Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Gurtovoi,N - Strautinsh,K [E61]
21st Latvian CC Championship, 2000
[Notes by Nickolai Gurtovoi]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Bg5 d6 5.e3 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 [6... Nbd7]

7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.Bd3 Nd7 9.Nf3 Bg7 [9... Kg7!?]

10.g4 c5 11.g5!? cxd4 12.gxh6 Bxh6 13.Nxd4 Nf6 14.Rg1 Kh7 15.h4 Qa5 16.Kd2 e5 17.Nb3 Qd8 18.Qf3?! [18.h5!+-]

18...Kh8 19.Rg2 Qe7 20.Rag1 Rg8 21.Kc2 Be6 22.Nd2 Rad8 23.Rg5!? Rdf8 24.Qh1 Rg7 25.f4 exf4 26.exf4 Qd7 27.h5 Bxg5 28.hxg6+ Kg8 29.fxg5 Ne8 [29... Ng4!]

30.gxf7+ Rfxf7 31.Kc1 Rf4 32.Qh6 Bf5 33.Nd5 Rd4? [33... Bxd3! 34.Nxf4 Rh7! 35.Qe6+ Qxe6 36.Nxe6 Bxc4! 37.Nxc4 Rc7=]

34.Bxf5 Qxf5 35.Re1! 1-0