Short and Kamsky argument

This is old news but I didn't know anything about it until today so thought I would share for others who might be interested. For context both guys were contributing to an online commentary/discussion hosted by Susan Polgar of the notoriously ill-tempered Kramnik - Topalov match from 2006. Short decided to raise the subject of what had happened during their 1994 PCA Candidates match which Kamsky won 5.5 -1.5 on the basis that he had been accused of cheating during the match, as was happening in the Kramnik - Topalov match. Apparently after various official complaints by both sides during the match (excessive coughing, excessive bathroom breaks, attempts at communication with other players during the game) Kamsky's volatile father Rustam accosted Short in a restaurant after game 4 and allegedly told him 'If you don't stop cheating I will kill you'. This obviously still rankled with Short 12 years later. The following is a transcript of their exchange with comments by others on the commentary removed:

Nigel Short: Gata, in our 1994 match you delivered a written protest to the arbiter accusing me of visiting the bathroom too often. Was that done to disturb me, or because you thought I had a desktop hidden in the cubicle?
Gata Kamsky: ask me something i can remember nigel
Nigel Short: I remember it well, Gata.
Gata Kamsky: all i remember is that you started talking to me during the game
Nigel Short: Yes, and the arbiter had overheard a conversation between your father and yourself immediately after the game. He told you to complain. You said that there was nothing to complain about. And yet within the hour there was yet another written protest about me cheating during this match.
Nigel Short: I guess Daddy had his way
Gata Kamsky: i would be careful with making assumptions
Gata Kamsky: back then i didn't understood your dirty psychological tricks nigel
Nigel Short: I was also accused of "looking at Anand too much"
Nigel Short: and what a pity that the match organisers failed to erect a wall on the stage , like you insisted that they must
Gata Kamsky: nigel you had your chance against garry no?
Gata Kamsky: so stop complaining
Nigel Short: I do remember the death threat from your father, delivered in an extremely irate manner about 2cm from my face.
Gata Kamsky: so talk to my father about it
Gata Kamsky: lol
Nigel Short: "Talk to my father"? Why not "talk to Danailov"? we can all benefit from hiding behind our henchmen
Gata Kamsky: nice try nigel
Gata Kamsky: trying to do others all work for you?
Nigel Short (Responding to Susan Polgar): they have relevance, Susan. It is the only time in my career I have accused of cheating. I was accused repeatedly. There are obvious similarities with the current match.
Nigel Short: the only thing that Danailov has not done is to physically threaten Kramnik with death
Gata Kamsky: i have no idea what you're trying to drag me and my dad back into nigel
Nigel Short: No doubt you would prefer to remember the result, rather than the manner in which it was attained, Gata.
Gata Kamsky: you mean your little dirty tricks ?
Gata Kamsky: we can go all day, you have your opinion and i have mine. So let's leave it at that
Nigel Short: It is funny, how you are the only person to have observed that I am a cheat, Gata. Indeed the protests and accusations went on even when you were 3-0 up. I must have been the most inept cheat in history.
Gata Kamsky: nigel
Gata Kamsky: i don't want to talk about it, but if you want to do something about this, we can settle this like real men, outside. I'll be waiting
Nigel Short: Yes. That is exactly how your Dad wanted to settle it too.
Gata Kamsky: it is YOUR problem
Gata Kamsky: but your insinuations are insulting me
Gata Kamsky: so put up or shut up
Nigel Short: Your comments reveal a complete abdication of responsibility. A player is 100%responsible for the actions of his delegation

Interesting. More background by Mig Greengard at http://www.chessninja.com/dailydirt/2006/10/kamskyshort-19942006.htm

I would have gone outside.

Since gata means a female cat in Spanish, I'd have a tough time trying to keep a serious discussion with this guy.

Kamsky is about 9 feet tall and impressively broad. Nigel is about half his size and it is a good job that he excels at chess as he would never have made an athlete.  Declining Kamsky's childish invitation to "step outside" was very wise.

I am with Urk on this. I admire Nigel's  outspokenness.  He never hides what he really thinks no matter who is going to choose to be upset by it where most of us would hide our true thoughts for the sake of a quiet life.

Making death threats is a criminal offence in most countries.  If Rustam Kamsky makes a habit of it then why has he not been prosecuted?

This happened in Linares, Spain. Short made a report at a police station. According with Leontxo García, all of them were there in a scene that would fit on a Marx Bros' movie, and the policeman who attended almost went nuts.

"A chunky officer tried, to no avail, to find some sense in the story by an uniformed hotel receptionist, a British man wearing a tie and the untidy Rustam. The latter admitted all the time his death threat against Short, but explained it was only an expression, without the will of making it real. The officer, jaw-dropped, couldn't understand the relation between that sports incident, Kamsky's cough, the folding screens and the separate toilets Rumstam had demanded".

Gata was only 20 at the time of the match with Nigel.

Yes, 20 is an adult for many people, but reading about Gata's early life I imagine he was still a lot like a child at the time.

Short certainly had reason to be upset, but these memories were likely unpleasant for Gata as well. He didn't ask for a maniac to be his father.

Who knows, could be Kamsky has been specialized in groups lately.

Short had a big falling out with Danailov too, which led to the handshake row in 2008

I think in the beginning Short was being the childish one, provoking Gata... but I agree Kamsky responded poorly, challenging him to a fight is ridiculous.

Kamsky is the man!!

I heard Short and Cheparinov have buried the hatchet. (the non-handshake incident)

If Short had brought up this dumb conversation with me 12 years after the fact, I would have responded the same as Kamsky. You still got a problem with me? Let's go outside, tough guy! Great response. Some people need to be taught a lesson. As Kamsky said, Short had his chance with Kasparov and was destroyed. 

Would've done the exact same thing.

Well considering this was in an online chat, presumably when Kamsky said 'I'll be waiting' he was prepared to stand outside his house until Short had caught a flight across the Atlantic and then driven over from the airport. 

Don't forget that Rustam Kamsky at that point played a role in Gata Kamsky's life which in many ways was similar to that of Damir Dokic, the father of Jelena Dokic (the Croat-born former Australian tennis player). Rustam and Damir were very controlling, and constantly brawling with everyone.

Nigel Short has done quite a number of stupid things in his life which he probably would get rather irate about if someone else kept harping on about them for a goodish while. I don't think Gata is neither proud nor happy about the incident, and it's probably safe to say that - just as in the case of Topalov v Kramnik - this would never have happened without Rustam (or Danailov in the TvK case).

Seems to me that the Kamskys were completely at fault, and Nigel has every right to continue to be upset.