CHESS Lubomir Kavalek
By Lubomir Kavalek
Monday, October 16, 2006; Page C12
The Kitchen Debacle
On Feb. 23, 1993, FIDE President Florencio Campomanes announced Manchester, England, as the venue for the world championship match between Nigel Short and Garry Kasparov. That day Short was unavailable, crossing on a ferry from Italy to Greece. Instead of Manchester, the English grandmaster preferred two bids from London. By not consulting Short, Campomanes broke FIDE rules.
Suddenly, Short had a reason to pursue the bids from London even at the cost of breaking up with FIDE — provided Kasparov agreed. When Short contemplated how to reach Kasparov, I pointed to the phone in my kitchen and said: “Call Kasparov in Linares directly.” Kasparov answered Short’s call in Spain shortly after midnight on March 3.
In a 13-minute conversation they discussed for the first time playing their match outside FIDE. Kasparov later called it one of the biggest mistakes of his chess career. Not only did they get less money in London, but they began the 13-year split of the world titles that ended only last Friday with Kramnik’s victory.
The rest of the article can be read here. 
No, it’s not the kitchen’s fault, it’s Campomanes’ fault. It was his conduct during the first Kasparov-Karpov match that sowed the seeds for this mess.
As I understand it, Campomanes also spent some time in jail in the Philippines for corruption.
Here it is (item 203):
203. 6 February 2003: Campomanes goes to jail
News sources in the Philippines report that former FIDE President and Honorary FIDE President Florencio Campomanes was convicted yesterday by the Sandiganbayan, the anti-graft Court, for “failure to account for government funds” amounting to 12,8 million Philippine pesos, or $ 238,745.
This was money the Philippine Sports Commission entrusted to Campomanes to be used by FIDE for the World Chess Olympiad in Manila in 1992. In January 1994, when an audit revealed that the money had not reached FIDE, Campomanes was asked to refund the sum, or to make clear where it had gone. He has never done either.
Campomanes was sentenced to one year and 10 months imprisonment.
from: http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/chess2/diary_11.htm
I was one of Garrys biggest fans even after 1993. I appreciate his play even in games where the opponent isn’t playing well such as his game against Deep Fritz in 2003 where they pulled the plug.
The disappointing time for Garry comes with his match against Kramnik when he drew Kramnik out while losing the title he found so long and hard for. At that time he was having some personal problems, but to see him surrender his title just felt wrong. At that time his mind was already on retirement and his political career though, so I guess I can’t blame him, but the fire he showed while arguing against Karpov, Fide and the system that was keeping him from the title in 84 and 85 was gone.
Which are worse for chess: kitchens or rest rooms?
“13 minute” – very witty of Lubomir.
“such as his game against Deep Fritz in 2003 where they pulled the plug.”
This is very important, babies could die because of this! I neeeed to know what do you mean by that (they pulled the plug).