Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Ozolinsh,M - Gurtovoi,N [B75]
17th Latvian CC Championship SF, 1991
[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 h5! 9.h4 Bd7 10.Bc4 a6 11.Bb3 b5 12.0-0-0 Na5 13.Kb1 Rb8 14.Bg5 Nc4! [This fine knight manoeuvre was discovered by Robert Fischer.]

15.Bxc4 bxc4 [Without castling, Black has an advantage!]

16.b3 Rb7! 17.e5 dxe5 18.Nc6 Qb6 19.Nxe5 cxb3 20.cxb3 Bf5+ 21.Kb2 Nd7 22.Nxd7 Rxd7 23.Qe3 Bd4 24.Qe1 [24.Rxd4 was better.]

24...f6! 25.Bd2 Kf7! [The best place for the king! Not 25... 0-0? because of 26.g4! with a counter-attack.]

26.Rc1 Rc8 27.Qe2 Be5 28.Rhd1 a5! [Threatens 29... a4 or 29... Rdc7] 0-1