White: Vladimir Kramnik
Black: Garry Kasparov
Brain Games World Championship Game 6
QGA D27

1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4
Kasparov chooses the Queen's Gambit Accepted again. This was a real surprise when he played it in the 4th game, as before this he had only ever played the QGA twice in his entire career.
3 Nf3 e6 4 e3 c5 5 Bxc4 a6 6 0-0 Nf6 7 a4
In game 4 Kramnik chose to exchange queens with the quiet 7 dxc5. The text move is more aggressive and signals White's intentions to accept an isolated queen's pawn in return for active piece play and attacking chances.
7...Nc6 8 Qe2 cxd4 9 Rd1 Be7 10 exd4 0-0 11 Nc3 Nd5 12 Bb3 Re8 13 h4!?
This move in the QGA is becoming somewhat of a Kramnik specialty (he tried the same move in a similar position against the German GM Robert Huebner earlier this year. 13 Ne5 Nxc3 14 bxc3 Nxe5 15 dxe5 Qc7 16 Rd3 Bd7 17 Rh3 g6 18 Bh6 Red8 led to an unclear position in the game Naumkin-Sadler, Ostend 1992.
13...Ncb4
Black could grab a pawn here with 13...Nxc3 14 bxc3 Bxh4, but then White would have a strong attack after 15 Nxh4 Qxh4 16 Rd3!, followed by swinging the rook over to the kingside.
14 h5
The push continues. White will eventually soften up Black's kingside structure with h5-h6.
14...b6 15 Ne5 Bb7 16 a5 b5
16...bxa5 17 Ba4! is annoying for Black.
17 h6 g6 18 Ne4 Nc7 19 Nc5 Bd5!
Not 19...Rb8? 20 Nxf7! Kxf7 21 Nxe6 and Black can already resign.
20 Ra3 Nc6 21 Bxd5 Qxd5 22 Ncd7!? Rad8
During the game I was trying to discover the consequences of the move 22...f6!? although it would have taken a very brave man indeed to play this. Kasparov prefers to keep his defences as tight as possible.
23 Nxc6 Rxd7 24 Nxe7+ Rexe7 25 Rc3
The game is evenly poised. White still has an isolated pawn that is vulnerable to attack, while the mobility of his own bishop on c1 is hampered by his own pawns. On the other hand White has control of the open c-file and Black has some dark square problems to solve around his own king. In particular, if White can get an unchallenged queen to the e5-square, then Black would be in big trouble.
25...f6 26 Be3 Kf7 27 Rdc1 Qb7 28 Rc5 Nd5 29 Qf3 Nb4 30 Qe2 Rc7?! 31 Bf4 Rxc5
A concession, voluntarily giving White a passed c-pawn. However, after 31...Rcd7 32 Be5! fxe5? 33 Qxe5! Black has no defence to the various threats.
32 dxc5 e5 33 Qd2 Nc6 34 Qd5+ Kf8 35 Be3 Qd7 36 Qf3 Kf7 37 Rd1 e4 38 Qe2 Qf5 39 Rd6 Re6 40 Rd7+ Re7 41 Rd6 Re6 42 Qd1 g5?
Black just has to sit tight, although I realise that this is probably easier said than done. Kasparov's move cuts off the bishop's protection of the h6-pawn, but allows White more open lines on which he can attack the black king.
43 Qh5+ Ke7 44 Qd1 Kf7 45 Rd7+! Kg6
Kramnik now comes up with an inspired attack.
46 Rg7+! Kxh6 47 Qd7 Re5 48 Qf7
Black is in virtual zugzwang, added to which White threatens Kg1-h2, followed by g2-g4, distracting the black queen from its defence of h7. Note that 48...Re7 loses to 49 Bxg5+!.
48...Rd5 49 Kh1!?
The immediate 49 Rxh7+ Qxh7 50 Qxd5 is also strong.
49...Nd8 50 Rxh7+ Qxh7 51 Qxd5 Kg6+ 52 Kg1
The dust has cleared, leaving White with a winning position. Black's king is vulnerable to checks and the weak pawn on e4 will drop off.
52...Qc7 53 Qg8+ Kf5 54 Qd5+ Kg6 55 Qxe4+ Kg7 56 Qa8?!
Perhaps White should just centralise his pieces with 56 Bd4, as now Black obtains counterplay.
56...Qd7
Also interesting is the pawn grab with 56...Qxa5, for example 57 b4 Qa1+ 58 Kh2 Nf7 59 c6 Qb1! with ideas of perpetual check with ...Qb1-h7.
57 Kh2 Qd3 58 g3?
Kasparov later identified this move as a major mistake, as the light squares around the white king are now very hard to defend.
58...Nf7 59 Qb7 Kg6 60 Qxa6 Ne5 61 Qa8
When I was watching the game I believed that this move would be good enough to win, but Kasparov's attacking resources are just enough. 61...Ng4+ 62 Kh3 Qf5!
Setting up a queen and knight battery against the white king. On the other hand 62...Qf1+? loses after 63 Qg2 Nxe3 64 Qxf1! Nxf1 65 a6 and the pawn promotes. After 62…Qf5! Kramnik could find nothing better than giving perpetual check with his queen. White's only winning chance is 63 Kg2, but then comes 63…Nxe3+ 64 fxe3 Qc2+ and Black has a perpetual (65 Kh3?? loses to 65…g4+! 66 Kh4 Qh2+ 67 Kxg4 Qh5+ 68 Kf4 Qf5 mate).
63 Qg8+ Kh6 64 Qh8+ Kg6 65 Qe8+ Kh6 66 Qh8+ ½-½
A great save from Kasparov.