© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
It was an awkward afternoon phone call in early October that put veteran Hungarian Grandmaster Peter Leko in a dilemma. The call was from FIDE, requesting him to consider staying back in Goa if — or rather when — he got knocked out of the FIDE World Cup 2025 to join the official commentary panel. Leko had to make a choice. He didn’t want to juggle being a player, a commentator, and a trainer at the same event.
Even so, the idea of staying back in Goa lingered in his mind.
“I gave them (FIDE) so many reasons why this is not wise. I didn’t know how long I would survive in the tournament. Vincent (Keymer) is playing; I have to take care of him. If I get knocked out, then Vincent gets priority. I would like to join the broadcast, but I just cannot guarantee anything,” Leko recalls.
“FIDE said that no matter what happens, we stand behind you and we count on you, and we will sort out the situation without any pressure. So that’s how I ended up joining the broadcast,” he says to The Indian Express.
ALSO READ | Peter Leko interview: ‘Vincent Keymer thinks if Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa can succeed, why can’t I?’
It also helped that both Leko and his protégé, Germany’s Vincent Keymer, were knocked out on the same day.
Leko is now better known for his voice than his games. Still, that in no way diminishes his great achievements as a player. Having come agonisingly close to becoming World Champion in 2004, Leko was ultimately denied by a rule that no longer exists.
He was leading the 14-game World Championship final against Vladimir Kramnik 7.0–6.0 after the 13th match and needed only a draw to claim the title. But he lost the 14th and final game, and Kramnik retained his title because the tied scoreline did not require a tiebreak, a rule that has since changed.
Years have passed since that heartbreak, yet Leko remains deeply involved in chess as a beloved commentator, a great tactician, and a highly competent trainer.
After being eliminated by India’s Arjun Erigaisi in the fourth round on November 13, Leko joined the official broadcast the very next day. The Hungarian was originally supposed to stay in Goa only until November 19, but couldn’t turn down a request from the organisers to extend his stay and remain until the end of the event.
“The organisers, the people… everyone is very nice. From the beginning, I felt at home playing here in India, and I told myself that I had to stay to treat the World Cup with enough respect. I just cannot leave as long as the tournament is not over,” says Leko.
For Leko, the overwhelming love and support that chess receives in India was motivation enough to come to Goa. “I knew about the crazy chess boom in India and all this enthusiasm, and I felt I would love to experience it myself,” he says. “Chess is something special, and it’s also about mutual respect. When there is a country that stands so strongly behind chess, that gives me a reason to want to be part of it. So that was a big motivation for me to come to Goa.”
Leko says he was rewarded instantly. As a history aficionado, he was taken to explore old forts, Portuguese churches, and to swim in the big waves ahead of the break day of the semifinals.
The 46-year-old also has a 30-year connection with India. He was only 16 when five-time former World Champion Viswanathan Anand invited him to join his team in Spain back in 1996.
Since then, Leko has formed strong bonds with numerous Indian players like Surya Shekhar Ganguly, whom he calls his “absolute best friend,” as well as Pentala Harikrishna, Sandipan Chanda, and Krishnan Sasikiran.
Playing Anand was always tough for Leko, not just because of his strength, but because of the friendship and mutual respect they share. “I have tremendous respect for Vishy. We share mutual sympathy and empathy. I always felt uncomfortable playing against him because of this. I also believe that he feels the same way. And then India gave me so many friends,” he remembers.
Unlike some elite players who complained about the playing conditions and food options in Goa, Leko finds it absolutely “amazing.” Being a vegetarian obviously helps. His main challenge in Goa, however, has been managing his overeating. He says, “I encountered a problem before the tournament because I overate. I was enjoying myself so much that I forgot to eat with discipline.”
And unlike some, Leko says eating pineapples was never an issue for him. “My day starts with pineapple and ends with watermelon,” he says before bursting into laughter.
