Counting, counting and counting are the three most important things to consider, whether you are playing in your local bridge club duplicate or the Bermuda Bowl. Counting declarer’s tricks when you are defending is hard when you are very busy counting your own hand and, when dummy goes down, you can start to work out
Vasyl Ivanchuk was at the centre of a heart-rending scene during the tenth round of the World Blitz Championship in New York in December. The former world no. 2 could certainly have won his dramatic game against Daniel Naroditsky, but he lost on time after his nerves let him down at the critical moment. Overcome
White to play. F. Olafsson – Tal, Alekhine Memorial, Moscow 1971. Tal’s last move, attacking the queen, was a huge mistake. How did Olafsson win the game? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 12 May. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address
Competition 3398 invited you to submit a poem about snooker as the world champion-ship was under way. The entries poured in! There were many excellent poems in both camps (snooker being either the best or the most boring thing ever). Among others, Anna Cox, D.A. Prince, Nick Syrett, Kavanagh Millard, Ralph Goldswain and Helen Baty
Nine unclued lights form three triplets, each related in a different way to the tenth. Across 1 Cartoonist has formerly captivated Spain (5) 10 Swayed and quit, sick in the stomach (10) 14 Handles fine fish (5) 15 Have a few days at skate park (5) 16 As support, use skinny leg (4,2) 20 Dancer
Unclued lights were fictional HOUSES (‘Some Addresses’). Paired lights were HOWARDS END and BAG END (The Hobbit). First prize J. Anson, Birmingham Runners-up Laura Gould, Edinburgh; Mydrim Jones, London WC1B
