Leko and Kramnik draw game 11 of world championship match

[Jack Rabbit]

Reigning world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia and Hungarian challenger Peter Leko drew the eleventh game of their match for the world title in the Swiss resort of Brissago minutes ago.

The draw resulted from a three-time repetition of the same position with the same player to move. The game lasted only 18 moves.

The draw must be seen to the advantage of Leko, although he had the advantage of playing White today. Leko leads the scheduled 14-game match 6-5.

The winner of the match will be the first player to obtain 7½ points, with each victory counting as a full point and each draw as half a point. Kramnik will retain the title in the event the match ends in a 7-7 tie.

In order to keep his title, Kramnik must win at least one more game than Leko in the last three games. Both players are considered cautious and technically astute; normally, neither plays for a win unless the position clearly justifies taking risks necessary for a win. Such players are very difficult to defeat in a given game.

The twelfth game is scheduled for Thursday at 3 pm Swiss time (6 am PDT). Kramnik will play White.

Official match site
Quality kibitzing at ChessGames.com

[JuniorPlankton]

1. I think it's a risky strategy by Leko

to try to finish on draws.
But then, it's Leko, not me, playing Kramnik.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Leko is the same kind of player as Kramnik

Both are along the lines of Capablanca: technical prowess and caution. Normally, neither will play for a win unless the position justifies it and both know how to avoid losing. Kramnik may be very uncomfortable being forced to play for a win.

Right now, Kramnik would probably rather be playing Kasparov than Leko. True, Kasparov is more likely to beat his opponent than is Leko, but Leko is less likely to lose. In Kramnik's position, a draw is almost as bad as a loss.