Hoogovens Tournament · 1999-01-20 · Pirc Defense
Kasparov vs Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999
24.Rxd4!! sacrifices a rook to open lines and begins the forcing sequence that made the game famous.
Replay The Game
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Move 0 of 87
Start
The Story
Kasparov’s win over Topalov is usually introduced through the move 24.Rxd4!!, but the game is more than a single tactic. The sacrifice works because the black king is drawn into the open while Kasparov’s queen, rook, bishop, and even king coordinate with unusual precision.
For casual readers, this is a perfect first game page: it has a memorable name, a clear turning point, and enough spectacle to make replaying the moves worthwhile even without deep opening knowledge.
PGN
[Event "Hoogovens"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"] [Date "1999.01.20"] [Round "4"] [White "Kasparov, Garry"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B07"] 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 b5 7. Nge2 Nbd7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Bb7 10. a3 e5 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. Kb1 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 d4 22. Nd5 Nbxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Rxd4 cxd4 25. Re7+ Kb6 26. Qxd4+ Kxa5 27. b4+ Ka4 28. Qc3 Qxd5 29. Ra7 Bb7 30. Rxb7 Qc4 31. Qxf6 Kxa3 32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 33. c3+ Kxc3 34. Qa1+ Kd2 35. Qb2+ Kd1 36. Bf1 Rd2 37. Rd7 Rxd7 38. Bxc4 bxc4 39. Qxh8 Rd3 40. Qa8 c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 Rd2 44. Qa7 1-0