Prague R4: Pragg beats Keymer, catches Aravindh

Two Indians on top

Vincent Keymer has two wins and two defeats to his name after four days of play in Prague. He came out of the opening with a very strong position. Perhaps surprisingly, he started with 1.e4 and emerged out of a French Defence with an advantage. But his middlegame plan was not convincing. Instead of going for 19.Rxh7 and 20.c3, further advancing the a-pawn or activating the queenside rook via a3 would probably have been more advisable.

Keymer, Vincent2731

0–1

Praggnanandhaa R2741

Prague Festival Masters 2025 01.03.2025[TA]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2 Ne7 6.a3 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 b6 8.h4 is more profitable than 8.Bb5+ at the moment. C17: French: 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 c5 sidelines. Nbc6!?       A promising side line. 9.h5 Qc7 10.Nf3 The position is equal. Nf5 11.Bb5 Bd7       12.Bxc6 Bxc6 13.g4

13...Ne7N Predecessor: 13...Nh6 14.Rg1 Bb5 15.Qd2 Ng8 16.0-0-0 h6 17.Nh4 Ne7 18.f4 Bd7 19.Rdf1 Nc6 1-0 Shomoev,A (2555)-Ponkratov,P (2577) Barnaul Kura Memorial rapid 2023 (5) 14.h6 Black is weak on the dark squares gxh6 15.Rxh6 Rg8 16.g5 cxd4 17.Bxd4 17.Qxd4 Nf5 18.Qf4 Nxh6 19.gxh6 d4 20.Bxd4 Bxf3 21.Qxf3 Rc8-+ 17...Bb5 18.a4 18.Rxh7 Rc8± 18...Ba6 19.Rxh7 Rc8! Black sacrificed a pawn 20.c3 Qc4 21.Rh1 Against Qf1+ Nc6 22.Rg1 Rh8 23.b3 Qd3 24.Qxd3 Bxd3 25.Kd2 Be4 26.Rg3 Ne7 Black has strong rooks and is better Black is more active. 26...Na5 is more complex. 27.Ra3 Rh1 28.Ng1 Ke7 27.g6 Bxg6 28.Rgg1 Rh3 29.Rg3 Rh5 30.Rg5 Rh3 31.Rg3 Rh7 31...Rxg3!? 32.fxg3 Nc6± 32.Rgg1 Nc6 33.Be3 Kd7 34.Rg3 Rh5 35.Rg4 35.Nd4 35...Rch8 35...Nxe5?! 36.Nxe5+ Rxe5 37.a5= 35...Be4 36.Rg3 Bxf3 36...Nxe5 37.Nxe5+ Rxe5 38.a5= 37.Rxf3 Nxe5 37...Rxe5? 38.Rxf7+ Ne7 39.Rg1+- 36.Rf4

White should try 36.Bf4 36...Na5! 36...Nxe5 37.Nxe5+ Rxe5 38.Bd4+- 37.Rb4

37...Rf5! 38.Nd4 Rxe5 39.c4? 39.Re1 39...Re4-+ Black has a decisive advantage. 40.Rb5 dxc4 and ...e5 should not be overlooked 41.Rd1 cxb3 42.Nxb3 Nxb3+ Don't play 42...Rxa4 43.Nxa5 Rxa5 43...bxa5 44.Kc3+ Kc8 45.Rc5+ Kb8 46.Rb5+ Kc7 47.Rc5+ Kb8 48.Rb5+ Kc7 49.Rc5+ Kb8= 44.Rxa5 bxa5 45.Kc3+ Kc7 46.Bxa7 43.Kc3+ Kc6 44.Kxb3

44...Rxa4‼       Weighted Error Value: White=0.18 (very precise) /Black=0.08 (flawless) Mistake: White=3 Black=1 Inaccurate: White=2 Black=1 OK: White=11 Black=19 Best: White=1 Black=2 Strong: --- Black=2 0–1

As a result, Pragg caught up with his compatriot Aravindh Chithambaram, who was the sole leader after three rounds. He was able to salvage a draw while a pawn down against Sam Shankland, who started the tournament with a victory in the first round.

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Chess fans can look forward to the top match between the two leading Indians in Sunday's fifth round, the last one before the rest day.

Vincent Keymer has played four decisive games so far in Prague | Photo: Petr Vrabec

Wei Yi, who was in last place after three rounds with only half a point, was able to redeem himself, as he beat local hero David Navara out of an Italian Opening. The Chinese player responded strongly to the unconvincing novelty 11...h5 with 12.h4 and his precise tactical play quickly led to a deadly king attack, in which the black pieces on the queenside must have felt somewhat lost...

Wei, Yi2755

1–0

Navara, David2677

Prague Festival Masters 2025 01.03.2025[TA]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Bg5       h6 7.Bh4 a5 C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3. 8.Nbd2 Ba7 9.a4 Qe7 White has an edge. 10.0-0 g5       11.Bg3 h5N

and ...h4 would now be decisive Predecessor: 11...Nd7 12.d4 h5 13.h4 g4 14.Ne1 exd4 15.Nd3 dxc3 16.bxc3 Nce5 17.Nf4 c6 ½-½ Yakubboev,N (2659)-Bok,B (2583) Tata Steel-B 87th 2025 (10) 12.h4! 12.Nxg5 h4 13.Bxf7+ 13.Nxf7 Rh5 13...Kd8 13...Kf8 14.Bxh4 Rxh4 15.Ndf3 14.Bxh4 Rxh4 12...g4 13.Ne1 0-0 14.Nc2 Kg7 15.Re1 Ng8 16.Nf1 Black should prevent Nfe3. f5 17.exf5 Nh6 18.Nfe3 Nxf5 19.Nxf5+ Bxf5 20.d4 Bxc2 Black should play 20...Kh8 21.Qxc2± Qf6 22.Re4 exd4?      

Black cannot hold the game after this. 22...Rae8± is more resistant. 23.Rae1+- dxc3 24.bxc3       Qf5 25.Bd3 Not 25.Be6 Qg6± 25...Qd5 26.Re6 Rf6 27.Rxf6 Kxf6 28.Qd2 Kg7 Inhibits Qh6+. 29.c4 Qc5 30.Re6 Rh8 31.Qf4 Weighted Error Value: White=0.07 (flawless) /Black=0.80 Loses game: --- Black=1 Mistake: --- Black=1 Inaccurate: White=1 Black=2 OK: White=7 Black=7 Best: White=2 --- Strong: White=1 --- 1–0

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Wei Yi defeated David Navara | Photo: Petr Vrabec

The remaining games, featuring the four players still without a win in Prague, ended in draws: Ediz Gürel drew against Anish Giri while Le Quang Liem drew with Thai Dan Van Nguyen.

Round 4 results

Standings

All games

Challengers: Maurizzi and Stalmach win with black

The two players sharing the lead in the Challengers, Danish GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre and Uzbek GM Nodirbek Yakubboev, faced each other on Saturday and agreed a draw after 37 moves. The only excitement came on moves 26 and 27. Yakubboev blundered, but Bjerre immediately gave up the advantage.

Bjerre, Jonas Buhl2640

½–½

Yakubboev, Nodirbek2659

Prague Festival Challengers 2025 01.03.2025[TA]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.0-0 Nf6 9.Qe2 Be7 10.b3 0-0 11.Bb2 Bb7 12.Na4 Qc7 13.e5 B46: Sicilian: Taimanov: 5 Nc3 a6. Nd7 14.c4 Nb6 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Be4 c5N Predecessor: 16...Rfd8 17.Rac1 a5 18.Qg4 Ba6 19.Rfd1 Nb4 20.Rd6 g6 21.h4 Rxd6 22.exd6 Qxd6 1-0 Kovacevic,A (2497)-Arsovic,Z (2366) SRB-ch 15th Stara Planina 2021 (8) 17.Rac1       Rfc8 18.Ba3 Qa5 19.Qf3      

White mounts an attack. White is more active. 19.f4 19...Rc7= 20.Rc4 Rac8 21.Rfc1 21.Bc1!? 21...Bc6 22.h4 22.Bxc5? Bxa4 23.Rxa4 Rxc5-+ 22...Bb5 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Rf4 Qd2 25.Nc3 25.Nb6 Be2 26.Qxd5 Qxf4 27.Nxc8 Bxh4 27...Rxc8 28.Qd7± 28.g3 25...d4

25...Bf8= 26.Nd5!± Qxa2?       26...Bc6± keeps fighting. 27.Nxe7+ 27.Rxf7 Bxh4 28.e6 Bxf2+ 29.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 30.Rxf2 Bxd5= 27...Rxe7 28.Rxc5 Re6 28...Qxa2? too greedy. 29.Rxc6 Rxc6 30.Qxc6+- 27.Nxe7+? 27.Rxf7+- Qxa3 28.Re1 27...Rxe7 28.Rxc5 28.Bxc5 Qe2 29.Qxe2 Bxe2 30.Bxe7 Rxc1+ 31.Kh2 28...Rce8       29.Bb4 h6 30.Rc1 30.Rxd4 Rxe5 31.Rc7 Qb1+ 32.Kh2 30...Qb2= The position is equal. 31.Re1 31.Qd1 simplifies Rd7 32.Rb1 Qe2 33.Rxd4 Qxd1+ 34.Rbxd1 Rxd4 35.Rxd4 Rxe5 36.Rd8+ 31...Rxe5 Opposite bishops and equal position 32.Rxe5 Rxe5 33.Rxf7 Qb1+ 34.Kh2

Threatens to win with Bf8. Dancing on a razor blade. 34...Qe4 35.Rf8+ Kh7 36.Qg3 Rf5 37.f3 Qe5 Weighted Error Value: White=0.20 (precise) /Black=0.22 (precise) Loses game: --- Black=1 Missed win: White=1 --- Mistake: White=3 Black=1 Inaccurate: --- Black=3 OK: White=12 Black=11 Best: White=1 --- Strong: White=1 --- ½–½

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The runner-up and surprise third-placed Jachym Nemec could have drawn level with the two, but he lost the all-Czech duel against Richard Stalmach.

Marc'Andria Maurizzi defeated Vaclav Finek, while the games Ma Qun v. Divya Deshmukh and Ivan Salgado v. Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis ended in draws.

Richard Stalmach beat Jachym Nemec with the black pieces | Photo: Petr Vrabec

Round 4 results

Standings

All games

Links

• Official site
• Two Knights Talk: Who will win in Prague?
• Robson beats Deac in exciting playoff, wins Prague Masters (2023)
• Harikrishna and Keymer clinch Prague Festival titles (2022)
• Shankland wins Prague Masters after dramatic final round (2021)
• Alireza Firouzja wins Prague Masters in blitz playoff (2020)
• Vitiugov victorious in Prague Masters (2019)