Prague Chess Festival: Three decisions in round 2

by André Schulz
6/16/2021 – In round 2 of the Masters at the Prague Chess Festival David Navara played against Radoslaw Wojtaszek and suffered his second loss in a row. Sam Shankland won against Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Nihat Abasov defeated Nils Grandelius. After two rounds Sam Shankland, Radoslav Wojtaszek and Nijat Abasov share the lead with 1.5/2 each. | Picture: The hotel Don Giovanni, the host of the event
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The Prague Chess Festival Masters has quickly gathered pace. After Jan-Krzysztof Duda's victory over David Navara in round one, three of the four games in round 2 ended with a decision.

The Czech number one, David Navara, lost again, this time against Radoslaw Wojtaszek. In a Catalan the game was equal for a long time but then White got the better endgame.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 Bc6 10.Bf4 Bd6 11.Qc1 Nbd7 12.Nc3 Qe7 13.a5 Rfe8 14.Re1 Bxf4 15.Qxf4 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 c6 17.Na4 e5 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Qc3 Nd5 20.Qc5 Nc7 21.Rad1 Rab8 22.f4 Nd7 23.Qxe7 Rxe7 24.e4 g6 25.Bh3 b5 26.axb6 Nxb6 27.Nc5
27...Nc4 28.Bf1 Nxb2 In the opening it is often dangerous to grab a pawn on b2 (or b7). Here, too, taking the pawn on b2 turns out to be dangerous as Black's knight gets into trouble. Perhaps it was better to play 28...Na5 to take with the rook on b2: 29.Rd2 Nb3 30.Nxb3 Rxb3 29.Rd2 Kg7 30.Ra1 Ne6 31.Nxe6+ fxe6 32.Ra2 The knight has no flight square. Reb7 33.Rxa6 e5 The black pawns on the c- and the e-file are very weak and it is only a matter of time until they are lost. 34.fxe5 Rb4? Black should not concede the seventh rank without fight. More chances for a draw were offered by 34...c5 e.g. 35.e6 c4 36.Rd7+ Kf8 35.Rd7+ Also good was 35.Rxc6 Rxe4 36.Rc7+ 35...Kh6 35...Kg8 36.Raa7+- 36.Raa7 Nc4 36...Rh8 37.e6 Rxe4 38.h4 Rxe6 39.g4 and Black is lost. 37.Rxh7+ Kg5 38.Raf7 Ne3 38...Ne3 39.Rf4 and Black will be mated. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Wojtaszek,R2687Navara,D26971–02021E05Prague Festival Masters 20212.3

Jan-Krzysztof Duda, who had won against David Navara in round 1, lost a sharp Najdorf Sicilian against US grandmaster Sam Shankland.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Be3 Be7 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.g4 b5 12.g5 b4 13.Ne2 Ne8 14.f4 a5 15.f5 a4 16.fxe6 axb3 17.cxb3 fxe6 18.Bh3 Nc7 19.Kb1 d5 20.exd5 exd5 21.Bg2 Ra5 22.a4 Kh8 23.Rhe1 Ra6 24.h4 Rd6 25.Bg1 h6 26.Qxb4 d4 27.Nc1 Nd5 28.Qb5 Nf4 29.Bc6 hxg5 30.hxg5 Nb8 31.Be4 Nd7 32.g6 Rb6 33.Qc4 Nxg6 White is clearly better: he has more space and Black's kingside is weakened. 34.Nd3 Nf4 35.Bc6 Another way is 35.Nxf4 Rxf4 36.Bh2 Rh4 37.Bg3 Rhh6 38.Bf5 Bf6 39.Qd5 Nf8 40.Qxd8 Bxd8 41.Bxe5+- 35...Bh4 36.Rxe5 Oder 36.Nxe5 Nxe5 37.Rxe5+- 36...Nxe5 37.Nxe5 Qf6 38.Bxd4 Rbb8 39.Nd7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Shankland,S2691Duda,J27291–02021B90Prague Festival Masters 20212.2

The third winner of the day was Nihat Abasov, who played against Nils Grandelius. The game looked like a Sicilian Dragon and was sharp and double-edged. However, when Black overestimated his chances White struck in the centre and won.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 g6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 Nf6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Qf2 Nbd7 9.h3 Nc5 10.Be3 b6 11.0-0-0 Nxd3+ 12.Rxd3 Bb7 13.Bd4 b5 14.Re1 Qa5 15.Kb1 b4 16.Nd5 Rae8 17.Bxf6 exf6 18.Nd2 f5 19.Nb3 Qd8 20.exf5 a5 21.f6 Bxf6 22.Nxf6+ Qxf6 23.Red1 a4
24.Rxd6 Re6 25.Rxe6 fxe6?! 25...Qxe6 26.Nc5 Qc6 27.Nxb7 Qxb7= White has difficulties to convert his extra pawn. 26.Nc5 Bd5? 26...a3 was still okay for Black. 27.Qd4 Qxd4 28.Rxd4 Bxg2 27.g3 Rc8 27...a3 28.Qd4 Qf5 29.Qxb4+- 28.Nxa4 Qf5 Threatening Rxc2, followed by Be4. 29.Rd2 Qxh3 30.b3 Qh1+ 31.Kb2 Qe4 32.Nc5 Qf5 33.Qd4 White is a pawn up and his pieces are more active - the game is practically over. Qg4 34.Nd7 Qxg3 35.Nf6+ Kf7 36.Nxd5 exd5 37.Qxd5+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Abasov,N2665Grandelius,N26701–02021B23Prague Festival Masters 20212.1

Standings Masters

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In the Open a large group of players started with 2.0/2.

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André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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