In this country, Andrew Robson and bridge are practically synonymous: he’s the best known, and probably the best, player we have. His love for the game goes to the very core of him. During our recent bridge week at Stuart Wheeler’s house in Tangier, I asked Andrew about his near-fatal accident in 2001. While walking
Michael Basman is in many ways the most important person in British chess. As a player, he is an International Master, who tied for the British Championship in 1973, losing out in the tie-break. Since then he has turned his hand to organising a mass annual schools championship, attended by 70,000 entrants every year. Sponsored
In Competition 2770 you were invited to submit a response, in the style of Alexander Pope, to the recently announced Turner Prize short list or to the contemporary art scene in general. Inspiration for this assignment came from the art critic Robert Hughes’s ‘The Sohoiad or the Masque of Art: a satire in heroic couplets
Seven 1D lights are unclued. Across 1 Carnivore longing to enter Gordon’s dining room (5) 6 Female musical figure is King’s deputy (7) 11 Constancy of a husband from this place in Bow? (10) 13 Sapless sex maniac peppered couscous? Not so (9) 16 Poem from Turkey Eliot translated (7) 17 Dutch uncle in Australia
The perimeter quotation is the opening couplet of Marvell’s ‘To His Coy Mistress’. Remaining unclued lights in order 12A, 17A, 35A, 38A, 22D are anagrams of ‘Time’s wingèd chariot drawing near’. First prize Rhidian Llewellyn, Minchinhampton, Glos Runners-up Kenneth M. Robb, Linlithgow, West Lothian; Dr Simon Shaw, Goosnargh, Lincs
Black to play. This is from Velimirovic-Basman, Student Olympiad 1967. Black has just given up a piece. The justification for this sacrifice is revealed with his next move, which leads to a large advantage. What is it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 6 November or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax
