1993 Short V Kasparov Archives

[Kevin O'Rourke]

Hi yes I got a p2p.  Yes whatever is available would be a treasure! Just as many of the 1993 games as possible is what am after. Be great to have a duvet day with a nice pot of tea and just watch the whole match again especially when” the weather outside is frightful” haha

Cheers for your help on this. I was just a kid when it was broadcast and had only learned the rules a few years before the match. Would be nice to watch it all again now that am a bit older. I remember short had some great ideas in the games and missed some chances. (already seen game 10 on youtube and how he didn’t win that was unbelievable)

[Stewart Reuben]

Nigel losing on time in the first game against Gary was a tragedy. I remember being in the circle at The Savoy and Ray Keene turning to me, asking, 'What is going on?' Then Averbakh, the Chief Arbiter, announced to the audience that Nigel had lost on time. Nigl stood better at that stage. He then went 0.5-3.5 down. Naturally the public lost some interest. I don't remember whether I saw the Channel 4 coverage of the first round.

[Kevin O'Rourke]

Yes game 1 was a bad start for him and he had black pieces in that game but was doing well. I can remember him smiling but you know that deep down he was gutted. I can also remember it was him pressing his clock that actually made the flag fall (the shaking of clock) but his time was up. God dam gravity!

Game 8 and and 10 were also great chances to win as I’ve managed to find them on youtube. Game 16 he won which is also on youtube.

My mum (who has no interest in chess whatsoever) can remember me running down the stairs as a 11 year old saying “he’s won a game mummy!!” big smile on my face.

[John McKenna]

Nigel losing on time in the first game against Gary was a tragedy. I remember being in the circle at The Savoy and Ray Keene turning to me, asking, 'What is going on?' Then Averbakh, the Chief Arbiter, announced to the audience that Nigel had lost on time. Nigl stood better at that stage. He then went 0.5-3.5 down. Naturally the public lost some interest. I don't remember whether I saw the Channel 4 coverage of the first round.

I was in the cheap seats and remember that Nigel also had to contend with the draw offer Kasparov made at his 40th move.

Didn't lose all interest after that and watched the TV coverage but I never went back to the venue - the writing was already on the wall. All that remained to be determined was the score and if Nigel could win any games in the process.

[Kevin O'Rourke]

Anyone know where my good pal David Lettitngton has gone?  Never got round to getting those archives. I hope he’s ok. Kevin

[Kevin O'Rourke]

Well it’s been year to the day that I asked if anyone had these.. David Lettitngton got in touch but don’t’ think he’s logged on this year. Hope he’s ok. I spoke to someone at the BBC I know and they are apparently working on archiving everything that was ever broadcast (or at least the 80s and 90s). soon you’ll be able to request a program or a date and get it. This is a good idea especially when you consider that everything can be stored on a computer easily – you could have a few disks holding a vault full of VHS tapes.

p.s. I miss peter snow’s comments from this time. He was old then.. god knows how old he will be now.

[Derek Sinclair]

These 2 have been added in the last month

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G22X6pDc9Vg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uit59zqdq0

[Matt Mackenzie]

Peter Snow is is happily still going strong, he turned 86 a week ago.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Peter Snow! Now there was a presenter who would cut to the chase. I remember him interviewing Short on TV just after he beat Timman in order to qualify as Kasparov's champion. Short referred himself as being the underdog, or words to that effect, and Snow interjected "Why is that? Is he better than you?" which I found just hilarious.

[Derek Sinclair]

Yea Peter Snow was really good. I think that was the BBC version that didn't show any footage but had a nicer graphic of the chess board.

Never again will we get coverage like that it seems.

[Roger de Coverly]

Never again will we get coverage like that it seems.

Not on terrestial TV perhaps, but coverage has long since migrated to the internet. That's why Agon's attempt to monopolise it was so egregious. The process had already started in 1993 with internet discussion of the Short-Kasparov match. Being able to play opponents live from your home computer started at around that time as well.

[Derek Sinclair]

With that many channels out there now it would be possible to have some coverage. Things like the RED BUTTON for example.

[Matt Mackenzie]

With that many channels out there now it would be possible to have some coverage. Things like the RED BUTTON for example.

Yes this is a fair point, it remains notable that there have been a few "poker channels" (for example) but still no specialised chess channel.

[Derek Sinclair]

While you had E4 churning out BIG BROTHER 24/7

[Ian Thompson]

While you had E4 churning out BIG BROTHER 24/7

Therein lies the challenge - persuading TV companies that chess programmes would be more attractive to viewers than Big Brother. Good luck with convincing them that viewers would like to see some guaranteed pawn instead of the possibility of some late night soft porn in the Big Brother bedroom.