Wijk aan Zee, 1999. Garry Kasparov, then world No. 1, produced what many call the greatest game ever played by a reigning World Champion. With 24.Rxd4!! he threw a rook into the fire, then chased Topalov's king from a7 to d1 — almost the full length of the board — in a forced sequence calculated many moves deep. It is universally known as 'Kasparov's Immortal'.
When the enemy king is exposed, calculate the king hunt to the end and pay whatever material it costs. Kasparov gave up a rook on d4, then a second exchange on e7, because every check dragged the king further from safety. Forcing moves first; count threats, not points.
The depth and beauty of the rook sacrifice on move 24 and the forced king hunt that followed — calculated many moves deep over the board — led commentators to rank it among the greatest games ever played, and the finest by a reigning World Champion.
It blasts open the d-file and the queenside while Black's king sits on a7. The point is not the rook itself but that every following check forces the king forward with no escape — a forced sequence worth far more than the material.
Yes — take the board as White at move 24 and try to find the rook sacrifice and the king hunt, or replay the whole game move by move, no sign-up.
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