It’s no coincidence that many card players excel at both bridge and poker. The poker legend Gus Hansen plays a mean game of bridge and regularly turns up at tournaments. The American bridge star Steve Weinstein is also a poker pro who goes by the name of ‘Thorladen’. The attributes needed for both games are
While Viswanathan Anand, the former world champion, has been qualifying for a revenge match for the world title, Magnus Carlsen, the new champion, has been awaiting the identity of his challenger. Now that Carlsen knows that he will have to face Anand once again, the time has come to do some serious preparation and get
In Competition No. 2844 you were invited to provide an extract from either a gripping thriller or a bodice-ripping romance containing half a dozen pieces of inconsequential information. I can now add the fact that Zanzibar is the world’s largest clove producer, and that 99 per cent of Estonians have blue eyes, to my cache
Nine unclued lights are linked in three different ways (three lights to each) to a tenth, which solvers should highlight. All may be verified in Chambers. Across 5 Wet month unproductive (6) 10 In the open, fish got cleverly hidden (10, three words) 12 Atom bombs are nuclear without exception (6, three words)
The perimeter is occupied by seven SANDPIPERS. First prize Tim Hanks, Douglas, Isle of Man Runners-up Hilda Ball, Belfast; B. Taylor, Little Lever, Bolton
White to play. This is a variation from Carlsen-Leitao, Brazil 2014. White has a big attack on the kingside which Black is attempting to defuse by offering to exchange queens. How can White continue? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 29 April or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681
