The breaktime chat among Chess and Backgammon players often centres around the new super computers that could ‘solve’ these games as they play 100 per cent accurately. We humans are light years behind in technical and calculation skills. This will never be a concern for Bridge players; Bridge is a game of inevitable mistakes, and
The English Championships concluded last weekend in two dramatic playoff matches. In the open event, Gawain Jones defeated last year’s winner Michael Adams by 1.5-0.5. The first game saw Adams pressing in a complex queen endgame, but he lost after an astonishing oversight which allowed mate in one move. Though Adams pushed hard for a
White to play. Banerjee-Carroll, English Championship 2024. Ten-year old Banerjee found the only move to exploit the awkwardly pinned rookon d6. What did he play? Email answers to chess@-spectator.co.uk by Monday 1 July. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow
In Competition 3355 you were invited to write a romantic poem that did its best to gloss over something unlovely. I think I imagined odes to beautiful sewage-filled rivers and so on, but should have phrased the challenge more clearly, since many understandably decided a love poem was in order. Either way there was much
The unclued lights, which include one of four words, one of three words, two of two words, comprise a quotation in ODQ. Elsewhere, ignore one apostrophe. Across 1 A wicket for Jasper’s cousin (5) 6 Small capitals backed capital of dross (7) 16 Safe to give criticism, but not about daughter (7)
The book is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. LEWIS, whose name appears diagonally starting at the C in 5 down. First prize Adelia Tisdall, Norwich, Norfolk Runners-up H. Sims, Rivington, Bolton; Wyn Lewis, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire
