The Art of the 1st Round Blunder
World Chess’ 2nd Grand Prix (GP) of the year got underway yesterday in Riga. Apart from the conspicuous lack of any western sponsors what so ever, it was business as usual.
There were many interesting and hard fought games, but the only decisive game saw a very nervous David Navara miscalculate, lose a piece, and resign in just 19 moves against the French star Vachier LaGrave.
[Event "Riga Grand Prix"]
[Site "12.7.2019"]
[Date "2019.7.12"]
[Round "1.1"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Black "Navara, David"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "B11"]
[Source ""]
1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 Nf6 6.Be2 e6 7.O-O{[#]}
Bc5$5 ({<strong style="color:black;"> White’s opening is unassuming and puts no pressure on Black. Perhaps now the safest way to equalize is</strong> } 7...dxe4 8.Nxe4 Nxe4 9.Qxe4 Nd7 {<strong style="color:black;">and practice has shown that White’s Bishop pair can be easily neutralized </strong> } ) 8.Rd1$5 Bd4{<strong style="color:black;">Although this is popular, I think the idea behind it is not concrete enough </strong> } 9.Qf4$5{[#]} e5
({<strong style="color:black;">Perhaps Black had intended to play </strong> } 9...Bxc3 10.bxc3 Nxe4 {<strong style="color:black;">but after </strong> } 11.Rb1! b6 12.Ba3!{<strong style="color:black;"> White would have excellent compensation for the pawn</strong> } ) 10.Qg3 dxe4
({<strong style="color:black;">The only other game in this line saw </strong> } 10...O-O$5 11.d3 Qd6 12.exd5 cxd5 13.Nb5 Qb6 14.Nxd4 exd4{<strong style="color:black;">which looks very good for White, but he allowed Black to eventually equalize after </strong> } 15.c3$6
Re8 16.Bf3 Nbd7 17.cxd4 Qxd4 18.Bh6 g6 19.Rab1 Ne5 20.Be2 Nc6
21.Bf1 Re6 22.Qf4 Qb6 23.Re1 Nh5 24.Qf3 {Bacrot,E – Zelcic,R , Zagreb CRO 22/11/2018 Tournament of Peace}
) 11.d3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">As the reader must have already grasped, in this line White naturally plays in a gambit style, trying to take advantage of the fact that Black has development issues.</strong>} exd3 12.Bxd3 Nbd7 ( 12...O-O$5 13.Bg5 Nbd7 14.Ne4!$13 ) 13.Ne2
({<strong style="color:black;">Why not </strong> } 13.Qxg7! Rg8 14.Qh6 Qb6 15.Bg5 {<strong style="color:black;">with a big edge? </strong> }) O-O ( 13...Bb6$5 14.a4 a5 15.Qxg7
Rg8 16.Qh6 e4 {!} 17.Bc4 Qe7{<strong style="color:black;">with a wild position, is probably Black’s best continuation </strong> } ) 14.Bf5!$16 Nc5?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A blunder that quickly loses. Black no doubt miscalculated.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Black had to try </strong> } 14...Re8 {<strong style="color:black;"> and pray!</strong> })
15.Bh6!
Nh5 16.Qg4 Qd6 ({<strong style="color:black;">No better is </strong> } 16...g6 17.Bxf8 Qxf8 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Rxd4{<strong style="color:black;">with a winning game </strong> } )
17.Qxh5 Qxh6 18.Qxh6 gxh6 19.c3{[#]} 1-0
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The 34 year old David Navara now has his back against the wall, as the Riga GP is a knock out system. If he does not defeat Vachier LaGrave in the next game then he will have to pack his bags and head home.
The official photographer of the Riga GP appears to be talented Niki Riga. Most of the photos used here on this blog about the Riga GP will be based on her work.
