I have just returned from the annual pilgrimage to Reykjavik, home of one of the best tournaments of the year. Iceland has produced some very fine bridge players —none finer (or nicer) than Jon Baldursson, who was on the team that won the World Championships in Yokohama in 1991. One of the most interesting side
Various champions have been accused of hypnotising their opponents, including Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Tal and, not least, the reigning world champion, Magnus Carlsen. The respective accusers were the grandmasters and world-title candidates, Efim Bogolyubov, Pal Benko and the relatively recently deceased, Viktor Korchnoi. The latter was an adept in the dark arts of presumed
In Competition No. 3033 you were invited to take as your first line ‘I am the very model of a Very Stable Genius’ and continue for up to a further 15. It seemed about time for a challenge to mark Trump’s first year in office, and what better as a springboard than the Donald’s
A word suggested by the title can either precede or follow each of the unclued lights to form phrases listed in Brewer. Across 10 5’s musical art on car plate (12) 11 Chosen the front bits of 40 (5) 13 Artwork showing most of red face cover turned over (7) 14 Crushes forms and
The unclued lights are varieties of PASTA. First prize J Cookson, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Runners-up Margaret Shiels, Edinburgh; D King, Leeds
White to play. This position is from Goriatchkin-Bosiocic, Gibraltar 2018. How did White finish off? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 6 February, via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7961 0058. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal
