Chess: Kasparov edges closer to victory

The two rival world chess championships were both in action at the weekend with Garry Kasparov edging closer to victory with another draw against Nigel Short in London, while halfway across the world in Jakarta, Indonesia, Anatoly Karpov and Jan Timman also drew when their interrupted match was resumed after three weeks' break. Kasparov now leads Short by 11 1/2-6 1/2 , needing one more win or two draws from the last six games to take the winner's purse of pounds 1.06m. Karpov leads Timman by 7 1/2-5 1/2 .

In the London match at the Savoy Theatre, Short and Kasparov both seemed in tired and unambitious mood for Saturday's game. When Short's early aggressive formation came to nothing, the game beame bogged down in slow manoeuvring, and as soon as an opportunity came to simplify, both men appeared happy to reach a level position and agree a draw.

After Short's win last Tuesday, which avoided the indignity of losing the match without a single victory, perhaps both men are now reasonably content to jog to the winning post without further accidents. Here are the moves of the 18th game:

White: Short

Black: Kasparov

1 e4 c5

2 Nf3 d6

3 d4 cxd4

4 Nxd4 Nf6

5 Nc3 a6

6 Bc4 e6

7 Bb3 b5

8 0-0 Be7

9 Qf3 Qc7

10 Qg3 0-0

11 Bh6 Ne8

12 Rad1 Bd7

13 Nf3 a5

14 a4 b4

15 Ne2 Nc6

16 Nf4 Bf6

17 Nd3 e5

18 Be3 Be7

19 Nd2 Nf6

20 f3 Rfe8

21 Kh1 Be6

22 Rfe1 Rac8

23 Qf2 d5

24 Bb6 Qb8

25 Bc5 Bxc5

26 Nxc5 Nd4

27 Nxe6 fxe6

28 exd5 Nxb3

29 Nxb3 exd5

30 Nxa5 Qa8

31 Nb3 Qxa4

32 Ra1 Qc6

33 Re2 d4

draw agreed