TWIC is 30. First issue 17th September 1994.
Reykjavic Rapid 2004 (4)
Kasparov defeats Short in lively Reykjavik Final
IM Malcolm Pein - Sunday 21st March 2004
Kasparov against Short. Photo © Omar Oskarsson | http://www.chess,is
Malcolm Pein reports on the final between Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short in the Reykjavic Rapid in 2004.
Kasparov-Short Final. Photo © Omar Oskarsson.
Garry Kasparov was quite fortunate to defeat Nigel Short 1.5-0.5 in the finals of the Reykjavik Rapid at Reykjavik City Hall. The sixteen-player tournament was composed of invitees, Icelandic Grandmasters and five qualifiers from an open tournament held last week.
Kasparov-Short Final. Photo © Omar Oskarsson.
Since Short once came second in a popularity contest in Iceland in which Kasparov came first and the chess playing colossus Madonna was third it was no surprise that the pair were top of the organisers' list. Short challenged Kasparov for the world title in 1993 in London and chess is very popular in Iceland.
Kasparov-Short Final. Photo © Rikhardur Sveinsson.
The final was reminiscent of many previous contests between the pair going back to the 1980s. Short built up a big position with one of his trademark attacks against the Sicilian Defence but missed the best continuation. Tempted by the sight of the wreckage of the black kingside he played on for a win when baling out for the draw was still an option. Kasparov managed to safeguard his position and swiftly whipped up a decisive counterattack.
In the second game Short played a dubious line of the Slav and followed up with an even more dubious tactic which produced one of Kasparov's famous scowls. The rest of the game was bizarre. Kasparov was three pawns up but could not break Short's resistance and after fifty four moves a draw was agreed.
Kasparov-Short Final. Photo © Omar Oskarsson.
Short,N (2702) - Kasparov,G (2831) [B84]
Rapid Reykjavik ISL (4.1), 21.03.2004
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Be3 0-0 9.g4 b5
9...d5 10.e5 Ne4 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.g5 Qb6 13.Nf5 Qa5+ 14.Bd2 Qc5 15.Nxe7+ Qxe7 16.c3 b5 17.Be3 Rd8 18.Qc2 Bb7 19.Kf2 Nd7 20.b4 Nf8 21.h4 Qc7 22.h5 Nd7 23.h6 g6 24.a4 Nb6 25.axb5 axb5 26.Kg3 Nc4 27.Rxa8 Rxa8 28.Bxc4 Qxc4 29.Rd1 Bd5 30.Rd4 Qf1 31.Qd1 Ra1 32.Qxf1 Rxf1 33.Kg4 Rf3 34.Bg1 Rxc3 35.Rd2 Kf8 36.Bc5+ Ke8 37.Re2 Rc1 38.Kg3 Kd7 39.Kf2 Kc6 40.Be3 Rb1 41.Bc5 Rc1 42.Bd6 Rh1 43.Re3 Rh2+ 44.Kg3 Rc2 45.Bf8 Ra2 46.Bc5 Ra1 47.Kf2 Rc1 48.Bd6 1/2-1/2 Shirov,A-Kasparov,G/Linares ESP 2001.]
10.g5 Nfd7 11.a3 Bb7 12.Rg1 Nc5 13.f5! Kh8
[ 13...Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.f6! wins so Kasparov takes evasive action.]
14.Bd3 Nc6 15.Qh5 g6 16.Qh4 Re8
prepares Bf8, otherwise f5-f6 wins the bishop.
17.0-0-0! Nxd3+ 18.Rxd3 Ne5
[ 18...Qd7 19.Nxc6 Qxc6 20.Nd5 exd5 21.Bd4+ Kg8 22.Qxh7+ Kxh7 23.Rh3+ Kg8 24.Rh8#]
19.fxe6
[19.Nxe6!! fxe6 20.Bd4 exf5 (20...Kg8 21.Bxe5 exf5 22.exf5 Bxg5+ 23.Rxg5 Rxe5 24.Rh3 Qe7 25.Rxg6+ Kh8 26.f6 Re1+ 27.Kd2+-; 20...Qc7 21.fxg6 Bf8 22.Rf1 Qg7 23.Bxe5 dxe5 24.Rf7 Qxg6 25.Rxb7±) 21.Bxe5+ (21.Rh3 h5-+) 21...dxe5 22.Rxd8 Raxd8 23.exf5 gxf5 24.Qh3 Bc5 25.g6!+-]
19... fxe6 20.Nxe6 Qd7
[20...Nxd3+ 21.cxd3 Qd7 22.Nf4 Kg8 23.Bd4 Bf8 24.Nxg6 Bg7 25.Bxg7 Qxg7 26.Nf4 Rac8 27.Nh5 Rxc3+ 28.Kb1]
21.Nf4 Nxd3+ 22.cxd3 Kg8 23.Bd4 d5!
The best try [ 23...Bf8 24.Nxg6 Bg7 25.Bxg7 Qxg7 26.Nf4 Rac8 27.Nh5 Rxc3+ 28.Kb1]]
24.Nxg6
[24.Nfxd5 Bxd5 25.Nxd5 Rf8± 26.Kb1 Rac8 27.Qg3 Bd6 28.Be5 Bxe5 29.Qxe5 White will win back rook for knight with a winning position]
24...dxe4 25.Nxe7+ Rxe7 26.Bf6
[It was still possible to bale out for a draw with 26.g6 Qxd4 27.gxh7+ Kh8 28.Rg8+ Rxg8 29.hxg8Q+ Kxg8 30.Qxe7 Qe3+ 31.Kb1 Qxd3+ 32.Kc1 Qe3+ 33.Kb1 Qd3+]
26...exd3 27.g6 d2+ 28.Kc2 Qf5+ 29.Kxd2 Rd7+ 30.Kc1 h5! 31.Bg5 Bf3 32.Bh6 Re8 33.Qb4 Qe6 34.Qf4 Bg4 35.h3 Bf5 36.g7 Qe1+!
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