Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

**Gordon Ritchie** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 01:46 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Nigel will not be pleased. A draw with Porper and a loss to Spraggett. What's with these Canadians?
Congratulations, Kevin.

**Jason Lohner** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 02:27 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

He certainly crushed him in that game...

**Gary Ruben** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 02:30 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

He beat Nigel like a rented mule. Simul fodder.

Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed.

**Ken Kurkowski** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 02:33 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Meanwhile, Hansen drew Tomashevski, is now 3/4. Good tournament for the Canadians so far.

**Kerry Liles** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 02:34 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Earlier Nigel had tweeted:
"A cracking round at the Tradewise Gibralter Chess Festival 2014
as Nigel takes on friend and legendary chess blogger GM Kevin Spraggett."

Cracking indeed. Wonder if they are still friends!? :)

**Hans Jung** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 02:57 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Kevin appears on Live Commentary Rd 4 from about 2:50 to 3:05 to explain the game.

**Gary Ruben** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 03:03 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Probably as good friends as usual. ;)

I'm waiting for Kevin to post the analysis for this one because Nigel made some moves I didn't understand.

**Wayne Komer** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 05:18 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Spraggett vs Short

Spraggett, Kevin (2.5) 2544-Short, Nigel (2.5) 2683
Gibraltar Festival 2014
Round Four
Jan. 31, 2014
C72 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence (5.O-O)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bd7 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 exd4 8. c3 dxc3 9. Nxc3 Na5 10. e5 Nxb3 11. axb3 Be7 12. Re1 Kf8 13. Bf4 Be6 14. Nd4 d5 15. Qf3 h5 16. h3 Ke8 17. Red1 Qd7 18. Ndxb5 Rb8 19. Nxd5 axb5 20. Nxe7 Qxe7 21. Ra8 Rc8 22. Qb7 1-0

ChessBomb Comments

- What a calamity in one of the most famous openings

- Spraggett plays it like a machine

- all the best moves

- time to retire with Vishy for Nigel

- last 10 moves are computer moves

**Jack Maguire** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 05:27 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Phenomenal game but Stockfish did disagree with Kevin's 10th move. Stockfish called for a Bishop sac (to complement the earlier Pawn sac) with 10.Bxf7+ (:

**Peter McKillop** · Friday, 31st January, 2014, 06:11 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Also, Kevin drew with super-GM Vallejo Pons yesterday!!

**Gary Ruben** · Saturday, 1st February, 2014, 10:32 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Nigel will regroup and get back in form. Kevin was better prepared in that opening.

**Nigel Hanrahan** · Sunday, 2nd February, 2014, 01:33 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post

Kevin beats Nigel Short in a miniature Rd 4 Gibraltar. Congratulations Kevin

There is no truth to the rumour that Spraggett was quoted before the game saying, in a Kasparovian way, that he would make short work of his opponent. Short of time, perhaps?

**Hans Jung** · Sunday, 2nd February, 2014, 02:29 PM

Re: Kevin Spraggett beats Nigel Short - ouch!

p://www.gibraltarchesscongress.com/videos_rds15.htm You should really check out the commentary in rd 4. Kevin explains the game well - dodgy opening Time frame 2:50 to 3:05

**Nigel Hanrahan** · Sunday, 2nd February, 2014, 08:26 PM

Spraggett - Short

Spraggett, on describing Short's final position: "In the end, everything is a nightmare." It was nice to see Spraggett make time to compliment his opponent (as a chess researcher, interested in antediluvian games, for example) in a number of ways.

Very sporting.