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.

On the last turn, the World chose to bring its last inactive piece into the game with 15...Ra8, swinging the rook to a so-called SEMI-OPEN FILE (more chess jargon!). This is good strategy. In chess, like in other sports, to be successful you need to use all your team. Can you imagine playing a football game with half your men sitting on the bench?

Garry has responded by advancing the a-pawn, which is solidly protected by his Knight, Rook and Queen; in other words it is in no danger of being taken. Why has he done this? It is partly to neutralise the effectiveness of the Rook on a8 (though it can still enter the game via a5); but, perhaps more significantly, Garry's pawn advance FIXES THE PAWN ON B6.

I have already discussed how the DOUBLED PAWNS on the b-file can prove to be weak as they are no longer able to defend themselves. By playing 16 a4, the World Champion ensures that THE BLACK PAWN CANNOT ADVANCE WHEN ATTACKED - it will just be taken by the Knight. A static target is far easier to hit than a moving one! So, for instance, moving the Bishop to e3 to attack the pawn now comes into consideration.

Moreover, White might, in some circumstances, consider planting his Knight on the b5 square, solidly supported by the a-pawn. All-in-all, 16 a4 is a clever, multi-purpose move.

Does it have any drawbacks? I think so - in chess nothing is ever black and white! Although the a-pawn's advance has won some squares, it has also conceded some. For instance, the b4 and b3 squares are now a little weaker as they can no longer be protected by a pawn. That means that Black might find a stable square for a piece on one of them a little later.

All this fighting for squares and identifying weaknesses might seem a little too subtle for some tastes, but is quite typical of top games nowadays. A century ago one might have got away with a lightning assault on the King, but times, and defensive techniques, have changed!

Good luck with your next choice.

Ra5 to Kasparov's a4

My recommendation is 16...Ra5.

With 16.a4, Garry chose the best move. Now after 16...Ra5 he is intending 17.Nb5 to block The World's Rook. Nevertheless, I think The World should go for this, because after the Knight moves to b5, The World will gain the d5 square for its Knight. From this beautiful position in the centre of the board, The World's influence extends over many important squares.

Nd4 to Kasparov's a4

My next move is 16...Nd4. I was analyzing 16...Nb4 but after 17.Be3 Nfd5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.b3 Qe4 20.Rc1 e6(premature 20...f5 21Re1!)21.Rc4 followed by 22.Qc1 or 21.Qe2 gives White a clear advantage. After 16... Nd4 I considered that White has two options: either 17.Be3 or 17.Ra3

After 17.Be3 black can play 17...Nb3 18.Ra3 Nc5 19.Qb1(interesting but probably not enough)19...Nfe4(interesting 19...Qb4!?)20. Nxe4 Qxe4 with a good play for Black; 21. Qxe4 Nxe4 22.Rb3 Rxa4 23. Rxb6 Kc7 24.Rc1+ Kb8 After 17. Ra3 black has a very powerful blow with 17...b5! 18.Nxb5 Nxb5 19.axb5 Rxa3 20.bxa3 Qxb5 and Black has a better position because of his active pieces, especially the Queen and the Bishop.

The ideas behind 16...Nd4 are to control the b5 and b3 squares and to find a better place for the Knight on c5 via b3-c5 or e6-c5.

d5 to Kasparov's a4

Yesterday, The World chose a move which one I don't like much (15... Ra8). Now there are two main lines:

16...Ra5 (with idea Nd5) 17.Nb5 Nd5 18.Bd2 Ra8 with reciprocal chances.

16...d5 17.Nb5 d4 18.Re1 Qd5 19.b3 Ne4 with a good position in the centre.

I recommend the more active move 16...d5

Ne4 to Kasparov's a4

I recommend the World plays 16...Ne4 (Knight on f6 to e4)

SUMMARY After countless hours of examining all the viable-looking alternatives for Black (16...Ra5, 16...Ke8, and 16...Nd4), I am recommending that the World CENTRALIZES and further ACTIVATES its forces with the move 16...Ne4. This move is designed to exchange off White's knight, and to initiate further exchanges and/or create active play against the White king.

ANALYSIS With 15...Ra8, Black ACTIVATED his rook and threatened the MANEUVER Ra8-a5-f5. White responded with 16.a4 intending to meet 16...Ra5 with 17.Nb5, keeping our rook "boxed in".

It is always important to examine EACH position without prejudice, and look at all of our options each and every move through the eyes of innocence. The move I am proposing - 16...Ne4 is a logical continuation of the strategy commenced with 10...Qe6, which led to a sequence where Black cleaned out White's center. We then activated our rook, which completed our DEVELOPMENT and provoked the weakening advance of the White a-pawn. With 16...Ne4, Black offers to exchange White's only developed piece, and opens the long diagonal for his dark-squared bishop. Black's queen, bishop, and knight on c6 all exercise an authority over the d4-square, so Black will be able to post a piece firmly in the center at a time of his choosing.

Let's analyze my proposal:

16...Ne4!? and now:

A) 17.Qd5?! Qxd5 18.Nxd5 Ra6 19.Be3 Nc5, Black has a small edge.

B) 17.Qg4+?! seems to have no point. After 17...f5! Black is fine, when 18.Qh4 Nd4 looks great for Black.

The critical line is:

C) 17.Nxe4 Qxe4 18.Qb3 (This is not the only thing White can do, for example, White can play 18.Re1, but after for example 18...Qb4, I feel Black has a nice position), and now 18...Nd4! is very pretty, for example:

C1) 19.Qxb6?? Ra6 20.f3 (20.Qb4 loses the White queen to 20...Ne2+) 20...Qd5 21.Qb4 Nc2, with a winning fork. Notice how the magic ingredient 19...Ra6 is available because we played 18...Ra8.

C2) 19.Qxf7? Nc2 20.Ra3 (20.Ra2? is just crushed by 20...Ne1!!) 20...Nxa3 21.Qxg7 Nc2 22.b3 Ne1!? 23.f3 Qe2 24.Qb2 Qxb2 25.Bxb2 Nd3, and Black with an extra pawn stands better.

C3) 19.Qh3+, and now probably simplest is 19...Qf5, and if 20.Qxf5+ Nxf5, Black has a nice position. Note that White cannot take our h-pawn in this variation with 20.Qxh7, because of 20...Ne2+ 21.Kh1 Rh8 22.Qxg7 Rxh2+! 23.Kxh2 Qh5 mate!

I believe that with the move 16...Ne4 (a logical follow-up to 15...Ra8), Black is demonstrating equality.