Kasparov, Garry – Topalov, Veselin

Jim Loy’s Chess Page http://www.mypage.onemain.com/jimloy/chess/kasparo0.htm You may have seen this game; it is famous. It is definitely one of the best games ever played (Kasparov said it was his best game ever). And it may be one of the two or three best games of all time. It contains quite a few really amazing moves, with even more amazing moves provided by the many commentators. Here I will not provide any in-depth analysis. This will be fairly superficial, actually. Many many pages have been published on this game, both in print and on the Internet: Jim Loy (edit.):

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Date: January 20, 1999
Location: Wijk aan Zee
Tournament: ?
Round:
Opening: B07 Pirc Defence
Submitted by: Loy (edit.)
Published on: February 9, 2020

[Event "?"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "1999.01.20"] [Round "?"] [White "Kasparov, Garry"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B07"] [Annotator "Loy (edit.)"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "1999.01.20"] [Source "TaL's Chess"] [SourceDate "1999.01.20"] {Jim Loy's Chess Page http://www.mypage.onemain.com/jimloy/chess/kasparo0.htm You may have seen this game; it is famous. It is definitely one of the best games ever played (Kasparov said it was his best game ever). And it may be one of the two or three best games of all time. It contains quite a few really amazing moves, with even more amazing moves provided by the many commentators. Here I will not provide any in-depth analysis. This will be fairly superficial, actually. Many many pages have been published on this game, both in print and on the Internet: Jim Loy (edit.): } 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 4... Bg7 ( {Seirawan recommends} 4... c6 ) 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 b5 7. Nge2 (7. O-O-O Nbd7 8. Bh6 {Seirawan}) 7... Nbd7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Bb7 10. a3 e5 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. Kb1 (12. g3 O-O-O 13. Bh3 {Seirawan}) 12... a6 13. Nc1 O-O-O 14. Nb3 exd4 15. Rxd4 c5 16. Rd1 Nb6 17. g3 Kb8 18. Na5 Ba8 19. Bh3 d5 20. Qf4+ Ka7 21. Rhe1 21... d4 {White seems to be in trouble, but he has an amazing plan which seems to at least draw. } 22. Nd5 Nbxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Rxd4 24... cxd4 {Understandable, but probably loses!} (24... Kb6 {draws, Kasparov}) 25. Re7+ 25... Kb6 (25... Kb8 26. Qxd4 Nd7 27. Bxd7 Bxd5 28. c4 28... Qxe7 29. Qb6+ Ka8 30. Qxa6+ Kb8 31. Qb6+ Ka8 32. Bc6+ Bxc6 33. Nxc6 Rd7 34. Nxe7 Rxe7 35. Qxb5 {wins, Seirawan}) (25... Qxe7 { leads to a quick mate.}) 26. Qxd4+ Kxa5 27. b4+ Ka4 28. Qc3 {May win.} (28. Ra7 {(Kavalek) with these three continuations:} 28... Bb7 (28... Nxd5 29. Bd7 (29. Rxa6+ {also wins, Kavalek}) 29... Rc8 {Others lose} 30. Qd3 Nc3+ 31. Kb2 Qf6 32. Qd4 32... Nd1+ 33. Kc1 {wins, Kavalek}) (28... Bxd5 29. Qc3 {wins, Kavalek}) 29. Rxb7 Qxd5 (29... Nxd5 30. Bd7 {wins, Kavalek}) ( {or} 29... Rhe8 30. Bf1 {wins, Kavalek}) 30. Rb6 30... a5 (30... Ra8 { loses, Kavalek}) 31. Ra6 31... Ra8 32. Qe3 {wins, Kavalek}) 28... Qxd5 29. Ra7 29... Bb7 {Other moves lose. } 30. Rxb7 30... Qc4 (30... Rhe8 31. Rb6 Ra8 32. Bf1 {wins, Ligterink. Some continuations:} 32... Re1+ (32... Re6 33. Rxe6 Qxe6 34. Kb2 {wins, Seirawan} ) (32... Rec8 33. Qxc8 {wins, Seirawan}) (32... Nh5 33. Rd6 {wins, Seirawan}) (32... Nd7 33. Rd6 Re1+ 34. Kb2 Re3 35. Qxe3 Qe5+ 36. Qxe5 Nxe5 37. f4 Nc4+ 38. Bxc4 bxc4 39. Rd5 {wins, Seirawan}) 33. Qxe1 Nd7 34. Rb7 34... Ne5 (34... Qxb7 35. Qd1 {mates, Seirawan}) 35. Qc3 Qxf3 36. Bd3 Qd5 37. Be4 37... Qc4 38. Qxe5 { wins, Seirawan}) 31. Qxf6 31... Kxa3 {Loses.} (31... Rd1+ 32. Kb2 Ra8 33. Qb6 Qd4+ 34. Qxd4 Rxd4 35. Rxf7 {Black may survive, Kavalek & Seirawan}) 32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 33. c3+ 33... Kxc3 (33... Kb3 {loses, Seirawan}) 34. Qa1+ Kd2 35. Qb2+ Kd1 36. Bf1 36... Rd2 {Other moves lose. } 37. Rd7 37... Rxd7 38. Bxc4 bxc4 39. Qxh8 Rd3 40. Qa8 c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 43... Rd2 44. Qa7 1-0