One of the pleasures of kibitzing online tournaments is that when an intriguing hand comes up, you can flick back and forth to see how different players tackle it. I’m drawn in particular to players whose boldness and imagination always make them highly entertaining to watch — two of whom are Artur Malinowksi and Steve
The fifth match game between Potter and Zukertort, played in London in 1875, saw a dogged struggle. The final position is shown in the diagram below, where the players agreed to a draw after 91 Kb5-c4. William Norwood Potter, an English master, must have reasoned as follows: the protected passed pawn on d4 obliges the
White to play, Kharlov–Ernst, Haninge 1992. Black’s last move, g6-g5 was a decisive mistake. Which move did White play to exploit it? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 31 May. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six
In Competition No. 3200, you were invited to retell one of Chaucer’s tales in the style of another author. The voices that dominated, in a medium–sized entry, were those of the Wife of Bath, the Pardoner, the Miller and the Nun’s Priest. Chaucer’s pilgrims were offered a free dinner for the best yarn, but this
The unclued lights, (one pair, one hyphened and one of two words) are of a kind. One clue leads to a number. Across 10 Alpine skier initially taking exercise by Norway’s top ski-resort (5) 11 Bowler in Anglo-French waters (6) 12 Most of the month witnesses are heard. That’s novel! (7) 16 Capital oil change
The unclued lights are the final headwords for B, D, E, F, S, T, U, W, as listed in Chambers. First prize Peter Summerton, Southampton Runners-up Mrs D. King, Leeds; Neville Twickel, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire
