Kramnik consolidates lead

CHENNAI, JAN. 4. A tactical mistake on move 22 of game four cost young Peter Leko of Hungary dearly as he lost his second game to champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia in their RWE Gas Rapid Chess Match at Hotel Kempinski in Budapest on Wednesday.

Kramnik, the Braingames World Champion consolidated his lead in day two to lead the 12-match series 3-1 after four games. After being unable to get past Leko's defence in game three with white against the queen's Indian defence, Kramnik took a draw in 28 moves and went into game four.

Here, Leko, 21, who had white faced the Berlin variation of the Ruy Lopez for the second time in a row. A tactical oversight by white on move 22 led Leko to play a rook and pawn ending against two bishops of Kramnik. Using good technique, Kramnik, the 25- year old converted the advantage in 56 moves to stretch his lead to two points.

With one-third of the match over, Leko has eight games and time to recover from the deficit. Leko is playing before his home crowd and is heavily backed by fans.

The moves:

GM Peter Leko-GM V.Kramnik, Match Game 4, Game 25 minutes, Ruy Lopez, Berlin variation, C67: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Bd7 10.Rd1 Kc8 11.Ng5 Be8 12.Nge4 b6 13.b3 c5 14.Bb2 Nd4 15.Rd2 Kb7 16.Nd5 Rd8 17.c4 Bc6 18.Bxd4 cxd4 19.Rxd4 Ba3 20.Rd2 Rhe8 21.Re1 f6 22.exf6 Bb4 23.f7 Rxe4 24.Rxe4 Bxd2 25.Re7 Bxd5 26.Re8 Bxf7 27.Rxd8 Bc3 28.Rd3 Bf6 29.f4 Bg6 30.Rd1 h5 31.Kf2 Bc2 32.Rd2 Bb1 33.Kf3 a5 34.g3 Bc3 35.Re2 Bf5 36.Re7 Kc6 37.Ke2 Bf6 38.Re3 Kc5 39.Kd2 Kb4 40.Kc1 Ka3 41.Re2 a4 42.bxa4 Kxa4 43.Re8 Kb4 44.Rh8 g6 45.Rh7 c6 46.Rc7 Be4 47.h3 Kxc4 48.g4 hxg4 49.hxg4 c5 50.Kd2 b5 51.Rf7 Bc3+ 52.Ke3 Bb1 53.f5 gxf5 54.g5 b4 55.g6 f4+ 56.Rxf4+ Bd4+ 0-1.

Sasikiran keeps lead

GM Krishnan Sasikiran of ONGC, Chennai maintained his slender lead by making a complicated draw with the black pieces against Levon Aronian of Armenia. This result keeps him undefeated and on five points, half a point ahead of the rest of the 10-player field in the 76th Hastings Chess Congress tournament in England on Wednesday. Two rounds remain to be played.

The standings after seven rounds: 1. K.Sasikiran 5/7, 2-3. S.Conquest (Eng), M.Turner (Eng) 4.5 each, 4. L.Ftacnik (Svk) 4, 5-7. L.Aronian (Arm), J.Speelman (Eng), D.Gormally (Eng) 3.5 each, 8. K.Bischoff (Ger) 3, 9. S.Beshukov (Rus) 2, 10. J.Plaskett (Eng) 1.5.

- Our Chess Correspondent

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