ATHERTON-born chess ace Nigel Short is £115,000 richer after reaching the semi-finals of the World Chess Championships.

Nigel, who was a pupil at St Philip's in Atherton and later a student at Leigh College, narrowly missed becoming world champion almost five years ago when he played Russian supremo Gary Kasparov.

And in his latest battle, against UK No 1 player Michael Adams in Holland, he lost after a long and exhausting series of games, despite playing at his best for several years.

Nigel last returned to Leigh in November 1993 to visit Leigh College to pick up an award.

At that time he received more than half a million pounds playing chess and his name became a household word.

His father David commented: "Despite being dislodged by Michael in the latest battle for a place in the F.I.D.E world championship Nigel enjoyed the match.

"Now he planning for his next games next month in Calcutta, the first time he will have played in India."

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