The analysts for the World Team in the Kasparov vs. The World are all rising young chess superstars. These are the next generation of names that will rise to the top of the chess-playing world. If you're unsure what move to play against World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov, our analysts can point you in the right direction with their thoughtful responses.

The centre, particularly at the beginning of the game, is the most important sector of the board. It makes sense: if you dominate the centre you dominate the whole board. So how should one best fight for central control? Answer: send out the infantry (the pawns) - the expendable cannon fodder - to gain ground and only then bring in the important warriors. The pawns win territory, and in so doing, provide essential cover for the more valuable pieces. This is why Kasparov has played his pawn to c4. He is attempting to establish a rock solid bind on the centre and only then will he bring out his pieces.

In reply, Black has a clear choice. He can either act in the same way and block the centre with pawns (5...e5); or allow White to build a strong pawn centre in the hope of shooting it down from the side of the board (5...Nc6, 6...g6 etc). By the way, I would not recommend a wild pawn grab: 5...Qg4 would be too greedy. White castles (6. O-O), Black grabs his pawn (6...Qxe4) but loses too much time. White would get a crushing attack through the middle with 7. d4. It is too risky to use the Queen alone in the opening.

Garry has played this whole line before with White and with Black. Here he chose to play 5...Nc6. It's your choice. GO WORLD!!

Nc6 to Kasparov's c4.

This is a normal move for this development. The black Knight now controls the square d4 and it might go to e5 on the next move.

Nc6 to Kasparov's c4

We don't want our Knight on d7 because that is passive. Having the Knight on c6 will help control the center of the board. Especially the d4 square, which is important in the Sicilian Defense. We're just about to get into the interesting part of the game. Many new lines and improvements will be possible very soon. Kasparov is playing a very normal game so far, so we'll have to see what happens in the next few moves.

(No commentary for this move.)

Nc6 to Kasparov's c4

Garry has played 5.c4 to establish the Maroczy Bind formation. With 5...Nc6, we proceed with the DEVELOPMENT of our forces and aim to fight for the CENTRAL SQUARES d4 and e5.

The pawn-grab line 5...Qg4?! is very dubious and should be avoided like the plague. White gains a large LEAD IN DEVELOPMENT and a dangerous INITIATIVE (6.0-0 Qxe4 7.d4! and Black can be quickly mangled - for example, Browne-Quinteros, Wijk aan Zee 1974 is a classic demolition job by White) by gaining TEMPI against the EXPOSED Black queen - exactly the kind of situation not to be in against KASPAROV. Work with me on this, my friends, "I will NOT play 5...Qg4. I will NOT play 5...Qg4." Repeat it to yourself as often as necessary, and return to examining 5...Nc6.

A typical sequence after 5...Nc6 is 6.Nc3 g6 (also take serious note of the move 6...Nf6, which is an interesting move order as 7.d4 can then be met by 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qg4! and Black equalizes with alacrity. Therefore 6...Nf6 would likely be met by 7.0-0 g6 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bg7, and now for example, 10.Nde2 0-0, transposing to a line discussed below). After 5...Nc6 6.Nc3 g6 7.d4, Kasparov played the imaginative 7...Bg7!? against Alexei Shirov at the Erevan Olympiad in 1996. Play continued 8.d5 Bxc3+ (the point as Black aims to create a static pawn structure with potentially weak White doubled c-pawns as in the Nimzo-Indian Defense) 9.bxc3 Na5. Here Shirov played 10.0-0, and after 10...f6 11.Nd2 b6 12.Qe2 Qa4! 13.f4 Nh6 14.e5 0-0-0, a very complicated game ensued (eventually drawn). Later in Rublevsky-Ehlvest, Polanica Zdroj 1997, White found a more direct idea with 10.Nd2! (instead of 10.0-0) and after 10...f6 11.f4 0-0-0 (risky for Black as White still controls the a4-square with the queen on d1) 12.0-0 b6 13.a4! Nh6 14.Nb3, White had good play on the queenside and held the INITIATIVE.

Kasparov's 7...Bg7!? in this variation is intriguing and will certainly receive further scrutiny, but I believe it would be better to remain in more usual lines, for example: 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bg7 9.Nde2 (9.Be3 is possible) 9...Nf6 10.0-0 0-0, with a normal Dragon versus Maroczy Bind (minus light squared bishops) middle game in the offing, with good chances for Black to demonstrate equality. Black has a resilient and flexible PAWN STRUCTURE, and White has a slight SPACE ADVANTAGE.

So I recommend 5...Nc6, and if 6.Nc3 by Kasparov, then we might investigate the flexible continuation 6...Nf6 (although 6...g6 is OK).