Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Trösch,T - Gurtovoi,N [A04]
X ICCF Cup, 1995
[Notes by Nickolai Gurtovoi]

1.g3 c5 2.Bg2 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.0-0 d6 5.c4 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.e4 Rb8 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Qe2 Qc7 12.Bf4 Ng4!? 13.h3 Ne5 14.Rac1 h6 15.Be3 g5! [The start of the counter-attack.]

16.f4 gxf4 17.gxf4 Ng6 18.f5?! [An anxious moment for White: the f5-pawn crossing the Rubicon without the support of his own troop.]

18...Nh4 19.Qg4 Bf6 20.Rc2 h5 21.Qd1 Rg8! 22.Rff2 [Or 22.Qxh5 Rxg2+ 23.Rxg2 Nxg2 24.Qh7 Kd8 25.Qg8+ Be8 26.Qxg2 Qa5! -+]

22...Rb4! [Now another castle moves into play.]

23.b3 d5! 24.cxd5 Bxc3! 25.Rxc3 Rxe4! [In the course of three moves, Black has demolished White's centre completely, and also has the main threat Qc7-g3!]

26.d6 [Prevents 26... Qg3]

26...Qxd6 27.Rd3 Qc7[] 28.Kh1 Bxf5! [The inglorious end of the Rubicon pawn!]

29.Rxf5 [29.Bxe4?? Bxe4! -+]

29...Rxg2 [Idea 30... Qh2#]

30.Bf4 Rxf4! [30... Qc8? 31.Rxh5! +-]

31.Rxf4 Rxa2! [Idea 32... Ng6! White has somehow beaten off the attack, but has suffered some material loss.]

32.Rd2!? [The best chance of defence! If (a) 32.Rxh4?? Qh2# or (b) 32.Qxh5? Ng6! 33.Rdd4 Ra1+ 34.Kh2 Rf1! -+]

32...Rxd2 33.Qxd2 Ng6 34.Rf3 h4 35.Qf2 f6 36.b4 Kf8! [For the exchange, Black has three extra pawns - sufficient for a win. However, he must play accurately, eg if 36... a5? 37.Ra3! axb4 38.Ra8+ Kf7 39.Qa2+! +-]

37.Qg2 Ne5 38.Rf4 Qd7! [At last, Black's Q comes into play.]

39.Rf1 Qd3 40.Rg1 Ke8 41.Ra1 a6 42.Ra2 [42.Rf1 was more persistent.]

42...Qb1+! 43.Kh2 Nf3+! 44.Qxf3 Qxa2+ 45.Kg1 Qc4 0-1