White to play. This position is a variation from Vallejo Pons-Aronian, Sao Paulo/Bilbao 2012. White needs an accurate move to continue the attack. What is it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 23 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct
The London Grand Prix at Simpson’s in the Strand finished in a triple tie between the three grandmasters Topalov, Gelfand and Mamedyarov, who ended in that order after a tie break. Britain’s Mickey Adams performed creditably after being granted just one day’s notice that he was playing, while the top-ranked US Grandmaster, Hikaru Nakamura, experienced
White to play. This is a variation from Grischuk-Gelfand, Fidé Grand Prix, London 2012. White has a number of tempting continuations but only one leads directly to mate. What is it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 16 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner
Boris Gelfand, the challenger for this year’s World Championship in Moscow, continues, as I write, to lead the Agon/Fidé Grand Prix at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand. He is being pursued by a pack of great players which includes Shakhriyar Mamedyarov from Azerbaijan and Vesselin Topalov from Bulgaria. The surprise of the event has been the complete collapse of
Black to play. This position is from Carlsen-Aronian, Bilbao 2012. Here Black missed a clear win. I only require the first move but look a little further and a beautiful checkmate emerges. Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 9 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The
When this article appears, the AGON Grand Prix at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, brought to London by Andrew Paulson, will be reaching its midway stage. The players who have shone in the early stages of this stellar event are Boris Gelfand of Israel, the World Championship challenger earlier this year, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, and Peter Leko from
This week’s puzzle is an amazing win by an eight-year-old against a Grandmaster. White to play. This position is from Josh Altman-McShane, AGON opening party , London 2012. How did White conclude? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 2 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The
Every year I give many so-called simultaneous displays, usually for charity, where I take on 20 opponents at one and the same time. The only game I have lost this year in such events was a complicated battle during the Phoenix Legacy weekend in Dorset, organised by Rosie Barfoot, to raise awareness of the need
White to play. This is from Alekhine-Feldt, Odessa 1916. Some great masters have taken on numerous opponents simultaneously without sight of the board. Here is a blindfold finish by Alexander Alekhine. Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 25 September or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner
The indefatigable Michael Basman continues to identify future chess superstars with his annual Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge for schoolchildren. Eight-year-old Alex Golding won an astounding £1,000 prize in the most recent edition of the challenge, which attracts a world record entry of 60,000 every year. Brandon Clarke emerged as the overall winner of the
White to play. This position is from Akshaya Kalaiyalahan-Callum Brewer, UK Schools Challenge 2012. White concluded this game with an extraordinary tactic. What did she play? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 18 September or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct
Memory is vital in chess, not least because modern opening theory has expanded in such a daunting way. I was, therefore, interested to observe the results of the UK Memory Championship which took place last month at the London Science Museum and resulted in victory for Katie Kermode. In the course of the championship Katie
Black to play. This position is from Khudaya-Hou Yifan, Cheliabinsk 2007. Black has already sacrificed a piece here. What is her idea? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 11 September 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
White to play. This position is from Leko-Ivanchuk, Nice 2009. All three white pieces are on the kingside while the black forces are all on the queenside. The black king is somewhat vulnerable. How did Leko proceed? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 28 August or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax
London’s newest and most flamboyant chess entrepreneur, Andy Paulson of Agon, which has acquired all World Championship rights from Fidé, is set to stage a spectacular Grand Prix tournament at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand starting on 20 September. The superb line-up includes Peter Svidler, Hikaru Nakamura, Alexander Grischuk, Wang Hao (the victor of the recent tournament in Biel,
White to play. This position is from Duchamp-Smith, London 1928. Can you spot White’s artful conclusion? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 21 August 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 I shall
Marcel Duchamp was the strongest chessplaying artist the world has seen. He defeated a number of master players, including Koltanowski, the Knight’s Tour expert and exponent of blindfold play, and represented France in the Chess Olympiad. Chess permeates his work; there is even a chessboard pattern concealed beneath his work Étant donnés in the Philadelphia
Black to play. This position is from Ledger-Jones, British Championship 2012. How did Gawain Jones smash open the white position? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 14 August 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
Grandmaster Gawain Jones triumphed in the 99th British championship. However, his path to success was not exactly problem free. Far from storming to victory, Gawain tied for first prize with grandmaster Stephen Gordon, thus necessitating a play-off to break the tie, an echo of last year’s championship, when Michael Adams defeated Nigel Short after a
White to play. This position is from Keene-Anon, Simultaneous Display, Brighton College, 1995. What is White’s best chance to play for a win in this endgame? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 7 August or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct
