1.d4 <Nigel seems to like playing 1 d4 at Gibralter.> 1...d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3< Well wonders never cease to amaze. I think this must be a first for Nigel. A Catalan for Nigel Short. I never thought I'd see the day :-)> 4...Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.Qc2 dxc4 7.Qxc4 a6 8.Bf4 Nd5 9.Nc3 b5 10.Qd3 Bb7 11.Nxd5 Bxd5 12.Rc1< Kasparov played this move when he faced a 2300 opponent. 12 0–0 is main line.> 12...Ra7 <New move. The rest of the game will show you how dormant this rook becomes, and eventually comes to a terrible fate.> 13.0–0 Nc6< With the obvious threat of 14...Nb4 hitting the queen and a2 pawn.> 14.e4 Bc4 <14...Nb4 also is possible.> 15.Rxc4 bxc4 16.Qxc4 Qd7< For the exchange sac, white has a strong center, more space, control of the 'c' file and better placed pieces. All in all a good return. >17.Rc1 Na5?< Moving the knight away from the center can't be good.> 18.Qc3 Qa4 19.Bd2< This is the result of the 17...Na5? move, Nigel now wins he c7 pawn. >19...Nb7 20.Qxc7< Black's position is already looking tenuous. >20...Bd8 21.Qc6 Qxc6 <21...Qxa2 May be better, BUT whites pieces are working harmoniuosly together, and Nigel retains a strong initiative. 22.b4 Qb2 23.d5 exd5 24.exd5 Be7 25.Be3 Nd8 26.Qc2 Qxc2 27.Rxc2 Rd7 28.Ne5 Rb7 29.Bc5 Rc7 30.Rc4 Nb7 31.Nc6 Bd6 32.Bb6 Rcc8 33.Bf1]> 22.Rxc6< Nigel has 23 Bb4 looming followed by 24 Rc8.> 22...Na5 23.Rc5 Nb7 24.Rc6 Na5 25.Rc3 Rb7 26.b3 Be7< Trying to get something going with 27...Bb4 >27.Rc2 Bb4 28.Bf4 h6 29.Bf1 Ra8 30.Ne5< Attempting to trap black's knight with 31 Nd3 Ba3 32 Bd2. The 17...Na5? has become a nightmare for black.> 30...Bd6 31.Bd2 Rc7 32.Nc4 Nxc4 33.Bxc4 a5 <To stop 34...Ba5.> 34.a4 Be7 35.Kf1< It's as though Nigel was waiting for a mistake - And the wait was worth it.> 35...Rd7? <This rook was better staying put, as it pinned whites bishop on c4. Now the bishop is activated and dominates the middle of the board.> 36.d5 exd5 37.Bxd5 Raa7 38.Ke2 Rd8 39.f4 Kf8 40.g4 Rb8 41.Rc6 Bd8 42.Rc5 Bb6 43.Rb5 Bc7 44.Be3< Ah, that useless rook on a7 that was played as a novelty on move 12.> 44...Ra6 45.h4 Rg6 46.Kf3 Rf6 47.e5 Ra6 48.h5< That's what I call an overwhelming position.> 48...g6 49.Ke4 gxh5 50.gxh5 Rab6< Where else can it go.> 51.Bxb6 Rxb6 52.Rc5 Bd8 53.Bc4 Rb8 54.f5 f6 55.exf6 1–0

Great game Nigel! A debut Catalan with an exchange sac on move 15. A mixture of Kramnik and Topalov.

You totally dominated the position with a massive center, 2 bishops working like a dream together. Whereas black's pieces were quickly running out of moves.

Melia Salome is no slouch, she shared the Women's first prize last year.