Navara - Morozevich match

unspecified illnes of Morozevich interrupts the event

Morozevich and Navara started their friendly match this week in Prague. The match is part of both players preparation for upcoming events. The time control was 100 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 min + 30 sec increment for the rest of the game. The official world number 2 started with 3 victories and 1 draw to lead the match 3,5 - 0,5, but lost the fifth game. The final draw made the result 4-2 in his favor.

The match was planned to be 8 games, however, according to the latest information from our good friend Viktor Novotny, Morozevich has to leave due to an unspecified illness.

The match will not be rated, nor games will be published. “It was Grandmaster Morozevich wish for the games not to be open to public, so both players would be able to try out and to prepare new options and ideas for openings. We still, however, negotiate with Grandmaster Morozevich in order he would attend to the public during Prague practice camp, either in form of a lecture or a simul, “ said the president of Prague Chess Society, Pavel Matocha, earlier this week.

David Navara plays the next Grand Prix tournament in Sochi in the end of July and shared that he was happy for this kind of preparation. Morozevich was interviewed on Czech TV and the interview will be broadcast on a Friday chess program.