2015 CEZ Trophy won by Wesley So

by Albert Silver
6/17/2015 – Every year, the Prague Chess Society and CEZ have organized a match for their top Czech player, David Navara, often against opponents that outrank even him. Last year he lost to Nakamura in a lopsided match but the American is also world Top 3-4, no exactly lightweight. This year it was Wesley So, also challenging the establishment, and was a remarkable victory for the American.
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The match was met with interest and had a steady flow of spectators and media covering
it. Aside from guest lecturer Mark Dvoretksy, the live commentator GM Robert Cvek also gave
lectures to the audience. This one is on transitioning a middlegame into a favorable endgame.

Prior to the match, top Czech player David Navara had released his newest chess book (in
Czech). Here he is signing copies.

The stalwart GM David Navara had a tough time against...

... Wesley So, who showed why he is one of the brightest stars on the rise.

Wesley So - David Navara (game four)

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
Position not in LiveBook
1.Nf3 0 d5 0 2.d4 0 Nf6 0 3.c4 0 c6 0 4.Nc3 0 e6 0 5.e3 0 Nbd7 0 6.Qc2 0 Bd6 0 7.Bd3 0 0-0 9 8.0-0 0 dxc4 12 9.Bxc4 0 b5 27 10.Bd3 12 Bb7 14 11.a3 3 a5 8 12.Ng5 1037 h6 95 12...Bxh2+ Doesn't offer anything special since after 13.Kxh2 Ng4+ 14.Kg1 Qxg5 15.f3 15.Bxh7+ would be a serious mistake since Kh8 16.Bd3 Qh4 wins for Black. 15...Ngf6 16.e4 with a huge center and space advantage, and Black's queen will lose further tempi trying to find safe haven. 13.Nge4 12 Be7 8 14.Rd1 672 Qb6 116 15.Nxf6+ 472 Bxf6 475 16.Bd2 512 e5?! 584 The engines prefer 16...Be7 with the idea of Nf6 followed by Rfc8 or Rfd8 17.Bh7+ 156 Kh8 9 18.Bf5 7 Rad8 308 19.Ne4 110 Be7 24 20.b4 221 axb4 207 An error in judgement that will soon lead to a compromised position. Black needed to play ...a4. The reason is simply that now the dark-squared bishops will be exchanged and as will be seen, this is going to be disastrous for Black. 21.Bxb4 22 Bxb4 12 22.axb4 4 exd4 39 23.Rxd4 129 Nf6 65 24.Nd6 716 Possiby the move Navara overlooked or underestimated. Nd5 77 25.Qc5 27 Qxc5 191 26.bxc5 6 Now the issue is crystal clear. Black's white squared bishop has nowhere to go Ra8 13 27.Rxa8 24 Bxa8 186 If ever there was a textbook ilustration of the 'bad bishop' this is one. A bishop stuck on a8, with no hope of leaving, facing a monster knight on d6. The game is strategically lost. 28.e4 86 Nc3 64 29.Nxf7+ 574 Kg8 10 29...Rxf7 30.Rd8+ is mate. 30.Rd7 2 Na4 17 Again the knight is untouchable since 30...Rxf7 31.Rd8+ Rf8 32.Be6+ wins the rook. Kh7 33.Rxf8 31.Ra7 139 Nxc5 16 32.Nd6 34 Rb8 532 33.e5 24 Bb7 219 34.f4 69 Kf8 75 35.Kf2 23 Ra8 29 36.Rxa8+ 254 White feels that this continuation is the one that offers the least counter play or chances for Black, and it works perfectly. White could easily settle now for two pieces for the rook with 36.Nxb7 Rxa7 37.Nxc5 and there is nothing wrong with it. 36...Bxa8 13 37.Ke3 3 b4 453 38.Kd4 121 Na4 255 39.Kc4 88 c5 122 40.g3 0 Bf3 0 41.Kb5 747 Bd1 180 42.Nc8 390 The threat of e6-e7, protected by the knight, with a bishop check to free e8, is clear. b3 192 43.Kxa4 6 b2+ 115 44.Ka3 120 Bg4 10 45.Kxb2 5 Bxf5 10 46.Nd6 2 Be6 14 47.Ne4 5 The c-pawn will fall, and with two extra pawns in an elementary endgame, Black resigns. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2778Navara,D27511–02015D45Cez Trophy 20154

Pavel Matocha, chairman of the Prague Chess Society, gives Wesley So his victor’s trophy

Navara and So analyze their game for the benefit of the audience

GM Wesley So giving an interview for Czech television

Pavel Matocha bestowing gifts to So and his adopted mother

Wesley So with his adopted mother, chief arbiter Pavel Votruba, Vaclav Pech, GM Robert
Cvek, Robert  Pošvicová, and Paul and Anna Matocha.

Photos by Anežka Kružíková

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.
Born in the US, he grew up in Paris, France, where he completed his Baccalaureat, and after college moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had a peak rating of 2240 FIDE, and was a key designer of Chess Assistant 6. In 2010 he joined the ChessBase family as an editor and writer at ChessBase News. He is also a passionate photographer with work appearing in numerous publications, and the content creator of the YouTube channel, Chess & Tech.

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