Kramnik takes early lead

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Russian Vladimir Kramnik got off to a dream start in his first defense of the classical world championship title, defeating Peter Leko of Hungary with the black pieces in the very first game. The long, demoralizing loss was followed by three draws that gave Kramnik a 21/2-11/2 lead in the 14-game match now under way in Brissago, Switzerland.

When upsetting Garry Kasparov for the title in 2000, Kramnik's Ruy Lopez Berlin Defense proved an unassailable fortress the champion could never breach. Against Leko, the champ has opted for another pet defense, the Petroff's, earning 11/2 points in the defense's first two outings.

Defying some pre-match predictions, the two solid players were ready to mix it up right from the opening bell. In Game 3, Leko would vary with 16. c4 Qe4 17. Be3, but Kramnik's 17...Qc2! (Bf6 was the normal move here) surprised White, who thought long and hard before making peace with 18. d5 Na5 19. Nd4 Qxd1 20. Rexd1 Bd7 21. Bd2 Bf6 22. Bxa5 Bxd4 23. Rxd4 Rxe2, and the players agreed to a draw.

Game 1's 17. Be3 Na5!? 18. c4 Nxc4 19. Bxc4 Qxc4 leads to an unbalanced game where Black is virtually forced to surrender his queen for two rooks after 20. Nd2 Qd5 21. Nxe4 Qxe4 22. Bg5 Qxe1+ 23. Qxe1 Bxg5 24. Qa5 Bf6 25. Qxa7.

Both sides have chances in the resulting position. But Kramnik demonstrates that Black's well-coordinated rooks leave him in little danger of losing, while his last queen-side pawn becomes a tower of strength after 25...c5! 26. Qxb7 Bxd4 27. Ra2 c4 28. Re2 Red8 29. a4 c3.

Leko is soon forced to give up his rook for the passed pawn, but White still might have held the draw but for a little tactical trick: 42. Qh6 Rxa4 43. h5 R4a5 44. Qf4? (White had to take the g-pawn and hope to harry Black's king with checks) g5 45. Qf6 h6! (the move White may have missed; now 46. Qxh6?? R8a6 neatly traps the queen, while Miguel Greengard on the ChessBase.com Web site notes that 46. f4 Ra3+ 47. Kf2 Ra2+ 48. Kf3 R8a3+ 49. Ke4 Ra4+ 50. Ke3 R2a3+ 51. Ke2 Rb3 also favors Black) 46. f3 R5a6. With his king suddenly secure, Kramnik can focus on winning the White f-pawn.

The pieces literally fall into place on 59. Qb2+ Raf6 60. Qe5 Rxf3, and the endgame after 62...Raf2+ 63. Kg3 R2f3+ 64. Qxf3 Rxf3+ 65. Kxf3 Kf6 is hopeless for White. Leko resigned.

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Today's diagram is a mate-in-two problem from the recent 47th World Chess Solving Competition held in Halkidiki, Greece, won by veteran English GM John Nunn. The answer to the problem, composed by British problemist Alain White, will be given next week. World-class solvers are expected to find the solution in seven minutes or less.

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