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Castling on Opposite Sides
Here is a very nice game played by Gabriel Thompson at the club. It is an excellent example of what to do when the two kings have castled on opposite sides of the board.
White: Gabriel Thompson
Black: Duncan McTaggart
RJCC, 27/6/09
1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
This is the Queen’s Gambit Declined - a solid opening for Black, but he has to find a way to develop his bishop on c8.
3. Nc3 Bb4
It is more usual to play 3...Nf6, but this move is also good. White cannot win Black’s bishop by 4.Qa4+ because of 4...Nc6.
4. Qc2 dxc4
5. e4!?
BLACK TO MOVE
This a very aggressive way for White to play. Gabriel is ready to sacrifice a pawn in order to chase Black’s queen around. As Black, I would have been tempted to take it with 5...Qxd4, but White would get decent compensation after 6.Be3.
It is usually worth taking a central pawn if you can get away with it.
5... Nf6
Black decides not to take the pawn. Over the next few moves both sides develop their pieces.
6. Nf3 Nc6
7. e5 Nd5
8. Bxc4 Nb6
9. Bb5 a6
This move wastes time because White is happy to exchange bishop for knight, as Black ends up with doubled pawns.
10. Bxc6+ bxc6
11. Bd2 Be7
12. 0-0-0!?
Another very aggressive move! White had a choice here - Gabriel could simply have castled kingside and he would have the advantage because he could attack Black’s weak pawns on the c-file. But the way he plays is also very interesting. He reasons that Black will have to castle kingside and he wants to be able to advance his own kingside pawns and put Black’s king under pressure.
12... 0-0
WHITE TO MOVE
13.h4!
Gabriel starts his attack! Over the next few moves he wants to advance his h- and g-pawns and use them to open files for his rooks.
Now Duncan had a difficult choice to make.
When the kings are castled on opposite sides of the board, the game often becomes a race between the two attacks. In the game, Black decided to try to block Gabriel’s attack, but that didn’t work out well. As Black moved his kingside pawns forward to block, Gabriel was able to use Black’s own pawns to open lines.
Black should have got on with his counter-attack. He could have tried either 13... Rb8 or 13... Nc4. An exciting game would then have been in prospect.
13... h6
14. g4! f5
15. g5! g6
16. gxh6 Rb8
Look how consistently Gabriel has played over the last few moves. Each one of his moves has been aimed at Black’s king. Black didn’t fancy letting a White pawn get to g6, so he’s tried to block the position. But he’s had to waste 3 moves before starting his own attack.
Gabriel’s next step is to bring his remaining pieces into attacking position.
17. Rdg1! Kh7
18. Ng5+ Bxg5
19. Bxg5 Qd7
It might have been better for Black to take the pawn on d4, but White’s attack is still overwhelming after 20.h5!
Now Gabriel’s next job is to open up a file for his rook on h1. His two rooks on g1 and h1 are in perfect position to attack Black’s king.
20. h5! gxh5
21. Rxh5 Qxd4
22. Bf6 Rg8
WHITE TO MOVE
Gabriel is now all set to finish off his attack with a quick checkmate!
23. Rg7+! Kh8
White also checkmates after 23... Rxg7 24. hxg7+ Kg6 (if 24... Kg8 25. Rh8+ Kf7 26. g8=Q mate) 25. g8=Q+! Kxh5 26. Qg5 mate.
24. Rd7+ Rg7
25. hxg7+ Kg8
26. Rh8 mate
Here is a very nice game played by Gabriel Thompson at the club. It is an excellent example of what to do when the two kings have castled on opposite sides of the board.
White: Gabriel Thompson
Black: Duncan McTaggart
RJCC, 27/6/09
1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
This is the Queen’s Gambit Declined - a solid opening for Black, but he has to find a way to develop his bishop on c8.
3. Nc3 Bb4
It is more usual to play 3...Nf6, but this move is also good. White cannot win Black’s bishop by 4.Qa4+ because of 4...Nc6.
4. Qc2 dxc4
5. e4!?
BLACK TO MOVE
It is usually worth taking a central pawn if you can get away with it.
5... Nf6
Black decides not to take the pawn. Over the next few moves both sides develop their pieces.
6. Nf3 Nc6
7. e5 Nd5
8. Bxc4 Nb6
9. Bb5 a6
This move wastes time because White is happy to exchange bishop for knight, as Black ends up with doubled pawns.
10. Bxc6+ bxc6
11. Bd2 Be7
12. 0-0-0!?
Another very aggressive move! White had a choice here - Gabriel could simply have castled kingside and he would have the advantage because he could attack Black’s weak pawns on the c-file. But the way he plays is also very interesting. He reasons that Black will have to castle kingside and he wants to be able to advance his own kingside pawns and put Black’s king under pressure.
12... 0-0
WHITE TO MOVE
Gabriel starts his attack! Over the next few moves he wants to advance his h- and g-pawns and use them to open files for his rooks.
Now Duncan had a difficult choice to make.
When the kings are castled on opposite sides of the board, the game often becomes a race between the two attacks. In the game, Black decided to try to block Gabriel’s attack, but that didn’t work out well. As Black moved his kingside pawns forward to block, Gabriel was able to use Black’s own pawns to open lines.
Black should have got on with his counter-attack. He could have tried either 13... Rb8 or 13... Nc4. An exciting game would then have been in prospect.
13... h6
14. g4! f5
15. g5! g6
16. gxh6 Rb8
Look how consistently Gabriel has played over the last few moves. Each one of his moves has been aimed at Black’s king. Black didn’t fancy letting a White pawn get to g6, so he’s tried to block the position. But he’s had to waste 3 moves before starting his own attack.
Gabriel’s next step is to bring his remaining pieces into attacking position.
17. Rdg1! Kh7
18. Ng5+ Bxg5
19. Bxg5 Qd7
It might have been better for Black to take the pawn on d4, but White’s attack is still overwhelming after 20.h5!
Now Gabriel’s next job is to open up a file for his rook on h1. His two rooks on g1 and h1 are in perfect position to attack Black’s king.
20. h5! gxh5
21. Rxh5 Qxd4
22. Bf6 Rg8
WHITE TO MOVE
23. Rg7+! Kh8
White also checkmates after 23... Rxg7 24. hxg7+ Kg6 (if 24... Kg8 25. Rh8+ Kf7 26. g8=Q mate) 25. g8=Q+! Kxh5 26. Qg5 mate.
24. Rd7+ Rg7
25. hxg7+ Kg8
26. Rh8 mate