Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Martinson,J - Gurtovoi,N [B71]
17th Latvian CC Championship SF, 1992
[Notes by Nickolai Gurtovoi]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.f4 Nc6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Bc4 Qc7 10.0-0 Rb8 11.Bb3 h5!? [11... 0-0? would have been a waste of tempo.]

12.h3 a5 [Another interesting possibility is 12... h4! with 13... Rh5!]

13.e5?! [Without preparation and giving up a pawn, White hurries the attack.]

13...dxe5 14.fxe5 Qxe5 15.Bd4 [If 15.Bf4 Qc5+ 16.Kh1 Rb7! -+]

15...Qc7! [... and nothing!]

16.Ne4 Bf5 17.Ng5 e6 18.Bc5 [Preventing 18... 0-0. However, Black's K is fine where it is!]

18...Rb5 19.Qd4 Ng4! [An interesting situation! Black's K has stayed in the centre without castling. Nevertheless, Black has the advantage.]

20.Qd6[] Bd4+! 21.Kh1 Nf2+ 22.Rxf2 [Or 22.Kh2 Be5+]

22...Qxd6 23.Bxd6 Bxf2 24.Ba4 f6! [If 24... Rb6?! 25.Rd1! f6 26.Bc7! fxg5 27.Rd8+ Ke7 28.Rxh8 Rxb2 29.Bd8+ Kd6 30.Bxg5 =+]

25.Rf1 Be3 26.Bxb5 cxb5 27.Nf3 Kd7! [The best move! With tempo, Black's K moves into play, in accord with the Steinitz doctrine. If 27... Bxc2?! 28.Re1! Kd7 29.Rxe3 Qxd6 30.Nd4! =+]

28.Re1 [If 28.Rd1 Bxc2!]

28...Bb6 29.Bf4 Bxc2 30.Re2 Bf5 31.Rd2+ Kc6 32.Rd6+ Kc5 33.b4+ axb4 34.Nd2 e5 [White could resign here.]

35.Rxf6 Bd8 36.Be3+ Kd5 37.Ra6 Be7 38.Kg1 Rc8 39.Kf2 Rc3 40.Ke2 Ra3 41.Rxa3 bxa3 42.Kf3 Bc2 43.g4 hxg4+ 44.hxg4 b4 45.Ke2 b3! 0-1