ČEZ Chess Trophy 2014

Gentleman's gesture

[12.06.2014 00:00:00] - The last game of the match between Hikaru Nakamura and David Navara was played, when the had been already decided. And yet if it wasn't the most combative, the most attractive, it was surely the longest fight of both of the protagonists of this yearŐs chess festival ČEZ CHESS TROPHY. Hikaru Nakamura digressed as the first one from the line from the second game and this time with white pieces he gained the initiative on his side after 20 moves. It seemed, that following earning of a quality will decide soon about the result of the game, but inventiveness of David Navara brought auditorium to boil again. The sacrifice of the Queen increased the material imbalance, but the thought of building up an impenetrable fortress with a Rook and a Bishop against the white Queen and Bishop had strongly realistic grounding. The game after almost 80 moves ended with the surrender of the black army after all, but it was careless 61.f5, which helped the white. "I wondered about the f5 move. The black should continue with holding the sixth row with a Rook and I wouldn't have a chance to get in the position," claimed the winner Hikaru Nakamura.

Nakamura,Hikaru - Navara,David [D45]
CEZ Chess trophy 2014 Prague (4.1), 10.06.2014
[GM Ján Markoš]

Even though the match was already decided, we havenŐt expected a quick draw. On one hand, David expressed in an interview before the match, that close defeat is acceptable for him, on the other hand, both players play also for rating. In cosmic heights around 2800 is useful every point.1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 First diversion from the second game, where ...b7-b5 came. In this way, the game gains a character similar to Queen gambit. The black lost tempo on ...c6-c5, but the white went with a Bishop twice and his Queen is not quite ideally in the free column. 10.Rd1 Qe7 David tries to play the position without the move ...a7-a6 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.a3 [12.e4 is also interesting with a sharper game. After 12.Ng4 13.Bg5 Ndf6 14.Bh4 is white covered everywhere.] 12...a6 13.b4 Sa7 14.Se2! Wise retreat, for having an immediate attack on ...b7-b5 using a3-a4. In commentary hall we were solving mostly [14.b5 with an unpleasant option of pressing the rival using a3-a4 and Bc1-a3. As we will see, this idea will appear in the game later.] 14...b5 15.a4 bxa4 16.Qxa4 Bb7 17.Ba3 Rfc8 18.Rac1 In this moment, we thought, that the black doesnŐt have a reason to complain. He is fully evolved, his pieces stand harmonically and Pa6 is relatively hard to take. Pawn b4 creates several bases on Queen wing though and that Nakamura is going to try use. 18.Nb6?! Sounds weird, but Knight was probably standing better on d7, than on d5. 19.Qb3 Qe8 20.Ne5 Nbd5 Diagram

21.Na4! This move is a key to white's advantage. It turns out, that it really isn't simple to prevent the intrusion of the Knight on c5. 21ÉBb8 22.Nc4 Bc7 23.Na5 Rcb8 [23.Bxa5 24.bxa5 Bc6 25.Nb6 Nxb6 26.Qxb6 gives a comfortable advantage of a pair of Bishops.] 24.Qc2 h6 25.Nxb7 Rxb7 26.Nc5 Rb6 27.e4! Without two Bishops, the black strategic position is so bad, that it is ripe for a tactical solution. 27.Nxb4 [27.Nf4 28.Bxa6 Rbxa6 29.Nxa6 Rxa6 30.Qxc7 Rxa3 31.Rd8] 28.Bxb4 Rxb4 29.Nxa6 Rxa6 30.Bxa6 Bb6 Diagram

If the black won't make it to e4, his position is without quality technically lost, despite the presence of the Bishops. Nakamura gives his rival a good chance at the moment. 31.Qe2? Completely useless, simpler solution would be covering on e4 and f2 and then a slow change of Queens and Rooks. 31.Nxe4! 32.Rc8 Qxc8 33.Bxc8 Nxf2 34.Rf1 Nh3+ 35.Kh1 Nf2+ 36.Rxf2 Nxf2 37.Qc2 [37.Qxf2 Rb1+ 38.Qg1 Rxg1+ 39.Kxg1 doesn't seem also as a convincing win of the white, when black needs only to change Pg2 thanks to a "bad corner" and he is out of danger. In any case, I would seriously consider this option.] 37.Bd4 38.g3 g6 39.Qc7 e5 Diagram

The win of the white is very difficult at the moment, if not impossible. The black Rook will move in square b2-f2-f6-b6 and white King won't make it to the QueenŐs wing. The only plan is to beat through the King's wing, which involves the change of all Pawns. 40.h4 h5 41.Bb7 Rb2 42.Bd5 Rf2 Now Nakamura very wisely moves upside-down and creates small threats, to tire David and make him lose his time. 43.Bg2 Kg7 44.Qe7 Re2 45.Kh2 Rf2 46.Kh3 Rf6 47.Be4 Re6 48.Qb7 Rb6 49.Qd7 Rf6 50.Bd5 Rf5 51.Qb7 Rf2 52.Bf3 Rb2 53.Qe7 Rb6 54.Qd8 Rb3 55.Qa8 Rb2 56.Qe4 Rb6 Diagram

Every thing is ready: David has his last 10 minutes and 5 hours of a game behind.Let's go for a straight attack! 57.g4 hxg4+ 58.Qxg4 Be3 59.h5 Bf4 Very wise swap of a Bishop. At the moment, he defends the space around its own King and also creates threats around the rival's one. Truth is, that black Rook lost covering on the sixth row. 60.Qg1 Rb2? In connection with a following move, the decisive error. We don't say for nothing: in bad positions, don't make them worse, but also don't try to make them better too much! David decides for a counterattack, which should bring him a quick draw. Unfortunately, not true due to an inconspicuous trick. 61.hxg6 f5 Everything seems good. 62.Qa7+ [62.Bg2 Rb3+ 63.Kh4 Bg3+ 64.Kh3 Bf2+ even black wins.] 62...Kxg6 63.Be2!! Studio move in the sixth hour of a play! Not possible to take the Bishop because of a check on a6. Now the white gets out of the cage and only weaknesses are left to the rival. 63.Rb3+ 64.Kg2 Rg3+ 65.Kf1 Be3 66.Qa6+ Kg5 67.Bb5 Bd4 68.Be8 Rf3+ 69.Ke2 Rh3 70.Qg6+ Kf4 71.Bd7 Rh2+ 72.Kd1 Rh1+ 73.Kc2 Rh2+ 74.Kb3 Rb2+ 75.Kc4 Rc2+ 76.Kd3 Rc3+ 77.Kd2 Rg3! Gentleman gesture. 78.Qxf5# 1-0

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