Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Arzumanian,S - Gurtovoi,N [B75]
VI-VII ICCF Cup, SF-21, 1993
[Notes by Nickolai Gurtovoi]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 a6 8.Qd2 Qc7 9.0-0-0 Nc6 10.Be2 Bd7 11.g4 Rc8 12.h4 b5 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.a3 h5 15.g5 Nd7 16.Bd4 e5! [My experienced opponent had a high rating; he featured in the "Top 50" correspondence players of the ex-USSR. That is why I rejected the much-played 16... 0-0?! 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qd4+ Kg8 19.Rd2 =+. I decided to stun my formidable opponent with my uncastling play!]

17.Be3 Ke7! [The principle of Steinitz - Black's K boldly enters play!]

18.Rh2 Rhd8 19.Rf2 Nc5 20.Rdf1 Kf8! 21.Bd3 [Preparing for 22.f4 but wasting time on an attack.]

21...Rd7 22.f4 exf4 23.Bxf4 Kg8! [Not 23... Qb7? because of 24.Bxd6+! Rxd6 25.Rxf7+ Qxf7 26.Rxf7+ Kxf7 27.Qf2+! and 28.Qxc5]

24.Kb1 Qb7 25.Re1 a5! [This is the start of the attack - White has lost.]

26.Nd5 Bxd5 27.exd5 b4! [In the Latin way: "Aquila non captat muscas" - if 27... Qxd5? 28.Bxb5! Qxd2 29.Rxd2 Rb7 30.c4 +-]

28.axb4 axb4 29.Bc4 Na4! [If 29... Bc3?! 30.Qe2 (30.bxc3?? bxc3+ and 31... cxd2) 30... Bxe1 31.Qxe1 Ra8 32.Re2! Kf8 33.Qg3! =+]

30.Bb3 Nxb2 31.Be5? [A hopeless position for White.]

31...Bxe5 [Also possible is 31... dxe5 32.Re4 Ra8! 33.Kxb2 Qa7!]

32.Rxe5 dxe5 33.Kxb2 Qa7! 34.Rf3 Qa3+ 35.Kb1 Ra8 36.c4 bxc3 37.Rxc3 Rb7 [White could resign here.]

38.Qb2 Qb4 39.Qc2 Kg7 40.Qd3 Qxh4 41.d6 Rxb3+ 42.Rxb3 Qe1+ 43.Kb2 [Or 43.Kc2 Ra2+ 44.Rb2 Qf2]

43...Qa1+ 44.Kc2 Ra2+ 0-1