Vladimir Kramnik vs Peter Leko - Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match 2004.10.07

Tags:

Vladimir Kramnik vs Peter Leko
Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match Brissago SUI round 8 2004.10.07
Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack 0-1

[Event "Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match"]
[Site "Brissago SUI"]
[Date "2004.10.07"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Vladimir Kramnik"]
[Black "Peter Leko"]
[ECO "C89"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. e4 {Notes by Raymond Keene.} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4
Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 {The dangerous
Marshall Gambit, which Kramnik had avoided in earlier games.}
9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d4 Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4
14. g3 Qh3 15. Re4 g5 {This was first played in the game
Petrosian-Averbakh, Moscow 1947. That game saw 16 Nd2 Bf5 17
Qe2 Nf6 18 Re5 Bxe5 19 dxe5 Ng4 and Black went on to win. The
point of 15 ... g5 is to prevent Rh4, while 16 Bxg5 fails to
16 ... Qf5.} 16. Qf1 Qh5 17. Nd2 Bf5 18. f3 Nf6 19. Re1 Rae8
20. Rxe8 Rxe8 21. a4 Qg6 22. axb5 {Starting on the road to
perdition. White must play 22 Ne4 Nxe4 23 fxe4 when 23
... Bxe4 24 axb5 axb5 (24 ... Bd3 fails to 25 Bxf7+) 25 Bxg5
is in White's favour. In this line Black must play 22 Ne4 Bxe4
23 fxe4 Nxe4 with approximate equality.} Bd3 23. Qf2 Re2
24. Qxe2 {This was played quickly in the evident belief that
White was winning. In fact White must now turn his thoughts to
survival by 24 bxa6 Rxf2 25 Kxf2 Qh5 26 Ke3 Bxa6 27 Rxa6 Qxh2
when there is still some fight left in the game. In this line
26 Kg1 loses to 26 ... Qh3 27 a7 Bxg3 28 a8=Q+ Kg7 29 hxg3
Qxg3+ 30 Kh1 g4 31 Qxc6 Qh3+ 32 Kg1 g3} Bxe2 25. bxa6 Qd3 {The
key move which Kramnik and his team had underestimated before
the game. If now 26 a7 Qe3+ 27 Kg2 Bxf3+ 28 Nxf3 Qe2+ 29 Kg1
Ng4 30 a8=Q+ Kg7 31 Qxc6 Qf2+ 32 Kh1 Qf1+ 33 Ng1 Nf2
mate. Alternatively 30 Be3 Nxe3 31 a8=Q+ Kg7 32 Nh4 gxh4 33
Qxc6 hxg3 34 hxg3 Bxg3 and mate follows. White can also play
26 Bc4 which is refuted by 26 ... Qe3+ 27 Kg2 g4 28 f4 Ne4 29
a7 Qf2+ 30 Kh1 Nxd2 31 a8=Q+ Kg7 and White is defenceless.}
26. Kf2 Bxf3 27. Nxf3 Ne4+ 28. Ke1 Nxc3 {Much stronger than 28
... Qxf3. This final sacrifice lays White's position to
waste.} 29. bxc3 Qxc3+ 30. Kf2 Qxa1 31. a7 h6 32. h4 g4 {At
the end of the game Kramnik said, sportingly: "a beautiful
game that will be remembered in the history of chess."} 0-1

Download PGN

Updated: 28 October, 2021
Created: 28 October, 2021