Search
World Cup · Skelleftea · 01 August 1989

Short, Nigel D vs Kasparov, Garry, World Cup

Short, Nigel D 0–1 Kasparov, Garry
Short, Nigel D vs Kasparov, Garry
87654321
abcdefgh
Black rook
Black king
White rook
Black pawn
Black pawn
White bishop
Black bishop
White pawn
Black pawn
White pawn
White pawn
White pawn
White pawn
Black knight
White king
90/90
  1. 1.
  3. 2.
  5. 3.
  7. 4.
  9. 5.
  11. 6.
  13. 7.
  15. 8.
  17. 9.
  19. 10.
  21. 11.
  23. 12.
  25. 13.
  27. 14.
  29. 15.
  31. 16.
  33. 17.
  35. 18.
  37. 19.
  39. 20.
  41. 21.
  43. 22.
  45. 23.
  47. 24.
  49. 25.
  51. 26.
  53. 27.
  55. 28.
  57. 29.
  59. 30.
  61. 31.
  63. 32.
  65. 33.
  67. 34.
  69. 35.
  71. 36.
  73. 37.
  75. 38.
  77. 39.
  79. 40.
  81. 41.
  83. 42.
  85. 43.
  87. 44.
  89. 45.
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.