2018-11-03 The Spectator

LIFE

hopeless. ÌGWHIWH$J

G0I3JBlack’s 21st weakened

his h-pawn, a fact that White quietly observes

with this queen regrouping. 4J

H-HGThis position is a classic

demonstration of how the King’s Indian can

go horribly wrong for Black. 3F

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$ĚCELRGSKINS

The eagerly awaited clash for the

world title commences in London this

coming week. I will of course be

featuring its highlights in this column.

This year’s Isle of Man Masters, sponsored
by Chess.com, could claim to be the
strongest ever open chess competition. The
line-up was formidable, with most of the
English Olympiad squad participating, as
well as former world champions Vladimir
Kramnik and Viswanathan Anand.
As it was, the championship titans failed
in their bid to capture the £50,000 first
prize. Leading scores were as follows, with
Radoslaw Wojtaszek emerging as the title
holder after the obligatory playoff:
Wojtaszek and Naiditsch Arkadij both
scored 7/9 in the main event, ahead of
Vladimir Kramnik, Alexander Grischuk,
Hikaru Nakamura, Wang Hao, Gawain
Jones, B. Adhiban and Jeffery Xiong, who
all scored 6½.

,ONGS#RONKCN: Isle of Man 2018
(see diagram 1)

England’s Gawain Jones had an excellent result
including this win against elite grandmaster Lev
Aronian. White is the exchange ahead here but
the strong black passed d-pawn complicates the
winning task. $EF4DI
4D
-I4F-H$G-G
$H0GÌ4F$F-I Now that
White has the d-pawn under control he can
activate his king. ÌJ-H-H
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9OęěCSYGL0CKFKěSEJ: Isle of Man play-off 2018
(see diagram 2)

This was the decisive play-off game. Black has a
King’s Indian position where he has very little
opportunity for counterplay and would do best
to remain passive. Instead he unwisely lashed
out. I This inexplicable thrust leads to
a horrible weakening of the black position on
the kingside. JWI$WI3D-I
HNow White also gains an enormous
central pawn roller. Black’s position is already

In Competition No. 3072 you were invited

to supply a short verse biography of a well-

known figure from history.

In a commendable entry, notables long

gone — Diotisalvi, Vercingetorix the Gaul,

Dr Dee — rubbed shoulders with those still

very much with us — Anthony Weiner, Don-

ald Trump, Boris Johnson. There were bor-

rowings from Edward Lear and Lennon and

McCartney (‘BoJo was a clown who thought

he was a leader/ Made it to King Charles Street

too...’) as well as echoes of Ogden Nash.

An honourable mention goes to Brian

Allgar for getting into the Halloween spirit

with his life of Vlad the impaler. On equally

eye-catching form were D.A. Prince, Sylvia

Fairley, Bill Greenwell, Douglas G. Brown

and W.J. Webster, who submitted a concrete

poem. But the prizes go to the winners print-

ed below — a varied bunch who are reward-

ed with £25 each.

How unpleasant to meet Mr Pound

With his motley assortment of views —

Some, about verse, not unsound,

Others toxic, e.g., about Jews.

Both Image and Vortex were isms

He championed as new and exciting.

If Modernists had catechisms,

It’s Ezra’s words they’d be reciting.

In his youth he looked Three Musketeerish,

Though he swashed less and buckled more later.

In the war he waxed Fascist and sneerish.

His native land called him a traitor.

His Cantos is much praised but nearly

Unread outside graduate school.

His career demonstrates all too clearly

That a genius can be a damn fool.

Chris O’Carroll

Old Adam was a gardener

And walked upon his lawns

But Lilith grew the eglantine

And battled with the thorns.

Old Adam was a gardener

And strode among his trees

But Lilith trimmed the terminals

And tended to the bees.

Old Adam was a gardener

And played the king therein

But Lilith made the compost heap

And let the rot begin.

Old Adam was a gardener

And slumbered in the sun

But Lilith fed the apple tree

By which he was undone.

Ann Drysdale

He was immune to discipline,

As quarrelsome as Punch,

At war with his immediate kin

And strictly out to lunch.

27<<.'01

Black to play. This is from Cornette-Jumabayev,
Isle of Man 2018. Black’s next move led to an
overwhelming material advantage. What was it?
Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 6
November or via email to victoria@spectator.
co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct
answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address
and allow six weeks for prize delivery.

.CSěVGGL¥SSOĚTěKON 1 ... Rxh3
.CSěVGGL¥SVKNNGR Malcolm Belt,
Exmouth

Chess

Man made

Raymond Keene

Competition

Brief lives

Lucy Vickery

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Diagram 2

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