6 DECEMBER 1963, Page 9

As I Was Saying . . .

All four of the permanent new features in this issue are contributed by old friends of the Spectator. Murray Kempton will now be writing weekly from Washington, alternating a report from Capitol Hill with one on the American scene. Randolph is Randolph is Randolph. There are no prizes for guessing who contribute the chess column and the crossword. Even the num- bering of their problems picks up where it left off. Philidor has an extra chore to perform. He is playing two games of correspondence chess against me. Provided I take a long time to reply and the Post Office maintains normal delays on the Christmas mail, I ought to be able to last a couple of months before I lose. At the moment the games look fairly level. Philidor with White has played 1 P-K4 and I have replied 1 . . . P-K4. With White 1 have opened 1 P-K4 and await a reply. I follow Tchigorin's dictum. With White I open P-K4 and reckon I have the best of it. With Black I reply P-K4 and consider my chances equal. Perhaps 1 should offer a draw now.

IAIN MACLEOD