Szeged is currently host to a battle between titans. The City of Szeged and Hungarian Chess Federation organize a six-game match between Leko Peter (Hungary) and Li Chao (China) from 14 to 20 August 2015. The match aimed to help Leko prepare for the upcoming World Cup at Baku, and will use the exact same time controls: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an addition of 30 seconds per move starting from move one.
Szeged is the third largest city of Hungary, the county seat of Csongrád County, and the centre of the Southern Great Plain Region. The number of inhabitants is 170 thousand. It is the most important scientific, educational and cultural centre of the region.

Szeged has a vivid cultural life and becomes a city of festivals during summer. The Open Air Festival, first held in 1931, is one of the most attractive cultural events in Hungary. The “Szeged Youth Days” is the oldest pop-rock festival in Hungary, where several thousand young people come together.

An aerial view of the city
The Day of Szeged is celebrated on the 21st of May every year. This time the famous Wine Festival last for ten days, and, at the Bridge Fair, which actually takes place on the bridge, handmade products are presented from all over Hungary.

The Mayor of Szeged came to inaugurate the duel
The Match
The match started with a dull draw, in which every piece came flying off the board and a draw was agreed shortly after. The second game was far livelier, with a sharp Sicilian that could have gone either way. At the end, a queen endgame was reached and eventually drawn.
Li Chao, however, struck out in game three:

The first victory went to Li Chao
1.e4 | 1,185,008 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 959,510 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 286,503 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 184,834 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,892 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,600 | 54% | 2428 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,954 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,911 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,791 | 48% | 2379 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,250 | 54% | 2406 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,081 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 969 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 670 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
1.h4 | 466 | 54% | 2382 | --- |
1.c3 | 439 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
1.h3 | 289 | 56% | 2420 | --- |
1.a4 | 118 | 60% | 2461 | --- |
1.f3 | 100 | 47% | 2427 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 93 | 66% | 2506 | --- |
1.Na3 | 47 | 62% | 2476 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 g6 7.Ne4!? Qb6 7...c4 8.Qc2 f5 7...b6 8.d4 8.0-0 Bg7 9.Qc2 Bf5 9...Nd4 10.Nxd4 cxd4 11.Nc5 10.d3 Bxe4 11.dxe4 Ndb4 12.Qa4 Qa5 13.Qd1 13.Qxa5 Nxa5 14.Rd1 0-0 15.e5 13...0-0 14.a3 Na6 14...Rfd8 15.Bd2?! Bxb2 16.axb4 Qxa1 17.Qxa1 Bxa1 18.Rxa1 cxb4 15.e5 e6 16.Qc2 Rac8 17.Qe4 c4 18.Bd2 Qb5 19.a4 Qb3 20.Be3! Qb4 21.Rfc1 Na5 22.Bd2 Qb6 23.Bxa5 Qxa5 24.Rxc4 Rxc4 25.Qxc4 Qc7 25...Bxe5 26.Nxe5 Qxe5 27.Qb5± 26.Qxc7 Nxc7 27.Rd1 Nd5 28.e4 Nb4 29.Rd7 a5 30.Rxb7 Nc6 31.Rb5 Rb8 32.Rc5 Rb6 33.Bf1 Bf8 34.Rb5 Rxb5 35.Bxb5 Nb4 36.Nd2 Be7 37.Kf1 Bd8 38.Ke2 Kf8 39.f4 h5 40.Nc4 Ke7 41.Kd2 Bc7 42.Kc3 Bd8 43.Kd4 1–0
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Li,C | 2748 | Leko,P | 2714 | 1–0 | 2015 | A35 | Leko-Li Chao Match 2015 | 3 |
Please, wait...
Leko seemed to want revenge in the next game. He was able to get a sizeable advantage against Li Chao in the Petroff, but in time pressure things went ugly quickly:

Another legend! Judit Polgar checking out game two.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
27...Qg2 28.Qd4 28.Nd4! 28...Kb7! 29.Nd2 c5 30.Qf4?! 30.Qd5+ Qxd5 31.Rxd5 Re2 32.f3 Be6 33.Rd3 30...Re2 31.f3?! 31.b4! Rxf2 32.Qe4+ Qxe4 33.Nxe4= Rf4 34.Nxc5+ dxc5 35.Rxd7 cxb4 31...Bb5! 31...Be8 32.b4 Bg6?! 33.Rd5 32.c4 Be8 33.Ka3? 33.a4 Bg6 33...Qg7+! 34.Rd5= 33...Bc6? 33...Bg6 34.Rd5 Qh1 35.Qf6 35.Ne4 Bxe4 36.fxe4 Rxc2-+ 35...Rxd2 36.Rxd2 Qc1+ 37.Qb2 Qxd2-+ 34.Kb2 Qg7+ 35.Rc3 a5 36.Nb1 Qh8 37.a4 Be8 37...Re1! 38.Nd2 Kb6! 38.Na3 Kb6 39.Qg5 Bc6 40.Qf4? 40.Qg1 40...Rf2 41.Qc1 Rxf3 42.Nb1 Qf6 43.Qd2 Rh3 44.Qe2 Rh1 45.Nd2 Qd4 46.Qe3 Qg4! 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
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Leko,P | 2714 | Li,C | 2748 | 0–1 | 2015 | C42 | Leko-Li Chao Match 2015 | 4 |
Please, wait...

Leko has to win the two remaining games to even the score.
Standings
Game:
|
Rtg |
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
Score
|
Leko, Peter |
2714 |
½
|
½
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
1.0
|
Li Chao |
2748 |
½
|
½
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
3.0
|
Pictures and information from official website
Replay All games so far

1.e4 | 1,185,008 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 959,510 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 286,503 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 184,834 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,892 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,600 | 54% | 2428 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,954 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,911 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,791 | 48% | 2379 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,250 | 54% | 2406 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,081 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 969 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 670 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
1.h4 | 466 | 54% | 2382 | --- |
1.c3 | 439 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
1.h3 | 289 | 56% | 2420 | --- |
1.a4 | 118 | 60% | 2461 | --- |
1.f3 | 100 | 47% | 2427 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 93 | 66% | 2506 | --- |
1.Na3 | 47 | 62% | 2476 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 g6 7.d4 Bg7 8.0-0 Nxc3 9.bxc3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.cxd4 Qxd4 12.Rb1 0-0 13.Bf4 Be6 14.Rxb7 Bxa2 15.Rd7 Qxd1 16.Rfxd1 Rae8 17.Rxa7 Bc4 18.Rc1 Bxe2 19.Bc6 Rd8 20.Rxe7 Bg4 21.Kg2 Bf6 ½–½
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Li,C | 2748 | Leko,P | 2714 | ½–½ | 2015 | A35 | Leko-Li Chao Match 2015 | 1 |
Leko,P | 2714 | Li,C | 2748 | ½–½ | 2015 | B56 | Leko-Li Chao Match 2015 | 2 |
Li,C | 2748 | Leko,P | 2714 | 1–0 | 2015 | A35 | Leko-Li Chao Match 2015 | 3 |
Leko,P | 2714 | Li,C | 2748 | 0–1 | 2015 | C42 | Leko-Li Chao Match 2015 | 4 |
Please, wait...
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