Was This Navara's Wildest Game of the Year?

The Catalan is often known for its "magician’s wand" approach—White exerts tiny, lingering pressure until the opponent falls apart in the endgame. In this kind of game, there are some "nice sacrificial attacks" if Black responds in risky style. This game is the ultimate proof of that.

The Catalan Setup

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 a5

White chooses the Closed Catalan, a solid system where the queen on c2 defends c4 and supports the e4-square.

8. Bg5 h6 9. Bxf6 Nxf6

White often swaps his dark-squared bishop for a knight in the Catalan to facilitate a later Rac1 and obstruct Black’s freeing moves.

10. Nc3!

QUESTION: Is this a common move?
ANSWER: The more traditional moves here are Rd1 or Rc1. Navara chooses a more provocative path.

10... c6 11. Rfd1 b6 12. e4!

White blasts the center open. In the Catalan, if White can achieve the e2-e4 advance before Black can safely respond with ...d5xc4 and ...c7-c5, White will have an excellent game.

12... dxc4 13. Ne5 Bb7 14. Nxc4 b5 15. Ne3 Rc8 16. Rac1 Qb6 17. e5 Nd5 18. Ne4

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Position after 18.Ne4. White establishes an outpost.

White establishes the knight on e4, a classic Catalan outpost. From here, it controls the c5 square, preventing Black's desired pawn break.

Shifting Focus to the Kingside

18... Nb4 19. Qe2 Nxa2 20. Ra1 Nb4

Black "snatches" the a2-pawn, but Navara is already shifting focus to the kingside.

21. Nf6+!!

QUESTION: Why sacrifice a whole piece so early?
ANSWER: This is a classic "Tal-esque" positional bomb. If Black captures with the pawn (21... gxf6), White’s evaluation skyrockets. The open g-file and weakened dark squares allow White to swarm with Qg4+ or Qh4.

21... Bxf6 22. exf6 Qd8 23. fxg7 Kxg7 24. Ng4 Ra8 25. Qe5+ f6 26. Qxe6 Bc8 27. Qe2 Qd6 28. Ne3 Bd7 29. d5 c5

Black tries to stabilize, but Navara has a "bomb" ready.

30. Qxb5!!

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Position after 30.Qxb5!!. A crushing queen sacrifice.

EXERCISE: Can you work out why ...Bxb5 is impossible?
ANSWER: If 30... Bxb5, White plays 31. Nf5+, a lethal fork that wins the queen back with an extra pawn and a crushing position.

Brilliant Farming

30... Nc2 31. Qc6!!

Instead of retreating his hanging queen or saving the rook, Navara slides the queen to c6, leaving multiple pieces hanging! Black cannot capture the queen because the Nf5+ fork still looms. This is "brilliant farming" at its finest.

31... Qe7 32. Qc7 Nxe3 33. d6 Qe6 34. Re1 Ra6 35. Rad1 Qg4 36. h3!

A computer-perfect prophylactic move to secure the king and kick the black queen.

36... Qa4 37. b3 Qxb3 38. Qxd7+ Rf7 39. Qxf7+!!

Navara crowns the attack by sacrificing his queen for the rook to force the d-pawn through to promotion.

39... Kxf7 40. d7 Nxg2 41. Re7+!!

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Position after 41.Re7+!!. An untouchable rook sacrifice.

The final master stroke—a rook sacrifice that is completely untouchable. If 41... Kxe7, White plays 42. d8=Q+, promoting with check.

41... Kxe7 42. d8=Q+ Kf7 43. Rd7+ Kg6 44. Qe8+ Kg5 45. Qe4!

The quiet finisher. Navara ignores the knight on g2; the threat of Qg4+ or Rg7+ is unavoidable.

45... f5 46. Rg7+ Rg6 47. h4+ Kf6 48. Qe7# 1-0

The game concludes with a picture-perfect checkmate, proving that even in the strategic Catalan, the spirit of Mikhail Tal is alive and well.

Practical Training Plan From This Game

Use this as a Catalan pressure workshop. Replay the game focusing on file control, diagonal pressure, and the moment when structural edge becomes concrete. This gives you a practical checklist for similar long-pressure openings.

In sparring, start from the first imbalance and practice converting positional pressure into either a clean pawn win or a favorable transition. Your progress should be measured by clarity of plan, not by tactical spectacle.