Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Oppici,G - Gurtovoi,N [B75]
VI-VII ICCF Cup, 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 Nc6 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.Bc4 Rc8 10.Bb3 a6 [10... h5 is better.]

11.g4 h6 12.0-0-0 Na5 [12... b5 is slightly better.]

13.h4 b5 14.g5 hxg5 15.hxg5 Rxh1 16.Rxh1 Nh5 17.Nd5 Nc4 18.Bxc4 bxc4 19.Nf5!? Bxf5 20.exf5 c3 [Although this move looks powerful, it leads only to a draw. Another possibility is 20... Ng3 which also leads to a draw, eg 21.fxg6 Nxh1 22.gxf7+ Kxf7 23.g6+! Kxg6 24.Nf4+! =]

21.Qd3 Qa5 22.f6 [Also possible is 22.fxg6 Qxa2 23.gxf7+ Kf8 24.bxc3 Qa1+ 25.Kd2 Qxh1 26.Qh7! Qg2+ 27.Kd3 Qf1+ 28.Kd2 =]

22...exf6! [22... Qxa2?! is weak because of 23.Nxc3! Qa1+ 24.Nb1! +=]

23.Nxc3 [Here White could force a draw imediately with 23.Qe4+ Kf8 24.gxf6 Bxf6 25.Bh6+ Bg7 26.Bxg7+ Kxg7 27.Rxh5 cxb2+ 28.Kb1 gxh5 29.Qd4+ =]

23...fxg5 24.Bd4 Be5 25.Re1 Nf4 26.Qe4 Rc4 27.Qa8+ Ke7 28.Qa7+ Kf6 29.Bb6 Qb4 30.Rxe5 [Or 30.a3 Nd3+! 31.cxd3 Rxc3 32.bxc3 Qxc3+ 33.Kd1 Qxd3+ =]

30...Nd3+! [Only move! If 30... dxe5? 31.Qxa6!]

31.cxd3 [If 31.Kd2? Nxe5]

31...Rxc3+ 32.bxc3 Qxc3+ 33.Kd1 Qxd3+ 34.Ke1 dxe5 35.Qb7 [Here my opponent offered the draw.] ½-½