Chess
Half measures
Would you slice a book in two? I learned of this peculiar practice in January, and I can’t fault its…
The slow puzzle movement
I could list all manner of things I don’t try, because I know I won’t like them, like skydiving and…
Candidates goes ahead
Coronavirus is causing chess events to fall like dominoes, with cancellations all over the world. But the Candidates tournament in…
Chess borders
In the 1800s, several chess matches were conducted by telegraph. Modern technology ought to make long-distance matches easier than ever,…
Peasants’ revolt
The German word for pawn, ‘bauer’, can also be translated as peasant, or farmer. There are many spectacular games in…
Increment and excrement
The science-fiction writer Douglas Adams ridiculed our primitive species for considering digital watches to be ‘a pretty neat idea’. Digital…
Confidence tricks
Three consecutive losses in a tournament is dryly termed ‘castling queenside’, in reference to the chess notation for that move…
Beasts of the board
The Dutch artist Theo Jansen has a unique speciality. His ‘Strandbeest’ (beach animals) are kinetic sculptures, which he likes to…
Meeting an idol
We had never met, but David Paravyan, from Russia, has been something of a personal idol since August 2018. My…
Women’s World Championship
Looking at the first 12 games of the 2018 Carlsen-Caruana World Championship, which all ended in draws, I saw a statistical…
More than a game
Cars, computers and cadavers: taking them apart is normally reserved for experts and the pathologically curious. In his new book,…
12 rules for chess
As backhanded Christmas gifts go, a copy of 12 Rules for Life, must be up there with wrinkle cream or a…
A question of motivation
‘Every day is different’, people like to say about their jobs. For the world’s best chess players, that’s only partly…
A multitude of contests
Besides the Grand Chess Tour final, an abundance of chess was played at this year’s London Chess Classic. More than…
Ding’s wings
Ding Liren, from China, was a convincing winner of the 2019 Grand Chess Tour, which reached its climax in London…
The Saric Supremacy
There is a gritty fight scene in The Bourne Supremacy, in which Jason Bourne (played by Matt Damon) faces down…
A good year for Carlsen
Magnus Carlsen is the star attraction at this year’s London Chess Classic. The festival, now in its 11th edition, runs…
A fresh approach
Reimagine democracy. Reimagine capitalism. Reimagine education. For all the reimagining thrown at big ideas, they don’t seem much perturbed. You…
Dubov’s dynamite
When Daniil Dubov advanced his queen’s pawn in Batumi last month, he might as well have chewed the head off…
Bronze in Batumi
The hammering downpour before the last round in Batumi was, in retrospect, a precious omen. After all, England’s medal drought…
Seizing the moment
‘If the ball came loose from the back of the scrum, which it won’t of course…,’ said Boris, about his…
Great sacrifices
Impelled by his engineer’s mindset, the former world champion Mikhail Botvinnik wrote a short essay to answer a simple question:…
Atmospheric pressures
‘Poor indoor air quality hampers cognitive performance significantly’, concluded a recent study in the IZA (Institute of Labour Economics). Of…
Plates in the sink
‘Chess is a constant struggle between my desire not to lose and my desire not to think.’ I’m fond of…
Visky business
‘Visky,’ said the man driving the taxi. ‘Risky?’ ‘Visky.’ ‘Ah… whisky! Or vodka.’ I grinned as I…