Kramnik – Leko World Championship Match 2004

dates: 25 September–18 October 2004
location: Brissago, Switzerland
score: 7–7 (Kramnik–Leko)
winner: Vladimir Kramnik retained the title

Vladimir Kramnik at the 2005 Corus tournament. This photograph is not from a world championship match. Photo: steenslag.

Vladimir Kramnik defended the classical world championship against Peter Leko in Brissago in 2004. Leko had qualified by winning the Dortmund Candidates tournament in 2002. The match was limited to fourteen games, with Kramnik retaining the title if the score finished level.

Kramnik won the first game with Black, but Leko equalised in game 5 and took the lead with a Black victory in game 8. Five draws followed, leaving Kramnik needing to win the last game. He did so with White against the Caro-Kann Defence, drawing the match 7–7 and keeping his title.

The final game is a natural study target, but the earlier wins explain why it became necessary. Compare the opening-game conversion, Leko’s middle-match victories and Kramnik’s last chance. All fourteen games can be trained from either side, including the long stretch of draws before the final encounter.

Vladimir Kramnik's Profile

Match results

Kramnik – Leko World Championship Match 2004 final standings and game-by-game scores
Player	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7	Game 8	Game 9	Game 10	Game 11	Game 12	Game 13	Game 14	Points
Vladimir Kramnik	1	0½	0½	0½	0	0½	0½	0	0½	0½	0½	0½	0½	1	7
Peter Leko	0	0½	0½	0½	1	0½	0½	1	0½	0½	0½	0½	0½	0	7

Each game column shows the score earned by that player. 1 = win, ½ = draw, 0 = loss. Points are out of 14.

Completed 0 / 14

Game 1: Kramnik wins with Black

Game 1 began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4, reaching open game play (C42). Vladimir Kramnik won with Black after 65 moves. The running score was 1–0 (Kramnik–Leko). Kramnik began his title defence with a Black victory. The early lead lasted until Leko equalised in game 5.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Peter Leko – Vladimir Kramnik 0-1	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	65	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 2: Ruy Lopez: a 18-move draw

Game 2 began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6, reaching ruy lopez play (C84). The game was drawn after 18 moves. The running score was 1½–0½ (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Peter Leko 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	18	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 3: Open game: a 23-move draw

Game 3 began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4, reaching open game play (C42). The game was drawn after 23 moves. The running score was 2–1 (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Peter Leko – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	23	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 4: Ruy Lopez: a 43-move draw

Game 4 began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6, reaching ruy lopez play (C84). The game was drawn after 43 moves. The running score was 2½–1½ (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Peter Leko 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	43	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 5: Leko levels the match

Game 5 began 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7, reaching queen’s gambit declined play (D37). Peter Leko won with White after 69 moves. The running score was 2½–2½ (Kramnik–Leko). Leko cancelled the champion’s opening-game win. The match was level again before his breakthrough with Black in game 8.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Peter Leko – Vladimir Kramnik 1-0	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	69	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 6: Ruy Lopez: a 20-move draw

Game 6 began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6, reaching ruy lopez play (C84). The game was drawn after 20 moves. The running score was 3–3 (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Peter Leko 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	20	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 7: Slav structures: a 21-move draw

Game 7 began 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4, reaching slav structures play (D16). The game was drawn after 21 moves. The running score was 3½–3½ (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Peter Leko – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	21	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 8: Leko takes the lead with Black

Game 8 began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6, reaching ruy lopez play (C89). Peter Leko won with Black after 32 moves. The running score was 3½–4½ (Kramnik–Leko). Leko took the lead with Black and held it through five consecutive draws. This made the last game a must-win encounter for Kramnik.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Peter Leko 0-1	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	32	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 9: Queen’s Indian Defence: a 16-move draw

Game 9 began 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6, reaching queen’s indian defence play (E15). The game was drawn after 16 moves. The running score was 4–5 (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Peter Leko – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	16	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 10: Ruy Lopez: a 35-move draw

Game 10 began 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6, reaching ruy lopez play (C78). The game was drawn after 35 moves. The running score was 4½–5½ (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Peter Leko 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	35	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 11: Queen’s Indian Defence: a 17-move draw

Game 11 began 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6, reaching queen’s indian defence play (E15). The game was drawn after 17 moves. The running score was 5–6 (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Peter Leko – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	17	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 12: Caro-Kann Defence: a 34-move draw

Game 12 began 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5, reaching caro-kann defence play (B18). The game was drawn after 34 moves. The running score was 5½–6½ (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Peter Leko 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	34	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 13: Benoni structures: a 65-move draw

Game 13 began 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6, reaching benoni structures play (A61). The game was drawn after 65 moves. The running score was 6–7 (Kramnik–Leko).

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Peter Leko – Vladimir Kramnik 1/2-1/2	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	65	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Game 14: Kramnik wins the final game to retain the title

Game 14 began 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h6, reaching caro-kann defence play (B12). Vladimir Kramnik won with White after 41 moves. The running score was 7–7 (Kramnik–Leko). Kramnik won with White against the Caro-Kann to tie the match. The defending champion’s draw odds meant that 7–7 was enough to retain the title.

Game	Event	Year	Moves	Played	Current move	Score	Correct	Accuracy	Action
Vladimir Kramnik – Peter Leko 1-0	Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match	2004	41	No	—	—	—	—	Start

Sources and image credits

By IgniteChess Editorial Published 2026-10-12

Guess the Move tournaments