Chess
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Nigel Short made a bad start to the annual tournament at Wijk aan Zee, in The Netherlands, with an unnecessary loss with the white pieces in the first round, but he regained ground by winning with Black in round two.
The loss came after Short had obtained a beautiful position in the opening against the Ukrainian grandmaster Onischuk. His 11.Bxf7+! cast doubt on Black's over-aggressive play. After 11...Kxf7 12.Qxd7+ Kf8 13.Be3, White's position soon becomes overwhelming. 11...Ke7! was certainly the best way to fight, but Black still looked groggy after 18.e6! (when 18...dxe6 loses to 19.Qh4+ g5 20.Qb4+)
Short let himself be bluffed by the rather desperate 23...Rhg8 (which was the only defence to the threat of 24.Rf5). Instead of playing simply 24.Bxg8 (when 24...Rxf2 25.Kxf2 Qf4+ 26.Ke2 Qxg4+ 27.Ke2 is clearly winning for White) Short went off on an attractive-looking adventure which failed to deliver the goods.
White: Nigel Short
Black: Alexander Onischuk
1 e4 e5 20 Qh6 Qe5
2 Nf3 Nc6 21 Rd3 Be4
3 Bb5 a6 22 Re3 d5
4 Ba4 Nf6 23 g4 Rhg8
5 0-0 Bc5 24 Rf5 Qg7
6 Nxe5 Nxe5 25 Qh3 Bxf5
7 d4 b5 26 gxf5 Rh8
8 dxe5 Nxe4 27 Qg3 Rc8
9 Bb3 Bb7 28 Re5 Rhd8
10 Nc3 Qh4 29 f6+ Qxf6
11 Bxf7+ Ke7 30 Rxg5 Qh6
12 Be3 Bxe3 31 Bh5 Rf8
13 fxe3 Nxc3 32 Rg7+ Kf6
14 bxc3 Qe4 33 Rf7+ Rxf7
15 Rf2 Raf8 34 Qf2 Kxe6
16 Qh5 Qxe3 35 Qxf7+ Kd6
17 Rd1 Bc6 36 Bg4 Rd8
18 e6 d6 White resigns
19 Qh4+ g5
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