Judit Polgar vs Garry Kasparov · Russia vs. the Rest of the World, Moscow, 2002 · Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence · 1–0
29… cxd6
White to move. The minor pieces are off and Black's d6-pawn is weak. Polgar found the rook move that invades and wins material. Can you find it?
Judit Polgar vs Garry Kasparov
Moscow, 9 September 2002. In the Russia vs. the Rest of the World match, Judit Polgar — the strongest female player in history — faced Garry Kasparov, the world's No. 1 and a man who had long dismissed women's chess. Polgar handled a topical Berlin Defence with cool precision, won a pawn, and converted a rook endgame to score the first-ever win by a woman over the world's top-rated player in a serious game. It was a landmark moment.
The lesson
Endgames are won by accuracy and active pieces, not by big combinations. Polgar kept her rooks and king active, fixed Kasparov's weak pawns, and used a passed pawn and the seventh rank to squeeze. The recurring theme: in rook endings, activity matters more than a single pawn — put your rooks behind passed pawns and keep your king marching.
Move by move
4. O-O4.O-O Nxe4 — the Berlin Defence, Kasparov's choice. It leads to an early queen trade and a dry, technical endgame where small advantages decide.
8. Qxd8+8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 — queens come off and the famous 'Berlin endgame' begins. Black has the bishop pair; White has a healthier pawn structure and the better king.
16. g416.g4 — Polgar gains space on the kingside and starts to restrict Black's bishops. She plays the endgame with quiet, purposeful moves.
19. Kf319.Kf3 — the king steps into the game. In queenless middlegames and endings, the king is a strong piece; Polgar centralises hers early.
25. gxf525.gxf5 — Polgar fixes a target on e5 and opens lines for her rooks. Note how she keeps improving small things rather than forcing matters.
29. Bxd629.Bxe5 wins a pawn cleanly. From here it is a question of technique, and Polgar's is excellent.
30. Re630.Re6! The invasion. The rook reaches the sixth rank, attacks d6, and the second rook will join to win more material.
35. Ke435.Ke4 — again the king leads. Polgar walks it up the board to support her rooks and passed f-pawn.
40. Rb7+40.Rb7+ — the rooks dominate the seventh rank. Kasparov's pieces are tied to defence and the extra material is decisive.
42. Rxg742.Rxg7 — the last accurate move before Kasparov resigned. Polgar had won a clean, model rook endgame — and made history.
Frequently asked
Why is this game historically significant?
It was the first time a female player defeated the world's top-rated player in a serious, classical-style game. Kasparov had previously been dismissive of women's chess, which made Polgar's clean technical victory all the more resonant. It is regarded as a milestone moment for the game.
What kind of game was it?
Not a wild attacking brilliancy but a precise positional and endgame display. Polgar chose the solid Berlin Defence battleground, won a pawn through accurate play, and converted a rook endgame — exactly the kind of 'boring' mastery that wins at the highest level.
Can I play the endgame?
Yes — take the board as Polgar when the d6-pawn is weak and try to find the winning rook invasion, or step through the whole game move by move, no sign-up.