and opening the path for the queen to go to b6. 7. e2e4 Fighting for the center is important in all forms of chess. 7... f5e4  8. d3e4  8... b8b6  9. f1d2  9... g7g5 [%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] A very nice move $1 I'm not sure if it's the best, but it's surprising and fun. 10. f4g5 Of course the pawn cannot be taken with the knight, since the g1-rook would hang en prise. 10... f8e6 The knight cannot be disturbed now by the move f4-f5. Black prepares Bf7-g6 or Bf7-h5. 11. g1e1  11... g8f7  12. d1b3 An interesting position for the understanding of castling in Chess960. Here Black can play \"super short castle\" or \"super long castle\" but those are played in the opposite direction from the usual. 12... c8h8 Carlsen decides for the super long castle, probably in order to use the f-file for the rook, or maybe because it's much more fun to execute. 13. b1c2  13... a7a5 [%c_effect a5;square;a5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Preparing a5-a4. Until now, superb play by Black. 14. e4e5 [%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This is nearly losing, as it opens the important b1-h7 diagonal for Black's bishop. It's better to give the bishop a way back with 14.a3 or 14.a4. 14... f7g6 [%c_effect g6;square;g6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] I wonder if Gukesh missed this move. 15. b3e6  15... d7e6  16. c2b3  16... d6b7 [%c_effect b7;square;b7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The knight is heading to c5 and White's situation is desperate. 17. b3e6  17... f8f7  18. f3d4 Gukesh fights with extraordinary resilience in a difficult position. 18... b7c5  19. e6c6  19... c5d3  20. c1d1  20... d3b2 [%c_effect b2;square;b2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Black should play for an attack, and not to take the exchange with 21. d1e2  21... b6c6 [%c_effect c6;square;c6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Exchanging queens gives White some relief. 22. d4c6  22... a8c8 [%c_effect c8;square;c8;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] 23. e5e6 [%c_effect e6;square;e6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 23... g6h5  24. e2e3  24... f7g7 The only way to protect the pawn on e7. 25. c6e5  25... g7g5  26. e3d4  26... c8d8  27. e5d7  27... h5g4  28. e1e5 Exchanging rooks is possible and gives good drawing chances after 28... g5g6  29. e5d5 [%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Threatening Nf6+. 29... g8g7  30. d7e5  30... d8d5  31. d4d5  31... g4e6 [%c_effect e6;square;e6;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This error leaves Black in a very difficult position. 32. d5d4  32... g6h6  33. a1b1 [%c_effect b1;square;b1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 33... b2a4  34. b1b5 The queenside is captured, but not only that: the a4-knight is also in a terrible position. 34... e6a2 Now the bishop is also in trouble. 35. c3c4 [%c_effect c4;square;c4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 35... h6h2  36. d2f3 [%c_effect f3;square;f3;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This move gives Black good saving chances. 36... h2h6 [%c_effect h6;square;h6;type;Mistake;persistent;true] 37. b5a5  37... h6d6  38. d4e3  38... a4c3  39. a5a3 [%c_effect a3;square;a3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Making the position of the black pieces even worse. 39... c3d1  40. e3e2  40... a2b1  41. c4c5  41... d6d5  42. c5c6  42... b1f5  43. c6c7 White's pawn will cost Black either the bishop or (surprisingly) the knight. 43... d1b2  44. a3a2  44... b2d1  45. a2c2  45... f5c8  46. e5d3 [%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The knight on d1 is trapped, although it remains to be seen how to capture it. 46... g7f6  47. c2c1  47... e7e5 A desperate attempt to escape with the knight, but Gukesh plays precisely to finish the game. 48. f3e5  48... d1b2  49. c1f1  49... f6e7  50. e5c6 [%c_effect c6;square;c6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 50... e7d6  51. f1f6 [%c_effect f6;square;f6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] 51... d6c7  52. d3b2  52... c8b7  53. c6b4  53... d5h5  54. b2c4  54... h5h3  55. f6f7 White quickly generates a mating attack. 55... c7b8  56. c4d6  56... b7h1 