I’m just back from an exhilarating week in Istanbul, where I was lucky enough to be partnering Tom Paske in the mixed teams and pairs of the European Open Championships. My plan was to stay on an extra day to sightsee, but as I was wandering into breakfast, my friend Debbie Sandford rushed up, ashen-faced.
The King’s Indian Defence is one of Black’s most dynamic reactions to closed openings such as d4/c4 and Nf3. Black sacrifices space in the centre but gains flank counter-chances on both wings in compensation. It has been a favourite of the pioneering Soviet grandmaster David Bronstein, who was followed enthusiastically by like-minded aggressors such as
In Competition No. 3104 you were invited to encapsulate the life story of a well-known person, living or dead, in three limericks. The limerick form was neatly summed up by the late Paul Griffin, long-time competitor and a regular winner on these pages: A limerick’s short and it’s slick; Like a racehorse it
Seven unclued entries had the same relationship to an eighth (appearing as the two other unclued lights). Across 1 Tease females after tea (5) 9 Misrepresentation of man in notes from St Paul? (10) 11 Celebrated beginnings of little individuals, in a way (5, hyphened) 12 Plonkers heading off abroad for a breather (7)
The unclued lights are famous LEFT-HANDED people. First prize Tony Hankey, London W4 Runners-up Chris Butler, Borough Green, Kent; Julie Sanders, Bishops Waltham, Hants
White to play. This position is from Michalik-Jirasek, Prague 2019. The game is only just out of the opening but White already has a crushing tactical blow. Can you see it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 2 July or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first
