LONDON, Sept 8: Nigel Short lost a furious battle with the clock, giving world chess champion Garry Kasparov the victory Tuesday In the opening game of their match for a disputed chess crown, reports AP.

Needing to complete 40 moves in two hours, the British Grandmaster and heavy underdog finished only 39 after both players started slowly and fell into time trouble. ' •

David Levy, technical consultant to the organisers, said Short was "half a second out" from beqting the clock.

Kasparov appeared to have an early advantage but his position eroded. He admitted afterwards that he thought his own 40th move, queen to e6-check, would have set up a draw

"1 missed many things' because of time pressure, Kasparov told reporters.

"In a world championship match, anything can happen. If Nigel would have had enough time, I would have forced a draw."

Short did not come to the news conference.

"Kasparov put on pressure at the end and Short panicked, but he wasn't outplayed," said American Grandmaster Larry Evans, five times US champion.

International rules generally give a player 2 1/2 hours to finish 40 moves: Kasparov and Short tightened the time limit for their breakaway championship believing that faster games would be more popular.

The second game will be played Thursday.

The game followed weAs of taunting between the longtime antagonists. After brief introductions. they shook hands and exchanged tight grins before sitting down to the board.

Kasparov, playing white, opened with the Ruy Lopez, also called the Spanish opening. Short responded with a king's pawn defence.

Short, wearing a tan suit sat

in a high-backed, traditional red leather chair and concentrated on the board. Kasparov, in a light beige suit, sat hunched over, the pieces tn a modern, low-slung black leather chair, occasionally getting up for a break.

Kasparov. 30, an ethnic Armenian who was born in Azerbaijan and now lives tn Moscow, had a small Russian flag on his side of the table. Short, 28, the first native-born British Grandmaster to contest a world championship, had a similarly sized Union Jack beside him.

London's newly refurbished Savoy Theater —built in 1881 to stage Gilbert and Sullivan operettas but now decorated with two electronic chessboards and a giant bishop and knight — was about three-quarters filled, mainly with British fans.

Every spectator received a headset to listen to analysis from chess experts. Each seat sported a small computerized handset into which viewers could predict the game's next

move — part of an international competition.

Kasparov's advisers complained that Short might overhear the moves suggested by commentators, one of whom told the audience and then jokingly suggested a ludicrous move. That provoked laughter, which appeared to annoy both players.

The match has split the chess world, and just what the victor will win remains a subject of Intense debate.

Kasparov and Short rebelled against the chess establishment in February, refusing to play thetr title match for the international chess federation FIDE, which has run the game since 1948.

They established the Professional Chess Association, which FIDE refuses to recognize. It stripped Kasparov of his title and Short of his position as top challenger.

FIDE invited Anatoly Karpov and Jan Timman, both of whom lost to Short in qualifying matches, to compete for its

championship, which started Monday in Zwolle, the Netherlands.

Kasparov, rated the best player in chess history, is the prohibitive favourite to beat Short, whom he'had defeated 10 times while losing only once in previous tournament games.

The odds are against Nigel but he's at his best tn match play and Kasparov knows ft." his father David Short said before the match. "He qnly won once against Kasparov before defeating him on the Way to this match."

Many fans rooted for Short.

"1 think It's wonderful that ft's staged in London and that the challenger Is British.' said Harry Taylor. 68, a consultant scientist and chess lover.

CL. Morris, a district attorney from Camino. Calif, said he found out about the championship when he arrived in London on vacation. Morris paid dlrs 31 to.watch’-because his 16-year-old nephew Is a serious player, he said, "and he'd wring my neck if I didn't".