"Winning" by Nigel Short

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Kevin Thurlow
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"Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:09 pm

The title says it all. Nigel presents all the games from eight tournaments in which he came first or equal first, ranging from Wijk aan Zee 1987 to Anzali 2016. Apart from a few lifeless drawn games, all the games are annotated, some in depth, with plenty of diagrams. The titles for each chapter come from music titles, which fit the event in some way. “We Are The Champions” and “A Hard Day’s Night” gave that away, although I had to look up a couple of them. He gives information on opponents and venues, which is interesting as some of the former were just names to me. He does make it clear when he thinks the organization could have been improved. He can be a bit blunt at times, but I don’t have a problem with that. I think the annotations are honest, he’s not afraid to criticize himself, or praise his opponent. Many “Best Game” books are written as if the author is a genius who saw every possibility. Of course, this is not best games per se, but best tournaments. He comments that he has a poor record against Judit Polgar, which will doubtless annoy his detractors. He also urges that you should practise, analyse your own games as soon as possible, and learn endings, all of which will help you improve. I have not had time to study this book properly, but I am sure it will be rewarding. Just to mention one tournament in particular, Amsterdam 1991, ended 1st Short and Salov, 6/9, 3rd= Karpov and Kasparov 5.5, 5th Korchnoi 4.5 etc., where Nigel drew with Karpov with black in the last round. You have to be impressed with that!

David Sedgwick
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by David Sedgwick » Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:51 pm

Kevin Thurlow wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:09 pm
[Nigel Short] can be a bit blunt at times, but I don’t have a problem with that.
:!: :lol:

Kevin Thurlow
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by Kevin Thurlow » Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:05 am

":!: :lol:"

Fair comment.

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JustinHorton
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by JustinHorton » Sat Jul 24, 2021 8:04 am

I've not read the book but I did read the excerpt that was posted on this forum and which exhibited two frequent characteristics of his writing. One of these is a kind of laboured English which I find a pain to read and the other was the recourse to personal feuds and grudges which I think became tiresome a long time ago: the appeal is only in a pulling-wings-off-flies kind of way.

I was very pleased when New In Chess terminated his column, at least in so far as it spared me my annual dilemma as to whether I should renew my subscription.
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Gerard Killoran
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by Gerard Killoran » Sun Jul 25, 2021 5:16 pm

Nigel admits in the introduction that every book with his name on the cover - apart from one on the French Defence - had been ghost-written. The following paragraph proves that this one is all his own work.
As someone with a casual interest in military history, I was hoping to emulate the victory of my hero, Arthur Wellesley, Marquess Wellington – as he then was styled before his ducal promotion – at the 1813 Siege of Pamplona, during the Peninsular War. The credit for the French surrender properly belongs to the Spanish commanders, Captain General Enrique Jose O’Donnell and Major General Carlos de Espana, but I never allow vulgar facts to spoil a narrative. It was at least a shared British win, and that would more than suffice for inspiration.

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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by Roger Lancaster » Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:41 am

Gerard Killoran wrote:
Sun Jul 25, 2021 5:16 pm
Nigel admits in the introduction that every book with his name on the cover - apart from one on the French Defence - had been ghost-written. The following paragraph proves that this one is all his own work.
As someone with a casual interest in military history, I was hoping to emulate the victory of my hero, Arthur Wellesley, Marquess Wellington – as he then was styled before his ducal promotion – at the 1813 Siege of Pamplona, during the Peninsular War. The credit for the French surrender properly belongs to the Spanish commanders, Captain General Enrique Jose O’Donnell and Major General Carlos de Espana, but I never allow vulgar facts to spoil a narrative. It was at least a shared British win, and that would more than suffice for inspiration.
"Marquess of Wellington".

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Gerard Killoran
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by Gerard Killoran » Tue Jul 27, 2021 9:23 am

Roger Lancaster wrote:
Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:41 am
Gerard Killoran wrote:
Sun Jul 25, 2021 5:16 pm
Nigel admits in the introduction that every book with his name on the cover - apart from one on the French Defence - had been ghost-written. The following paragraph proves that this one is all his own work.
As someone with a casual interest in military history, I was hoping to emulate the victory of my hero, Arthur Wellesley, Marquess Wellington – as he then was styled before his ducal promotion – at the 1813 Siege of Pamplona, during the Peninsular War. The credit for the French surrender properly belongs to the Spanish commanders, Captain General Enrique Jose O’Donnell and Major General Carlos de Espana, but I never allow vulgar facts to spoil a narrative. It was at least a shared British win, and that would more than suffice for inspiration.
"Marquess of Wellington".
Surely 'ducal elevation' would be your actual correct styling, rather than the ever so vulgar 'promotion'?

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John Upham
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by John Upham » Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:43 pm

Gerard Killoran wrote:
Sun Jul 25, 2021 5:16 pm
Nigel admits in the introduction that every book with his name on the cover - apart from one on the French Defence - had been ghost-written. The following paragraph proves that this one is all his own work.
Nigel Short's Chess Skills was written by Malcolm Pein using contributions from Nigel.

Nigel Short Chess Prodigy was written by David Short.

It would appear that many of the rip-off books supposedly written by Nigel were sourced from Malcolm's book appearing under various guises.
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:27 pm

As the front cover of the latter makes clear, plus numerous very readable contributions by George Botterill.
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Paul Cooksey
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by Paul Cooksey » Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:12 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Sat Jul 24, 2021 8:04 am
I've not read the book but I did read the excerpt that was posted on this forum and which exhibited two frequent characteristics of his writing. One of these is a kind of laboured English which I find a pain to read and the other was the recourse to personal feuds and grudges which I think became tiresome a long time ago: the appeal is only in a pulling-wings-off-flies kind of way.

I was very pleased when New In Chess terminated his column, at least in so far as it spared me my annual dilemma as to whether I should renew my subscription.
I tend to agree with Justin about the NIC column. You could not pay me enough to read an anthology of Short's magazine articles.

I bought the book anyway and am enjoying it so far, these things less of an issue in annotated games.

He comments he hopes to release a second volume including his matches. I very much hope he uses the Kasparov match as the centrepiece and calls the book "Losing"

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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by David Sedgwick » Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:28 pm

Paul Cooksey wrote:
Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:12 pm
I very much hope he uses the Kasparov match as the centrepiece and calls the book "Losing".
I made that very suggestion to him at the KIA Oval, albeit without the apparent malice.

https://twitter.com/DavidSedgwickIA/sta ... 2916681728

J T Melsom
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by J T Melsom » Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:10 pm

The Oval is sufficient I think. In this case be more traditional.

David Sedgwick
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by David Sedgwick » Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:57 pm

J T Melsom wrote:
Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:10 pm
The Oval is sufficient I think. In this case be more traditional.
Sponsors are important.

John Swain
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by John Swain » Sat Jul 31, 2021 12:06 am

David Sedgwick wrote:
Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:28 pm
Paul Cooksey wrote:
Fri Jul 30, 2021 6:12 pm
I very much hope he uses the Kasparov match as the centrepiece and calls the book "Losing".
I made that very suggestion to him at the KIA Oval, albeit without the apparent malice.

https://twitter.com/DavidSedgwickIA/sta ... 2916681728
KIA Oval = King's Indian Attack Oval?! :wink:

J T Melsom
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Re: "Winning" by Nigel Short

Post by J T Melsom » Sat Jul 31, 2021 8:34 am

David Sedgwick wrote:
Fri Jul 30, 2021 11:57 pm
J T Melsom wrote:
Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:10 pm
The Oval is sufficient I think. In this case be more traditional.
Sponsors are important.
Agree, but I doubt many Surrey members reference the sponsor in general conversation. That's certainly true of those I know.

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