How Peter Leko’s bond helped Keymer’s rise to the chess elite

“It’s true that Vincent is like family. It’s not just a professional trainer-student or Second-player relationship; he’s more like a family member to me. And well, it’s a long history,” says a chuffed Peter, unable to hide his pride after his protégé, now a grown man, defeated a world-class field to win the Chennai Grand Masters tournament in India.

Vincent had just crushed young American GM Ray Robson in the final round, finishing with an impressive 7.0/9, a full two points ahead of second-placed Anish Giri. His dominance was such that he had clinched the title with a round to spare. Along the way, he broke into the world’s top 10 and crossed the elusive 2750 Elo rating mark for the very first time.

Vincent Keymer and Peter Leko has been working together since 2017. (Maria Emelianova)

“It was 30 or 40 years ago when I was young player coming up, I had a very difficult time in Hungary finding sponsorships and I struggled financially because the country was poor. But thanks to Germany I got my sponsorships and through that support, I became the player I am so I always had that feeling to pay back what I’d received,” says Peter Leko to The Indian Express.

Beginning of long cooperation

Peter met Vincent in 2017, when he felt his own career had peaked and there was little left to achieve that he hadn’t already. That’s when he was asked to accompany Vincent as a coach for the World Under-20 Championship that November.

At Freestyle Chess we have a lot of players here with their supporters. Some with their better halves and some with their trainers. One relationship that has grown over 7.5 years, is the beautiful trainer and student relationship between Peter Leko and Vincent Keymer. Check it… pic.twitter.com/bccbRZuxFL

— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) April 12, 2025

Talking about the trip, Peter says, “It was a tough journey… I was travelling from Hungary, Vincent was coming from Germany. After 8-9 hours, we finally reached Tarvisio late at night. Once we settled in, I asked if he wanted to come over. I thought it’d be good to understand his thinking. I asked him to show me one of his games and there was this enthusiasm in him – even after nine hours travelling he was still very interested, explained every move, his thoughts, his feelings and in that moment, I knew he was extremely impressive talent. He had an innate understanding of harmony in chess.”

Peter was so impressed that he called his wife that same night and said, “This will be a very long cooperation.” “I actually went to Tarvisio because I wanted to check out if Vincent is really so talented as they say, or is he just another German talent?” he recalls.

Six months later, Vincent proved himself by winning the Grenke Open with a stunning 8.0/9, defeating stars like Richard Rapport in a major breakthrough.

Peter Leko was asked to accompany Vincent as a coach for the World Under-20 Championship in November 2017. (ChessBase)

The high of 2018 was not followed by smooth sailing. While the world recognised Vincent’s special talent, and he himself was growing stronger, he was still searching for his next big breakthrough.

That moment came in 2022, when he won a silver medal at the World Rapid Championship, finishing only behind Norwegian maestro Magnus Carlsen. Vincent is among a rare few who have troubled Carlsen seriously and consistently.

In 2023, he first stunned Carlsen in the first leg of their fourth round match of World Cup 2023 (although Carlsen won the round eventually). Then came his crowning achievement in 2025 at the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Tour, where he defeated Carlsen again in the semifinals en route to victory on home soil. It was here that Vincent shed the “talented” label and truly validated his potential.

Vincent Keymer wins the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam! 🏆🇩🇪

Germany’s number one took down Caruana 1.5-0.5 in the final after beating Firouzja and Carlsen on the way. His biggest win yet!
Full report:

👉 https://t.co/mzdArytMd9#FreestyleChess #Weissenhaus pic.twitter.com/O8b0JeM0Fn

— Freestyle Chess (@chess_freestyle) February 14, 2025

Peter believes the Freestyle Chess success was a turning point: “We’ve talked a lot about how, after this (Weissenhaus), there’s no reason to fear anyone or any situation. If you can play and win on equal terms against the very best like Caruana, Carlsen and Firouzja in Freestyle Chess without any opening preparation and that’s a huge psychological breakthrough,” he says.

According to Peter, the rise of young prodigies like D. Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa and Nodirbek Abdusattorov has also played a role in shaping Vincent’s psyche.

“Gukesh is a World Champion at 18, Praggnanandhaa is among the elite, Abdusattorov has been in the world’s top 10 for quite some time,” Peter notes. “Vincent thinks… ‘Wait a second, I’m not worse than these guys. If they can succeed, why can’t I?’”

Strategist’s mind

Peter breaks down Vincent’s playing style, describing him as a natural strategist. Unlike India’s Arjun Erigaisi, who thrives in chaotic positions, Vincent seeks harmony on the board.

Peter breaks down Vincent’s playing style, describing him as a natural strategist. (Freestyle Chess/Lennart Ootes)

“He’s clearly a great strategist. He prefers complex battles, is very ambitious, and always looks for a fight… but not in a chaotic way,” Peter analyses. “He seeks harmony in positions and once he achieves it, he’s unstoppable. His style depends on imposing his will on the opponent.”

“I understand that when a player suddenly makes a breakthrough, people ask, “What’s the secret? But usually, there is no secret sauce. That’s the trick. It’s continuous growth. You don’t suddenly become a completely different player overnight. You already have an extremely high level inside you, and then, based on small extra factors, it comes to life.”