With a series of spectacularly clever moves during an exciting endgame, Deep Blue created a perpetual check situation to force a draw with World Champion Garry Kasparov after 49 moves.

"I'd have to say it was a miracle black eventually escaped," said Kasparov, who played white, and thus had a slight advantage going into Game 5.

The third straight draw -- after the competitors split the first two games -- sets up a showdown for the $700,000 first prize on Sunday. The match is tied, 2.5-2.5, going into the final game, and Kasparov will be playing black, a more difficult position from which to gain victory.

Both Kasparov and Deep Blue played exceedingly well during Game 5. The champion, who overcame early time troubles to enter the endgame with a slight advantage, considered it the most well-played game of the match.

"It is a normal result that when two sides play well, that we have a draw," Kasparov said. "Today's game was very exciting and probably the cleanest game in the match. But the game was very tough. I didn't have much time at one point, and I was very worried."

For the first time in the match, the capacity crowd at the Equitable Center caught a glimpse of the attacking style of chess for which Kasparov is famous. Immediately after the opening, he went on the offensive by aggressively seeking to control the middle of the chessboard. "This is the aggressive Kasparov we've come to know," said commentator Maurice Ashley. "He's taking off the gloves and it's time to rock and roll." But after Kasparov's assertive beginning, he settled back into the conservative style that has characterized his play during the previous four games.

Kasparov held an advantage going into the middle game, but his over-aggressive play soon allowed Deep Blue to neutralize the position. "Kasparov was injudicious," said Ashley. "He acted a little too quickly in pressing the situation in the center of the board. Black was able to equalize the position because of this."

Kasparov allowed Deep Blue to create an open position on the board, a situation that provides an advantage to the computer. Throughout the middle game -- moves 15 to 29 -- both center rows stretching from Kasparov's side to Deep Blue's were wide open. But the world champion managed to successfully play out of the precarious position.

On move 29, Deep Blue initiated an exchange of queens that changed the landscape of the position and the direction of the game. "Whenever the queens come off the board," said Ashley, "the whole game changes radically." Going into the endgame, Kasparov still held a slight advantage.

As the game wore on, Kasparov agonized over the complicated positions created by Deep Blue, frequently shaking his head in disbelief as the computer increased its pressure on his king. His distress was further compounded by time troubles; to satisfy the requirement of 40 moves in two hours, Kasparov at one point had to complete 14 moves in 21 minutes.

Late in the endgame, Kasparov was intent on advancing a pawn to create a queen. Deep Blue, for reasons unknown to the commentary team, seemed to ignore the piece. But the computer had a master plan. Deep Blue simply ignored the threat of Kasparov's pawn promotion to set up a perpetual check, a situation that invariably leads to drawn game.

After analyzing the position for over ten minutes, he offered a draw. The Deep Blue team immediately accepted on the computer's behalf.

After the game, Kasparov said he was impressed by Deep Blue's ability to play a very rational game of chess. "The computer played like a human today. I have to praise the machine for understanding some very deep positions."

C.J. Tan of the Deep Blue development team seconded Kasparov's praise for the computer's performance. "Deep Blue is doing very well," said Tan. "It has been very exciting thus far. As the match has progressed, the games have gotten better. I'm sure that tomorrow's game will be the best of all."