Blindfold Chess - the book

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

It was at this time (1930) that a young Belgian, Georges Koltanowski, decided to establish himself as a world renowned blindfold player. He had all the "gifts" necessary - a clear "mental vision", great ability to calculate variations, a passion for blindfold chess, and different from other great blindfold players openings uniquely tailored to obtain success in multi-board blindfold exhibitions - the Max Lange Attack! - and other gambit openings. These attacking openings put great pressure on opponents - both psychologically via surprise moves and also pressure to find accurate defensive moves. The ability to play these attacking gambits is not for everyone - they have to be played with the ability to find creative tactics and attacking finishes but that was Kolty's (affectionate nickname of Koltanowski) forte. A brilliant illustrative example is the following: Koltanowski - Dunkelblum, blindfold simul ten boards, Antwerp, Belgium 1924
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 10.Nc3 Qf5 11.Nce4 Bb4 12.c3 dxc3 13.bxc3 Ba5 14.g4 Qg6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.f7+ Kxf7 17.Ng5+ Kg8 18.Rxe6 Qd3 19.Qe1 Rf8 20.Re8 Qd7 21.Rxf8+ Kxf8 22.Ba3+ Ne7 23.Rd1 Qxg4+ 24.Kf1 Qxg5 25.Rd5 Qh4 26.Rh5 Qf6 27.Rf5 1-0 The opening is the Max Lange Angriff (Attack) and it is defined by 5.d4 - a gambit pawn lever in the center. The position after move 10 is the key position in one of the main variations of the Max Lange. 16.f7+ and the finishing maneuver of the white rook - Rd5-Rh5-Rf5 are examples of creative tactics.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

In May 1931 Kolty set the new world record for blindfold chess playing 30 games without a loss! (held by Reti since 1925) His result was 20 wins and 10 draws in just over ten hours. His games in the display were an interesting variety of both positional and attacking chess. Koltanowski - Trachtenberg Antwerp, Belgium, May,1931 (1 of 30) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 10.Nc3 Qf5 11.Nce4 Bf8 12.Nxf7 Kxf7 13.Ng5+ Ke8 14.Nxe6 Kf7 15.Ng5+ Kg6 16.f7 Be7 17.Re6+ Bf6 18.g4 Qd5 19.f4 Ne7 20.h4 1-0 The Max Lange Attack. Sparkling attacking chess at its best. 12.Nxf7 and 18.g4 are examples of the remove the defender theme. The finish is not in doubt. There are many complex attacking lines. One very pretty finish would be 20...h5 21.f5+ Nxf5 22.gxh5+ Rxh5 23.Re8 Rxh4 24.f8=N+ Kh6 25.Nf7#!

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Koltanowski-Peeters, Antwerp 1931, 1.e4 c5 2.b4 cxb4 3.a3 d6 4.axb4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Rb1 0-0 8.Bc4 b6 9.0-0 Bb7 10.d3 Nxe4 11.Bxf7+ Rxf7 12.Nxe4 Bd5 13.c4 Bxe4 14.dxe4 h6 15.Qd3 Nd7 16.e5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.Qxg6+ Bg7 19.Bxh6 Rc8 20.Rb3 Qd7 21.Rg3 e5 22.f4 Rfc8 23.f5 1-0 Kolti played the Wing Gambit against the Sicilian Defence. Another feature of Kolti's play was that he was aware of his opponents tactics and made sure he neutralized them first. Note the tricky 10...Nxe4 and also 12...Bxd5 which Kolti dealt with before the breakthru with 16.e5 and the following attack on the king.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Koltanowski - Lodewyckx, Antwerp 1931 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nf6 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.e4 Nb6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Bd3 Bd7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qe2 c6 10.e5 Nd5 11.Ne4 g6 12.Nfg5 Na6 13.Qg4 Bxg5 14.Bxg5 f6 15.exf6 Nxf6 16.Nxf6+ Rxf6 17.Qh4 Kg7 18.Bxf6+ Qxf6 19.Qxf6+ Kxf6 20.Bxa6 1-0 Kolty's opponent plays several awkward moves in the opening (2...Nf6, 7...Bd7, 9...c6, 11...g6, 12...Na6) allowing White an attacking buildup (7.Bd3, 9.Qe2, 10.e5, 11.Ne4, 12.Nfg5, 13.Qg4) The ugly 14...f6 is forced as alternatives allow a basic checkmating attack. Deprived of the checkmate Kolty simplifies reducing the black position to an ugly mess.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Koltanowski-Laforce, Antwerp 1931, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.h3 Be6 9.f4 d5 10.e5 Ne8 11.f5 Bc8 12.f6 gxf6 13.Bh6 Ng7 14.Bd3 Bc5 15.Bxg7 Bxd4+ 16.Kh1 Kxg7 17.Qh5 f5 18.Rxf5 Bxf5 19.Qxf5 Qh4 20.Ne2 Be3 21.Rf1 Na6 22.Rf3 Bg5 23.Rg3 f6 24.exf6+ Rxf6 25.Rxg5+ 1-0 Philidor's Defence - Kolty sacrifices 3 times on his path to the king. It looks like a matter of moves after the F-pawn lever opens the king position but actually Black misses several good defensive moves. However Black's defence is actually good until the blunder 22...Bg5 - after that the breakthru is easy.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Koltanowski - D'Hont, Antwerp 1931 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.b3 e6 5.Bb2 Nf6 6.g3 Nc6 7.Bg2 b6 8.0-0 Bb7 9.d3 Bd6 10.Nbd2 0-0 11.e4 e5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Nc4 f6 14.Nxd6 Qxd6 15.d4 exd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.Qxd4 Rad8 18.Rad1 Rfe8 19.Rd2 Rd7 20.Rfd1 Red8 21.Qc4 Qe6 22.h4 a6 23.a4 Rc8 24.Qd4 Rcd8 25.Qe4 Qf7 26.Qf5 Bc8 27.Rxd5 Rxd5 28.Bxd5 Kh8 29.Qxc8 Qe8 30.Qg4 1-0 This game abounds in pins. The focal point in the last half of the game is the square d5. Black sets up a discovered attack with bishop or knight with 26...Bc8 but loses to a direct attack and deeper discovered attack with 27.Rxd5! and 28.Bxd5! 29.Qxc8 is just icing on the cake.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

I (Hans Jung) will be giving a 5 board blindfold simul at 1130 am on Friday, July 16th (this coming Friday) at the 2010 Canadian Open in Toronto. It will be held in the Marine Room (skittles room) at the Westin Harbourfront Hotel. So for those of you that have never seen a blindfold simul feel free to come out and watch. Spectators most welcome.
On another note FM Marc Lang has set the new German blindfold record of 23 games simultaneously. On November 21, 2009 over 11 hours of play he won 9 games, lost 2, and drew 12 with opponents ranging from 1200 to 2300(!). The exciting news is that he plans to break the world blindfold record (held by Najdorf with 45) by playing an incredible 46 boards on June 4th 2011 (64 years! after Najdorf's record event). I hope he does it! Here is a sensational game from his German record breaker: FM Marc Lang - Schmidt 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.Be2 Bb5 7.c4! Bxc4 8.Bxc4 Qb4+ 9.Nbd2 dxc4 10.0-0 cxd4 11.Nxd4 c3 12.bxc3 Qxc3 13.Nb5! Qc6 14.Qa4 Nd7 15.Ne4! a6 16.Ned6+ Bxd6 17.Nxd6+ Kf8 18.Qf4! f6 19.Ba3 Nxe5 20.Nc4+ 1-0

[Francis Rodriguez]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

I wake at that hour, but this is unmissable.....
'getting in the zone'! Whom do you have
lined up so far, Hans - and colour selection?

Francis

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Well I only have one gentleman signed up so far - and I dont even recognize the name. (not a familiar tournament player) However I have an excellent move messenger - FM Brett Campbell and Im confident my organizing team will find 4 more opponents and I trust none of them will be over 1800 (my request).

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

I had a very enjoyable time at my blindfold simul on Friday - the organizing team did a great job - thanks to Ted Winick, FM Brett Campbell - my excellent move messenger, David Cohen, Erik Malmsten, and Zeljka Malobabic who broadcast the games live at www.monroi.com and took several excellent pictures. The simul started just before noon but beforehand I gave a short talk on blindfold chess which later I found out was well received by a number of players who are going to give blindfold chess a try - exciting news! The simul lasted just over 3 hours and all the opponents enjoyed themselves although I had a few blind spots and lost two games (which I mentioned in another chesstalk thread) My final score of two wins, two losses, and one draw did not concern me but the fact that I am obviously slowing down in my thinking did - I averaged about one and a half minutes a move dropping drastically from my peak performances 16 years ago of less than 30 seconds a move. My shortest game: Hans Jung - Ted Winick 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qe6+ 5.Be2 Bd7 6.00 Nc6 7.Re1 Qg6 8.d4 000 9.d5 Bg4 10.Nh4 Bxe2 11.Nxg6 Bxd1 12.Nxh8 Nd4 13.Rxd1 Nxc2 14.Nxf7 Re8 15.Be3 Nxa1 16.Rxa1 c4 17.Bxa7 Kc7 18.Nb5+ 1-0 White will have a king hunt after moves such as Rc1 or Ne5. One variation might be 18...Kd7 19.Ne5+ Kd8 20.Bb6+ Kc8 21.Rc1 Kb8 22.Rxc4 e6 23.Nd7+ Ka8 24.Nc7#

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Back to Koltanowski. Koltanowski -Janssens 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nc3 e6 5.Qb3 Qb6 6.Nf3 Qxb3 7.axb3 Bb4 8.Be2 Ne7 9.Bd2 Nd7 10.Rc1 0-0 11.Nh4 Nf6 12.Nxf5 Nxf5 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.f3 Ng6 15.e4 dxe4 16.fxe4 h6 17.e5 Nh7 18.0-0 a5 19.Bxg6 fxg6 20.Ne4 Bxd2 21.Nxd2 Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1 Ng5 23.h4 Nf7 24.Ne4 b6 25.Ra1 Kf8 26.b4 Ke7 27.bxa5 Rxa5 28.Rxa5 bxa5 29.Nc5 Nd8 30.Kf2 h5 31.Ke3 Kf7 32.Kf4 g5+ 33.Kxg5 g6 34.Kh6 1-0 In the final position Black is in zugzwang.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Koltanowski-Vervoort, Antwerp 1931, 1.e3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bd3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nd2 e6 9.c3 c6 10.e4 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 f5 13.Bc2 Qd7 14.Bb3 Na6 15.Re1 Nc7 16.Bf4 Nd5 17.Be5 Bxe5 18.Rxe5 Rae8 19.Rae1 Rf6 20.c4 Nc7 21.Qc3 Kg7 22.g4 g5 23.d5 cxd5 24.cxd5 exd5 25.Rxe8 Nxe8 26.Qe3 Kg6 27.Qxe8+ 1-0 An unusual first move by Kolty, probably just trying to keep the boards distinct in his mind, but it soon transposes to a Colle. The game is a positional struggle in which Black has counterplay but 21...Kg7, 22...g5 and especially 26...Kg6 are mistakes which allow White to breakthru.

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Koltanowski-Weissmann, Antwerp 1931, 1.f4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 e5 4.Qe2 Qxd5 5.Qxe5+ Qxe5+ 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Nf3 Bg4 8.Bb5 Nge7 9.d4 Bxf3 10.gxf3 a6 11.Bxc6+ Nxc6 12.c3 h6 13.Be3 g5 14.Nd2 f6 15.exf6 Kf7 16.Ne4 Bd6 17.Nxd6+ cxd6 18.h4 Kxf6 19.hxg5+ hxg5 20.Kf2 a5 21.Rag1 Rxh1 22.Rxh1 Ne7 23.Rh6+ Ng6 24.Rh5 Nf4 25.Bxf4 gxf4 26.Rh6+ Kf5 27.Rxd6 Rh8 28.Rd5+ Ke6 29.Re5+ Kf6 30.Re2 1-0 Kolty had an ingrained safety attitude that was a major key to his success in large blindfold simul exhibitions. If he couldnt sniff a combination he assessed his opponent's threats and played a move that halted counterplay - example last move of this game. In the opening his opponent plays a cheapo (3...e5) but Kolty ignores 4.fxe5?? Qh4+ and plays the accurate 5.Qe2 winning a pawn. After this he builds an impressive center but is willing to simplify into a winning endgame and plays the accurate idea 23.Rh6+ and Rh5 taking control and winning pawns.

[Craig Sadler]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Koltanowski-Weissmann, Antwerp 1931,

...

did you ever meet Koltanowski?

[Hans Jung]

Re: Blindfold Chess - the book

Yes - see post #71, page 4. I saw him do his knight's tour at one of the US Opens - 1983? Unfortunately I never got a chance to ask him any blindfold questions.