The story behind the game
The fourteenth game of Kramnik and Leko’s 2004 world championship in Brissago becomes an instructive ending after the queens leave. White gains space on the queenside, keeps the rooks active, and eventually sends the king toward Black’s position. Study the coordination of king, rook and knight rather than looking for a single spectacular move.
Take these ideas to your next game
- After a queen exchange, reconsider king safety instead of carrying over middlegame habits.
- A pawn advance can restrict the opponent even when it does not win material immediately.
- Keep rooks active when trying to defend every pawn would tie down your pieces.
- Before a pawn break, calculate the checks and the squares it gives your king.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
Kramnik plays 18.Rac1, activating the queenside rook on the open file. The king no longer needs a queen-proof shelter, but the rooks still need useful work. The a1-rook reaches c1 without obstructing the other rook, which soon develops to g1. Black’s knight on f4 and the possibility of …h5 still deserve attention: an open file is one part of the position, not permission to ignore the opponent’s play.
The game continues 25.b6, gaining space and taking a7 and c7 away from Black’s pieces. The b6-pawn is not about immediate promotion. Its useful work is restricting squares near Black’s king and rook. Meanwhile, Black can exchange the bishop on d3: …Nxd3 is answered by Kxd3 in the game. Compare the value of the space gained with that exchange, and check the saved alternatives rather than assuming every advanced pawn is strong.
White chooses 32.Ke2, escaping the rook check while leaving the rook on g1 ready to attack g7. The game then continues …Ra3, Rxg7 and …Rxa4. White does not keep every queenside pawn: the active rook collects g7 while Black takes a4. This is an exchange of activity and targets, not a free pawn gain. The next task is to improve the king without allowing Black’s rook checks to dominate the position.
The move 37.f5 changes the pawn structure and starts the final phase of White’s attack. After …Rxd4+, White plays Kg5. In the recorded continuation, …exf5 is met by Kf6: the king enters through the squares opened by the pawn exchanges. The rook on g7 and knight on d6 help make that king activity dangerous. Follow the saved defensive alternatives too; the final result does not prove that every earlier defence was forced.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 18: Give the rook a useful file
The queens have been exchanged and White’s king is on d2. Which rook move starts using the open c-file? In the game: Rac1. Kramnik plays 18.Rac1, activating the queenside rook on the open file. The king no longer needs a queen-proof shelter, but the rooks still need useful work. The a1-rook reaches c1 without obstructing the other rook, which soon develops to g1. Black’s knight on f4 and the possibility of …h5 still deserve attention: an open file is one part of the position, not permission to ignore the opponent’s play.
Engine-supported alternatives
Rac1 Nxd3 Kxd3 Ke7 Rc7 b6 Rhc1 Rhc8 Ke3 Rxc7 Rxc7 Kd8 · +0.67 · depth 19
Rhc1 Nxd3 Kxd3 Ke7 Rc7 b6 Rac1 Rhc8 Ke3 Kd8 Rxc8+ Rxc8 · +0.61 · depth 19
Bf1 h5 · +0.50 · depth 19
Move 25: Gain a foothold on b6
White has advanced to b5. Should the pawn remain there, exchange, or move farther into Black’s position? In the game: b6. The game continues 25.b6, gaining space and taking a7 and c7 away from Black’s pieces. The b6-pawn is not about immediate promotion. Its useful work is restricting squares near Black’s king and rook. Meanwhile, Black can exchange the bishop on d3: …Nxd3 is answered by Kxd3 in the game. Compare the value of the space gained with that exchange, and check the saved alternatives rather than assuming every advanced pawn is strong.
Engine-supported alternatives
b6 Nxd3 · +2.23 · depth 21
bxa6 bxa6 Bf1 Ng6 Rb1 Rxh4 Ke3 Ne7 Bd3 Nc6 f4 Rb8 · +0.42 · depth 20
Bf1 axb5 Bxb5 f6 Nf3 Bxb5 axb5 Nh5 Rc3 Kd7 Rgc1 Rhc8 · +0.12 · depth 20
Move 32: Answer the check, keep the rook active
Black’s rook checks the king along the third rank. How can White step away while keeping the g-file rook active? In the game: Ke2. White chooses 32.Ke2, escaping the rook check while leaving the rook on g1 ready to attack g7. The game then continues …Ra3, Rxg7 and …Rxa4. White does not keep every queenside pawn: the active rook collects g7 while Black takes a4. This is an exchange of activity and targets, not a free pawn gain. The next task is to improve the king without allowing Black’s rook checks to dominate the position.
Engine-supported alternatives
Ke2 Ra3 Rxg7 Rxa4 f4 Ra2+ Kf3 Ra1 Kf2 Ra2+ Kg3 a5 · +3.11 · depth 21
Kd2 a5 Rxg7 Rb3 Nxb7+ Bxb7 Rxb7 Rb4 Ke3 Rxa4 Ra7 Rb4 · +2.66 · depth 21
Kc2 Bxa4+ · +1.13 · depth 21
Move 37: Make a route for the king
White’s king has reached g4. Which pawn break changes the centre and gives the king a route toward f6? In the game: f5. The move 37.f5 changes the pawn structure and starts the final phase of White’s attack. After …Rxd4+, White plays Kg5. In the recorded continuation, …exf5 is met by Kf6: the king enters through the squares opened by the pawn exchanges. The rook on g7 and knight on d6 help make that king activity dangerous. Follow the saved defensive alternatives too; the final result does not prove that every earlier defence was forced.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nf7+ Ke8 Nd6+ Kf8 Rc7 Rd1 Kg5 Rh1 f5 exf5 e6 Kg8 · +5.18 · depth 17
f5 Rd1 Rc7 Rg1+ Kf4 Rb1 Nf7+ Ke8 f6 a5 Nd6+ Kd8 · +5.18 · depth 17
Rg8+ Ke7 Rg7+ Kf8 Rc7 Rd1 Kg5 Rh1 f5 exf5 e6 a5 · +4.90 · depth 17
Every piece has a part to play.
The fourteenth game of Kramnik and Leko’s 2004 world championship in Brissago becomes an instructive ending after the queens leave. White gains space on the queenside, keeps the rooks active, and eventually sends the king toward Black’s position. Study the coordination of king, rook and knight rather than looking for a single spectacular move.
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 12–245. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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