Erikas Vainikonis and his father Vytas are terrific bridge players and have supported the game very generously. Their brilliant new website, BridgeScanner, gives us all a fuss-free location to get the information we need on tournaments around the world, including live running scores. Their other gift is a five-day mini festival, starting with the Grand
The hammering downpour before the last round in Batumi was, in retrospect, a precious omen. After all, England’s medal drought in international team competitions has lasted nearly 20 years. This year our rain dances finally took effect, as we brought home the bronze medals from the European Team Championship last week. It’s our second major
In Competition No. 3123 you were invited to submit a poem that begins ‘By Waterloo Station I sat down and …’. Some of you begged, some swore, others slept. But most, in a pleasingly sizable entry, took their lead from weeping Elizabeth Smart. There was a welcome influx of newcomers this week, alongside the
Across unclued lights (one of two words) combine with down ones to suggest the surnames of four famous English painters; the puzzle’s title suggests the name of a fifth. The fifth letters of these names form STARS. Elsewhere, ignore three accents. Across 11 Leading soldier and cardinal are to stick together (6) 13 Uncouth
On 19 October John le Carré turned eighty-eight (hinted at by TWO FAT LADIES (19/26/20)). His real forenames are DAVID JOHN MOORE (1A). The titles suggested were A Perfect Spy (GOLDEN MOLE: 16), The Looking Glass War (RAW: 29), A Small Town in Germany (BAD REICHENHALL: 46), The Russia House (ROMANOV: 21) and The Little Drummer
Black to play. Erwin l’Ami–Luke McShane, Batumi, 2019. The pawn on e6 looks powerful, but White’s king is more vulnerable than it looks. What blow did I land? Answers should be sent to ‘Chess’ at The Spectator by Tuesday 12 November or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first
