Commentary on game 10 was brought to you by GM Neil McDonald, IM Malcolm Pein and FM Chris Duncan

With only three Whites remaining Kasparov cannot afford another loss today- it would be virtually impossible to claw back a two point deficit in just five games against a player who hardly ever loses. So I suspect World Champion will try to create complications today, but there will be no desperate lunge at his opponent. Kramnik meanwhile will be looking for a knock out blow, but he too won't want to take too many risks. An interesting psychological battle is in prospect.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4

Obviously Kasparov enjoyed his experience in Game Eight.

4.e3

Kramnik varies from his habitual 4.Qc2. His choice isn't as sharp as 4.Nf3 but it indicates he is looking for a heavy weight positional struggle. He is allowing Black to give him doubled c pawns and create a structural weakness on the queenside, but in return he will get the two bishops and attacking chances based on expanding in the centre with an eventual e3-e4.

4... 0-0 5.Bd3 d5

Kasparov isn't interested in the scenario described above. Instead he claims an equal share of the centre.

6.Nf3 c5

The consistent move adding to the pressure on White's centre.

7.0-0 cxd4

Heading for another Isolated Queen's Pawn [IQP] position.

8.exd4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b6 10.Bg5 Bb7 11.Re1

So White has a slight space advantage and Black's bishop is somewhat misplaced on b4- it would be better on e7. On the other hand all Black's pieces are fully mobilised and he is looking solid.

11... Nbd7 12.Rc1

White defends c3 in anticipation of Rc8. The key centre square is d5- both players are fighting to control it, which makes the pin on f6 annoying for Black and the pin on c equally irritating for White.

12...Rc8

Putting pressure on the c file. Now 13.Qd3 aiming for Ba6 to exchange bishops and attack the a7 pawn is one possible strategy for White. However, then 13...Bxf3 would force him to accept doubled pawns with 14.gxf3. Alternatively,he can retreat his bishop and try to play in the centre with Ne5 at some point.

13.Qb3

Kramnik attacks the bishop and forces it to declare its intentions- will it take on c3 to lessen White's control of d5 or retreat back to e7 to break the pin on f6? In such cases if White achieves the d4-d5 advance it is either dead equal or a clear advantage to White!

Now 13...Bxc3 14.Rxc3 h6 would be a natural continuation, when 15.Bh4 Qe8, breaking the pin on f6, seems OK for Black.

13... Be7

The World Champion prefers the cautious retreat. Now the sacrificial 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Qxe6+ gets White nowhere after 14...Rf7. Meanwhile he is threatening to double White's pawns with Bxf3- though it isn't clear whether this is really a threat as Black would miss his light squared bishop.

14.Bxf6

An unexpected capture. The idea is that after 14...Nxf6 the sacrifice 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Qxe6+ looks very strong as 16...Rf7 can now be answered by 17.Ng5, winning material

14... Nxf6

Anyway! Kasparov must have found a way to counter the 15.Bxe6 sacrifice.

15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Qxe6+ Kh8

This seems forced- 16...Rf7 17.Ng5 just wins.

17.Qxe7

So White has won two pawns, but now it is Black's turn to inflict some damage.

17... Bxf3

18.gxf3

Now Kramnik's idea is becoming apparent- if 18...Qxd4 19.Nb5 looks very unpleasant for Black as the knight attacks the queen and also threatens to swoop into d6 with an attack. So far Kramnik has used 30 minutes, Kasparov one hour 10 minutes.

19.Nb5

The key position. If 19...Qxb2 20.Rxc8 Rxc8 21.Nd6 attacks the rook, when 21...Rg8? 22.Nf7 mate and 21...Re8 22.Qxe8+ both lose at once. Even stronger might be 20.Rc7 attacking g7. Perhaps 19...Qh4 is the best chance, but things looks very grim for the World Champion. It isn't so much White's extra pawn but his attacking chances which makes this horrible for Black. Will Kasparov find a tactical solution to his problems?

19...Qxb2

Kasparov gets his pawn back, so that any endgame will be OK for him. The question is whether Kramnik has a winning combination. We can't quite see it at the Chess Centre, but it's looking very close!

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If 20.Rc7, then 20...Ng8! looks good for Black, while 20.Nd6 Qxc1 21.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 22.Kg2 Kg8!? seems to hold the game. So 20.Rxc8 Rxc8 21.Nd6 Ra8 looks critical. There doesn't appear to be a win here for White, despite his aggressive pieces.

20.Rxc8 Rxc8 21.Nd6

As predicted. Now Kasparov has to stick his rook in the corner and hope his position is tough enough to resist any tactical blows.

21...Rb8

This is puzzling - why give up the a pawn?Perhaps the idea is to get his pieces working together after 22.Qxa7 Rd8 23.Qe7 Ra8 followed by 24...Qxa2. Note that if 22.Ne8 now 22...Ng8! defends.

22.Nf7+

So Kramnik isn't interested in the pawn. He wants to keep his attack going, though we can't see anything decisive for him.

22... Kg8

23. Qe6

Threatening a good old smothered mate with 24.Nh6+ Kh8 [24...Kf8 25.Qf7 mate] 25.Qg8+! Rxg8 26.Nf7 mate. Black has to make a hole for his king on h7.

23... Rf8

I don't believe this- isn't it just a losing blunder: 24.Nd8+ Kh8 25. Qe7 Kg8 26.Ne6 Rf7 27.Qd8+ wins.

24.Nd8+ Kh8 25.Qe7

Kasparov has resigned! His 23rd move was a disaster, 23...h5 kept up the fight with good chances to hold the position. Could this mark the end of Kasparov's reign as World Champion?