David Navara: the creative artist of Czech chess

In a world where engines have made chess increasingly predictable, David Navara still chooses the most interesting move over the safest one. The Czech GM is an artist of the board: every one of his games is an adventure, which makes him one of the most fascinating — and most beloved — players on the circuit.

Who Navara is

He was born on March 27, 1985 in Prague. He became the Czech Republic’s number 1 as a teenager and has held that position for more than two decades. In 2019 he reached his peak of 2735 ELO, showing his creative style could compete at the highest level.

The artist of the board

Navara deliberately chooses complicated positions. Where other players seek the engine’s safest move, Navara seeks the most interesting one. That means his games are unpredictable: he can create a combinative masterpiece or collapse in a winning position by chasing something more beautiful.

That philosophy has cost him ELO points, but it has won him admirers all over the world.

His chess DNA

In our chess DNA system, Navara represents the profile of the creative artist: high aggressiveness and tactics, with a consistency he consciously sacrifices in favor of beauty. If your GM twin is Navara, your strength is creativity and the ability to surprise; your challenge is regularity.

Keep exploring

• Alexander Morozevich, another unpredictable genius
• Richard Rapport, the modern radical creator
• David Bronstein, the historical anti-system figure
• All players