Games: Chess

The English are doing magnificently in the Fide world championship in Groningen. Nigel Short is through to the last five, and may be joined by Michael Adams, if the latter can win his play-off with Loek van Wely. If that happens, the two Englishmen will meet in the next round.

Short has played as well as at any time since 1993, when he qualified to meet Kasparov in a world title match. In the four years since then, he has looked unimpressive. Last month, for example, he drew all his games on top board for England in the world team championship. In the current event he has rediscovered how to win games against top grandmasters.

In the last round, he beat Mikhail Krasenkov 2-0. Here is his first win. White gains a small advantage from the opening, and maintains his grip until Black allows a devastating combination in the endgame. After 45...Nxd5 46.Re8 Black is mated.

White: Nigel Short

Black: Mikhail Krasenkov

1 e4 c5 24 Nc3 Qd7

2 Nf3 Nc6 25 f3 Ng6

3 c3 Nf6 26 Qd2 Rc7

4 e5 Nd5 27 Ba4 Qc8

5 Bc4 Nb6 28 Re1 Rd8

6 Bb3 d5 29 Kf2 Ne7

7 exd6 e6 30 Bb3 Qb8

8 d4 cxd4 31 Ne2 Rxc1

9 cxd4 Bxd6 32 Rxc1 Rc8

10 0-0 Ne7 33 Re1 Nc6

11 Nc3 Bd7 34 Bc2 Qd6

12 Ng5 h6 35 a3 Ne7

13 Nge4 Bc7 36 Bb3 Kf8

14 Qg4 Nf5 37 Nf4 a5

15 Rd1 0-0 38 h4 Qd7

16 Nc5 Bc8 39 h5 Qb5

17 g3 Nd5 40 Bd1 Rc6

18 Nxd5 exd5 41 g4 Qc4

19 Qf3 Ne7 42 Re3 Qc1

20 Bf4 Bxf4 43 Qxc1 Rxc1

21 Qxf4 b6 44 Ba4 Bc8

22 Na4 Be6 45 Nxd5 resigns

23 Rac1 Rc8