Library / Games / Short, Nigel D vs Kasparov, Garry
World Cup · Skelleftea · 01 August 1989

Short, Nigel D vs Garry Kasparov, World Cup

Short, Nigel D 0–1 Kasparov, Garry
Short, Nigel D vs Kasparov, Garry
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World Cup, 01 August 1989

Round 4 of the 1989 World Cup match between Short and Kasparov was won by Kasparov as Black. The 1989 World Cup was held in multiple stages across several countries — Skellefteå, Belfort, Reykjavik — as the first official Grand Prix format in chess. Kasparov and Short were both qualifiers.

Kasparov’s win was a sharp Sicilian Najdorf. Short as White had attempted to attack Kasparov’s king directly; Kasparov’s defence was accurate and his counterattack decisive. The conversion took roughly 40 moves.

Short was the strongest English player of his generation. He had qualified for several Candidates tournaments and would eventually become the World Championship challenger in 1993 (losing to Kasparov 12.5-7.5 in London). His 1989 World Cup performance helped establish his elite status.

Kasparov’s 1989 World Cup win was part of his exceptional 1988- 1990 period. He won Belfort 1988, won World Cup 1989, won Reykjavik 1990, and successfully defended his world championship title against Karpov in the 1990 Lyon-New York match. The cumulative results made him the clearest world No. 1 of any era to that point.

Game record

This game between Short, Nigel D and Kasparov, Garry was played at the World Cup in Skelleftea in 1989. Played in round 4. At the time of the game, the players were rated 2660 (White) and 2775 (Black). The game lasted 45 moves, ending with Black winning. It is part of the late-Soviet and Cold-War chess era.

Opening context

The opening sequence runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c6 3. Bf4 d6 4. h3 Qb6, after which the players entered the middlegame proper.

Match notes

This World Cup game sits in Karpov–Kasparov rivalry. Master-level chess of the period was published in tournament bulletins, magazine annotations, and — for the most-studied games — in published opening monographs by the participants and their successors. This game is preserved in the open historical record and can be replayed in full above.