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Indeed, grunger@267, Jonathan Mestel is the only British person to be a grandmaster at chess and bridge. We didn't have a chess grandmaster at all until the late Tony Miles in 1976, though Keith Richardson was awarded the Correspondence Chess version before then. That form of the game has
lost credibility now that computer chess programs are so strong.

Of course the title is awarded very differently in each game. Bridge still requires a vast accumulation of master points whereas the chess title is achieved by tournament performances and a minimum rating level. Hence chess grandmasters in their teens are not uncommon.

Brendan, have you ever watched any video of the old "BBC The Master Game" TV series? I've seen a few episodes and they're a lot of fun, though a significant time investment.
Here's one with a young Nigel Short vs. Tony Miles (who apparently developed a mutual animosity in later years).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8LeMqp-Kz4

Thanks Geeker,

I was really taken aback by the Kraftwerkesque/post punk electro gothic/OMD intro and was pleased to see the game was being played OTB in the studio (OTB Bren? What other way was there back then!!) But oh no, the game had already been played and the show producer just had Short and Miles sitting over the table while they commentated on the game.

Great fun though, especially as I hadn't seen it before.

You guys probably already know this great trap, but I just found it today....

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Zfi4F3DBe14

Thanks, Brendan.

That's a classic game/combination. I immediately recalled Reti-Tartakover but not "Vienna 1910".
The position after 8...Nxe4 often appears as a "White to play and win" tactics puzzle.
Funny thing, 8...Qxe4 would have lost the Black Q for R+B after 9.Re1, but the game would have continued and the combination (at best) would have been relegated to a footnote.

For an Edward Winter historical analysis of the game and predecessors, see https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/retitartakower.html

From today’s Times cryptic:

He’d often check blue pens make the grade (7)

Paul

Apologies but I have only just noticed your reply to my posting about Mestel. Thanks for the info, he seems to play more bridge than chess nowadays.