English Chess Forum

Today I could not find the Guardian chess column in the usual sports pages, and nor is the column available online. All that the website shows by way of recent update is the discussion of a study, by King and Bennett (which would have been rather easier to follow had the starting position been included).

Should we be concerned? I'm a little surprised that John Saunders is not already on the case ....

It's in my copy - page 12 of the Sports section. Nosher's win in the Sigeman tournament.

My regular subeditor was off yesterday and his replacement hadn't dealt with the chess column previously. He was unable to send the proof in the usual format and after first saying that the online version would appear Saturday as usual, sent me a later email saying that the online column would be delayed until tomorrow (Sunday). If that doesn't happen, I'll be on to various people on Sunday night.

Probably of more significance is that the Guardian Weekly, which has for decades carried my Saturday column a week behind, has today dropped both it and the bridge column in favour of a giant crossword which used to be on a different page. I think it's the first week since 1949 that the Guardian Weekly has not carried a chess column. Nobody told me that this would happen, and there seems to be no explanation or statement for readers either.....

Yesterday's column on Short's win in Malmo is now online. Bennett/King have yet to acquire their diagram, but I hope that this, too, will emerge soon....

The diagram for the endgame study in the Bennett/King column is now also online.