Do you ever watch the greats playing bridge? And if you do, are you sometimes baffled, because instead of playing the obvious card, they do something that seems to be completely random? Of course, it never is random — it’s just that they are operating on a different plane from the rest of us. Not
Towards the end of last year, those two old warhorses Anatoly Karpov and Jan Timman added to their total of over 100 competitive games against each other by contesting a four-game match in Groningen, Holland. Both aged 62, the players displayed resilience and ingenuity which contribute to the annals of age-related achievements in serious international competitive
In Competition 2830 you were invited to choose, from different authors, two characters who have the same job or position and give an excerpt of not more than 150 words from their conversation on meeting. The assignment brought forth an entertaining cast of literary pairings, with gentlemen’s gentlemen, sleuths, teachers and doctors featuring most strongly,
Unclued lights form four thematic pairs, one of which combines to form a single word. Across 1 Working prophets allege they carry cables (14, two words) 10 Reptile in summer (5) 11 Jacket of lass in Alaska (6) 12 Problem in thatching started again (7) 16 Bones to bury beside ray-flowers (10) 20
Christmas carols, and their anagrammed ‘new titles’: O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL IT CAME UPON THE MIDNIGHT CLEAR ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY GOOD KING WENCESLAS I SAW THREE SHIPS IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER ALLELUIA OF THE COMFY ADMIT UMPTEENTH ANGELIC CHOIR COSY, DAINTY, DIVINE CAROL LEGS GO CAKED IN SNOW SPIES THEIR
White to play. This position is a variation from Nepomniachtchi-Ivanchuk, Beijing 2013. White has a ferocious attack. How can he land the killer blow? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 21 January or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out
