Short and sweet

Nigel Short's recent good form has pushed his rating back above 2700 and put him (just) in the world's top 40 : not bad for an old geezer in this world of young chess players !

He also seems to enjoy his life as a chess player and seems willing to promote chess in unexpected countries according to this chessvibes article.

In his chess, he often plays some older openings and interesting sidelines.

Here he is from a few years ago winning with my favourite anti-Sicilian line...



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Short Nigel D (ENG) - Prasad Devaki V (IND)

1-0, 2004.

[#] 1.e4 c5 2.b3 Nc6 3.Bb2 e5 4.Bc4

[4.f4 A sort of King's Gambit style...threatening to open the a1-h8 diagonal for the bishop. Nearly always played at some point.]

4...Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Nge2 Intending f4 7...O-O 8.O-O a6 9.a4 I'm a fan of the a-pawn move..stops b5 and keeps the Bishop on c4, for d5 and f7 9...Nd4 If you play in Reti Gambit-style with Qe2, you need to be aware that the Black Knight can arrive at d4 ! 10.h3 Be6 11.f4 Nd7 12.f5 Forcing a bishop exchange, which is probably good for White 12...Bxc4 13.dxc4 Bg5 14.Nd5 Nf6 15.Nec3 Kh8 16.Nxf6 Qxf6 17.Nd5 Qh6 18.Kh2 g6 19.c3 Nc6 20.f6 Nice. The Queen and bishop are stuck ! 20...Qh5 21.Rf3 Rae8 22.g3 Re6 23.Kg2 Rc8 24.a5 Nb8 25.Qd3 Nd7 26.Raf1 Bh6 27.b4 Bg5 28.Ba3 Bh6 29.R3f2 Bg5 30.bxc5 Nxc5 31.Bxc5 dxc5 32.h4 Bh6 33.Qe2 Qxe2 34.Rxe2 g5 35.Kh3 gxh4 36.Kxh4 Rg8 37.Rf5 Rd8 38.Rb2 Rd7 39.Rf1 Re8 40.Rfb1 Rb8 41.Rb6 [1-0]

Generated by Aquarium

A fine game where Short ends with Black having nowhere to go !