Breaking news: Kramnik vs Leko in September
28.01.2004 The Swiss tobacco company Dannemann has just announced that the Classical Chess World Championship between Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Leko will be staged from September 25 to October 18, at a still to be disclosed location. Here are first details...

Invitation to a world championship
28.04.2004 The Swiss tobacco manufacturers Dannemann has announced that he classical chess world championship between Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Leko will be held from Sept. 25 to Oct. 18, 2004 in Brissago, on the shores of the Lago Maggiore, Switzerland. Here's the press invitation...

Classical Chess World Championship announced
13.05.2004 In a beautifully-staged press conference in Hamburg, the Swiss Tobacco manufacturer Dannemann today formally announced the staging of the "First Classical World Chess Championship after four years" between Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Leko. We bring a keynote statement by ACP president Joel Lautier in our pictorial report.

Chess and boxing champions
10.07.2004 77 days to go for the classical chess world championship between Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Leko (Sept. 25 to Oct 18 2004 in Brissago). The sponsors, the Swiss tobacco manufacturer Dannemann, have announced that the boxing champs Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko will be visiting the match. Press release.

It's a matter of seconds
17.09.2004 Actually around 700,000, before the Dannemann world chess championship between Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Leko starts on September 25th. But we are talking about the seconds who look after the players and whose identities have now been revealed. Kramnik and Leko have given short interviews to get us in the mood.

Dannemann World Championship: Road to Brissago
24.09.2004 It took us nine hours to get there, but it was worth it. We have now taken residence on the banks of the magically beautiful Swiss Lago Maggiore, where the match between Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Leko is about to begin. Here is an illustrated report, including video footage, of the venue and the openings ceremony.

Dannemann: Kramnik wins first game with black
25.09.2004 It can't get any worse than losing the first game with white, but that's what challenger Peter Leko will have to overcome if he is to take the title. In a tremendous game Vladimir Kramnik sacrificed his queen and then squeezed a win in a difficult ending. Directly from Brissago: the game, pictures and video reports!

Dannemann: Kramnik holds his lead
26.09.2004 "I decided to play a double-edged opening and see whether Vladimir was feeling frisky," said a spirited Peter Leko in the press conference after the game. Kramnik wasn't, and the very sharp game on the board ended in a 18-move draw. Here's an updated pictorial and video report...

Dannemann: Third game drawn in 23
28.09.2004 Game three of the classical chess world championship in Brissago ended in a draw. A novelty by Vladimir Kramnik with black on move 17 had challenger Peter Leko stumped. After a 40-minute thought the game continued with a flurry of exchanges and an inevitable draw. Here's updated report with video and analysis.

Dannemann: A bungy jump in Brissago
30.09.2004 Not by the players, by secret agent James Bond, who took the plunge in the spectacularly beautiful landscape around the world championship site. In the match itself game four ended in a hard-fought 43-move draw, after Peter Leko pressed for a win and almost lost to title defender Vladimir Kramnik. Now with a full video report.

Dannemann: Peter Leko catches up
02.10.2004 After getting nothing in two 1.e4 games, challenger Peter Leko switched to 1.d4 and a quiet line of the Queen's Gambit, something that the title defender Vladimir Kramnik likes to play. Going into the ending a pawn up Leko showed fine form to win the game and equalize in this championship. Video report now up.

Dannemann: Game six drawn in 20
03.10.2004 World championship challenger Peter Leko is definitely on the offensive. After winning game five to equalize the score today, with the black pieces, he surprised the incumbent Vladimir Kramnik with a pawn sacrifice on move 14. Kramnik demurred and, with a super-model watching, the game soon ended in a draw. Here's our report.

Dannemann: A quick draw at halftime
06.10.2004 Seven of the fourteen games of the classical chess world championship have been played, the last was a 21-move draw, coming after title holder Vladimir Kramnik surprised his challenger Peter Leko with an unusual move order in the Queen's Gambit Accepted. Leko did not feel at home in the new opening and went for the draw. Game, pictures and video report.

Game 8: Leko wins to take the lead
07.10.2004 In a stunning 32-move Marshall Gambit, Peter Leko demolished Vladimir Kramnik's preparation and took the lead in their world championship match 4.5-3.5. Leko accepted the challenge to play the Marshall and then found a flaw in Kramnik's prepared queen sacrifice. Updated with photos and video report.

Dannemann: Leko two points from victory
10.10.2004 As the challenger 25-year-old Peter Leko needs 7½ points out of 14 games wrest the world championship title from Vladimir Kramnik, who needs seven points to retain it. A quick and a hard-fought draw in rounds nine and ten brought the Hungarian to striking distance. Leko now needs two points from the last four games. Report on games nine and ten.

Dannemann: No-risk draw in game 11
12.10.2004 What can you say: Peter Leko played his home preparation until move 16, when Vladimir Kramnik uncorked a novelty. One move later the two agreed to a draw. So instead of deep analysis we talk to the manager of both players, Carsten Hensel, the man who pulled this championship off.

Dannemann: Just one point to victory
14.10.2004 Game 12 was a draw, but quite a hard-fought one in 34 moves. With the white pieces incumbent Vladimir Kramnik turned the pressure on, but Leko defended deftly and even gained the advantage in the end. After this draw he has to pick up one point in two games to win the title. We bring you a photographic impressions by Olena Boytsun.

Dannemann: Leko survives Kramnik onslaught
16.10.2004 Game 13, the penultimate in this match, saw classical chess world champion Vladimir Kramnik turn on the heat, with the black pieces. Challenger Peter Leko was clearly surprised and was soon hanging over the cliff. But using some incredible defensive moves he managed to hold on and is now just half a point from the title. Analysis now up!

Breaking news: Kramnik wins to retain WCh title
19.10.2004 In the final game of the Dannemann world chess championship Vladimir Kramnik ground down challenger Peter Leko to equalise 7:7 and, according to the rules, retain his title. A full report will follow later, for now we bring you analysis of the critical game.