Position after 6. f3

A new system against The Najdorf Sicilian. The idea is to launch an English attack with the moves Be3, Qd2, O-O-O, g4, h4, g5, etc. but gain an extra tempo by not playing the usual Bc4. Of course, the disadvantages are that White's light-squared bishop does not put any pressure on the black kingside along the a2-g8 diagonal and the fact that White has one less defender on his kingside. In round 7 of this tournament, Topalov also employed this line against Kasparov- unsuccessfully.

Black's backward pawn center and seemingly cramped pieces give a very deceiving impression. Black, with his pawns on e6 and d6, controls all four of the key central squares- c5, d5, e5, and f5- and his position is practically inpenatrable. The Najdorf is not a defensive opening; on the contrary, it is uncompromisingly aggressive. Black uses his queenside pawn minority to launch an assault against the white castled king, while White tries to use his kingside pawn storm to destroy Black on the opposite wing. This is one of the sharpest, most exciting openings in chess, and Kasparov and Fischer have employed it regulary in their careers, despite the fact that there is an incredible amount of theory behind it. Kasparov has studied the Najdorf intensely, which makes his opponents at Linares very brave to face him with his favorite weapon.

A very important preventative move. In this opening, it is extremely important to know when to disregard the opponent's offensive thrusts and focus on one's own attack, and when to take a moment to make a defensive move. Here, if Black had not defended against g5, White would have kicked the knight and followed up with h4, already enjoying a head start in his attack. If Black had wrecklessly tried to immediately continue his own attack with 8... b4?? he would have been punished with 8.gxf6 bxc3 9.fxe7 cxb2 10.exd8=Q+, winning Black's queen and promoting, with check.

Position after 11. h4

In round 7, Topalov played 12.Na4 and quickly ran into trouble. The game went 12... Qa5 13.b3 Nc5 14.a3 (not 14.Nxc5? dxc5 15.Ne2 Qxa2 16.Qd3 [16.Qe1 Nxe4! 17.fxe4 Bxe4, hitting the rook on h1 and threatening mate on c2] 16... Be7! (White's queen has almost no room to maneuver) with the very deadly threat of 17... Rd8, winning the queen, because 18.Qc4 is met by 18... Qa1 mate.) 16... Nxa4 15. axb4 Qc7 16. bxa4 d5 17. e5 Nd7 18. f4 Nb6 19. a5 Nc4 20. Qc3 Qe7 21. Bxc4 dxc4 22. Bd2 Bxh1 23. Rxh1 Qb7 24. Rd1 Be7 25. Qf3 O-O-O and Black was winning. Also weak would be 12.Ne2 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5, destroying White's center, opening Black's b7 bishop to bear down on White's weak h1-a8 diagonal, centralizing the knight on the powerful d5 square, and hitting the bishop, and leaving White's knight on e2 with virtually no place to go, with an excellent game for Black.

Ideal Najdorf play. "... Black should avail himself of b4 (followed by Bb7 and d5) the instant he has the opportunity." -Fischer.

In this intensely sharp variation, both the number-one and number-two players of the world are forcing each other two find the only moves! This defensive strike was mandatory. For example, if Black slices White's center with 13... dxe4 he is met with 14.g5 hxg5 15.hxg4 Ne8 16.g6, destroying black's King position- if 16...fxg6 then 17.Nxe6. Of course, Kasparov and Anand had both analyzed this position before the tournament for many intense hours and had already prepared all of these moves beforehand.

If 15.Bxg5 White's pawn on e4 falls.

"Conceptional rival in the topical line of Sicilian. I was told that Spanish GM San Segundo (who came to Linares from Madrid for several days) had analyzed this position with Anand for more than 15 hours! However, (the) Indian seemed to be unready to face my next move." -Kasparov.

Position after 16. Bxg5

White reinforces his weak h1-a8 diagonal. The f3 pawn was very weak, but if it moved the White rook on h1 was subject to a discovered attack by the Black bishop on b7.

On 19.f4 black plays 19... Nc3! (threatening Nxa2 mate!) 20.bxc3? (20.Nxc3? bxc3 leads to the same result) 20... bxc3 threatens both cxd2 and Qxb2 mate, and 21.Nxc3 is met by 21... Ba3 mate!

If 19...Rc4, then not 20.Nxe6? fxe6 21.Qd3 (seemingly strong as both Qxc4 and Qg6 mate are threatened) 21... Be7! 22.Bxe7 (On 22.Qxc4, Black punishes White with 22... Bxg5+ 23.Nd2 [23.Kd1? Ne3+ 24.Rxe3 Qxe3, winning] 23... Ne3, with a completely dominating position) 22... Rd4, but rather 20.Nf5! with attack.

"After 20.a3 Qb6! 21.a4 Nc5 22.b3 Bg7, or 21.f4 bxa3 22.bxa3 Bg7, Black stands much better." -Kasparov.

White has no decent way to defend against Qxa2, so he attempts use the f and g pawns to revive his attack.

Position after 21... Nc5

"This position is very complicated and it takes much time to analyze it. 22…fxe6!? is still to be tested. I decided to follow the prepared line and I was right: in zeitnot Anand did not find the only solution: 23.ef Kxf7 24.Qf2 Kg8 25.Qf5! Bxd4 26.Qg6 with perpetual check." -Kasparov.

Although Black's kingside pawn formation will now be completely demolished, his king will find adequate shelter and White must deal with the threat of ... Bxd4 Qxd4 Nb3+ and Nxd4.

Position after 25... Kg8

Kasparov is a phenomenal tactician. Now Anand finds that he has no defense to the threat of ... Bxd4 and ... Nb3+. If now 26.Ne2 then 26... Nb3+ spears the queen. If the White queen moves, Black just captures the knight and enjoys and extra piece and a winning position. 26.Be3, supporting the knight, doesn't help White at all because Black can still play 26...Bxd4 and on either 27.Bxd4 or 27.Qxd4, 27... Nb3+ wins White's queen. Thus, Anand has reached a losing position and must now give up material in order to stay in the game. Incredibly, though, Kasparov is still in a position that he reached in his analysis long before the game began!

If 27.Nf5 then 27... Qxf5! 28.gxf5 Nb3+ with a winning position for Black.

"Finally Anand made a move that I had not analyzed at home! In lost position he managed to find probably the best practical chance." -Kasparov.

Black can't avoid the knight fork. On 28... Kg6 or 28... Kg8 White plays 29.Ne7+ and wins the queen. If 28... Kh7 then 29.Qh2+ followed by 30.Ne7+ also wins the queen. On 28... Kh8 Black gets mated after 29.Bf6+ Kg8 (29...Kh7 30.Qh6+ Kg8 31.Qg7 mate) 30. Qg5+ Kf8 (30... Kh7 31.Qg7 mate) 31.Qg7+ Ke8 32.Qe7 mate. The only other choice is 28... Kf8.

"I could trade White knight instead of the bishop: 28...Kf8 29.Bh6 Ke8 30.Qxd5 Bxd5 31.Nd6 Kd7 32.Nxc8 Kxc8, but I felt it was better to play against the knight in the ending." -Kasparov.

Position after 32... Be6

The ending is technically won for Black, but to win is no simple matter. Black must play very accurately in order to acquire the full point.

"I could win after 36…Nd7! 37. Nb2 Nb6 38.c4 Bxc4 39.Nxc4 Nxc4 40.Kb3 Ne5! The game line gives White good chances for a draw." -Kasparov.

Position after 38... Ke3

On 39...Bd5 White plays 40.Nb3 Bxb3 41.cxb3 Kd4 42.b4 a4 43.b5 with equality.

"After 45…Kd4 46.Kxa4 Kc5, the ending is, probably, won but it can be confirmed only with computer analysis; and even in this case I`m sure it will take more than 50 moves." -Kasparov.

"It`s Anand`s turn to make a mistake. Simple 47.Nc3 Nf4 48.Nxa4 Nc6 49.Kb6 Ne5 50.Kb2 looks definitely drawish." -Kasparov.

Now Black loses quickly.

Position after 50... Bf5

After 51.Kxa4 Black delivers the decisive blow with 51... Nb6+! 52.Ka5 Nc4 53.Ka4 (53.Ka6 Bc8) 53... Bc2 mate.

A classic struggle between two giants of the chessboard!