Ivanchuk v Navara Match Underway

Does Vassily Ivanchuk ever stop playing chess?

The hardest working man in the chess-business has just started an 8-game rapid match in Prague against the top Czech player David Navara (Elo 2654). The match is the main attraction of a larger chess festival - the CEZ Chess Trophy 2009, orgainsed by the Prague Chess Society. 

The picture of Vassily on the right is from the official site and shows that he does occasionally raise his head from the chessboard to take in the local culture!

Games 1 & 2 were played on Wednesday, with a draw resulting in the first game, but a win for Ivanchuk in the second game with the white pieces.  Games 3 & 4 took place today (Thursday) and followed the same pattern - a draw in game three, but then victory in game 4 for Chucky.

The players have a break tomorrow, but games 5 & 6 will be played on Saturday and games 7 & 8 on Sunday.  The games start at 5pm and 7pm CET each day, and live coverage is available here at the official site.

It's worth remembering that today is the 120th anniversary of the birth of the great Richard Reti - arguably the best Czech chess player of all time.  He is perhaps best known for two notable chess achievements - beating Capabalanca in a game in the New York tournament of 1924, thereby bringing the latter's 8-year unbeaten run to an end; and for composing one of the most famous endgame studies...