Short beats Efimenko 3.5-2.5

Nigel Short won his match against Ukrainian rising star Zahar Efimenko 3.5-2.5. The Englishman lost the first game but immediately levelled the score in game 2. Another victory in game 5 turned out to be decisive.

A 6-game match between Nigel Short (2706) and Zahar Efimenko (2654) took place September 20-26 in Mukachevo, Ukraine. The rate of play was 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting with the first move.

The organization was in the hands of Universal Event Promotions, who were responsible for the Anand-Kramnik World Championship match in Bonn last year. The same organisation made a bid for the 2010 Candidates event but later withdrew, failing to reach an agreement with FIDE. Back then UEP President Joseph Resch promised to continue organizing chess events, and after the Ivanchuk-Leko rapid match in January this year we already saw a new match last week.

Nigel Short doesn't need an introduction, but 24-year-old Zahar Efimenko perhaps does. His biggest success as a youngster was his victory at the World Juniors U-14 in Oropesa del Mar. He won the Ukrainian championship in 2006 and is part of the Ukrainian team. During the match, Efimenko worked with the experienced grandmaster Alexander Beliavsky as a second. Nigel Short didn't have an assistant in Mukachevo.

Name	Fed.	Rtg	1	2	3	4	5	6	Tot.	Perf
Nigel Short	ENG	2706	0	1	½	½	1	½	3.5	2712
Zahar Efimenko	UKR	2654	1	0	½	½	0	½	2.5	2648

Games (analysis by GM Klaus Bischoff)

Game viewer by ChessTempo






Photos: Mikhail Golubev

Links

• Official website
• Coverage at the Mukachevo Chess Club website
• Games in PGN