White to play. This position is from Fischer-Benko, US Championship 1963. One of Fischer’s classic attacking finishes. What is the winning move? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 19 March or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a
There are two new books about Aron Nimzowitsch, chess strategist and author of My System. Aron Nimzowitsch on the Road to Chess Mastery 1886-1924 by Per Skjoldager and Jorn Erik Nielsen is published by McFarland, while Aron Nimzowitsch 1928-1935 by Rudolf Reinhardt (on which the notes to today’s game are based) is shortly to be
White to play. This position is from Nimzowitsch-Alapin, Vilnius 1912. How did White swiftly conclude his sacrificial attack? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 12 March or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a hat, and each week
Rudolph Spielmann, a contemporary of Rubinstein, Reti, Alekhine and Capablanca, can be seen as the Romantic equivalent to a further great master of the 1920s, Aron Nimzowitsch. Whereas Nimzowitsch made his literary reputation with his book of chess strategy, My System, Spielmann entrusted his thoughts on the right way to play chess in his parallel
Black to play. This position is from Sjoholm-Spielmann, Kalmar 1941. How did Black swiftly decimate the white kingside? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 5 March or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a hat, and each week
The Bride and the Bachelors is an impressive exhibition of the work of Marcel Duchamp, John Cage and related artists which is on at London’s Barbican Centre until 9 June. Cage learnt chess in order to communicate with Duchamp without asking crass questions. Other artists, notably Max Ernst, Picabia, Calder and Man Ray also took
White to play. This position is a variation from Duchamp-Feigins, Folkestone 1933. Can you spot White’s most accurate continuation of the attack? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 26 February or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a
Any book by the erudite Steve Giddins is an event and he has now produced a valuable guide to the popular Winawer Variation of the French Defence, championed by the eponymous Simon Winawer, as well as Nimzowitsch, Botvinnik, Petrosian and Korchnoi. The Winawer gives up the bishop pair early on in most lines, seeking to
White to play. This position is from Hartston-Portisch, Nice 1974. Can you spot White’s most accurate continuation of the attack? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 19 February or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a hat, and
The Gibraltar Masters, where I was last week, has been won by a quartet consisting of Vitiugov, Short, Sandipan and Vachier Lagrave. In the final knockout to determine who would receive the £20,000 first prize, Nigel Short lost out narrowly to Vitiugov. In my opinion, the British grandmaster’s display of fighting spirit after an early
White to play. This position is from Adams-Ehlvest, Gibraltar 2013. White’s next essentially destroyed the black position. What was it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 12 February or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a hat, and
No, not the Church of England and its troubles with the question of whether women should be allowed to be bishops, but chess endgames, with rival bishops moving respectively on black and white squares. Traditionally, the fact that the bishops can play, as it were, past each other increases the possibility of a draw, as
Black to play. This position is a variation from Caruana-Nakamura, Wijk aan Zee 2013. Black is two pawns down but White is badly tied up. How can Black continue? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 5 February or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be
There is a scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where Sir Lancelot’s servant, Patsy, is shot in the back by an arrow and seems to expire. As Lancelot ( John Cleese) brusquely proceeds on his mission, Patsy (Eric Idle) protests that contrary to appearances he is not dead yet. The world champion Vishy
Black to play. This is from Rotlewi-Rubinstein, Lodz 1907. Black has already given up his queen and now concluded with a blow that rendered this game immortal. What did he play? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 29 January or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner
Just before the London Classic, Magnus Carlsen and Judith Polgar contested a four-game match under speed and blindfold conditions as part of the Gran Fiesta of chess at UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico) in Mexico City. Supported by the enterprising Mexican Chess Federation, the festival’s highlight was this clash between the top-ranked player and
Black to play. This is from Carlsen-Polgar, Mexico City 2012. Black’s minor pieces seem to be locked out of the game but Polgar’s next move showed that this was not the case and it led to an easily winning position. What did she play? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 22 January or
The fourth London Classic at Olympia, organised by the indefatigable Malcolm Pein, was the strongest of the series including, as it did, the reigning world champion, a former world champion and the current world ranked no. 1. In addition, the contest was graced by the strongest ever female player, Judith Polgar. Final scores, based on three
White to play. This position is a variation from Kramnik-McShane, London Chess Classic 2012. How can Kramnik finish off the badly exposed black king? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 15 January or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out
London has seen three World Championship matches in the post-war period, Kasparov-Karpov 1986, Kasparov-Short 1993 and Kasparov-Kramnik 2000. The game I have chosen to start the new year is Kasparov’s most convincing win from his 1986 title defence at the Park Lane Hotel, a match opened by the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, and closed
