No. 361
White to play. This is from Polgar-Short, -Buenos Aires 2000. Here we return to the theme of Judit Polgar’s massive…
Nigel’s controversy
British chess grandmaster Nigel Short has form when it comes to provocative statements. When competing in a tournament in France…
No. 360
Black to play. This is from Short-Polgar, Madrid 1995. Judit Polgar is the strongest female -player ever, with an overwhelming…
So there
Hikaru Nakamura has won the US Championship in convincing style with 8/11, ahead of Ray Robson and Wesley So. Things…
No. 359
Black to play. This position is a variation from Troff-Nakamura, US Championship 2015. How can Black conclude his kingside attack…
Hit for six
The Hamilton Russell trophy for London clubs has been dominated in the past by the RAC. This year, though, they were…
No. 358
White to play. This is from Lee-Zakharov, Vrnjacka Banja 1963. Black has just captured on c3 and now 1 Qxc3…
Polymath
I learn from The Problemist, the organ of the British Chess Problem Society, that the polymath Dr Jacob Bronowski also…
No. 357
Black to play. This is from Cochrane-Staunton, London 1842. How did Staunton exploit his menacing build up of pieces on…
From Russia with love
In the James Bond film From Russia with Love there is an evil mastermind named Kronsteen. The character is in…
No. 356
White to play. This position is a variation from Bronstein-Zilberstein, Tbilisi 1973. Bronstein has just given up a piece on…
Caro can
The Caro-Kann Defence, 1 e4 c6, has always appealed to me. It has the advantage of staking a claim in…
No. 355
Black to play. This position is a variation from Ganguly-Vitiugov, Gibraltar 2014. The game started as a Caro-Kann and is…
Just So
Last week in a perceptive piece for the Times, Will Pavia animadverted upon the fact that the USA appears to…
No. 354
White to play. This is from Pillsbury-Tarrasch, Hastings 1895. White has only one move to bring his kingside attack to…
Bright blues
The boat race for the brain, as it has become known, took place at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall,…
