The past two weeks have seen hundreds of passionate bridge players head for Montecatini in Italy for the 8th European Open Championships. The first two events, Mixed Teams and Mixed Pairs, had possibly the most exciting finals of all time — both successful gold medallists winning on the heart-stopping last board. The Pairs saw Poland’s
Tigran Petrosian is the great chess hero of Armenia. World champion from 1963-1969, his best games exhibit a profundity which few other champions have matched. Sadly he passed away in his fifties, in 1984, but his legacy lives on in Levon Aronian, who has emerged victorious from Stavanger. Scores from Norway (out of 9) were
In Competition No. 3003 you were invited to supply clerihews about contemporary politicians. In an enormous and excellent entry, popular rhymes included ‘charmer’ and ‘Starmer’; ‘Boris’ and ‘Horace’; ‘Sturgeon’ and ‘burgeon’; ‘Corbyn’ and ‘absorbing’. Putin likes to ‘put the boot in’, apparently, and that David Davis is, by common consent, a ‘rara avis’. There
Seven unclued entries are all examples of the other. Elsewhere, ignore an accent. Across 11 Ginger wine and rose (9, hyphened) 12 A long, aspirational character (5) 14 Feel for plunder, departing from honesty (4) 15 Remain undecided, lacking hint from photo finish (3) 18 Inoffensive, but for second, rude (7) 19 Less clear
The thematic BEATLES ALBUM (38 32) is SERGEANT PEPPER (1A 6A). 1A defines 17, and can be divided into words defined by 31 and 20; 6A defines 6D, 19 and 24. First prize Margaret Lusk, Preston, Lancashire Runners-up C.G. Millin, Swindon, Wiltshire; David Caldecott, Bowerchalke, Salisbury
White to play. This position is a variation from Kramnik-Giri, Stavanger 2017. How can White exploit the terrible position of the black king? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 27 June or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include
