Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Krshkovnik,E - Gurtovoi,N [B72]
Loeffler Memorial, 1996
[Notes by Nickolai Gurtovoi]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Nc6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.h4 h5! [Putting a stop to White's attack on the kingside. Of course, 8... 0-0? is bad because of 9.h5 +-]

9.f3 Bd7 10.Qd2 a6 11.0-0-0?! [11.a4!? deserved attention, then 12.Kf2!? with mutual sharp play to follow.]

11...Rc8 12.Nd5 Ne5 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Bg5 Bg7 15.Kb1 Nc4 16.Qb4 b5 17.g4 [According to trite theory, my opponent hurries the attack on Black's uncastled king. However strange though it may seem, such activity by White only favours Black.]

17...hxg4 18.fxg4 Rc5! [Threatening 19... Rxg5 20.hxg5 Rxh1 21.Rxh1 Bxd4 -+ or 19... Bxd4 20.Rxd4 Rxg5! -+]

19.Nb3 a5! 20.Qe1 [Or 20.Qxc5 dxc5 21.Nxc5 f6! 22.Nxd7 Qc8! -+]

20...Rxg5! [Perfectly well-founded sacrifice of the exchange for an attack.]

21.hxg5 Rxh1 22.Qxh1 Nxb2 23.Rf1 Na4! 24.Qf3 Nc3+ 25.Kc1 Be6 26.Bd3 a4! 27.Nd2 [If 27.e5 Nxa2+ 28.Kb1 axb3 -+]

27...Nxa2+ 28.Kd1 Nc3+ 29.Ke1 Be5 30.Kf2 Qa5 31.Kg2 Qb4 32.Qf2 Qc5! 33.Qh4 [If 33.Qxc5 dxc5 34.Nb1 c4! 35.Nxc3 Bxc3 36.Be2 a3 -+]

33...d5! [Thanks to a pawn blasting, things are coming to a head. 33... a3?! is weak because of 34.Nb3 Bxb3 35.cxb3 a2 36.Qh7! =+]

34.Nf3 dxe4 35.Nxe5 Qxe5 36.Re1 Bd5 37.Bf1 e3+ 38.Kg1 a3! [Idea 39... a3 -+] 0-1