Kramnik vs Leko James Coleman on game 2
Game two starts. Photo © James Coleman
Kramnik,V (2770) - Leko,P (2741) [C88]
WCh Brissago SUI (2), 26.09.2004
James Coleman annotates: Welcome to the second game of the 2004 Classical Chess World Championship. The event did not start too well for me yesterday, when I arrived at the playing venue and found that I had foolishly left the cable for my laptop at my hotel, and had to endure a 20 minute walk there and back to retrieve it. Such mistakes happen though and are forgivable - what was not forgivable was that I then proceed to do exactly the same thing today! Still, at least the fact that I am travelling home tomorrow will allow me to avoid a three time repetition! So, on to today's game. It was always a strong possibility, if not inevitable, that after the excitement of yesterday's game, the players were not going to be in the mood for another long fight. And so it proved - after an opening that could have potentially become quite sharp, things fizzled out and the players agreed to a draw after nineteen moves in an equal position. 1.e4 Despite the fact that Vladimir has been playing 1.e4 a fair bit lately, this was still a mild surprise for some. After vistory in the first game it was thought that he may start to play it safe. 1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 So, no Berlin Wall from Leko (unfortunately in my opinion although I accept most won't agree!). However it is fascinating to see how Kramnik reacts when faced with his own weapon. 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 Re8 10.Nc3 Bb4
Already we have an unusual position on the board, which has only been seen once before, with Leko on the White side of things last year in his Monaco Blindfold game against Ivanchuk.
11.Ng5 [The above mentioned game continued 11.Bd2 Na5 (11.Bd2 Na5 12.Nd5 Nxb3 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.axb3 Bf8 15.c4 b4 16.Nh2 Qe6 17.Qf3 a5 18.Ng4 Ra6 19.Ne3 Bc5 20.Nf5 Bf8 21.Ne3 Bc5 22.Nd5 Qd6 23.Be3 Bxe3 24.Qxe3 c5 25.f4 exf4 26.Qxf4 Qxf4 27.Nxf4 Kf8 28.Kf2 Rea8 29.Ke3 a4 30.bxa4 Rxa4 31.Rxa4 Rxa4 32.d4 d6 33.dxc5 dxc5 34.Nd3 Ra5 35.Rf1 Bc8 36.Nf4 g5 37.Nd5 Ra2 38.Rf2 Be6 39.Kd3 Ra1 40.Ne3 h5 41.Rf1 Ra2 42.Kc2 h4 43.Rd1 Ra8 44.Rd6 Ke7 45.Rc6 Ra5 46.Nd5+ Kd7 47.Rb6 Ra1 48.Ne3 Kc7 49.Rb5 Kd6 50.Kd3 Rb1 51.Kc2 Rg1 52.Kd3 Rb1 53.Kc2 Ra1 54.Kd3 Rb1 1/2-1/2 Leko,P-Ivanchuk,V/Monte Carlo MNC 2003) and was a fairly long, albeit uneventful draw. Kramnik's next move seems to be new, although I was considering it just before he actually played it.; If instead 11.Bg5 Nd4 should secure black comfortable equality.]
11...Rf8 12.a3 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Na5 14.Ba2 c5 15.f4 exf4
16.e5 [16.Bxf4 is the obvious move then Kramnik mentioned the possibility of 16...c4 blunting the important light squared bishop which he assessed as fine for Black.( 16...h6 is what Leko said that he would have played and gave the line 17.Nf3 (But I wonder if it would be possible to continue in "hackers mode" with 17.Nxf7 Rxf7 18.Bxf7+ Kxf7 19.e5 when one line is 19...Nd5 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Bxh6 with a rook and two pawns for two pieces since 21...gxh6 is impossible - 22.Qg6+ Kh8 23.Qxh6+ Kg8 24.Re4 wins.) 17...d5 with an equal position.) ] 16...Nd5 17.Bxd5 Qxg5 [ Kramnik mentioned 17...Bxd5 18.Qh5 h6 19.Bxf4 hxg5 20.Bxg5 intending Bf6 with a messy position.] 18.Bxb7
[18.Bxb7 Nxb7 19.Qf3 Qg3 20.Qxg3 fxg3 21.Bf4 is simply equal. Tomorrow is a rest day and the third game will be played on Tuesday.] 1/2-1/2