Kasparov, Garry – Ponomariov, Ruslan

2838 2002 · Draw

A classical Ruy Lopez from 2002: Kasparov (2838) against Ponomariov (2743), with Black’s familiar 9...Na5 regrouping, c5, and the central break on d4. Black was clearly holding the reins when 18...Bxh3 swung the evaluation from -1.0 to -2.9 — the advantage changed hands in a single move. White took over, then handed it all back with 24.Qf5, from +1.7 to 0.0, and the game faded into a draw. Accuracy: 81% for White, 85% for Black — two solid performances, two costly decisions. The takeaway: in an already winning position, the "active" move is not always the one that keeps the win.