Hungarian GM Peter Leko called India’s passion for chess and fan support a source of “extra motivation” for players. Basil Sylvester Pinto
PANAJI
The chess world needs no introduction to Peter Leko, the Hungarian Grandmaster, and also a reputed commentator and coach.
In Goa for the FIDE World Cup 2025, the veteran GM has shown he remains a formidable force, defeating GM Kirill Alekseenko (Austria) in both classical games of the third round.
Speaking to The Goan, the 46-year-old revealed that his appearance at the event was unexpected. “I was not supposed to play this World Cup at all. I thought my job was to help (German GM) Vincent Keymer during this tournament,” he disclosed.
That picture changed in mid-September, when the Hungarian Chess Federation learnt that Richard Rapport had qualified by rating, giving them a nomination spot.
“My federation asked me if I could be ready and willing to accept the nomination. At that time, I was helping Vincent Keymer at the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 and he was fighting for qualification to the Candidates. I had no energy to think about it. It was a feeling like yes, I want to do it. It is the World Cup. I will fight for my country.”
Leko said returning to represent Hungary was a matter of pride. “Our federation’s president has really done so much to bring me back to chess. That is why I played in the Chess Olympiad last year (in Budapest) for my country. It is an honour to fight for the country in the World Cup.”
India’s booming chess culture, he added, was another factor. “In India there is a crazy chess boom. I love all the boys – Gukesh, Pragg, Arjun. I have been doing commentary on their rise and wanted to come here. I played with Vishy (Anand) for 20 years, and for me he is absolutely the greatest of all time.”
“Seeing what chess has become in India, it is a great honour to play here. All these cheering fans, the country goes crazy for chess. This gives you, as a chess player, extra motivation to do well,” Leko said.
When asked about his expectations in Goa, Leko plainly responded, “I am just very happy to be here and play my best. If I feel like I play my game, my chances are there against anyone.
"When you play a World Cup, you can get knocked out in the very first round. Things are not always under your control. I am very happy to be in the fourth round and play against (Indian GM) Arjun Erigaisi. He is one of the absolute best in the world right now and playing against his calibre is a privilege.”
Leko likes to consider himself more a chess fan than a player for a good reason. “I hardly play now. I am a chess lover who normally enjoys doing commentary much more, where I have no pressure. When I play, there is always a tremendous amount of pressure. When you are doing commentary, you can just let the passion and joy of chess take over and help the audience enjoy the game as much as possible,” the Hungarian GM said.
He believes commentary allows him to bridge the gap between players and spectators. “There is so much drama and hidden ideas that the computer does not even show. Humanly, we always have this uncertainty about what is going on. I feel as a commentator, my job is to be a bridge between the audience and players, to tell them what I feel and how I think the players are feeling at that moment,” Leko elaborated.
Leko even found himself thinking like a commentator during a game against Alekseenko. “In my second classical game, I was like someone thinking for 40 minutes for no reason. The commentator would say: what is he doing, he is not supposed to spend so much time or he will get into time trouble. I felt during the game that as a commentator, I would be shouting ‘Peter, do not do this’, but over the board I did this and I was an hour behind on the clock.
"But I was happy with my position, and being low on time made me not think of the result but just play the game,” Leko revealed.
Looking at his country’s future, Leko hopes Hungary can follow India’s lead. “I wish we could go in the direction of India, where people are so interested in the game and there is so much excitement. We have a new president who is trying to revive the Hungarian Chess Federation. The first step was to bring back Richard Rapport to the national team, and to convince me to return. I want to contribute with good performances, fight for the national team and hopefully something good will start,” an optimistic Leko stated.
