It’s so hard not to whinge when you’ve had bad luck at bridge — it’s just one of those things you’ve got to get off your chest. One thing’s for sure, though, if you’re going to be a moaning Minnie, pick an example that proves your point, not one that betrays the limits of your
The Tradewise tournament at Gibraltar has gained a colossal reputation and is even challenging the traditional tournament at Wijk aan Zee (see last week’s column) in terms of playing strength. This year the tournament was graced by our very own Michael Adams and Nigel Short, as well as such illustrious denizens of the international arena
In Competition No. 2984 you were invited to follow in the footsteps of Green Day and Moby and provide Donald Trump’s detractors with a protest song. Where’s Woody Guthrie when you need him, you might ask. Well, as it turns out, the Dust Bowl Troubadour was well acquainted with the Trump family. Literary scholar
The unclued lights, which include the German eighth, are of a kind. Ignore all accents. Across 1 Lines fish in strips (8) 6 Dads receiving trophy before drinks (6) 10 Being against work place on outskirts of Arundel (12) 11 Children are a bone of contention (5) 17 Sentence lout over pinching high-class rescue
The unclued lights are items of headgear. First prize Tony Watson, Twyford, Berkshire Runners-up Philip Berridge, Spalding, Lincolnshire; R.C. Teuton, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol
Black to play. This position is from Gledura-Topalov, Gibraltar 2017. Bulgarian grandmaster Veselin Topalov is not the force he used to be, but he played a fine attacking game in Gibraltar, of which this was the conclusion. How did he finish off? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 14 February or via email
