<p>Chess basics have always stressed on castling as a precautionary measure to ensure safety for the King. However if castling has been delayed or denied and a few big pieces like the queens are exchanged, it is necessary to have a big think before castling as it may not be necessary or even hasten the downfall.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In the game which follows, Black castles early on the queen-side while White delays castling and when he opts for it, it does not look like a good manoeuvre. Very soon the White King is forced to come back to his original square to defend against the invading rooks and a passed pawn.<br /><br />White: John Van der Wiel (2558) – Black: Erik Van den Doel (2522)<br />Rotterdam , 2000<br />The Scotch Game<br />1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4<br />The Scotch game where White goes in for an early exchange of the central pawn<br />3. ..exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Nb6 9.Nc3 Qe6 10.Qe4<br />Going along a well trodden path of Opening theory<br />10. ..Ba6<br />Black can also think about 10. ..d5<br />11.b3 0–0–0<br />Not surprisingly Black decides to castle on the queen-side<br />If 11...Bb4 12.Bd2 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 d5 14.Qh4<br />12.c5<br />White plays a novelty here!<br />If 12.Bb2 Bb7 13.0–0–0 Re8 14.f4 d5 15.cxd5 cxd5 16.Qc2 Kb8<br /> 12...Bxf1 13.cxb6 d5<br />Interesting continuation!<br />14.exd6<br />White had plenty of choices here. If 14.Qf4 Bxg2 15.bxa7 Kd7 16.Rg1 Bd6 17.Na4 Qxe5+ 18.Qxe5 Bxe5 And if 14.bxa7 Kb7 15.Qf4 Bxg2 16.Rg1 Bh3<br /> 14...Qxe4+<br /> The White king is stranded on the original square<br />15.Nxe4 Bxg2 16.bxa7 Kb7<br />If 16...Kd7 17.Nc5+ Kxd6 (17...Ke8 18.d7+ Ke7 19.Rg1) 18.Nb7+<br />17.Nc5+ Ka8<br />If 17...Kxa7 18.Be3 (18.Rg1 cxd6 19.Rxg2 dxc5) 18...Bxh1 19.Ne6+ Ka6 20.Nxd8 Bxd6<br />18.Rg1 Bd5<br />Black can think about 18. ..Bh3 19.Be3 Bxd6<br /> 19.Be3<br />With the King on a8, this move does not look dangerous. If 19.dxc7 Re8+ 20.Be3 Rxe3+ (20...Bxc5 21.c8Q+ Rxc8 22.Bxc5) 21.fxe3 Bxc5 22.Rxg7 Bxe3 23.Rxh7 Rc8<br />19...Bxd6<br />The right move! If 19...cxd6 20.Na4 Be6 21.Nb6+ Kxa7 22.Nd7+ Kb7 23.Nxf8 Rhxf8 24.Rxg7 Rg8 25.Rxg8 Rxg8 26.0–0–0 with more or less a balanced position<br />Diagram 1<br /> 20.0–0–0<br />White also finally manages to castle on the queen-side but then it does not appear a good move. Better appears 20.h3 Rhe8 21.Rc1<br />20...Bxh2 21.Rxg7 h5 22.Nd3 h4<br />If 22...Bd6 23.Bg5 Rde8<br />23.Nf4 h3<br />The pawn is advancing dangerously. If 23...Bxf4 24.Bxf4 Rd7<br />24.Nxd5 cxd5 25.Rh1<br />If 25.Rxf7 Bd6 26.Rh1 h2 27.Kc2 Rdg8 28.f3<br /> 25...Bd6 26.f4 Rde8 27.Bd2 Re2 28.Kd1 Rf2 29.Ke1 Bc5<br />If 29...Rxd2 30.Kxd2 Bxf4+<br />30.Rg5 h2 31.Bc3<br />If 31.Kd1 c6. 31...Re8+ 32.Kd1<br />Despite castling the King very quickly has to come back to his original square! If 32.Re5 Rxe5+ 33.Bxe5 Rg2<br />32...Rxa2 33.Rxd5 Rg8 34.Rxh2 Rxh2<br />If 34...Rg1+ 35.Be1 Ra1+ 36.Kd2 Bb4<br /> 35.Rxc5 Rg1+ 36.Be1 Rb2<br />If 36...Ra2 37.Re5 Rf1 38.f5<br /> 37.Rxc7 and White resigned<br />White could have tried 37.Re5 37.Rxc7 Rb1+<br /> 0–1<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and checkmate<br />1.Qh7+ Kf8 2.Qh8+ Nxh8 checkmate<br /><br /><br /></p>
<p>Chess basics have always stressed on castling as a precautionary measure to ensure safety for the King. However if castling has been delayed or denied and a few big pieces like the queens are exchanged, it is necessary to have a big think before castling as it may not be necessary or even hasten the downfall.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In the game which follows, Black castles early on the queen-side while White delays castling and when he opts for it, it does not look like a good manoeuvre. Very soon the White King is forced to come back to his original square to defend against the invading rooks and a passed pawn.<br /><br />White: John Van der Wiel (2558) – Black: Erik Van den Doel (2522)<br />Rotterdam , 2000<br />The Scotch Game<br />1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4<br />The Scotch game where White goes in for an early exchange of the central pawn<br />3. ..exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Nb6 9.Nc3 Qe6 10.Qe4<br />Going along a well trodden path of Opening theory<br />10. ..Ba6<br />Black can also think about 10. ..d5<br />11.b3 0–0–0<br />Not surprisingly Black decides to castle on the queen-side<br />If 11...Bb4 12.Bd2 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 d5 14.Qh4<br />12.c5<br />White plays a novelty here!<br />If 12.Bb2 Bb7 13.0–0–0 Re8 14.f4 d5 15.cxd5 cxd5 16.Qc2 Kb8<br /> 12...Bxf1 13.cxb6 d5<br />Interesting continuation!<br />14.exd6<br />White had plenty of choices here. If 14.Qf4 Bxg2 15.bxa7 Kd7 16.Rg1 Bd6 17.Na4 Qxe5+ 18.Qxe5 Bxe5 And if 14.bxa7 Kb7 15.Qf4 Bxg2 16.Rg1 Bh3<br /> 14...Qxe4+<br /> The White king is stranded on the original square<br />15.Nxe4 Bxg2 16.bxa7 Kb7<br />If 16...Kd7 17.Nc5+ Kxd6 (17...Ke8 18.d7+ Ke7 19.Rg1) 18.Nb7+<br />17.Nc5+ Ka8<br />If 17...Kxa7 18.Be3 (18.Rg1 cxd6 19.Rxg2 dxc5) 18...Bxh1 19.Ne6+ Ka6 20.Nxd8 Bxd6<br />18.Rg1 Bd5<br />Black can think about 18. ..Bh3 19.Be3 Bxd6<br /> 19.Be3<br />With the King on a8, this move does not look dangerous. If 19.dxc7 Re8+ 20.Be3 Rxe3+ (20...Bxc5 21.c8Q+ Rxc8 22.Bxc5) 21.fxe3 Bxc5 22.Rxg7 Bxe3 23.Rxh7 Rc8<br />19...Bxd6<br />The right move! If 19...cxd6 20.Na4 Be6 21.Nb6+ Kxa7 22.Nd7+ Kb7 23.Nxf8 Rhxf8 24.Rxg7 Rg8 25.Rxg8 Rxg8 26.0–0–0 with more or less a balanced position<br />Diagram 1<br /> 20.0–0–0<br />White also finally manages to castle on the queen-side but then it does not appear a good move. Better appears 20.h3 Rhe8 21.Rc1<br />20...Bxh2 21.Rxg7 h5 22.Nd3 h4<br />If 22...Bd6 23.Bg5 Rde8<br />23.Nf4 h3<br />The pawn is advancing dangerously. If 23...Bxf4 24.Bxf4 Rd7<br />24.Nxd5 cxd5 25.Rh1<br />If 25.Rxf7 Bd6 26.Rh1 h2 27.Kc2 Rdg8 28.f3<br /> 25...Bd6 26.f4 Rde8 27.Bd2 Re2 28.Kd1 Rf2 29.Ke1 Bc5<br />If 29...Rxd2 30.Kxd2 Bxf4+<br />30.Rg5 h2 31.Bc3<br />If 31.Kd1 c6. 31...Re8+ 32.Kd1<br />Despite castling the King very quickly has to come back to his original square! If 32.Re5 Rxe5+ 33.Bxe5 Rg2<br />32...Rxa2 33.Rxd5 Rg8 34.Rxh2 Rxh2<br />If 34...Rg1+ 35.Be1 Ra1+ 36.Kd2 Bb4<br /> 35.Rxc5 Rg1+ 36.Be1 Rb2<br />If 36...Ra2 37.Re5 Rf1 38.f5<br /> 37.Rxc7 and White resigned<br />White could have tried 37.Re5 37.Rxc7 Rb1+<br /> 0–1<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and checkmate<br />1.Qh7+ Kf8 2.Qh8+ Nxh8 checkmate<br /><br /><br /></p>
