LatestChess:- You are great lover of Cricket how come you started playing Chess and who influenced your chess career?
Nigel Short:- My real interest in cricket came relatively late. Both my father and older brother were big fans but I did not get hooked until my 20s. Graham Gooch smashing 333 against India was one of the earliest innings that I paid any attention to. I was introduced to chess, at the age of 5, by watching my father play with my older brother. I was immediately gripped but did not join a club or play in tournaments though until the age of 7. The Fischer-Spassky match in Reykjavik 1972 had a huge influence on me. I used to read a lot (still do, in fact) and played regularly.

Fischer - Spassky match in 1972 had a huge influence on me...

LatestChess:- You have won a match against Anatoly Karpov, to challenge Kasparov for the World title, how was your experience of Match with Karpov?
Nigel Short:- The match with Karpov was probably the high point of my career. I estimated my chances beforehand of winning that match as being about 50%. Most English players though I was insane and that I would be crushed. However I correctly identified the weak points in Karpov's game and was able to exploit his deficiencies. I am very proud of that achievement.

I correctly identified the weak points in Karpov's game and exploited his deficiencies...

LatestChess:- You and Kasparov came out of FIDE and played the match for World Championship? so how was Sasparov different from Karpov, and how was your experience for that Match.
Nigel Short:- I have always had difficulty facing Kasparov. He is a very intimidating player and - let's be frank - he is simply much stronger than me. In 1993 I managed, to a degree, to successfully negate one of his huge advantages - his fantastic opening knowledge. Alas, I discovered that not only does he serve well, but he can also volley. I squandered a large number of promising positions, in part due to his extremely stubborn resistance and my nervousness.

Kasparov is a very intimidating player, he is simply much stronger than me...

LatestChess:- You have coached young prodigies like Pentala Harikrishna, Sergey Karjakin, David Howell and Parimarjan Negi. Your first team assignment with the Islamic Republic of Iran, led to Iran unexpectedly taking bronze medal at the Asian Games in Doha, in 2006. Tell us about your chess coaching experience.
Nigel Short:- I do not have vast experience as a coach, but I believe I am getting better in my job. I have a lot of knowledge of the game but coaching is primarily about communication. Of course it is one thing working with people who are already extremely talented like the aforementioned grandmasters, it is another getting something extra out of the slightly less gifted. In this respect I am delighted that my Iranian girls, who were seeded a modest 15th out of 18 in the 2007 Asian Cities Championship, finished in a highly creditable 8th place. I am also extremely proud of the bronze medal we got in Doha. It was about as good as result as we could hope for.

I am getting better in my chess coaching job...

LatestChess:- It seems you really enjoy playing commonwealth championship particularly in India. You have won the commonwealth championship at Mumbai in 2004 and 2006. Whats special about the venue and commonwealth championship?
Nigel Short:- The Commonwealth is a very large organisation of 53 countries. I suppose it is vanity that makes me want to win such an event. I like India a great deal. There are cultural affinities, due to shared history, but also massive differences. It is intriguing combination of the familiar and utterly alien that is so intoxicating.

I like India a great deal...