theoretical openings without castling

Are there any theoretical openings without castling ?

please don't make this a fun thread with 1.f3 2.Kf2 or the bongcloud opening .

Lots of these e.g. this variation of the Benkő Gambit:

White usually follows up with g3 and Kg2, "castling by hand" or "castling manually" as it's often called.

Another one is the Berlin wall, where the Black king can't castle:

Both of these are kind of forced because the king has to recapture, forfeiting the right to castle. I can't think of any examples where it's more of a voluntary choice not to castle, but I'm sure there are some.

This insert position/game feature is very nice, first time I've used it.

There are many good variations inside several mainline openings where one side volountarily refrains from castring. Generally this happens in closed positions where the opponent has difficulties in blowing open the game and going for the king.

A classical example is this GM-approved variation of the winaver french: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Kf8!?

Another line where the idea is completely different is 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 (the sharp classical line of the giuoco piano) exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Kf1!? This line was considered strong in the early days of chess theory, but it's probably just playable. The original idea was to meet 7...Nxe4!?(completely playable but risky) with 8.d5! obtaining a sort of moller attack with more pieces on the board, where white gets decent compensation for his pawn. However 7...d5! is definitely an annoying response, where white plays for equality.

A rather popular modern line is 1.e4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5!? and if 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8 Kxd8. Black king is wandering but black argues that without the queens on the board his king is active rather than exposed. White score in this line is unimpressive.

The dracula frankestein is 4.Qh5!?, and not 4.Nxe4?!(where black is at least equal, if not slightly better). Then 4...Nd6 5.Bb3 Nc6 is ultrasharp , but black has the solid and very drawish 5...Be7, so i wouldn't call this line "drawless" at all.

I use polish opening and dont castle at all. Its good for quick games

Quite a few lines in the London System where White doesn't castle.

Richie

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