Overview
Kasparov's immortal is a chess game played by Garry Kasparov as White against Veselin Topalov as Black at the Hoogovens Wijk aan Zee Chess Tournament 1999 chess tournament. This is one of Kasparov's most famous games; it is considered a masterpiece and Chess.com has listed it as the No. 1 chess game ever played.
The game
White: Kasparov Black: Topalov Opening: Pirc Defense (ECO B07) ;1. e4 d6 :An unusual response by Topalov to Kasparov's 1. e4, resulting in a position Kasparov had never seen before in classical play. ;2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 :This setup has similarities to the King's Indian Defence, but White's c-pawn remains on the second rank. ;4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6!? :Topalov plays flexibly, waiting to see how Kasparov will continue. ;6. f3 b5 7. Nge2 Nbd7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 :This queen capture hinders Black's castling. ;22...Nbxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Rxd4!! :Now the fireworks start. :Black can not reply with Nxd5 because White could have then played Qxf7+. ;25. Re7+!! Kb6 :If Black played 25…Qxe7?, White plays 26. Qxd4+ to start one of the three forced mating sequences: :* 26…Kb8 27. Qb6+ Bb7 28. Nc6+ Ka8 29. Qa7# However, Black is in trouble if White instead plays 32. Bf1!!. :If Black played 30…Qxb7??, 31.
Qb3# follows. ;31. Qxf6 Kxa3?! :Black takes the pawn to prevent checkmate from 32. Qxa6#. :However, Black had much better drawing chances with 31…Rd1+! During the game, Kasparov visualizing this line saw White having a stronger endgame after 32. Kb2 Ra8 33. Qb6 Qd4+ 34. Qxd4 Rxd4 35. Rxf7 a5 36. Be6 axb4 37. Bb3+ Ka5 38. axb4+ Kb6 39. Rxh7 but realized, after the game was over, that Black could have fought for a draw with 39…Rf8. Computer analysis shows no clear win for White after 39…Rf8, but also shows White had better fighting chances after 35. Bd7 Rd6 36. g4 in a line very hard for humans to visualize. ;32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 33. c3+ Kxc3 34. Qa1+ Kd2 35. Qb2+ Kd1 :White gives checks to invite Black's king into White's back rank. ;36. Bf1!! Rd2 :If Black plays 36… Qxf1??, White can force mate: 37. Qc2+ Ke1 38. Re7+ Qe2 39. Qxe2#. :If 36…Qd5??, 37. Qc1# follows. ;37.
Rd7!! :Pinning Black's rook so that White can capture Black's queen without losing his own, and threatening Qxd2#. :If White plays 37. Qxh8??, 37…Qa2# follows. :If White plays 37. Bxc4?, then Black plays 37…Rxb2+! 38. Kxb2 bxc4 39. Kc3, and the rook endgame is a draw. ;37...Rxd7 38. Bxc4 bxc4 :If Black attempted to save his h8 rook, White would have won with 39. Qc1#. ;39. Qxh8 :White now has a queen for a rook and pawn, and should be easily winning. ;39...Rd3 40. Qa8 c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 Rd2 44. Qa7 1-0 :Topalov resigned. :As the game ended, Kasparov remembers the audience in the hall applauding.
External links
* Lichess analysis board of game * Chessgames.com discussion of game * This game, allegedly annotated by Kasparov * NM A.J. Goldsby's analysis of this game * NM Sam Copeland's video analysis and praise of this game * GM Hikaru Nakamura's video analysis and praise of this game