Kasparov's Immortal
Hoogovens Tournament, Wijk aan Zee
Kasparov sacrifices a rook on move 24 and sends his king marching toward the enemy position — a combination so deep that Topalov spent 57 minutes thinking before resigning.
Kasparov's Immortal (1999) — 24.Rxd4! begins a forced winning sequence ranked by engines as the most precisely played attacking game ever.
📖 The Story
At the 1999 Hoogovens tournament, Kasparov produced what many consider the greatest game of the computer era. After 24.Rxd4! tore open the d-file, Kasparov launched a precisely calculated king march that left Topalov helpless. Even early computer engines were confused by the continuation — the silicon machines couldn't improve on Kasparov's moves. Topalov spent nearly an hour on one move before resigning. The game immediately earned the title 'Kasparov's Immortal'.
⚡ Key Moment — Move 24
24.Rxd4! sacrifices the exchange and blows open the d-file. The follow-up queen and rook battery, combined with a king march, proves completely unstoppable.
🎯 Tactical Themes
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Kasparov's 1999 game called the Immortal?
Like Anderssen's 1851 Immortal Game, it features a spectacular sacrifice and a king march that defies conventional logic — chess journalists gave it the same honorific immediately.
What was the key move in Kasparov vs Topalov 1999?
Move 24.Rxd4!, a rook sacrifice that tore open the d-file and began a forced sequence Topalov spent nearly an hour calculating before resigning.
What opening was played in Kasparov vs Topalov 1999?
The game began as a King's Indian/Pirc setup with 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6, with White playing the Classical variation.
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