What an extraordinary two weeks for Richard Plackett and his team. First, they went to Tignes in France for the European Winter Games, where they fought some of the world’s best teams over seven gruelling days, and emerged with the crown. Elated but exhausted, three of them – Richard, Espen Erichsen and Peter Crouch –
Seconds before resigning the decisive game of the world championship, Ian Nepomniachtchi’s hand, trembling with emotion, involuntarily toppled the captured pieces at the side of the board. It was a crushing disappointment to lose a match in which he had taken the lead on three separate occasions, and come agonisingly close to an almost unassailable
Moehring-Kaikamdzozov, Elekes Memorial, Zamardi 1978. White avoided perpetual check and won the game. Which move did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 15 May. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s
In Competition No. 3298, you were invited to provide a book review in three haiku. When I saw that the unofficial poet laureate of Twitter Brian Bilston had tweeted some haiku book reviews, I thought I’d challenge you to do something along the same lines. The traditional Japanese haiku is a snapshot of a moment
The unclued lights (one hyphened and one pair) are of a kind. Across 4 Swollen state of tailless bird’s head (9) 10 Evil mix of love and malice (10) 14 Cox for Hereford, perhaps? (5) 16 Henry and John’s outcry (6) 22 Cow strays from foaming watercourse, maybe marked with X (8) 23
The unclued are classical composers. First prize Mike Carter, Kirkby Overblow, Harrogate Runners-up Glyn Watkins, Portishead, Bristol; Lewis Osborne, Newton Mearns, Glasgow
