Somerset Maugham famously called Monte Carlo ‘a sunny place for shady people’. Today über sponsor Pierre Zimmermann has rather unexpectedly turned it into the bridge capital of the world. Last week he achieved another huge win for the principality by moving the world’s biggest money tournament, The Cavendish, from Las Vegas to Monaco for a
In contemporary high-class tournament play both adjournments and early draws have been banned. This is partly due to the accessibility of computer analysis and partly to the realisation that well-remunerated grandmasters have an obligation to entertain. As a result, more and more games are being decided in seemingly level endgames which in former times might
In Competition No. 2769 you were invited to supply the first paragraph/s of the imaginary sequel to a well-known novel. The literary sequel is thriving, fuelled by readers’ hunger to know more. In recent times, such distinguished names as P.D. James (Jane Austen), Andrew Motion (R.L. Stevenson), Sebastian Faulks (Ian Fleming) and Anthony Horowitz (Conan
One unclued light, a term for any member of a group to which two unclued lights belong, can be divided into three words; each of these has two synonyms among the remaining unclued lights. Across 11 Last moment, still in terrible hole, hurt (12, two words) 12 Sandpiper needing energy in migration (5) 14 Children
Unclued entries, when augmented by the letter that follows them in the grid, are all types of coffee or coffee bean. The extra letter might be thought of as the coffee grounds. First prize Seamus McNeill, Belfast Runners-up Geoffrey Telfer, Shipley, W. Yorks; C.J. Ellis, Rochester
Black to play. This position is from Belstizman-Rubinstein, Warsaw 1926. Although a great endgame master, Rubinstein could turn his hand to tactical play when the occasion required. How did he finish off here? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 30 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773.
