The Hindu : Sport / Chess : Kramnik beats Leko, retains title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 20, 2004

Sport

Sport - Chess

Kramnik beats Leko, retains title

BRISSAGO (SWITZERLAND), OCT. 19. Vladimir Kramnik of Russia beat Hungary's Peter Leko in the final game of the Dannemann World classical chess championship here on Monday night to retain the title he won in 2000 in London.

Kramnik, who had been one point down since Game eight, won in four hours. The final score was 7-7 in the 14 game event and Kramnik won the title being the holder.

Leko's renowned defensive skills couldn't contain a brilliant Kramnik, who played like a true champion under tremendous pressure.

The Russian had white pieces and he opened with King's pawn, to which Leko replied with Caro-Kann Defence. On the sixth move, Kramnik came up with a novelty and he had the better of the opening.

The game reached an ending in which Kramnik was clearly better, his dynamic knight pitted against a weak bishop.

He had the rook on the seventh rank, and the knight and the king on the sixth; Leko could hardly breathe, so he resigned on the 41st move, with mate not far away.

After the game, Kramnik said the match was tougher than the one he played against Kasparov four years ago. "Peter Leko is an incredible defender," he said.

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