The first world chess champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, was crowned in 1886. In the intervening century, Steinitz has had 13 successors. In the most critical game of 2004, Peter Leko, ahead of world champion Vladimir Kramnik by a point going into the final game of their title match in Switzerland, had an opportunity to become the 15th world champion. For Leko, this game was the chance of a lifetime. But Kramnik saved the day and, by tying the score, rescued his title.

KRAMNIK VS. LEKO (white) (black) Caro-Kann

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h6 Leko discloses that he has prepared an improvement in an old line of this variation. Theory recommends 4…h5, but this lost its reputation for being prudent after the game Gulko-Karpov in 1994, in which white received a considerable advantage after 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Nc6 10.Nf3. 5.g4 Bd7 6.Nd2!? Kramnik decided not to check Leko’s preparations by playing the strongest theoretical move, 6.h5, and plays something new. 6… c5 Black had a choice of attractive alternatives: 6…h5 7.gxh5 Nh6!; or 6…Qc8!? 7.Be2 c5. Leko chooses a simpler path. 7.dxc5 e6 Complicated positions could arise after 7…Nc6 8.Nb3 ! Nxe5 9.Qxd5 Nc6 (or 9…Bxg4 10.Bb5+ Nc6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Qxc6+ Bd7 13.Qg2 Rc8) 10.g5! Leko again strives for simplicity. 8.Nb3 Bxc5?! Playing too carefully, Leko yields the initiative to Kramnik. After 8…Qc7! 9.Nf3 Ba4!? (Riskier is 9…a5 10.a4 Na6 11.Bxa6 Rxa6 12.Be3.) 10.Be3 Nd7 black could have had an excellent game. 9.Nxc5 Qa5+ 10.c3 Qxc5 11.Nf3 Ne7 12.Bd3 Nbc6 13.Be3 Qa5 14.Qd2 Ng6?! For the last time Leko misses an opportunity to fight back. In case of the pawn sacrifice 14…d4! 15.cxd4 (or 15.Bxd4 Nxd4 16.cxd4 Qd5 17.Rh3 Rc8) 15…Nb4 16.0-0 Bb5 17.Bxb5+ Qxb5 18.Rfc1 Qd5 19.Qe2 h5 he could have sufficient compensation and counter chances. 15.Bd4! Nxd4 16.cxd4 Qxd2+ 17.Kxd2 Nf4 18.Rac1 h5? At last Leko plays an active move, opening a second front on the kingside. But this is now in white’s favor. Black already was obliged to defense passively: 18…Nxd3 19.Kxd3 Bb5+ 20.Ke3 Kd7 21.h5 Rac8 22.Nh4 Rxc1 23! .Rxc1 Rc8 24.Rxc8 Kxc8 25.f4 Kd7 26.f5 (or 26.g5 Ke7) 2 6…Ke7 and it looks like white’s advantage is not sufficient for victory. 19.Rhg1! Bc6 After the game Leko regretted that he didn’t play 19…Nh3!? here, but after 20.Rg3 Nxf2 21.gxh5 Kf8 22.Rc7 black’s position is unhappy. 20.gxh5 Nxh5

(See diagram)

21.b4! White starts the decisive battle. 21… a6?! More persistent was 21…Kd8 22.b5 Bd7 23.Ke3 Rc8. 22.a4! Kd8 An unpleasant surprise: Leko found that 22…Bxa4 after 23.Rc7 Bc6 24.Ng5 0-0 25.Bh7+ Kh8 26.Bc2! Kg8 27.Ke3 Rac8 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.Bd1! g6 30.Bxh5 gxh5 31.Nxe6+ would lose. 23.Ng5 Be8 24.b5! Nf4 There is no defense after 24…axb5 25.Bxb5 Nf4 26.Bxe8 Kxe8 27.Ke3 Rxh4 (27…Ng6 28.Nxe6) 28.Nf3. 25.b6! Nxd3 The horrible position of the black king would determine the result after 25…Rc8 26.Rxc8+ Kxc8 27.Rc1+ Kb8 28.Rc7 f6 29.Nf7 Bxf7 30.Rxf7 fxe5 31.dxe5. 26.Kxd3 Rc8 27.Rxc8+ Kxc8 28.Rc1+ Bc6 29.Nxf7 Rxh4 30.Nd6+ Kd8 31.Rg1! Rh3+ 32.Ke2! A precise square. Kramnik probably calculated here a winning march of the white monarch into black’s camp. 32… Ra3 33.Rxg7 Rxa4 34.f4! Ra2+ Akin to resignation, but Leko saw that in case of 34…Rxd4 35.f5! exf5 36.e6 Re4+ 37.Nxe4 fxe4 38.Ke3 the white king goes to d6, creating a mating net. 35.Kf3 Ra3+ 36.Kg4 Rd3 37.f5! Rxd4+ 38.Kg5 exf5 39.Kf6! Rg4 40.Rc7 Rh4 41.Nf7+ Black resigned because of the impending mate in two. 1-0