Omar Sharif did so much for bridge. He inspired countless others through his own devotion to the game (‘Acting is my living but bridge is my passion’); he promoted it around the world with his travelling ‘bridge circus’; he lent his glamour to every major tournament — even turning down films if they clashed. And
Fabiano Caruana notched the result of his life at the Sinquefield Trophy in St Louis last year. Since then he has done nothing in particular and not done it very well, to adapt W.S. Gilbert’s lordly formula from Iolanthe. Now Caruana has reasserted himself at the elite tournament in Dortmund, where final scores (out of
In Competition No. 2906 you were invited to write a poem about an encounter in an airport. Craig Raine’s poem ‘Gatwick’ caused a right old kerfuffle when it was published recently in the London Review of Books. The Twitter bullies came out in force to broadcast their disgust at an elderly poet sharing his lustful
Unclued lights (two hyphened) are words (all but one of which are in ODQ) from a poem whose title appears in the completed grid. Two clued lights combine to give the poet’s surname and must be shaded. Across 1 Brass hat beginning to eat brassica (4) 9 Gem from ring put on partner
The poem was Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats. 1A, 16, 21A, 30, 38, 8, 13, 27, 29 and 35 all appear in it. A GRECIAN URN appears diagonally from 9. STEAK (39) was to be shaded. First prize Sid Field, Stockton-on-Tees Runners-up M. O’Hanlon, North Berwick, Scotland; Hugh Schofield, Paris
Black to play. This position is a variation from Kramnik-Naiditsch, Dortmund 2015. How can Black make a decisive material gain? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 21 July or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a hat, and
