Short goes down in flames
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
Mickey Adams (left) playing board 1 alongside Nigel Short. Short seems to be suffering already….
The European Team Championship in Greece has produced some very interesting chess so far. And quite a few upsets. Here Nigel Short, former challenger for the World Championship, is upset by his Greek opponent (Dmitrios Mastrovasilis) and loses in quite spectacular style.
POSITION AFTER WHITE’S 24th MOVE (24.Rhd1):
GM SHORT
GM MASTROVASILIS
It has been a rough game so far for the English star , who played the Caro Kann, an opening that he is more often seen with the White pieces. Perhaps he was hoping to benefit by the element of surprise. IN ANY CASE, Nigel misplayed the opening and soon found himself going down hill. QUICKLY.
In the above position, Black is quite lost. Probably the most resistant line of defence is 24…Rc7 (stopping Rd7), but what prospects does Black have even after the simple 25.Qxb4 ? If 25…Nxh6 then 26.Rd8-ch is fun only for the White side.
Probably already resigning himself to the inevitable, Short played 24…Qc7?, which has the (dis)advantage that it ends his suffering very quickly.
A desperate move that offers no resistance at all. INFACT, it seems to be begging White to put him out of his misery. White did not disappoint: WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
NASTY! The Rook can not take the Bishop without losing the Queen. And 25…Nxh6 would not prevent a loss after 26.QxQ RxQ 27.Bxh6, which even threatens some back rank mates while being a clean piece up….SO, Nigel shows that an English gentleman can have a sense of humor:
A desperate move that offers no resistance at all. INFACT, it seems to be begging White to put him out of his misery. White did not disappoint: WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
25.Bf8!!
NASTY! The Rook can not take the Bishop without losing the Queen. And 25…Nxh6 would not prevent a loss after 26.QxQ RxQ 27.Bxh6, which even threatens some back rank mates while being a clean piece up….SO, Nigel shows that an English gentleman can have a sense of humor:
25…QxQ!! (For the spectators!) 26.Bg7-mate!!!
A mate like this deserves a pint of Guinness!
