Dannemann: Peter Leko catches up

Game five: Peter Leko catches up

It was the Day of the Challenger. After six and a half hours and 69 moves Peter Leko of Hungary won his first game against title holder Vladimir Kramnik of Russia, to equalizes the score.

Leko switched to 1.d4 and surprised Kramnik with a quiet line of the Queen’s Gambit, something that Kramnik likes to play himself. The world champion defended well and reached an endgame a pawn down but with a draw looking very likely.

However Peter Leko managed to keep the bishops and rooks on the board, and started to push his pawns. He brought his bishop onto the long diagonal and the position starts to look dangerous. Kramnik was forced to give up the exchange and tried to construct a fortress with three pawns and bishop against Leko's three pawns and rook. But it was futile and Peter Leko won the game in a fine effort.

Leko,P (2741) - Kramnik,V (2770) [D37]
WCh Brissago SUI (5), 02.10.2004

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.a3 Nc6 11.Bd3 Bb6 12.0-0 Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 14.b4 Re8 15.Rc1 a6 16.Bxa6 Rxa6 17.b5 Rxa3 18.bxc6 bxc6 19.Rxc6 Ra7 20.Rd6 Rd7 21.Qxd5 Rxd6 22.Qxd6 Qxd6 23.Bxd6 Bxf3 24.gxf3 Bd8 25.Rb1 Bf6 26.Kg2 g6 27.f4 Kg7 28.Rb7 Re6 29.Rd7 Re8 30.Ra7 Re6 31.Bc5 Rc6 32.Ra5 Bc3 33.Rb5 Ra6 34.Rb3 Bf6 35.Rb8 h5 36.Rb5 Bc3 37.Rb3 Bf6 38.e4 Ra5 39.Be3 Ra4 40.e5 Be7 41.Rb7 Kf8 42.Rb8+ Kg7 43.Kf3 Rc4 44.Ke2 Ra4 45.Kd3 Bh4 46.Bd4 Ra3+ 47.Kc2 Ra2+ 48.Kd3 Ra3+ 49.Ke4 Ra4 50.Kd5 Ra5+ 51.Kc6 Ra4 52.Kc5 Be7+ 53.Kd5 Ra5+ 54.Ke4 Ra4 55.Rc8 Bh4 56.e6+ Bf6 57.e7 Rxd4+ 58.Ke3 Bxe7 59.Kxd4 Bh4 60.f3 f5 61.Rc7+ Kf6 62.Kd5 Bg3 63.Rc6+ Kg7 64.Ke5 h4 65.Rc7+ Kh6 66.Rc4 Kg7 67.Ke6 Bh2 68.Rc7+ Kh6 69.Kf7 1-0.

• Click here to replay and down load the game

• Click here for video report

Contacts and further information

Rolf Behovits
Press Officer World Chess Championship
CENTRO DANNEMANN
Via Ruggero Leoncavallo
CH-6614 Brissago
rbehovits@chessgate.de

Links

• Dannemann World Championship Site
• All ChessBase report so far