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.

Garry moves his king into the corner: what a shocker! This goes against accepted wisdom that one should use the king actively in the endgame.

Early in the game when the mud is flying, the king should be hidden away, but, with fewer pieces remaining, his majesty isn't going to be checkmated in the middle of the board, and actually becomes a mighty piece. So what exactly is the World Champion doing by playing the king into the corner? (Most of us had been looking at playing the king forward to g2, with the idea of marching it across to stop the b-pawn.)

This is a very deep idea. There is one crucial variation where it suits White to have the king on h1 rather than g2, or h2. It gets rather complicated but bear with me, it is fascinating! First let me give you the variation, and then I will attempt to explain it:

35...b3 36 g4 b2 37 g5 Nb4 38 g6 Nd3 39 h6 b1(Q) 40 Rxb1 Nxf4 41 Re1+ Be5 42 g7 Kf7 43 Rg1, with a winning position for White!!

Let's go from the very beginning. Black plays 35...b3 - as we know the aim in the endgame is to try to get a new queen by pushing the pawn to the eighth rank. White answers with 36 g4, and Black pushes the pawn on again with 36...b2. White pushes on again, 37 g5.

Now Black cannot get a queen because White's rook covers the promotion square b1.

So the knight is thrown in to assist: 37...Nb4. White pushes on again, 38 g6. Black moves the knight in with 38...Nd3, attacking the bishop, but, instead of moving the bishop, White stays cool as a cucumber in a cold salmon sandwich, ignores the threat, and pushes again with 39 h6.

Only at this point is it possible to see why Garry has moved the king into the corner.

If Black wins the bishop according to the variation I gave above with 39...b1(Q) 40 Rxb1 Nxf4, because the king stands on h1, instead of g2, White is NOT IN CHECK, so therefore has a 'free' move to force the pawns home, and this he can do with the clever 41 Re1+ (this is the difficult move to see at the start of this sequence).

Whichever way Black gets out of this check he is lost. For instance, moving the king away to d7 moves too far from the pawns; and 41...Kf6 loses to 42 g7 Kf7 43 Rxe7+. While 41...Be5, as I gave above, loses to 42 g7 Kf7 (the only way to prevent White queening); but now 43 Rg1 does the trick as 43...Kg8 loses to 44 h7+.

This is the justification of moving the king into the corner. IF the king were on g2, in one variation Black would capture the bishop on f4 WITH CHECK, losing one vital move for White.

The more perceptive of you might be asking, 'Wouldn't it do just as well for the king to be on h2?' (as Florin suggested yesterday). Here's the critical variation which shows that it would not have been as good as playing the king into the corner:

35...b3 36 g4, and now, instead of 36...b2 as I gave above, Black could try 36...Nb4, and if 37 g5 Nd3. The knight arrives a move earlier, but White ignores it: 38 g6 Nxf4 39 Rxf4 b2 40 Rf1, and Black has no decent defence to the advance of White's pawns.

The point is that IF White's king had been on h2, then Black could have played 39...Be5, pinning the rook to the king, and winning. Nevertheless, Florin was certainly on the right lines when he was looking for a square which avoided a check on f4.

Normally, I would not go into such detail. In this case, however, it is necessary. First, because in order to explain Garry's move, it needs a detailed treatment. I don't think I should hide that chess IS a complicated game.

Second, because I believe the World is moving onto the critical list. The variations I have given above need to be improved on or Black is going rapidly downhill. I certainly do not present the lines above as forced, but I am sure they are what Garry has in mind.

So, this is your task: you need to find a defence to the inexorable advance of White's pawns, and you need to find it quickly.

See you in the Zone theatre chat room at 2pm PST (10pm London) for a full discussion of the position.

b3 to Kasparov's Kh1

I would advance my b-pawn b4-b3. All other moves lose time.

b3 to Kasparov's Kh1

In this position I recommend 35...b4-b3 for The World as being the move which continues the best our plan. An early blockade try with 35...Kf5 fails to 36.Bh6+( 36.Bxd6? because of 36...Kg5 and the "h" pawn is lost) followed by g3-g4-g5. After black's 35...b3 White should advance his pawns, too with 36.g4 when the next line is possible: 36...b2 -same argument as for the previous move; The World is trying to keep white's rook pasive, continiously preocupied with defending the 1st rank- 37.g5 Kf7!?-taking advantage that white's bishop is on f4 black is moving his king toward the dangerous pawns-38.Be5+!?-since no other check is more efficient(38.Bxd6+ wins a pawn for white but after 38...Kg7 Black doesn't have much of a problem) white is trying to keep the Black king out of the play as much as possible- 38...Kg8 39.Bxd4-trading black's powerful bishop- 39...Nxd4 40.Rb1-if 40.g6? then 40...Ne2, or 40.h6 Kh7-40...Kh7 41.Rxb2 Ne6 42.g6+ -42.Rg2? b5 43.Kg1 b4 44.Kf1 b3 45.Ke1 b2- 42...Kh6 43.Rxb7=

b3 to Kasparov's Kh1 I recommend the world to push its passed pawn 35...b3.

Dear chess fans, I am back affter my 1,115 days of silence. During this time I took part in the French national championships. And finally I won first place! After winning the Grandmaster tournament in Bermuda in January, the Lausanne Young Masters in May, the French Championship title is my third victory this year. In Besançon, I had the chance to meet The World's prestigious opponent, Garry Kasparov. People there were very enthusiastic about his appearance in France. He played a simul and won all 25 games, in true World Champion's form.

b3 to Kasparov's Kh1

I recommend the World plays the move 35…b3 (Pawn on b4 to b3)

SUMMARY

The World Champion has played an apparently paradoxical and seemingly correct King move - the possibility of which was first pointed out to me by IM Kenneth Regan. My analysis reveals to me that this move by Kasparov (35.Kh1!?) is both brilliant and venomous in nature. The most natural-looking move for White, in my opinion, was 35.Kg2, but it seemed to me that Black had sufficient resources for counterplay after 35.Kg2 b3 36.Kf3, with 36…b2 37.Ke4 Bh8!? So why did the World Champion play this alternate King move? It must be directed against Black's plan of COUNTERPLAY with b4-b3 and Nc6-b4.

I am now recommending the move 35…b3. I hope that the analysis I am presenting will shed some light on my opinion on how Black should conduct his counterplay.

ANALYSIS SECTION

THE VARIATIONS 35…b3 36.Bh6? and 36.h6

After 35...b3, White cannot play:

A) 36.Bh6? as after 36…b2 37.Bf8 Na5 38.h6 Nb3, Black is winning, or;

B) 36.h6, when Black can play 36…b2!? with counterplay or the interesting pawn sacrifice 36...Kf7!?

THE VARIATION 35…b3 36.g4, with 36…b2? and 36…Nb4?! and 36…Kd7?

To me it seems that the most dangerous idea for White is to quickly run his g-pawn:

C) 36.g4, and now:

C1) 36...b2? is bad, in my opinion, because of 37.g5, for example:

C1a) 37...Na5 38.g6 Nc4 (38...Nb3 39.h6 Nc1 40.g7, and White wins) 39.h6 Na3 40.g7, winning for White.

C1b) 37...Ne5 (or 37...Nb4) 38.g6 Nd3 transposes to 36...Nb4 37.g5 b2 38.g6 Nd3 - variation C2a, which is good for White.

So what about our other idea with Nc6-b4?

C2) 36...Nb4 (?!) - This is the very plan that 35.Kh1 appears to be aimed against. If the following analysis is correct, then Black cannot play 36...Nb4.

White plays 37.g5, and now:

C2a) 37...b2 38.g6 Nd3 (38...Nc2 39.h6 Na3 40.g7 Kf7 41.Be5+, and White wins) 39.h6 Nxf4 40.g7 Kf7 41.Rxf4+ Bf6 42.Rf1 Kg8 (42...d5 43.Rg1 Bg5 44.g8=Q+ Kxg8 45.Rxg5+, winning for White) 43.Rg1 (a point of 35.Kh1 is revealed) 43...Bg5 44.h7+ Kxh7 45.g8=Q+ Kxg8 46.Rxg5+, and White wins.

C2b) 37...Nd3 (We can see another point to Kg1-h1 - as pointed out by IM Kenneth Regan - in that Nd3xf4 will NOT be check, and if the White king had been on h2 with 35.Kh2 there is never a possibility of a Bd4-e5 pin), and now White has the strong 38.h6, for example:

C2b1) 38...b2 39.g6, with:

C2b1a) 39...Nc1 40.g7 b1=Q (40...Bxg7 41.hxg7 Kf7 42.Be5+, wins for White) 41.g8=Q+, winning.

C2b1b) 39...Nf2+ 40.Kg2, and White wins.

C2b1c) 39...b1=Q 40.Rxb1 Nxf4 41.Re1+! (41.g7? Bxg7 42.hxg7 Kf7, and Black is OK) 41...Be5 42.g7 Kf7 43.Rg1, and White wins - and we see a significance to 35.Kh1.

C2b1d) 39...Bf6 40.g7 Kf7 41.Rg1 Bxg7 42.hxg7 (not 42.Rxg7+? Kf6 43.Rg1 Nxf4 and Black may hold) 42...Kg8 43.Bh6 Nc1 44.Rf1 b1=Q 45.Rf8+ Kh7 46.Rh8+ Kg6 47.g8=Q+, winning for White.

C2b2) 38...Nxf4 39.Rxf4 b2 40.Rf1, and now:

C2b2a) 40...b1=Q 41.Rxb1 Kf5 42.Rb5+ (not 42.Rxb7? Kxg5 43.h7 Kg6 44.Rxe7 Bg7, and Black is OK) 42...Kg6 43.Rd5! Bh8 (43...e5 44.Rxd6+ Kxg5 45.Rxd4 exd4 46.h7, winning for White) 44.Kg2, and I think White should win.

C2b2b) 40...Be3!? (IM Kenneth Regan's idea to lure the White h-pawn forward) 41.h7 Bd4 (41...Bc1 42.h8=Q b1=Q 43.Qc8+ Kd5 44.Rd1+, wins for White) 42.Kg2 b6 (42...Kd5 43.Rd1 Kc5 44.Rxd4 b1=Q 45.h8=Q Qb2+ 46.Kg3 Qxd4 47.Qxd4+ Kxd4 48.g6, and White wins as the Black King is out of the square of the White pawn) 43.Kh3 b1=Q 44.Rxb1 Kf5 45.Rxb6, and now:

C2b2b1) 45...Kxg5 46.Rb8 Kf4 47.h8=Q Bxh8 48.Rxh8 d5 49.Kg2 Ke3 50.Re8 d4 51.Rxe7+ Kd2 52.Kf2, and White wins.

C2b2b2) 45...Kg6 46.Rb7 Kxh7 47.Rxe7+ Kg6 48.Kg4, and this endgame should be winning for White.

C3) What if Black plays a paradoxical King move of his own after 35.Kh1 b3 36.g4, with 36…Kd7(?), intending counterplay with e7-e5.

After 36…Kd7, White has the deadly 37.Bh6! to which I can find no defense, for example: 37...Nd8 (37...b2 38.g5 Na5, is too slow: 39.g6 Nc4 40.g7 Bxg7 41.Bxg7 Nd2 42.Bxb2 Nxf1 43.h6, winning for White) 38.g5 Ne6 39.g6 Ng7 40.Bxg7 Bxg7 41.Kg2 b2 42.Kf3 Ke6 43.Ke4, and White should win.

If this analysis holds up - and we certainly have TIME to find some improvements for Black, it means that after 35…b3 36.g4, Black cannot play 36…b2, 36…Nb4 or 36…Kd7.

THE VARIATION 35…b3 36.g4 Kd5

So after 35…b3 36.g4, how does Black continue? Stepping back for a moment, we realize that Kasparov has eschewed the plan of King centralization, and interfering with our ambitions for our b-pawn (with his King). By playing 35.Kh1, he wants to further his own ambitions with his passed pawns, and to neutralize certain avenues of Black counterplay. In doing so, we can see that he will have less influence on events in the CENTER, and in my opinion, it is here - in the center - where we must direct our counterplay.

C4) I believe Black can continue after 35.Kh1 b3 36.g4, with 36…Kd5, to initiate counterplay with e7-e5.

For example:

C4a) 37.g5 e5, and now:

C4a1) 38.Be3? Bxe3 39.h6 Ne7 40.h7 Ng6 41.Rf6 b2, and Black is winning.

C4a2) 38.Bh2 e4 39.g6 Ne7 40.Rb1 (40.Kg2 Ke6!? looks unclear) 40...b2, with counterplay.

C4a3) 38.Bd2 e4 39.Kg2 e3 40.Be1, and now 40...b2, or 40…e2!? with counterplay. C4b) 37.h6 b2 38.g5 e5 39.Bd2 Ne7 40.Kg2 e4, and Black has counterplay.

C4c) 37.Rd1 Ke4 38.Bg5 (not 38.h6? Kxf4 39.Rxd4+ Nxd4 40.h7 b2 41.h8Q b1Q+, and Black wins) 38...b2, with counterplay for Black

C4d) 37.Bh6 (the move which seems to demolish 36…Kd7) 37...b2 (not 37...Na5? 38.g5 b2 39.g6 Nc4 40.g7 Bxg7 41.Bxg7 Nd2 42.Bxb2 Nxf1 43.h6, and White wins), and now:

C4d1) 38.Bf8, when Black may have two ways to play:

C4d1a) 38...Na5, and now:

C4d1a1) 39.Rd1 Nc4 40.Bg7 Ne3! 41.Bxd4 (41.Rxd4+ Kc5 42.Rb4 Kxb4 43.Bxb2 Nxg4, and Black is better) 41...Nxd1 42.Bxb2 Nf2+! 43.Kg2 Nxg4 44.Kf3 Ne5+, with a plus for Black.

C4d1a2) 39.g5 Nb3 40.Rb1 Nd2 41.Rxb2 Bxb2 42.g6 Ke6 43.h6 Kf6 44.Bg7+ Kxg6 45.Bxb2 Kxh6, and Black wins.

C4d1a3) 39.h6 Nb3 40.Rb1 (not 40.Bg7? Nc1, winning for Black) 40...Nd2 41.Rxb2 (41.Bg7? Nxb1 42.Bxd4 Nc3! and Black wins) 41...Bxb2 42.Bg7 Ne4 43.Bxb2 Ng5 44.Bc1 Nf7 45.g5 Nh8 46.Bb2 e5, and Black should at least hold. Or the possibility:

C4d1b) 38...Bf6 39.h6 (Black wins after 39.g5 Bxg5 40.h6 Bc1) 39...Ne5 40.Bg7 (40.g5 Bxg5, and Black wins) 40...Nxg4 41.Bxf6 Nxf6 42.Rb1 Ke6 43.Rxb2 Kf7 44.Rh2 (44.Rxb7 Kg6 45.Rxe7 Kxh6, with a drawn endgame) 44...Kg6, with the idea Kg6-h7, followed by Nf6-g8xh6, eliminating White's last pawn for a draw.

C4d2) 38.g5, with:

C4d2a) 38...Be3 39.Rb1 Bc1 40.Bg7 Ne5 (40...e5 loses to 41.Bf6!) 41.h6, and White wins. Better is,

C4b2b) 38...Nd8 39.g6 Ne6, with counterplay for Black.

My conclusion at this time is that Black must play 35…b3, and after 36.g4, continue with 36…Kd5. We have TIME to refine and more fully explore these ideas.