Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Gurtovoi,N - Krivans,P [A02]
17th Latvian CC Championship SF, 1991
[Notes by Nickolai Gurtovoi]

1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 g5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 h5 7.d4 g4 8.Ng5 h4 9.Rf1! [It is better for White to attack than try to defend against Black's illusory thrust.]

9...hxg3 10.Nxf7 Qh4 11.Bg5 Qxh2 12.Nxh8! Qxh8 [Or 12... Qxg2 13.Qd3]

13.Qd3 Nge7 14.Nc3 Be6 15.Qe4 Bd7 16.Nb5 Qg8 17.Nxd6+ cxd6 18.Bxe7 Nxe7 19.Qxb7 [Black could resign here.]

19...Rc8 20.c3 Qg5 21.Qe4 Bc6 22.d5 Bxd5 23.Qa4+ Bc6 24.Bxc6+ Nxc6 25.Rd1 Kd7 26.Rf7+ Ke6 27.Qc4+ d5 28.Rxd5! Qxd5 29.Rf6+ Kxf6 30.Qxd5 Ne5 31.Kf1 Rh8 32.Qe4 Rh5 33.Kg2 Ng6 34.Qxg4 Rg5 35.Qd4+ Kf5 36.Qxa7 Nf4+ 37.Kf3! [Threatening 38.Qf7+. If 37... g2 38.Qf7+ Ke5 39.Qxf4+ Ke6 40.Qxg5 etc.] 1-0