1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Garry's last victory was against Anand in the 7th round. Today's game is his last hope to reach the leaders. Tomorrow Anand, with the black pieces, seems to have no serious winning expectations. Kasparov must win today. Paco Vallejo, after yesterdays win over Leko, feels quite comfortable with where he is. The Caro-Kann defense surely suprised Garry. After a long thought Kasparov changes his typical 3. Nd2 to the most currently aggressive 3. e5 advance variation. 3... Bf5 4. Nd2 A great surprise. Kasparov wants to play something very unusual. The most popular in recent years has been 3. Nc3 e6 4.g4 , however this has become less attractive after the game Grischuk - Bareev Wijk ann Zee 2003 - with Bareev winning in exciting fashion. 4... h6 Black creates an escape for his Bishop 5. Nb3 e6 6. Nf3 Nd7 7. Be2 Ne7 8. O-O Bh7 9. c3 Rc8 10. Bd2 Black has a very solid position.Garry is trying to find a good moment for breaking the position in the center with c2-c4, or to prepare his King-side attack f4-f5. 10... Ng6 11. Be3 Be7 12. Ne1 c5 13. f4 O-O 14. Nf3 White has a space advantage. Garry is planning g4! seizing a serious initiative on the King-side. 14... c4 Black decides to close the position in the center and to push his Queen-side pawns. 15. Nc1 b5 16. Qd2 a5 17. Bd1 f5 18. Ne2 b4 19. h3 Rb8 20. g4 bxc3 20... fxg4 21. hxg4 Definitely in White's favor. 21... Nh4 22. Nxh4 Bxh4 23. Bc2 and White has a better position because of the coming f4-f5, which is very unpleasant. 21. Nxc3 Nh4 22. Rf2 Kh8 23. Ba4 Nb6? Losing a tempo. Much better looks... 23... fxg4 24. hxg4 Bd3 25. Ne1 Bh7! and White may repeat moves after 26. Nf3 Bd3 or he can choose to complicate the position after... 26. Rh2!? g5! 27. Bxd7 Qxd7 28. fxg5 hxg5 29. Bxg5 Rxb2 30. Qxb2 Bxg5 with strong compensation for the exchange. 24. Bc2 Na8 25. Rb1 Nc7 26. Nxh4 Bxh4 27. Rg2 Be7 A dubious idea . Better was better off to connect the Rooks after... 27... Qe7 28. Qd1 Bb4 29. Ne2 Obviously Black's position looks very dangerous - White is just planning Ng3 and Black's pawn structure on the King-side will be in serious trouble. Vallejo's attempt to push the pawn on the Queen-side looks like a blunder. 29... a4? 30. gxf5? A Serious mistake . Much easier was... 30. a3! Be7 31. g5 Destroying any counterplay on the King-side and the pawn on a4 falls very soon - Kasparov is just winning after this. 31... Qe8 The last ditch effort is... 32. Bxa4 Qh5 33. Kh2 hxg5 34. fxg5 f4 35. Nxf4 etc... 30... exf5 31. Bxa4 Ne6 Finally the ugly Knight on c7 achieves a brilliant blockading square on e6! 32. Bc2 Qh4 33. Kh2 g5! Vallejo hopes are starting to rise again... Kasparov also has very little time left on his clock. 34. Qf1 g4 35. Rg1 After... 35. Rg3 h5! Black still doesn't fold. 35... Rg8 36. Bf2 Qh5 37. Ng3 Qf7 38. Ne2 Qh5 39. Ng3 Qf7 40. Ne2 A final mistake from Garry. After this move Black can force a 3-fold repetition with Qf7. However I am not so sure White's advantage is so serious after... 40. Be3 h5! and Black has good counterchances on the King-side. 1/2-1/2 [GM Alterman and J.Doss]