Chess

THE SUPER-GRANDMASTER tournament in the main Opera House in Dortmund ended on

Saturday in an impressive victory for Peter Leko.

Easily the youngest player in this massively strong tournament (average 2,704.5 - category 19), Leko, who won't be 20 till 8 September, was unbeaten and, following victories in rounds two and three against Topalov and Adams, led by himself from the third round onwards. Apparently quite unfazed by the pursuit initially of Karpov and later Kramnik, he scored three further draws and the victory against Timman below for a final tally of 5/7.

Next came Kramnik on 4.5/7 and Karpov, Anand and Michael Adams on 4. The first three of these were also undefeated but Adams compensated for the loss against Leko with victories against both the bottom two. Ivan Sokolov scored 2.5 and Topalov and Timman just 2 - Timman recovering from his dreadful 0.5/5 in the last two rounds with, at last, a win against Topalov who had already swindled him twice this year; and a draw with Karpov.

Leko's style is overwhelmingly sensible, but he is unusual in his predilection for defence. In this highly theoretical line, 10 ...0-0 is usual. Timman hit him with the novelty 12 ...Ne5 - 12 ...Bh4 13 Rf1 and eg Bh3!? had been played before, but is supposed not to work. The idea was that if 13 dxe5?? Qc5+ 14 Kh1 Nf2+ 15 Kg1 Nh3+ 16 Kh1 Qg1+ 17 Rxg1 Nf2 is smothered mate but Leko remained admirably calm and Timman's attack petered out.

White: Peter Leko

Black: Jan Timman

Petroff Defence