Chess Mag - 21 6 10 29/07/2012 18:33 Page 30 a V O K I Ž U R K

Czech Trophy - Afek_Chess mag - 21_6_10 29/07/2012 18:33 Page 30 a v o k i ž u r K

a k ž e n A

: o t o h P

Czech Trophy Simultaneous 2012 D.Navara - T.Balacek

Peter Svidler (left) and David Navara conduct a post-mortem in Prague

HE TENTH edition of the Czech Anand behind the winner Topalov, while chess trophy took place once again he has even been the world champion in the heart of Prague, this time in at fischerrandom Chess (Chess960) 29 h5! Setting a devious trap which Malostranska Square, just a few steps beating Peter Leko in an eight-game Black obligingly falls into... 29...¦eb8 Taway of the famous Charles Bridge. This match in Mainz, Germany, in 2003. 30 hxg6 fxg6 31 ¥xd4! ¦xb1?? After lovely festival was superbly organized by 31...cxd4 32 ¦xb4 ¦xb4 33 f7+! ¢h8 a hospitable team led by the tireless The Czech Trophy match consisted of (33...£xf7 34 e5!) 34 £g3!, White still Pavel Matocha, a journalist and publisher four classical games and was thus has an edge but now Black ’s greed costs who has become one of the driving forces shorter than previous editions. him dearly. 32 fxg6!! £xg4 33 f7 mate behind the prosperous local chess scene. Grandmasters Robert Cvek and Ján Markoš were in charge of the lively David eventually won 3-1, mishandling As usual the main event was the commentary sessions. just one ending: traditional match involving the Czech No.1 and current national champion, The first game saw a Maroczy bind main Czech Trophy Simultaneous 2012 27-year-old David Navara (2706 and a line by transposition that is not often D.Navara - V.Straka world class player). The impressive list seen any more in this level. Svidler as of Navara’s previous opponents since Black did not have to struggle too much 2003 have included such names as to equalise and a draw was agreed as Korchnoi, Shirov, Karpov, Gelfand, late as move 35. In the second game Short, Kramnik, Ivanchuk, Judit Polgar Svidler emerged superior after a Spanish and Movsesian. This year it was six- opening and skilfully converted his extra times Russian champion and the pawn in an accurate rook ending. current holder of the World Cup Peter Svidler (2741), who arrived in Prague After the two first rounds a rest day was accompanied by his wife Olga and his scheduled, though for both players it was ten-year-old twin sons Nikita and to be another busy day of simultaneous Daniel. The 36-year-old St. exhibitions. Svidler confronted 22 local Petersburger can boast a remarkable players and although he had a narrow record: he has won the Russian escape in at least one difficult position, at championship in 1994, 1995, 1997, the end of the day he took no prisoners. 2003, 2005 and 2011, and he has five Navara played a clock simul against four The queen ending is obviously drawn but times Olympiad gold medals. At the younger talents of whom two were White thought that fixing the king ’s side FIDE world championship at San Luís female. Here are two moments of special pawns would allow a queen exchange. 1 h4? £xf3! 2 gxf3 g5! in 2005 he shared second place with interest from this session: Was he right?

30 August 2012 Czech Trophy - Afek_Chess mag - 21_6_10 29/07/2012 18:33 Page 31

domination is in no doubt. 23...£c4+ At a v o

k the press conference after the game, i ž u r

K Svidler admitted that, had he noticed

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ž White s next move, he would probably e ’ n A

: have played 23...¤b4! here. 24 ¦c3!? o t o

h dxc3 25 £g6+ ¢f8 26 £xf6+ ¢e8 P 27 £g6+ ¢d7 28 £xe4 cxb2+ 29 ¢b1 ¦e8?! Instead of this natural move the computer line 29...¤d4! 30 £xb7+ ¢d8 31 £e4 ¦b8 would leave White with nothing to hope for. 30 ¦d1+ ¤d4 31 £xb7+ ¢d8 32 £b8+ ¢d7 33 £b7+ ¢d8 34 £b8+ ¤c8 35 £xb2 ¦e6

Tough being a chess pro, isn ’t it? David Navara trying (but failing) to wipe a silly grin off his face.

Evidently White was very wrong, 11...¤8d7 12 £h3 h6 13 ¤f3 h5 14 e5 c5 overlooking this typical breakthrough 15 e6!? cxd4 16 exf7+ ¦xf7 17 ¤g5 ¦f5 possibility. 3 hxg5 a6 Black now creates 18 g4 ¦xg5! 19 ¥xg5 ¤e5 with roughly a second remote passed pawn and the equal chances, though White went on to 36 ¦c1 After 36 £c1 ¦b6+ 37 ¢a1 ¤d6 white king is unable to stop them both, win in only ten more moves. In Wijk aan 38 £xc4 ¤xc4 39 ¤f5 ¤a3 40 ¤e3 ¢c8 while his counterpart easily handles the Zee earlier this year Navara himself as 41 ¦c1 ¤e2 42 ¤c4 ¦b4 43 ¤xa3 ¤xc1 central trio. 4 f4 b5 5 axb5 axb5 6 f5 b4 Black scored his only victory against the 44 g3, White is miraculously still alive. 7 g6+ ¢g7 0 -1 tournament winner Aronian with; 11...¤a6 However, 36...£a4 37 ¤xg5 ¦b6+ 38 ¢a1 36...£a4 12 ¥e3 £d6 13 0-0 £b4 14 £xb4 ¤xb4 ¤d6! is rather convincing. Following the rest day the third game 15 ¦fc1 e5 16 dxe5 where Black seems to 37 ¢a1 ¦b6 38 £d2 ¤d6! 39 ¦c3 ¤c4 was played. It was undoubtedly the most have solved his opening problems. 40 £d3 £b4 41 ¦b3 £e1+ 0 -1 eventful in the entire match and 12 £h3!? The quiet alternative 12 dxe5 apparently the decisive one: h6 (12...¥xe5 13 £h3 h5 14 ¤e6! fxe6 The last game was just a matter of 15 £xe6+ ¦f7 16 £xe5 is very good for Czech Trophy, Game Three 2012 formality as Svidler led by 2½-½, but the White) 13 ¤f3 ¤8d7 14 0-0 ¦e8 two rivals gave it a decent try before D.Navara - P.Svidler equalises. 12...h6 13 ¤f3 exd4 14 ¥xh6 Anti-Grünfeld eventually concluding this final encounter 1 ¤f3 ¤f6 2 c4 g6 3 ¤c3 d5 4 cxd5 ¦e8! Black comfortably repels White ’s peacefully. The entire match ended in a ¤xd5 5 £b3 ¤b6 6 d4 ¥g7 7 e4 ¥g4 early attacking attempt and has already well deserved 3-1 victory for the Russian. 8 ¥b5+ The old Anti Grünfeld line here is obtained equality. 15 0-0-0? White for his - The match was supplemented by a number 8 d5 ¥xf3 9 gxf3 c6 10 ¥e3. 8...c6 9 ¤g5 part insists on proceeding with actions on of cultural events. Prior to each round the 0 0 10 ¥e2 ¥xe2 10...¥c8!? was tried in the kingside and abandons the centre, - audience could enjoy a lecture from one of Illescas Negi, Spanish Team thereby jeopardising his own king ’s safety. - the festival guests. FM Bretislav Modr gave Championship 2010, but White looked It would have been more appropriate to a presentation on chess stamps at the considerably better following 11 h4 c5 castle short and settle for less ambitious Prague 1931 and Buenos Aires 1939 12 dxc5 ¤6d7 13 ¥e3 £a5 14 £c4 b5 measures against Black s considerable ’ Olympiads, while Einar S. Einarsson told 15 £b3 ¤a6 16 0 0 h6 17 ¤f3 b4 18 £a4, advantage in the centre. 15...c5! 16 ¤g5 - the fascinating story of Bobby Fischer’s though eventually Black won. 11 ¤xe2 £d7!? Another effective way to meet release from detention and receipt of an White ’s somewhat naive efforts was the immediate 16...¤c6 17 ¢b1 ¥f6, with Icelandic passport. The US ambassador advantage to Black. 17 £h4 f6 The warned the Icelandic prime minister that it was not a clever decision to grant above -mentioned 17...¥f6! looks even more irritating, e.g. 18 ¦d3 £b5! and citizenship to a criminal guy. The premier’s Black is winning. 18 ¥xg7 £xg7 reply was that in Iceland it was not a 19 ¤h3?! 19 ¤f3 ¤c6 20 ¢b1 £f7 criminal act to play chess…” 21 ¦he1 ¤c4 already favours Black but Pavel Matocha’s next exciting project will the chosen move puts the knight out of take place in October: a chess train trip play for the long term. 19...¤c6 20 ¦d3 to five central European cities with a g5! 21 £h5 ¦xe4 22 f4 £f7 22...¤b4! remarkable chess legacy (Prague, seems even stronger: 23 ¦dd1 gxf4 Dresden, Wroclaw, Piestany, Vienna and 24 ¤exf4 ¦e5 25 £h4 ¤xa2+ 26 ¢b1 back to Prague) while playing a rapid 23 ¤g3 ¤b4 and wins easily. Exchanging tournament along the way. Last year’s queens was the lesser evil in view of the participants have only good words for this white king s gloomy future though, after 11...e5!? A novelty. The game Gordon - ’ unique (and affordable!) experience. Will Bok in the Bundesliga last year saw 23 £xf7+ ¢xf7 24 ¤g3 ¤b4 Black ’s you be there?