However, 23…d5! Followed by 25…e4 releases Black’s pieces and gives him enough counterplay to draw. White’s counter-attack with 29.g6 looks dangerous, but also suffices only for a draw:

<During the post mortem, Kasparov revealed that he'd taken a long time on the clock here to try and make 31 Qg4 work. He thought that all the lines were working and he had a mate on the board until he discovered Leko's saving (and winning!) continuation of 35 ..Rxf2+! Therefore, he had to play the drawing 31 Qg3.

31 Qg4? bxc3 32 Rg1 f5 [defending g7 - 32…f6?? 33.Qe6] 33 Qg6 cxb2 34 Rd1 This was Garry's original idea. The concept being a potential Rd8+! and Qf7 mate 34 ..Rc2+ 35 Kf1 Rxf2+! 36 Kxf2 Qf4+ 37 Kg1 Bd4+ A) 38 Kh1 Qf3+ 39 Kh2 Be5+ 40 Kg1 Qe3+ 41 Kf1 (41 Kh1 Qh3+ 42 Kg1 Bh2+ 43 Kf2 Qf3+ 44 Ke1 Bg3+) 41 ..Qh3+ 42 Qg2 Qxb3; B) 38 Rxd4 38 ..b1Q+ 39 Rd1 Qe3+ 40 Kh1 Qf3+ 41 Kg1 Qbxd1+ 42 Bxd1 Qxd1+ 43 Kh2 Qd2+)>

Btw, the engines show that after 31 Qg4 bxc3 32 Rg1 f5, 33.Qh5(!) still draws for White, but not more than that: 33...cxb2 34.Rd1 (again with the idea of Rd8+ and Qf7) 34…Rc2+ 35.Kf1 Rxf2+ 36.Kxf2 and now the white queen defends the key square f3, so Black has no more than perpetual with 36…Qh2+; other options are 34...Bf6 35.Rd8+ Bxd8 36.Qh6+ Qg7 37.Qd6+ Qe7 (37...Ke8 38.Ba4+ Kf7 39.Bb3+ Ke8) 38.Qh6+ and perpetual; or 34...Rc6 35.Qxf5+ (now 35.Rd8+ Ke7 36.Qe8+ Kf6 isn’t enough, because there’s no mate on e6) 35...Bf6 (35...Ke7?? 36.Qf7#; 35...Ke8?? 36.Qh5+ Kf8 37.Rd8+ Ke7 38.Re8+ Kd7 [38...Kf6 39.Qg5#] 39.Qf7+ Kd6 40.Qd5#) 36.Qd5 Kg7 37.Rg1+ Kh6 38.Qd2+ Kh5 39.Qd5+ Kh6 40.Qd2+ etc.

After 27..Qc7: Leko-"When I found the plan of ..Qc7 and ..Rf5, I was very happy.", Kasparov-"Now I have to open up your king, otherwise I can be worse."