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A brief description of Blackburne and blindfold chess is quoted in the book Across the World by Samuel Tinsley (1937) and given in Chess Notes, Response No. 8725. The Tinsleys
Hope you enjoy the book. Just remember when you are bogged down in specifics that the overview is: this is the "iron-man" competition in chess and an often overlooked part of the chess world. This book sets the record straight and is almost like an encyclopedia of blindfold chess.
Something I did not know was around the whole issue of access to the scoresheet. I just figured that a blindfolded player would be allowed access to the scoresheet. Apparently not. So, a blindfold player must not only visualize the board without the board, but s/he must also memorize the moves.
The book has given my a few ideas about how to go from zero to hero wrt blindfold chess. Studying an empty board, memorizing the colours of the squares and so on, starting with simple endings and working up to more complicated positions (Reti described this method in his article) are a few of the methods used. My version of Fritz is too old to play blindfold against the computer so I may have to invest in a newer version of Fritz. I'd like to use some exercises around learning the board with my chess students, but other than the Knight Tour I'm not sure what to do. One of the top players suggested dividing the chess board into 4 quadrants and studying these in more detail.
The Rubic's cube was way easier to learn. Oh well.
Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.
I teach different approach using whole board visualization method. Use your favorite opening and go as far as you can first time. (10 to 20 moves deep) Then each session further add at least 2 more moves. By the 10th session you have played a full game. Works with anyone who has played at least one tournament game in their life (recording moves and knowing notation). Familiarity of the positions in the opening help when getting started and the mind naturally adapts fast.
Back to Amber Blindfold. Moro (GM Morozevich) was a relative latecomer to the Melody Amber tournaments. Still he was known for his accurate games and beautiful finishes and had one of the best winning percentages at the blindfold tournaments. Here he indulges in a slugfest with Shirov. Morozevich-Shirov, Amber Blindfold 2004. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 g6 7.0-0 Bg7 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.Re1 Nh5 10.Nf1 f5 11.exf5 Bxf5 12.Ng5 Kh8 13.Bb3 d5 14.g4 Nf4 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.Nxh7 Kxh7 17.gxf5 Rxf5 18.d4 Qh4 19.Kh1 Qxf2 20.Qg4 Qxb2 21.Rac1 Raf8 22.Bc2 f3 23.Ne3 f2 24.Bxf5 fxe1=Q+ 25.Rxe1 Rf6 26.Rg1 Ne7 27.Nxd5 Nxd5 28.Bxg6+ Kg8 29.Bh5 1-0 Both sides hold nothing back but Moro finishes accurately (some would say beautifully or shockingly). 27.Nxd5 and 29.Bh5 are lovely moves.
Johannes Zukertort held the old Irish record for simultaneous blindfold play set when he met twelve opponents on the afternoon of the 31st January, 1879, completing some games the next day.
Despite the limited available time, Baburin was persuaded to play not just one game more than Zukertort had done in 1879, but rather four more, and it was deemed that he had to score 75 per cent (12/16) to beat the record.
Play commenced at 5:20 p.m. with a maximum of six and a half hours available (including three short breaks).
Ultimately Baburin did not succeed because of the too stringent conditions and the too high average level of play of the team he had to contend with.
It really is a fascinating account, written with Tim Harding’s usual clarity and energy.
In the GM Baburin simul above in Ireland by process of deduction I gathered that he scored 8 out of 13 (thats an educated guess). In my opinion as he completed 13 games and Zukertort only 12 that should stand as the Irish blindfold record. Its the first time I have heard that conditions were set on a record (such as percentage score minimum and completing all games). Although I should say GM Baburins exhibiton was not impessive often announcing moves already played and moves to the wrong square (illegal) which meant he was losing track of positions and confusing different boards. He was also taking more than two minutes a move (very slow). Admittedly its extremely hard to do over the age of 40 especially if you have not given blindfold exhibitions regularly over the years.
When Tony Miles tried (a blindfold simul) with 22 opponents, I recall him saying that afterwards it was difficult for him to forget the games he had made such an effort to memorise; in addition his sleep was affected.
William Winter said in his memoirs that he'd had the same sort of problem after a 12-game blindfold display, and had always refrained from giving them thereafter.
Gerald Killoran in the EC Forum Friday, September 19, 2014
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