Vulnerable Navara

(IN PHOTO: GM David Navara)

Of the three Filipino campaigners in the 2009 World Chess Cup, GM Darwin Laylo (2552) stands to have the smallest chance (29.06 percent) of Round 1 victory based on the mathematical probability of winning chances based on Elo ratings.

He is up against a very strong Round 1 opponent, GM David Navara (2707), the No.1 player of the Czech Republic.

The brighter side of things, nonetheless, points to a good chance of winning against, yes, a world-class opponent but a vulnerable one.

Records showed that GM Navara lost to an opponent some 200 Elo points below him and whose two initials before his name are I and M, oh yes, not even a G and M.

Let's have a peek on the vulnerable side of Navara. Below is the Round 1 game between Navara and IM Marcin Tazbir of Poland at the DMP Ekstraliga in Karpacz, Poland in September last year. Navara's rating was 2646 while Tazbir's was 2444 when they met.

This was a highly entertaining battle up to the end. Watch it and enjoy!!





GO, GO, GO, GM Darwin!!