Never quit, Never give up, 
Never Ever Ever Surrender

2/2/26/2005 - 
   
   When you talk about championship teams, you always talking about great defenses. In football it was the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 70's. No team's defense was more feared than the Steel Curtain. Football and chess have much in common. Well there is no question Peter Leko's team has a great defense. His team has made numerous great stops this past year. It all started at Dortmund against Anand. Leko held a dangerous position consisting of  two rooks, open king, and pawn vs. Anand's queen, protected king, and 3 pawns. Leko had to circle the wagons to stop the Indian Tiger's attack.  Leko made another incredible save in game 13 of his world championship match with Kramnik. The world champion had created a dangerous central passer. This passer was well escorted by the king and rook and adjacent pawn. Leko put up an incredible effort to stop it. The game end with only kings on the board.
     
    Well, Peter Leko's team made another great goal line stand against team Topalov at round 4 in Linares.  Topalov played a great game, he got a winning position with two connected outside passers.  The middle game developed into Topalov's queen, rook, bishop, and 4 pawns, two of which were outside passers, versus Leko's queen, rook, bishop, and three pawns. A tenacious Leko, with his king dangerously exposed, was able to pry open the a-file and create a dangerous mating attack with his queen and rook. This forced Topalov to exchange queens and split his outside, connected passed pawns. This was enough for Leko to push his only passer and stop Topalov at the goal line. Leko , coming off a successful world championship match and a spectacular first place finish at Corus, saved his tournament today.  Leko has developed a great offense to go along with his incredible defense. Leko is one cool customer, I liken him to fellow Hungarian and Football great Joe Willy Namath. Both Peter Leko and Joe Namath were cool customers under pressure. Both could work their magic under fire. 

  Peter Leko has done well at Linares. He won it in 2003 and finished 2nd in 2004 behind the 14th World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. A great defensive stand can reenergize a team. It can be a momentum changer and builder. I expect Peter Leko to come out swinging in the next round he plays at Linares. 
    

Topalov vs. Leko - Goal line stand.
Linares report round 4 from Chessbase
Hangin's discussion on who won the Kramnik vs. Leko World Championship.
Linares 2005 official site

 Football and Chess have much in common
The Drive - Leko's team has a great offense as well
Leko vs. Anand 2004 Dortmund - Leko circles the wagons and stops a pack of hungry Indian Tigers.
Game 13 of the 2004 World Championship - Another Great Defensive Stand
Joe Namath - Football Great and Hall of Famer