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Here is a beautiful Leo Williams game from his 27 board Canadian blindfold record setting display: Leo Williams - Hudson, Quebec, Nov.15, 1986, 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.Qd2 0-0 6.0-0-0 c6 7.h4 b5 8.f3 Qa5 9.Kb1 b4 10.Nce2 e5 11.Bh6 Be6 12.Nc1 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 exd4 14.Nge2 c5 15.h5 Qc7 16.Nf4 Qe7 17.g4 Bxg4 18.hxg6 Bxf3 19.gxf7+ Kxf7 20.Bc4+ Ke8 21.Ne6 Bxd1 22.Rxd1 Rf7 23.e5 dxe5 24.Nd3 Nc6 25.Rg1 Rb8 26.Nexc5 Rf8 27.Rg7 Qd6 28.Rd7 Ne4 29.Rxd6 1-0 The final position (and even the move before) are a pretty picture.
Werner - Najdorf, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Nbd7 6.Nf3 a6 7.0-0 dxc4 8.Bxc4 b5 9.Bd3 c5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Bc2 Qb6 12.b4 Ncd7 13.a3 Bb7 14.Bb2 Be7 15.Qe2 0-0 16. Rad1 Rac8 17.Rd2 Qc7 18.Rc1 Qb8 19.Rd4 e5 20.Rd2 Nb6 21.Bb3 Nc4 22.Bxc4 Rxc4 23.Rdc2 Bd6 24.Nd2 Rcc8 25.e4 Bc7 26.g3 Bb6 27.Kg2 Rcd8 28.Rd1 Bd4 29.Re1 Rc8 30.Rec1 Qd6 31.Qd3 Qe6 32.Rf1 Rfd8 33.Qe2 Rd7 34.Rd1 Bxc3 35.Bxc3 Nxe4 36.Nxe4 Rxd1 37.Qxd1 Bxe4+ 0-1 This is the hardest type of simultaneous blindfold game to play. A waiting game with subtle maneouvering (the mysterious Qb6-Qc7-Qb8-Qd6-Qe6, Be7-Bd6-Bc7-Bb6-Bd4-Bxc3, Rac8-Rxc4-Rcc8-Rcd8-Rc8, not doubling rooks and challenging on the C-file and basically waiting for White mistakes without making mistakes for Black). Even though White plays poorly towards the end of the game, Najdorf deserves to be congratulated on his performance in this game especially with 44 other games simultaneously in his head!
Najdorf - Moreira+Netto+Regis, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947 1.b4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bb2 Nf6 4.a3 Nbd7 5.e3 c6 6.Be2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Qc7 10.d4 Rd8 11.Nbd2 a5 12.b5 cxb5 13.Bxb5 h5 14.Rc1 Qb6 15.a4 Bb4 16.Nc4 Qa7 17.Qe2 b6 18.Nfe5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Bb7 20.Rc7 Rac8 21.Rxf7 Bd6 22.Bc6 Rc7 23.Rxc7 Bxc7 24.Bxb7 Qxb7 25.Qb5 Qd5 26.Nc6 Qxb5 27.axb5 Re8 28.Ba3 Ng4 29.h3 Nf6 30.Rc1 Kh7 31.Nxa5 bxa5 32.Rxc7 Rb8 33.Rc5 Ne4 34.Rxh5+ Kg6 35.Re5 Nc3 36.Rxe6+ Kf7 37.Re7+ Kg8 38.Bd6 1-0 From an Orangutan opening! Najdorf's pieces assume harmonic positions. He breaks through via the C-file and the seventh rank but 22.Bc6 although pretty is not the strongest move and allows his opponent to defend. After simplification Najdorf tries again on the C-file and the seventh rank and on the way cleans up Black's position. 5 connected pawns and an efficient rook and bishop vs the scattered black pieces is the net result. The game is a nice movement of chess art.
Najdorf - Pahim+Moura+Noguiera, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Be6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.0-0 Nf6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.d3 a6 9.Ba4 0-0 10.Kh1 b5 11.Bb3 Na5 12.fxe5 Nxb3 13.exf6 Nxa1 14.fxe7 Qxe7 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bd2 Nxc2 17.Qxc2 c6 18.d4 Rad8 19.Qb3+ Be6 20.d5 cxd5 21.exd5 Bg4 22.h3 Bh5 23.Nd4 Qb7 24.Ne4 Qd7 25.Ne6 Rfe8 26.Bb4 Be2 27.Re1 Bc4 28.Qg3 1-0 A game with a confused black white squared bishop and Black miscalculating a series of captures. Najdorf finally rescues the position with sparkling piece play but is deprived of a pretty finish by Black resigning.
Najdorf - Rapolter, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947, 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.f4 exf4 5.Nf3 g5 6.0-0 d6 7.d4 Bg4 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.Nxg5+ Bxg5 10.Qxg4 h5 11.Qe2 Nxd4 12.Qc4+ Ne6 13.Bxf4 Bxf4 14.Rxf4+ Nf6 15.Raf1 Rh6 16.Rf5 c6 17.e5 dxe5 18.Ne4 Qd4+ 19.Qxd4 Nxd4 20.Rxf6+ Rxf6 21.Rxf6+ Kg7 22.c3 Ne2+ 23.Kf1 Nc1 24.Rd6 Rf8+ 25.Ke1 Rf4 26.Rd7+ Rf7 27.Rxf7+ Kxf7 28.Kd2 Nxa2 29.Kc2 1-0 The game transposes into a sprightly King's Gambit with a romantic bishop sacrifice on f7. However after the sacrifice Najdorf plays accurately avoiding tricky black counterplay. The game transposes into white adantage in the endgame (major black pawn weaknesses) but Najdorf practically goes after the trapped black knight which ends its journey with a pawn grab on a2.
Najdorf - Ricardino, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947, 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nc6 5.e3 h6 6.Bh4 Bb4 7.Nf3 g5 8.Bg3 Ne4 9.Qc2 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nxg3 11.hxg3 Qf6 12.Rb1 b6 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Bb5 Bd7 15.e4 0-0 16.e5 Qf5 17.Bd3 Qe6 18.g4 Ne7 19.Rh5 Qxg4 20.Rxh6 Bf5 21.Nh2 Bxd3 22.Qxd3 Qe4+ 23.Qxe4 dxe4 24.Rh5 f6 25.exf6 Rxf6 26.Rxg5+ Rg6 27. Rxg6+ Nxg6 28.g3 c6 29.Ke2 Kf7 30.Ke3 Re8 31.Ng4 Ne7 32.Ne5+ Kf6 33.Kxe4 Nd5 34.Kd3 Rxe5 35.dxe5+ Kxe5 36.Re1+ 1-0 Najdorf makes a series of fine moves which force king side pressure (e4,e5,Bd3,g4,Rh5) and offers the g4 pawn as bait. Black takes the bait but limits the damage to a pawn by a series of defensive moves and exchanging pieces. However once Black sees that he will lose the endgame he plays some very poor moves at the end.
Najdorf - Santos+Semailinche, Sao Paulo Jan 1947, 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 d5 4.Bd3 Nbd7 5.0-0 Be7 6.Nbd2 c5 7.b3 a6 8.Bb2 b5 9.c4 0-0 10.cxb5 axb5 11.Bxb5 Ba6 12.Bxa6 Rxa6 13.Qe2 Rc6 14.Rfc1 Qb6 15.dxc5 Bxc5 16.a3 Rfc8 17.b4 Bd6 18.Rxc6 Rxc6 19.Nb3 e5 20.Rc1 Rxc1 21.Nxc1 e4 22.Nd4 Be5 23.Ncb3 Qb8 24.h3 Nb6 25.Nc6 Bh2+ 26.Kh1 Qd6 27.b5 d4 28.Bxd4 Qxa3 29.Kxh2 Qxb3 30.Bxb6 1-0 Najdorf develops effortlessly and obtains two connected passed pawns on the queenside. By move 27 White has a bind, more active pieces and a threat to trap and win the black bishop on h2. Black cracks under the pressure and plays a "bad combination" and Najdorf is accurate to the end.
Najdorf only had two losses in this exhibition, both based on oversights after having nice positional advantages in the games. The first loss: Najdorf - Potter+Zmekhel 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bc5 4.e3 d6 5.d4 exd4 6.exd4 Bb6 7.Be2 Bg4 8.Be3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Ba5 10.Rc1 Bxc3+ 11.Rxc3 Nf6 12.0-0 0-0 13.b4 Nxb4 14.Bxb7 Rb8 15.Bf3 Nxa2 16.Ra3 Nb4 17.Rxa7 c6 18.Qa4 Qb6 19.Rb1 c5 20.dxc5 dxc5 21.Ra5 Nd7 22.Bg4 Qg6 23.Rxb4 Rxb4 24.Qxd7 Rb1+ 25.Bd1 Qc2 0-1 Najdorf gets a nice advantage out of the opening with the two bishops and starts his breakthru on the queenside. In a position where he has dominating pressure he slips with 22.Bg4 (allowing a long move 22...Qg6 with a double attack on the Rb1 and Bg4) and the resulting combination misfires for Najdorf. Players who have played blindfold chess alot will recognise this slip from their own games. Watch out for loose pieces.
Here is the second of Najdorf's two losses in this blindfold exhibition. Najdorf-Alvarenga, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947 1.Nf3 g6 2.g3 Bg7 3.Bg2 d5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4 e6 6.c4 c5 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.dxc5 Be6 10.Bf4 0-0 11.Nb5 Rc8 12.Bd6 Re8 13.Nfd4 a6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Na7 Rc7 16.Bxc7 Qxc7 17.Nxc6 Qxc6 18.Rc1 Rb8 19.b3 Rb5 20.Qd3 Bf5 21.Qd4 Ne4 22.Qa4 Nc3 23.Rxc3 Bxc3 24.Rd1 Be6 25.e4 d4 26.e5 Qxc5 27.Qxa6 Qxe5 0-1 Najdorf gets a large advantage from the opening, being up a pawn and with the more active pieces. However he allows his knight to be trapped with 15.Na7. After this Najdorf seems to lose focus following with weak moves and the blunder 22.Qa4. To give his opponent credit he follows the win of the trapped knight with direct attacking moves and takes over the position.
A large percentage of games in a major blindfold exhibition tend to be miniatures (games of 25 moves or less). Why? Because some of the opponents make opening mistakes or early middlegame tactical errors or sometimes the great master plays brilliantly. In Najdorf's 45 board blindfold exhibition 21 of the 45 games were miniatures (a respectable 46% or less than half). For comparison Koltanowski's 34 board exhibition produces 28 miniatures out of 34 games, an astonishing 83%!, and further 19 of those games were 16 moves or less. More recently Marc Lang's 35 board exhibition resulted in 21 miniatures in 35 games (or 60%). Najdorf - Lagazzi + Mendez, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947, 1.e4 e6 2.d4 Qe7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bd3 e5 5.0-0 Nf6 6.b3 c6 7.Bb2 Nbd7 8.Nbd2 h6 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.Nc4 Nd7 12.f4 exf4 13.e5 Qc5+ 14.Kh1 b5 15.Ba3 Qd5 16.Nd6+ Bxd6 17.Bxd6 Nb6 18.Rf4 Bb7 19.Qg4 Qe6 20.Qxg7 Kd7 21.Bf5 1-0 Blacks odd opening (2...Qe7) does not result directly in the loss. Rather Najdorf's fine play in the center in the middlegame followed by tactical errors by Black (18...Bb7+ 19...Qe6) and White finding 19.Qg4 produces a crushing win.
Najdorf - Dan + Ribeiro, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947, 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Qg4 g6 5.Qg3 d6 6.Nge2 Nf6 7.d3 h6 8.a3 a6 9.0-0 Qe7 10.Kh1 Be6 11.Nd5 Bxd5 12.exd5 Nd8 13.f4 Nh5 14.Qf3 f5 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.g4 Ng7 17.gxf5 Nxf5 18.Qg4 Rg8 19.Rxf5 h5 20.Rxh5 1-0 Najdorf is well on the way to a nice finish but Black's blunder 18...Rg8 makes the continuation painfully obvious and the follow up 19...h5 adds a touch of comedy. Watch out for pins.
Najdorf - Pujol, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947, 1.d4 c5 2.d5 g6 3.e4 Bg7 4.Bd3 e6 5.Nf3 b5 6.0-0 Qc7 7.Bxb5 exd5 8.exd5 Ne7 9.d6 Qb6 10.Bc4 Nec6 11.Re1+ 1-0 Yes the final position is quite lost. Black opens the position before castling and will pay the price. After 11...Kf8 12.Qd5 is one of many moves that wins material or helps hunt the black king.
Najdorf - Florence, Sao Paulo, Jan 1947, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+.Nc3 d6 8.d5 Na5 9.Qa4+ Bd7 10.Qxb4 Nxc4 11.Qxc4 0-0 12.Bg5 1-0 Black overlooks a simple tactic. Just 7...0-0 would have allowed Black to survive the opening.
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