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Vladmir Kramnik dominates CEZ match against Navara

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5/15/2008 – Their rating difference is just 116 points. But former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik is dominating the rapid chess match against top Czech GM David Navara. Kramnik won the first three of eight games, drawing the fourth for a halftime stand of 3.5:0.5. A big gala event kicked off the CEZ Chess Trophy, with blindfold chess and (you believe it) hacky sack displays. Illustrated report.

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CEZ Chess Trophy 2008

14th-18th May 2008, in Prague

The event is an eight-game rapid chess match between the world's second highest ranked player, former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik and the top grandmaster of the Czech Republic, David Navara.

The rate of play is 25 minutes per player per game, with a five second increment per move. Two games are played per day from Wednesday, May 14th and Sunday, May 18th, starting at 5:00 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. Friday is a free day with simultaneous exhibitions by the 2008 Czech champion Vlastimil Babula and by Vladimir Kramnik.

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the Playchess server.

The event is also host to an exhibition of humorous chess drawings and cartoons.

Results of the first four games

Players	Rtng	G1	G2	G3	G4	G5	G6	G7	G8	Total
Vladimir Kramnik	2788	1	1	1	½					3.5
David Navara	2672	0	0	0	½					0.5

Click to replay the games

Vladimir Kramnik at Prague airport

The opening ceremony with a sumptuous buffet

Vladimir Kramnik speaks with match commentator Grandmaster Lubomir Kavalek

... and with GM Sergei Movsesian (perspective distortion – Sergei is not a Hobbit)

A blindfold chess exhibition with GM Marek Vokac playing against WGM Katerina Nemcova, with the great blindfold master GM Vlastimil Hort executing the moves on the sensor board and referee Pavel Votruba watching.

A demonstration by Vasek Klouda, world champion in hacky sack

Curious? Here's what a Vasek Klouda performance looks like. There is plenty more in YouTube

Press conference with David Navara and Vladimir Kramnik

After the first half Vladmir Kramnik leads by 3.5:0.5 points

Links

Official Match Site
Download all games in PGN

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