International Chess Challenge: Castling On Opposite Sides

This week's action in the International Chess Challenge saw two very good developing moves.

As reported last time, the game had opened with these moves.

1 e4 e5
2 Qh5 Nc6
3 d3 Nf6
4 Qh4 g6
5 Bg5 Bg7
6 Bh6 0-0
7 Nc3 d5

Hutt now decided to castle their king into safety with 8 0-0-0.

The Links countered by developing there last of their minor pieces with 8 ...Be6, which gives this position. Plenty of other moves were considered this point, namely: 8 ....Nd4, 8 ....Qd6, 8 ...dxe4, 8 ...Nb4, 8 ...Bxh6, 8 ...Qe8, 8 ...Re8 and 8 ...Rb8 but 8 ...Be6 received more votes from the class than any of the others.

Hutt International Boys' School (New Zealand) v The Links (England)

Traditionally, when players castle on opposite sides of the board, they unleash attacks on the other king - the faster the better. 

We can see White's queen and bishop are already looking at the Black king and danger could be lurking on the kingside of the board. 

On the other hand, Black is ahead in development (White still needs to develop the bishop and the knight on the kingside) so the chances would appear to be balanced at the moment.

There is a lot of tension in the centre of the board too. Will there now be some central exchanges, or will the tension continue to build? 

Stay tuned for further developments.