Reports | April 26, 2010 22:57

Polgar beats Navara 6-2

Polgar beats Navara 6-2Judit Polgar defeated David Navara 6-2 in the 2010 Cez Chess Trophy rapid match. On Friday she won games four and five, and then lost the sixth. On Saturday she won once more, and drew the last game. Games 4-8 with brief annotations.

This year the Cez Chess Trophy, the traditional rapid match in Prague, was played between Judit Polgar from Hungary and Czech GM David Navara. The match took place April 22-24 and consisted of eight games (25 minutes for a game with an increment of 10 seconds per move). Venue was the Michna Palac in Prague. More information can be found in our first report.

After starting with 2.5-0.5, Polgar continued strongly, but not without luck. In the fourth game the position was about equal for a long time, and on move 52 Navara even won a pawn. However, as analysis shows, instead of taking it, Black could have created a mating net. To make matters worse, despite the 10 seconds increment on each move, the local hero exceeded the time limit on move 66, still a pawn up.

Resigns

The handshake after Navara lost on time in game 4

Navara reacted well and played creatively in a very intersting fifth game, with pawn sacrifices all over the place in the early middlegame. An ending with rook and queen for both sides arose which should have ended in a draw but allowing 27...Qxf3 and especially 34...g3 was playing with fire. And so with a score of 4.5-0.5 Polgar had already decided the match.

Game six was about level all the time, but suddenly the rook ending was becoming slightly more comfortable for Navara. Polgar's resignation looks a bit premature, and could be interpreted as an act of courtesy. In game seven Navara's bishop sacrifice was another example of his creativity. He ended up with a queen and a passed pawn against Rook, Bishop and Knight for Polgar. As the passed pawns soon turned out to be doomed, Polgar won this one as well.

Like the first, the last game of the match ended in a draw. In general it was clear that Polgar was the stronger player, but Navara showed what he's capable of too. We're still a fan of his chess.

Cez Chess Trophy 2010 | Match score

Cez Chess Trophy 2010 | Match score

Game viewer

Game viewer by ChessTempo

Judit Polgar

Judit Polgar, still going strong

David Navara

David Navara, showing imaginative chess once again

Photos © Prague Chess Society, more here

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Peter Doggers's picture
Author: Peter Doggers

Founder and editor-in-chief of ChessVibes.com, Peter is responsible for most of the chess news and tournament reports. Often visiting top events, he also provides photos and videos for the site. He's a 1.e4 player himself, likes Thai food and the Stones.

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Comments

john's picture

john

3 years 3 weeks ago

what to make of Navara? I think he is never going to be a force in chess now and should change careers while he is still young. He obviously is very talented, just not quite on the Big Bucks level. great win for Polgar.

VladimirOo's picture

VladimirOo

3 years 3 weeks ago

@john

I guess Navara is more passionate than interested in success and glory.

Jason's picture

Jason

3 years 3 weeks ago

Wow, a 6-2 rout against a 2700 player! I haven't seen Judit rack up a match score like this for years; it's a huge leap upward from her recent lackluster match result vs. Kaidanov. Could this be the herald of Judit's comeback?

unknown's picture

unknown

3 years 3 weeks ago

Judit is real Chess Queen...

Sean's picture

Sean

3 years 3 weeks ago

@john

I guess Navara is more passionate than interested in success and glory.

Henk's picture

Henk

3 years 3 weeks ago

They both wear very strange clothes...I hope these were sponsor-mandatory, if not I accuse both of having an extremely badly developed sense for fashion.

Victor's picture

Victor

3 years 3 weeks ago

Well, Eastern Europe chess players always wear clothes in such a fashion..just check this names: Topalov, Cheparinov, Peter Leko, Radjabov, Karjakin, Bologan, Aronian, Gashimov, Ponomariov..etc..not to mention the ladies..aggg!

noyb's picture

noyb

3 years 3 weeks ago

In my opinion this is a match of non-interest.

Zeblakob's picture

Zeblakob

3 years 3 weeks ago

@john;

I understand that you are juste joking.

A +2400 player is considered to be very strong and even a professional one, and can
built his career in chess.

Hortensius's picture

Hortensius

3 years 3 weeks ago

"what to make of Navara? I think he is never going to be a force in chess now and should change careers while he is still young."

So basically every player below 2719 should quit? Navara, being no. 23 in the live ranking IS a force in chess!

Daniel's picture

Daniel

3 years 3 weeks ago

@john

I guess Navara is more passionate than interested in success and glory.

Joseph's picture

Joseph

3 years 3 weeks ago

@john;

I understand that you are juste joking.

A +2400 player is considered to be very strong and even a professional one, and can
built his career in chess.

midi's picture

midi

3 years 3 weeks ago

Great job by Judit, I just quickly skimmed through the games but it seems like most of them reached an ending.

Jo's picture

Jo

3 years 2 weeks ago

@Henk - The fashion Queen

strange = strange to your eye. For many westerners Classical Indian or Chinese music can seem grating on the ear. It takes time and patience( and maybe some pain:) ) before one gains appreciation or at least familiarity.

As easily the analogy can be used Food and Clothing.

Just because you are unable to appreciate their taste - does not mean they do or don't have it - unless of course you are so worldly that you are the Global arbiter of Style.

Most times I have heard similar statements - it turns out the source hasn't even come out of the closet - let alone travelled .

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