Winning Without Castling

Last updated 2 May 2002

Gurtovoi,N - Safonov,R [A00]
21st Latvian CC Championship, 2000
[Notes by Nickolai Gurtovoi]

1.g3 d5 2.d4 c5 3.Bg2 e6 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Nbd2 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd6 8.b3 0-0 9.Bb2 Ne7 [9... Bd7]

10.Kf1!? Bd7 11.Ne1 Bb5 12.a4 Ba6 13.Bf3 Rc8 14.Kg2 [with the idea 15.h4]

14...g5 15.e4 dxe4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 f5 18.Bd3 Bxd3 19.Nxd3 f4 20.gxf4 gxf4 21.Qg4+ Kf7 22.Qh5+ Kg8 23.Rhg1 Nd5 24.Nc5 Qe7 25.Rae1 Rf6 26.Nxe6 Rxe6 27.Qxd5 Kf7 28.Kf3! 1-0