Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Gurtovoi,N - Goldshtein [A02]
17th Latvian CC Championship SF, 1991
[Notes by Nickolai Gurtovoi]

1.f4 [In the From Gambit after 1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 g5, theorists assert that Black has a promising position, but I think that 4... g5? (Lasker's Attack) is no more than a cheap adventure! In the 17th Latvian CC Championship Semi-Final, my four opponents boldly played a From Gambit, but they all capitulated quickly. For my success, I am much indebted to the Steinitz doctrine where White's K does not castle.]

1...e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 g5 5.g3! [The best move against Lasker's Attack.]

5...g4 6.Nh4 Ne7 7.e4! Bc5 8.Bg2 Be6 9.Nc3 Nbc6 10.d3 0-0? [A waste of tempo - 10... Rg8 or 10... Qd7 were better.]

11.Bh6 Re8 12.Qd2 Qd4 13.Rf1 Ng6 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.Rxf5 Nce5 16.Ke2!! [The best move! According to Steinitz, White's K goes boldly to help his own pieces, besides threatening 17.Raf1! (Not 16.0-0-0? because of 16... Bb4! 17.Rdf1 Bxc3! =+]

16...Nf3 17.Bxf3 Qf2+? [An illusory attack.]

18.Kd1 Qg1+ 19.Qe1 gxf3 20.Qxg1 Bxg1 21.Nd5! [This is the real attack.]

21...Re5 22.Nf6+ Kh8 23.Rxf3 Rd8 24.Ke2 [White's K comes into play again.]

24...Bc5 25.Raf1 [Black is 2 pawns down and another on f7 is doomed with no chance of counterplay.] 1-0