Blindfold Chess - the book

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Alekhine has stated that when he first came to Paris (after leaving Russia) he immediately gave a blindfold exhibition on 12 boards. He said that this exhibition was so unexpectedly easy that he decided to gradually increase numbers of boards in future exhibitions and challenge for the world blindfold record. However from the games Ive seen of this exhibition it definitely was not easy (even for Alekhine). In the following game Alekhine plays creatively against Black's strong pawn center with inspiring pawn play and then uses the two bishops and double rooks on the C-file to gradually increase his advantage before exchanging into a won rook and pawn endgame. Although this is positionally a nice game Black's play was spirited for many moves and the result was in doubt until the trade of queens. Alekhine-Villeneau Paris 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 Bb4 5.Nf3 d6 6.0-0 0-0 7.a3 Bxc3 8.dxc3 h6 9.h3 Ne7 10.c5 e4 11.cxd6 cxd6 12.Nd4 d5 13.f3 Nf5 14.Nxf5 Bxf5 15.g4 Be6 16.g5 hxg5 17.Bxg5 Qb6+ 18.Qd4 Qxd4+ 19.cxd4 Nh7 20.Be7 Rfe8 21.Bc5 e3 22.f4 b6 23.Bd6 Rad8 24.Bb4 g6 25.Rac1 a5 26.Be1 Bc8 27.Bh4 Rd6 28.Rc7 Ba6 29.Bf3 Bc8 30.Kg2 Bf5 31.Rfc1 Be4 32.R1c3 Bxf3+ 33.Kxf3 Rde6 34.R7c6 Re4 35.Rxb6 g5 36.Bxg5 Nxg5+ 37.fxg5 Rxd4 38.Rxe3 Rxe3+ 39.Kxe3 Rh4 40.Rh6 1-0 The path of the queen's bishop makes an artistic impression. It starts with a capture on g5 (but not until move 17!) , travels around the board in an elongated diamond pattern and ends up captured on g5 after 8 moves resulting in a winning position for White.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Another game from the exhibition in Paris: Alekhine-Champion 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Bg2 e6 9.Ne5 Nd5 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.0-0 Qd6 13.Qf3 c6 14.Bf4 Qd7 15.Rfe1+ Be7 16.Qe3 f6 17.Re2 Kf7 18.Rae1 Re8 19.c4 Na6 20.cxd5 cxd5 21.Qxe7+ Rxe7 22.Rxe7+ Qxe7 23.Bxd5+ Kf8 24.Rxe7 Kxe7 25.Bxb7 Rd8 26.Bxa6 Rxd4 27.Be3 Ra4 28.Bd3 Rxa2 29.Bc5+ Kd7 30.Ba3 g5 31.Kg2 Ra1 32.Bg6 Re1 33.Kg3 Re5 34.Bf7 a5 35.b3 Re2 36.Bc4 Re4 37.Bf8 Ke8 38.Bxg7 Ke7 39.f3 Rd4 40.f4 Rxf4 41.h4 1-0 Out of the opening after exchanges Alekhine has the advantage of the two bishops. He then triples on the E-file and initiates an 8 move combination, starting with a pseudo queen sacrifice and ending in an endgame with two bishops vs a rook. The final 16 moves start with bishop maneuvering and end with an elegant mini combination that forces a passed H-pawn. A game that will warm the hearts of two bishop lovers and all those who enjoy quality positional play.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Most chessmasters have the ability to play one game of chess blindfold very well and that ability is completely different from playing multiple games of blindfold simultaneously. In the next game on the train travelling to a tournament in Budapest in 1921 Dr Vajda and Alekhine, both competitors in the tournament, decided to play a game of blindfold chess. Alekhine seems to be dominating the play on the queenside and seems to have the kingside successfully defended but Dr Vajda breaks thru on Alekhine's king with a sacrificial attack in the style of Alekhine! Dr. Vajda was not so successful in the tournament against Alekhine - maybe because Alekhine was a little more focused for that game. The tough part of being a blindfold champion is that everybody tries extra hard to win against you and when they do (or even draw) their games of course get published. However this next one is a very nice game. White: Dr. Vajda 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.0-0 Ne7 6.Be2 d5 7.d3 g6 8.f4 Bg7 9.Nd2 f5 10.e5 Be6 11.Nf3 c5 12.Ng5 Qd7 13.b4 cxb4 14.Bb2 Nc6 15.Nf3 Bf8 16.Qe1 Bc5 17.Qf2 Qc7 18.Kh1 a5 19.Ng5 Qd7 20.Qh4 0-0 21.Rg1 a4 22.Raf1 a3 23.Bc1 b5 24.Rf3 Ra7 25.Rh3 Qe7 26.g4 fxg4 27.Bxg4 Bxg4 28.Rxg4 Rf5 29.Nxh7 Qxh7 30.Rxg6+ 1-0

[David McTavish]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Thank you Hans,

Now I don't have to buy this book. do ya know whadda a blogspot is for?

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Hi Dave, Nice to hear from you. The book has far, far more and the quality is there. There is method in my madness. I am trying to add a little more chess content to this blog. This is my way of doing it. Just one question: Why are you trolling here recently?

[David McTavish]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Is that was that is, trolling? Yes we know you were a great blindfold player, and are a stalwart promoter, but usu. a blogspot for this daily update would be the way to go.As for other ' mean-spirited' comments as to the current CFC admin, I think Jonathon Berry is correct that removing tourney memberships is the last straw... precedent has shown National Non-Profit Status can be removed and/or re-allocated. looking to get some national attention in Thunder Bay, possibly a bid for CYCC and Can Op. , AND Can Closed simultaneously next year. Nobody else wants it , do they? So make the first CFC-rated tourney FREE. An e-newsletter for 50$? and a rating? Come on.Lower this too.
John Rutherford and Denis Nadeau will be submitting a bid contingent on the above -mentioned possibly; don't worry, I am not a part of the organizing committee. Maybe will secede and join FQE, or Manitoba?:) anyways great that you're doin' well; but this thread has become 'blogged' down, or simply cumbersome. If you want quality, then have a PGN viewer, and make all this good blindfold stuff somehow more navigable.It ain't publishable as a chessbook , if this is yor maddening method , either.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

I get your point however I beg to differ. This thread originally was meant to be a few posts to promote the book (which was excellent and I enjoyed reading) but then I found I was enjoying myself by posting - yes, I could say I have a passion for this. I rediscovered beautiful blindfold games by for example Morphy, Pillsbury, and now Alekhine, and I enjoy playing them thru and posting them. - and I personally dont think the brilliancies of Alekhine should be whipped thru with a few seconds of mouse clicks - if someone wants to try to visualize them - great! - or do it the old fashioned way and use a pocket set and do some thinking over them - also great. If some reader discovers the joy of Alekhine thru my posts - thats an extra bonus but this process of posting is something I personally enjoy so I guess I'm doing it mostly for me. Eventually some or all of these posts and games might find their way onto a website but right now I'm enjoying the process. - and as for Alekhine sure sometimes he was an arrogant drunkard, and sometimes he made up games and analysis, and sometimes his politics were ugly, but at his best he was a pure chess genius, unique and untouched by other great players, and I continue to marvel at his games and I like the thought that I am promoting his blindfold games.

[Craig Sadler]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

... I personally dont think the brilliancies of Alekhine should be whipped thru with a few seconds of mouse clicks - if someone wants to try to visualize them - great! ...

i will say that i appreciate these posts for this reason alone...gives me a chance to work on my (admittedly not so great but improving) blindfold skills.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Thanks Craig for posting. There's a few out there who are giving visualization a try. Here is an easy one for a change. Alekhine-Ledr Prague 1922 1 of 12 blindfold 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5 Nd6 5.Qxe5+ Qe7 6.Qxe7+ Bxe7 7.d3 Nxc4 8.dxc4 c6 9.Bf4 0-0 10.0-0-0 b6 11.Nf3 h6 12.Rh-e1 Bb4 13.Re3 Bxc3 14.Rxc3 Na6 15.Re3 Nc5 16.Bd6 Rd8 17.Be7 Re8 18.Bxc5 1-0 Alekhine gets nothing with his fancy opening. Then his opponent decides to play ultra cautious with c6 and h6 (restricting the white knights which dont need to be restricted) but then with so much time on his hands (assuming at least 5 minutes a move) decides to commit positional suicide by giving up weak black squares and then trading off the black squared bishop. Alekhine is alert (considering 12 games are going on in his head) and only needs one opportunity to clip off a piece.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Another game from Prague but this one extremely well played. Black plays the opening aggressively to exchange off the white squared bishop and queen's knight and keeps counterattacking in the centre. White uses the c6 lever and liquidation of the center to break thru into the black position with a wonderfully deep Nd2-Ne4-Nf6+-Nd5-Nxe7 maneuver and a stunning rook sacrifice on f6. The key to the position is Alekhine's boldness of seizing the moment with the G-pawn lever in front of his king. The ensuing king hunt is pure entertainment. Alekhine-Zajicek 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 d5 5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nd5 9.Bd2 Nb6 10.Qb3 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Nxc4 12.Qxc4 Re8 13.0-0 Qd5 14.Qd3 e5 15.e4 Qe6 16.d5 Qd6 17.Qe3 Nd8 18.h3 f6 19.Rfd1 c6 20.Nd2 cxd5 21.exd5 Qxd5 22.Ne4 Qe6 23.Rd6 Qf5 24.g4 Qg6 25.g5 Nf7 26.Rxf6 gxf6 27.Nxf6+ Kf8 28.Bb4+ Re7 29.Nd5 Nd6 30.Nxe7 Kxe7 31.Qxe5+ Qe6 32.Bxd6+ Kf7 33.Qf4+ Qf5 34.Qe3 Qxh3 35.Qe7+ Kg6 36.Qe8+ Kf5 37.Qf7+ Kg4 38.Rd1 Kxg5 39.Be7+ 1-0

[Ken Craft]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Just got the book. Can't wait to take it out of the wrapper. Was reading bullet chess this morning. I'm sure it and Blindfold Chess will be great contrasts.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Bullet Chess = one minute chess? I remember a World Open in the early 1980's where between rounds in the hallway I saw GM Denker (about 70 at the time) vs GM Bisguier playing a long match of one minute games. I watched 10 of the games and at the end GM Denker was leading + 2. I was amazed at the quality of the games and the length - no knocking over pieces and no pre-moving. The game that impressed me the most was Bisguier winning a bishop and pawns vs knight and pawns ending up a pawn with all pawns on the same side of the board. Denker had many tricks with the knight but Bisguier was so smooth with the bishop and king. Most of the games were endings of 60 moves or more. Needless to say I was mega-impressed. In those days it was called blitz chess (one minute) as opposed to speed chess (the much slower 5 minutes. I guess todays Bullet Chess is a completely different animal.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Alekhine-Cortes Barcelona, Spain 1922 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 4.c4 c6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 0-0 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.Re1 Nb6 11.Bb3 Bg4 12.Be3 Qc7 13.Rc1 Rad8 14.h3 Bc8 15.Ne5 Nbd5 16.Qf3 Be6 17.Bg5 Qd6 18.Rcd1 Qc7 19.Bc2 Rfe8 20.Bb1 Nd7 21.Bxe7 Nxe7 22.Qh5 Nf8 23.Na4 f6 24.Nc5 Bc8 25.Qf7+ Kh8 26.Ned7 b6 27.Bxh7 bxc5 28.Rxe7 Ne6 29.Bf5 Bxd7 30.Bxe6 1-0 In this game Alekhine plays 3.exd5 giving White nothing in the French and then slowly builds up his position. Pure positional chess putting the pieces on the right squares. Finally a hint of a kingside attack starting with Bc2-Bb1 and Qh5 but the viewer is totally unprepared by the chaos unleashed when Alekhine drops a knight in the midst of his opponents pieces (26.Ned7!) It takes his opponent 4 moves to capture the knight on d7 (capturing Alekhine's other knight as well!) but Alekhine still finds checkmate! Awesome combination play!

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

From a 10 board blindfold simul in Madrid, Spain 1922. A nice short game for visualization purposes. Alekhine takes the center in the opening. His opponent misses the Nd5 idea forcing his king to the f7 square on the open F-file. Any attacking player would start salivating at this point but how many players (sighted) would find the accurate 15.Bh5+ and finish the way Alekhine did?
Alekhine-NN 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 Nc6 4.fxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 Nc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Be2 Ng8 8.Nf3 b6 9.0-0 h6 10.Bf4 Bb7 11.Nd5 Qd8 12.e6 d6 13.exf7+ Kxf7 14.Ng5+ hxg5 15.Bh5+ Rxh5 16.Qxh5+ Ke6 17.Bxg5 Be7 18.Qg4+ Kxd5 19.Qf3+ Kc4 20.Qd3+ Kd5 21.c4+ Ke6 22.Qf5# 1-0

[John Scrimshaw]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Hans,

Thank you for posting all theses games !