Luke McShane

The world has a new youngest grandmaster

10 July 2021 9:00 am

Abhimanyu Mishra became the world’s youngest grandmaster last month, at 12 years and 4 months old. The boy from New…

No. 661

10 July 2021 9:00 am

Black to play. Daggupati–Mishra, Charlotte 2020. 1…Rf1+ 2 Kg2 is a dead end, as White’s queen covers the f2 square.…

Firestarter

3 July 2021 9:00 am

It’s a joy to watch a player like Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, who can light a fire with his bare hands. Where…

No. 660

3 July 2021 9:00 am

White to play. So–Vachier-Lagrave, Paris, June 2021. The queen on e7 can be taken, but Black’s last move was …Rd8,…

How to lose

26 June 2021 9:00 am

Millions of people would see losing to Anand as a privilege rather than a disgrace. So it is simply astonishing…

No. 659

26 June 2021 9:00 am

White to play. Gukesh–Yip, Gelfand Challenge, June 2021. White has strong pressure on the f-file, but which move forces a…

No. 658

19 June 2021 9:00 am

Mammadzada — M. Muzychuk, May 2021. In this messy position, Black’s next move prompted instant resignation. What did she play?…

Macaques and defence

19 June 2021 9:00 am

January normally brings cheerful photos from the Gibraltar Chess Festival, where visiting chess-players get an impromptu snap with the Barbary…

The back-rank mate

12 June 2021 9:00 am

Compared with Anastasia’s mate, or an epaulette mate, the humble back-rank mate is named without imagination or whimsy. It is…

No. 657

12 June 2021 9:00 am

Black to play. Vodopyanov–Kantsyn, 1974. Two bishops up, White appears to have everything covered. Which move allows Black to force…

Hybrid chess

5 June 2021 9:00 am

Chess was played by cable in the 19th century because… well, why not? And because everything old is new again,…

No. 656

5 June 2021 9:00 am

Black to play. Vocaturo–Gokerkan, May 2021. After a long defence, White’s last move 101 Nf1-e3 was a decisive error. Which…

Daredevil kings

29 May 2021 9:00 am

The fifth match game between Potter and Zukertort, played in London in 1875, saw a dogged struggle. The final position…

No. 655

29 May 2021 9:00 am

White to play, Kharlov–Ernst, Haninge 1992. Black’s last move, g6-g5 was a decisive mistake. Which move did White play to…

No. 654

22 May 2021 9:00 am

White to play. Cochrane–Bonnerjee, 1852. Out of eight discovered checks with the knight on e6, Cochrane found the only one…

Indian variant

22 May 2021 9:00 am

Modern chess includes a panoply of ‘Indian’ openings, which share a common root in the starting moves 1 d4 Nf6…

What’s it worth?

15 May 2021 9:00 am

The rule of thumb for weighing up piece exchanges says that pawns are worth one, knights and bishops three, rooks…

No. 653

15 May 2021 9:00 am

White to play, Jones–Dominguez, New in Chess Classic, April 2021. Gawain Jones was hoping that his rook and pawn would…

No. 652

8 May 2021 9:00 am

White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Revd Ernest Clement Mortimer, The Problemist, 1942. Answers should be…

Dead brain cells

8 May 2021 9:00 am

As round 14 of the Candidates tournament unfolded, I had the feeling of watching an anti-climactic post-exam bender. Ian Nepomniachtchi…

Immovable object meets irresistible force

1 May 2021 9:00 am

The Candidates tournament resumed on 19 April in Yekaterinburg. Eight players competed for a €500,000 prize fund, but only one…

No. 651

1 May 2021 9:00 am

White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Henry William Butler. Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by…

The Polgar Challenge

24 April 2021 9:00 am

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, at 15 years old one of India’s most exceptional young players, emerged as the winner of the Polgar…

No. 650

24 April 2021 9:00 am

Black to play. Praggnanandhaa–Salimova, April 2021. White’s last move, Bg2-f3, was a blunder. Which move should Black play to exploit…

No. 649

17 April 2021 9:00 am

White to play. Van Wely–Shimanov, March 2021. White has several tempting options here, but one move is much stronger than…