Chess: Short and Kasparov draw game

THE THIRTEENTH game of the chess match at the Savoy Theatre in central London ended in a draw yesterday after 34 moves, leaving Garry Kasparov leading Nigel Short by nine points to four, writes William Hartston.

It was the least exciting game of the match so far. Short played solidly with the Black pieces, choosing the reliable Slav defence, in which Black adopts a solid, if slightly cramped position, challenging White to attack.

Kasparov tried to exploit some slight weaknesses among the black pawns, but Short solved the problem by sacrificing one of them to activate his rook. Finally, Kasparov had nothing better than to return the pawn to reach a drawn position.

White: Kasparov

Black: Short

1 d4 d5

3 Nc3 Nf6

5 a4 Bf5

7 Bxc4 Bb4

9 Qe2 Bg6

11 Bd3 Qa5

13 Bxg6 fxg6

15 Nd6 Qa6

17 Ng5 cxd4

19 Rd1 Nxe5

21 Rxd5 Rxd6

23 Bf4 Re8

25 Nb3 Bb4

27 Rb1 Rc8

29 Bd4 Kf7

31 Rd1 Nxb2

33 Nxc2 Bf6

2 c4 c6

4 Nf3 dxc4

6 e3 e6

8 0-0 Nbd7

10 e4 0-0

12 e5 Nd5

14 Ne4 c5

16 Qxa6 bxa6

18 Nxe6 Rfb8

20 Rxd4 Rb6

22 Rxd6 Bxd6

24 Nd4 Bc5

26 Be3 Nd3

28 Bxa7 Rc2

30 h3 Be7

32 Na1 Nxd1

34 Bxf6 draw