Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Karpov,A - Zaitsev,A [B17]
USSR Championship, 1970
[Notes by Nickolai Gurtovoi]

[At one time this exciting game was printed in the world press. The hit of the game was the bold raid of White's king.]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Ne5 Bf5 8.c3 e6 9.g4 Bg6 10.h4 Bd6 11.Qe2 c5 12.h5 Be4 13.f3 cxd4 14.Qb5+ Nd7 15.Nxf7!? Bg3+ 16.Ke2 d3+ 17.Ke3 Qf6 [If 17... Kxf7 18.Kxe4 Nf6+ 19.Ke3 Nd5+ 20.Ke4! unclear.]

18.Kxe4 Qxf7 19.Rh3 a6 20.Qg5 h6 [Better is 20... e5!? 21.Rxg3 Nxc5+ 22.Ke3 0-0 23.Bxd3 Qf4+ 24.Ke2 Qxg3 25.Bc4+ Kh8 26.Qe3 Rad8 27.Qf2 (idea 28.Be3) 27... Qxf2+ 28.Kxf2 Rd1 29.Be2! Rh1 30.Kg2! =+]

21.Qe3! [Remarkably, at GM level, the brave king stuck in the thick of a battle!]

21...e5? [It is hard to believe, but in chasing an easy prey, Black made a fatal mistake. It was necessary to give up the win and force a draw: 21... Nf6+ 22.Kxd3 Nxg4 23.fxg4 Qf1+ 24.Kc2 Qxh3 25.Qxe6+ Kd8 26.Qd5+ Kc8 27.Qf5+ Kb8 28.Bf4+! =]

22.Kxd3 Bf4 23.Qg1! [Prevents 23... Nc5+]

23...0-0-0 24.Kc2 Bxc1 25.Rxc1 Qxa2 26.Rh2 Rhf8 27.Rd2 Qa4+ 28.Kb1 Qc6 29.Bd3 Kc7 30.Be4 Qb6 31.Qh2 Rde8 32.Rcd1 Nf6 33.Bg6 Re7 34.Re1 Qb5 35.Rde2 Nd7 36.Bf5 Rxf5 37.gxf5 Qd3+ 38.Ka1 Qxf5 39.Qh4 Nf6 40.Qc4+ Kd8 41.Qc5 Nd7 42.Qd5 1-0