Semifinal matches
Both semifinals were organized in the city Linares, Spain by L. Rentero the well known organizer since 1979 of the yearly super grandmaster tournament of Linares. Timman-Yusupov
Linares, IV, 1992.
The match between Yusupov and Timman was more classical. It was some kind of theoretical debate between the Petroff Defense and the Gruenfeld-Nimzo-Indian Defense. In the first game Timman missed a tricky tactic and loss the exchange without any compensation. He resigned few moves later. In the second game Yusupov improved the theory with lead him with a comfortable draw. The Russian was very fortunate in the third game. After 28 Qa8? and 31.Qa1?, his position was completely lost but hopefully for him Timman missed the strong 31…Rxh3!! Thanks to the time pressure of his opponent, Timman managed to switch a weakly position into a good one then with 31…Qe4? a spectacular Queen ‘s blunder to a full point. A very interesting endgame occurred in game 5 Queen and Bishop vs. Queen and Bishop most probably draw but once more the time was an important factor. Any move except the 38…Qc7 choose by Timman was good enough to hold the position. For the next game, both players continued their theoretical debate on the Petroff. This time Timman showed finally his endgame skills and went to win a position which in any case better for him. In game 7 once more Yusupov fail to win an easy endgame. 35.Re4 was a clear win. No doubt that the Russian is out his best shape. Another interesting demonstration by the Dutch player. The way he converted the middle game into a victory is worth to have a look on it. Yusupov was deeply affected to be now one point behind. Tension was too strong and even Dvoretsky, his coach could’n help him anymore. The last two games were somehow quite easy for Timman who once more went to reach the Candidates’ Final stage.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Total | ||
| Yusupov A | 1 | = | = | 0 | 1 | 0 | = | 0 | = | 0 | 4.0 | |
| Timman J | 0 | = | = | 1 | 0 | 1 | = | 1 | = | 1 | 6.0 |
Karpov-Short
The match got off on the usual tone for the English player, like vs. Gelfand he lost the first round. A curious choice with the Budapest Gambit opening which is more or less never played at such level. Karpov didn’t have to think to find out the best way to punish his opponent. In the second game, Short went for more classical but sharp with the Advance in the Caro-Kann. Karpov who has probably the best knowledge in this opening had no big difficulties to hold the draw. In the next game a QGD, Short had a promising position after the middle game but a good defense by the former World Champion gave him another the draw. In game four Karpov decided to play solid with another Caro-Kann. After 20 moves the position was unclear but Nigel had the better chance and 8 moves later Karpov gave up the exchange to enter in a dubious endgame. Short missed couple of winning moves but eventually close the debates on moves 76. In game five, Karpov exchanged Queens probably to have an easy day but somehow went to a lot of complication which put him in time trouble with only 2 minutes left to play 16 moves. Amazingly he managed to escape with another draw. In the next game Short went of another personal touch with an usual Spanish Defense. After 18 moves Karpov was clearly better but after missing 20..c3 the Russian went into unnecessary complication which finished with a astonishing Queen’s blunder! Thanks to his American coach L. Kavalek, Short went for more classical chess. The opening, a QGD, was well known by both players and played very fast. Karpov gave up a pawn to launch a bloody attack on f2 Short controlled well the situation and in time trouble Karpov once more blundered his Queen. Karpov was a pawn down and was looking for a recovery. This one didn’t arrive in the next game. None understood why the Russian deviated from game 6 in which he had such a good position. Short improved an old game of Botvinnik played in 1935! Karpov couldn’t find the right answer and instead not only misplaced his rook but also let his opponent to blow up his position. Karpov was definitively KO and was lucky to escape with another defeat in the game nine when Nigel missed a wining ending with 41..Qc7. In game ten Karpov try to surprise his opponent with a Sicilian an opening he didn’t play since age ago. Playing in trouble water but in a must win situation Karpov made few weak moves but was lucky that his opponent couldn’t find the right reply then come the 29th move where the Russian missed the win with Rd5 and instead went to a Queen vs. Rook, Bishop and Knight which was eventually lost in 41 moves. A dramatic day for the former world champion who for the first time since 1972 was out of the race for the world championship title.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Total | ||
| A. Karpov RUS | 1 | = | = | 0 | = | 0 | 1 | 0 | = | 0 | 4.0 | |
| N. Short ENG | 0 | = | = | 1 | = | 1 | 0 | 1 | = | 1 | 6.0 |
For winning, both Timman and Short picked up around ₤ 34,500 each. However both were disappointed as during the match the German chess computer manufacturer Hegener and Glaser published a memo confirming that it had withdraw the million Swiss franc prize it had offered in 1989 to the first Westerner to challenge Kasparov.
Short returned to England to a hero’s welcome, including a telegram from Prime Minister John Major and huge features in every major paper.
In NIC Short shared his euphoria:
“…To be quite honest I am suffering from a lack of motivation. I have the match against Jan and this is the Big One for me. Everything else… I am partly on a honeymoon after the Karpov victory. I’m thinking, ‘Well, I beat Karpov. Great.’ That can be a problem. I’m just playing some very bad chess at the moment. I have this sort of double prob lem which I hope will go away. I believe that I will show better form in the second half of the year. ‘I don’t think so. This and the previous one have been very important matches for me. That I worked very hard for. I think it makes so much difference, to be honest to win when I have invested a lot in a certain match. Time and a lot of emotional energy as well.
Q: To what extent did you have the freling that besides winning the match you were closing the Karpov era?
A: I only thought about this afterwards. It’s very funny. I think that I was surprised that I won this match. It’s odd. Because before the match I believed that my chances were about fifty- fifty. I understood that in my head. But I’m not sure that I felt it really in my heart. When I won the match it took quite some days to settle in. And I thought, ‘Yes, it’s right. It is the end of an era.’ I don’t believe that Karpov will ever challenge for the world title again. Although it is quite clear that his career is far from being over. He will continue to win many tournaments, as we saw in Madrid. We should not write him off as a chess player. The guy is still very strong, but I don’t believe he has it in him to reach the finals again. First, there are simply so many young strong players about these days. If it’s not Ivanchuk, if it’s not Anand, if it’s not Shirov, Kamsky, then it might be some people like Kramnik who’s coming up. Somebody will give Karpov a very hard time. I can’t see him there in the final.
Final Candidate’s match
January 1993
The city of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, situated 45 minutes from Madrid, was the venue of the match between N. Short and J. Timman. FIDE secured an exceptional SFR.300,000 for the prize fund. Fourteen games at the rate of five a week were on the schedule.
The quality of the game and the level of the play was much criticism due probably to the enormous stress of the occasion. In contrary the end was very exciting. Before the match Timman said about Short: “ He can makeany dull position turn into an attacking position. That is his strength.”
Game 1
The first game was a mixture of struggle and mistake where both player missed wins 32..Rxc4 which could win 2 pieces for a Rook and then later 36. Bc4 which was winning for Short. Finally the game ended up with a draw. The result for Short is clearly a plus as in the previous match vs. Gelfand and Karpov, he lost both first game!
Game 2
The usual Short’s upset an very complex Spanish opening where the English player was already in time trouble after 21 moves. Missing probably a better 23..Bh6, he lost a piece and the game few moves later.
Game 3
Short recovered fast and the next game in a Queen Gambit. He went for some anti-positional move before to sacrifice an exchange then got it back with an extra pawn and a clear plus which he converted with the help of his opponent (40. Rd1?) into a clean victory.
Game 4
Black was clearly better after 23…Rg2 but overpressed by his opponent and the clock. Timman blundered on move 41 with an incredible Nd8? instead of 41…Ne7 and let his opponent to conclude the game with an extra pawn.
Game 5
Nigel reversed the score and conceded a draw in game five despite he was somehow better.
Game 6
In game six after a poor opening, Nigel had to struggle to level the situation. Eventually the pawn’s sacrifice 40. f4! saved him from a unpleasant defeat.
Game 7
The Englishman went for another misery day when after 18 move he was strategically lost. Timman trapped Nigel’s Queen and won the game few moves later. The Dutch equalized the match at 3-3.
Game 8
Trying to rebuild some confidence Nigel was happy with a quick draw in game 8.
Game 9
Now come the sudden crisis of the match. Game 9 was a bloodthirsty, merciless battle. Another Spanish Exchange when Nigel sacrificed a couple of pawns to launch a terrible counterattack on the enemy’s King. With 18…f3 instead of Qxa1 it was clear that Short was planning for a win. Forcing Timman to exchange material White went for an endgame with R+N and 4 pawns vs. R+R and 2 pawns which was still positive but the way he handled it showed that it was completely in a day off. Timman was psychologically affected and cracked completely
Game 10
Nigel avoided theoretical lines and soon was clearly better. In a worse position Timman cracked completely on move 31.
Game 11
Timman fought back in the next game improving some position reached by Kasparov some years ago. Finally he mastered his opponent after a long endgame.
Game 12
With the players knowing that any full point can be decisive, another ferocious battle happend on the board. Nigel sacrificed the exchange with the idea to setup a devastating attack. Timman defended well but in time trouble he missed the right defense and played a tempted move 38..Qg3 ? instead of 38…Rf1 which could give a least a draw. To be qualified Timman had to win now the last two games.
Game 13
For the next game Short played fast and save. Ahead on the clock he managed without any trouble to share the point and goes though to challenge Garry Kasparov.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Total | ||
| J. Timman NED | = | 1 | 0 | 0 | = | = | 1 | = | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | = | 5.5 | |
| N. Short ENG | = | 0 | 1 | 1 | = | = | 0 | = | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | = | 7.5 |
Few day later N. Short talk about his victory to NIC: “Matches have their little ups and downs, but the critical moment was the ninth game. This was the Otterlo variation. You heard about his. Well Jan met his Otterlo there. Jan was quite demoralized after this game. And in the tenth game I gave him a good shock. Then he was in big difficulties, because he was two down and with four to play. That’s rather difficult. He had a sort of fleeting chance in the twelfth game, but he didn’t have much time to find it. I think the ninth game was very critical. I though the nerves were going to be the deciding factor. And I think that this probably was the case at the end. I can say I was very nervous in the first two games with the second game I played very badly. Then I calmed down. I have been behind in all my matches. I get hit then I get very calm…”
Kasparov and Short who never got on well started to exchange insults. Kasparov said in a German newspaper: “It is Short and it will be short… I could even beat Short and Timman simultaneously”. Short’s reply was furious: “He is a deeply unpleasant person…an ape. I don’t want to sink to the level of the animal to beat the animal.”
The Final
The biding process started in 1991 with the Los Angeles Intermark Company backed by G. Kasparov offered $ 5,000,000 but had to withdraw in November 1993 after riots devastated the city. FIDE was left with the guarantee of $ 500,000 but no more bid for few months.
By February 8 1993, the board of FIDE took care of the two new bids. Santiago de Compostela, Spain which bided for SFR. 1,000,000 but could not present bank guarantees. Jugoscandic Bank from Belgrade came with a bid of US$ 5,600,000 for a match to be organized in Yugoslavia or Bulgaria but after noticed that the country and so the company was under political and economical sanction by the U.N, FIDE decided to reject the offer.
Short gave press conference in London asking FIDE to allow new English bids and said he would like to play in Manchester.
With not too much in hand some more possible interest coming, FIDE decided to set February 22 as a new deadline.
By February 22 three new bids reached FIDE Lucerne Headquarters. -The city of Manchester with an unconditional bid and a prize fund of SFR. 2,538,000 and a bank guarantee of the same amount plus a bid fee. -The “London Chess Group” with a bid and a prize fund of US$ 1,500,000. No bid fee or even bank guarantee was submitted with the bid form. -Channel 4/IMG with a bid “subject to contract” with a prize fund of SFR. 2,616,000. The bid was not supported by a bank guarantee. It was subject to a number of conditions inclusive world TV rights, exclusive interviews…
Campomanes called Kasparov who was playing a tournament in Linares. The Champion said he preferred the Channel 4 but he accept the only bid conforming to FIDE regulations is Manchester. FIDE also contacted Nigel’s trainer Kavalek but he replies that Nigel cannot be contacted until the next day or the day after.
On February 23 at 13.38 FIDE announced the venue for the World Championship match to be the city of Manchester with a prize fund of ₤1.150.000.
According the English Chess Magazine Monthly Nigel who was relaxing on a ferry was told that Manchester will increase his bid to a figure between 2 to 3,000,000 and once he heard that match was awarded for a much lower prize fund, became furious. Short called Keene who mentioned him for the first time Kasparov’s idea of the creation of the PCA (Player Chess Association). Kasparov said:” At least after 8 years, a challenger I can talk to.”
Three days later, on February 26, came a bomb when Short and Kasparov were rejecting the £1.15 million guarantee Manchester prize fund and announced some personal alternatives (see annex) and stated the match will be played outside the auspice of FIDE, inviting new bids and decided to create a form of breakaway body called the Professional Chess Association. Despite a late increase of £500,000 by Manchester, the “rebels” decided to go for a bid of £ 1,700,000 coming from The Times group.
After the Short- Kasparov mutiny, on March 5 Campomanes flew back to Linares and gave to both players another deadline of two weeks to answer about their participation to the World Championship.
Back to London and still trying to solve the matters Campomanes gave an interview to BCM:
Q: What will happen if Kasparov and Short really leave FIDE?
A: FIDE will go on, and will win in the end. Can you imagine these two in the same organization? Ha!
Q: Many British enthusiasts were hoping for a new “Fischer boom” with Short and Kasparov playing in Manchester. I there anything else FIDE can do to save the situation?
A: We have tried, but there has been no response. You will get your Fischer boom, in time, because right is usually not an immediate victor. The only regret is that this one will be triggered by a downright lie, whereas Bobby moved by a fierce adherence to principles.
Q: Do you think you should have waited to speak in person to Nigel Short?
A: The decision date was announced a long time before. We contacted Kavalek as he asked us to.
Q: Do you think Short’s break-away action was premeditated?
A: Yes but I am not totally sure.
Q: There is a rumor you have just come from the Linares tournament.
A: Yes, I called Gary and asked if he would like to see me. “I’m always happy to see you!” he said to me. Always happy to see me he said! We met actually in a small place outside of Linares, to avoid the press. Gary came at midnight and we talked till 3 am. In his heart I believe Gary has a lot of good … but he surrounded by many of the wrong sort of people.
Q: Did you speak with Karpov and Timman?
A: Yes, I met with them separately next morning. Both of them agreed they would play a match if necessary
Few days later in Linares, Kasparov gave an interview to C. Forbes: Q. What do you think about your match with Short, and where will it be held?
A: Maybe the match will be in Manchester, maybe in London, but for sure it will be in England. There is enormous enthusiasm in the English- speaking press.
Q: Why the split from FIDE?
A: I have never given up my idea to bring professionalism into the chess world and the World Championship cycle. I did not expect it would happen so dramatically and so soon. Because of the mishandling of the situation by FIDE, Nigel Short made me a proposal which was very difficult to resist
Q: Surely you don’t expect Campomanes and FIDE to disappear?
A: FIDE will still be needed to run amateur chess, but the bureaucracy should not make rules for professionals anymore.
Q: Is this about money?
A: It is not because Kasparov and Short want to get money outside FIDE. It is not a one event arrangement. Short probably had different motivations, but I think this was done in time to make a fresh start in professional chess. There is no way back.
Q: How did your discussion with Campomanes go?
A: I saw Campomanes and I told him “I’m sorry I got a better deal. Business is business.”
Q: How would you organize a World Championship?
A: The problems with the last championship showed the crisis of the whole qualification system, which was created 45 years ago. There were some attempts in the past, by the GMA for instance, to improve chess and give real professional status. These unfortunately failed due to lack of competent management. We might, for example, organize a 100 player tournament, with the top four playing a match for the right to challenge for the World Championship.
During the period Manchester withdrawal its offer and on March 23 FIDE published the following statement:
Under FIDE regulations Garry Kasparov and Nagel Short have forfeit their right as World Champion and Challenger, respectively. By operation of the regulation, the title and positions are now vacant and they are new contenders for the title of World Champion.
The chess world was in shock. Campomanes through few issues of FIDE Forum expressed his sadness and indignation.
FIDE had for weeks undertaken protracted and nerve-wracking negotiation with Mr. Garry Kasparov and his advisers. Our side genuinely endeavored to arrive at a mutually beneficial agreement, by offering the utmost that our legal and moral authority permit.
Unfortunately, Mr. Kasparov’s side negotiated in bad faith, constantly changing negotiation positions. As he publicly stated at his and Mr. Short’s press conference on 22 March in London, it has been his plan since 1988 to take the World Chess Championship outside FIDE.
FIDE was most accommodating and extended the deadline, at the request of Mr. Kasparov on 5 March in Linares, to 23 March. That deadline lapsed and we placed into operation the full effects of the FIDE regulations: the title of World Champion and position of Challenger are now vacant and there are new contenders for the title of World Champion.
United, FIDEE has survived greater crises. I take this opportunity to thank the many federations which have sent word of their support of our decision.
Who gets the blame if after the match the prize fund cannot be awarded? FIDE. Therefore, whose responsibility is it to make sure that the prize fund is there? FIDE’s. FIDE cannot be responsible for speculative bids as can be seen of the other bids from a so-called London Chess Group, which did not even pay the bid fee, and from the 1MG/Channel 4 but without an IMG signatory and which had ‘Conditions Precedent’ unacceptable under the Regulations. And the latter bidder which they were fighting for did not reappear at their bidding in London.
As you may know, a new “Professional Chess Association” was formed (legal status as of 23 March uncertified) to accept new bids. This was changed to the “Association of Chess Professionals” which is a different organization (legal status also in doubt on that date).
Kasparov stated at their press conference on 22 March that it has been his plan since 1988 to take the World Chess Championship outside FIDE.
Short cited their bidding as evidence that FIDE had “woefully undersold” the match. The new round of bids “vindicates our original position”, he said. “Business is business”, Short said, revealing his true motive for the breakaway.
While players may prefer bids with biggest prize funds, FIDE cannot be made responsible for speculative bids and promoters.
Reactions of federations or chess players from around the world went in the same direction:
Vasily Smyslov: “it is my 72nd birthday today, and I believed that the time were long past when the World Champion could dictate everything, when he could choose his opponent and decide what prize fund was necessary It is a pity that we have gone back over half a century.”
Y. Seirawan: “Nigel seems to have caught a virulent case of the disease championius horribilisness that strikes those who get within spitting distance of the world title. This dread malady turns perfectly nib; rational men into monsters of egotism. One of the disease’s telltale signs is a complete blindness to everything except one’s own dreams of glory and profit.”
Jan Timman: “it seems that Kasparov… has put more on the line than he intended by saying that the public would recognize the match with the highest prize fund as the most important match. What he didn’t realize with these words was that he was indirectly handing the title back to Fischer.”
Julian Hodgson, who is also the present British Champion said: “Short’s behavior has been un believable. To use the FIDE system for three years and then dump it at the last moment is total hypocrisy. I’ve spoken to players in many countries, and nobody can believe what has happened.” GM Tony Miles, rated number five in England, said he was “deeply saddened” by the way things had turned out. GM Jonathan Speelman said “I hope that some goodwill can be salvaged to minimize the trauma that is currently being felt throughout the chess world and particularly in this country.”
GM Murray Chandler said that many leading players were angry at the misleading impression of support given by the Breakaway group. “I have spoken with perhaps 60 masters and grandmasters, and have not found a single one
who supports Short and Kasparov on this. Most feel that the breakaway was ill-timed opportunism, and has caused enormous ill-will.” GM John Nunn said last night: “I am dismayed at Short and Kasparov forming a breakaway organization, and I don’t believe that this is for the long term good of chess.”
Paul Buswell, Editor of the British Chess Federation newsletter Chess Moves has also drafted a scathing attack in a “Personal Open Letter” to Nigel Short for the April edition. He called Short’s behavior “unsporting and un-English.” “Your contest (the unofficial match) is not the World Championship… you could have been a chess hero, a legend in your lifetime, but not this way.”
On May 17 at another press conference in Simpsons-in-the Strand, London, the Short-Kasparov consortium unveiled their version of the breakaway “Times World Championship” with a prize fund of ₤ 1,700,000 (see annex).
In November 1993 the delegates of the General Assembly met in Curitiba, Brazil. After a five-hour debate on the break away by Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short from the FIDE cycle, the General Assembly by a great majority of 56 to 19 ratified the Executive Council decision to withdraw services, including ratings, from the two. In a related resolution, the General assembly asked the British and Russian Chess Federations to report to FIDE if indeed Mr. Kasparov and Short are interested in dialogue with FIDE. By March 1994 no reply has been received…