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Clue from Times Crossword Club Monthly Special No 280:

Chess champion not seeing her lost purse (4)

Chrise
First is "I", chess champion is 3-letter Russian, unknown is one of last 3 letters in alphabet.

Thanks, quisling. The Grauniad clue was pretty easy, but I took a long time to figure out the Times Club Special entry.

Same: Tal seems to be a favourite among setters and, even though the player in Times Crossword Club Monthly Special is equally or more famous, I had a feeling the answer was going to be a relatively unused and obsolete word, as indicated by "lost" - and I was right!

I will buy you all a pint (20 fl oz, not the ridiculous 16) if Max Euwe or Rustam Kasimdzhanov ever makes an appearance

What did you make of Ding's rook move? You could tell from the footage that Gukesh couldn't believe it 🫣

https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/chess/andrei-filatov-accuses-ding-liren-gukesh-world-championship-9721733/

Hi Paul,

I don't believe Ding would do that, not for a second. You only had to look at his reaction when it suddenly dawned on him what he had done to see that it was a genuine blunder.

I think it's more likely that the Russian chess federation is just throwing shade because they're not allowed to compete as a team or, in the case of individuals, under their national flag.

No time to waste on bats**t Russian conspiracy theories. 🤣 One would also have to suspect 29. a4?! and 53. Ba8?!
So Ding would have had to formulate a game-throwing plan while in Zeitnot...oh, wait, he could have instructions fed to him electronically (beads?) or while in the toilet 🤣.
Once you go down that conspiracy theory rabbit hole there's no escape.