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Hi Geeker,

You're right, thrilling stuff. I've just been watching analysis of game 6 by Agadmator and Gotham Chess - what a finish:-)

Brendan, I was watching the game live and the GM commentators didn't see the combination until just before 44. Qf7 appeared on the board. Super-GM Giri had no idea, but (strong) GM David Howell figured it out at the last moment.

In the pre-Stockfish days, 41. d5 likely would have been marked !! because of the beauty of the finale. Alas, now it just gets !? because engines find that 41. Qc7 was better.

I watched Game 7 on YouTube with Anish Giri and Tania Sachdev and they couldn't believe how Ding let himself get so low on time, they even wondered if he had maybe frozen.

In the Guardian puzzle today:
Chess champion's short story (3)

Nice one Chris, good old Mikhail:-)

Good to see that The Guardian considers (Mikhail) Tal to be an acceptable solution in an everyday crossword. World Chess Champion for only one year (1960-61) and scarcely a household name.

I'm with Brendan and Geeker in enjoying the current World Championship, a ding-dong battle indeed, with an extraordinary number of decisive games.

At least Nepomniachtchi as a solution comfortably fits the usual 15x15 grid, but of course The Times won't include him until he dies. I've looked up the longest words from his name: nonemphatic (dubious) and phonetician.

Yes, variants on that Tal clue appear periodically and I'm always surprised the editors didn't red-pencil them.

Among chess fans, Tal seems to be the all-time most popular player (perhaps second to Fischer, though I'm not sure Bobby's as admired outside the USA), due to his attacking style. He was quite a good writer as well - e. g. his book on the 1960 Botvinnik match and the Life and Games collection.

Whilst surfing YouTube for various analyses of the games in this year's World Championship I've been very impressed with Power Play Chess hosted by GM Daniel King. He has an easy manner and is able to break down the various moves and give clear and concise reasons why they were played.

Paul, have you ever played against him?

Geeker, are you aware of his channel?

Brendan, I'm quite familiar with Daniel King. He's been doing chess tournament commentary (live and online) for as long as I can remember. I took up chess as an adult hobby in the early-mid '90s and he was already prominent then.

I've watched a number of his videos on the Chessbase site, and commentary on chess24, but am not familiar with DK's Youtube channel.

You know he's a musician? I've seen Danny play guitar several times on chess24 (at the end of commentary programs). Probably findable on the Internet.

[Added] I thought I recalled DK also playing bass, but needed to verify. He actively plays music gigs!

Brief interview at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=240378017396502