Sunday 18 December 2011

A blindfold bash

While a lot of chess takes place in our head, blindfold chess is still harder than normal chess, in that we aren't required to remember the position from move 1. Having the pieces in front of us makes it easier to analyse, even if we aren't allowed to actually move them.
The recently held Minds Sports Games decided to fully test the players taking part, by holding a blindfold chess event. Given the popularity of the Melody Amber series of tournaments, I'm sure that most top GM's do take blindfold chess a little more seriously these days, as the following game shows.
Giri tries an rare sideline in the Petroff's but gets hacked in a similar style to the refutation of Damiano's defence. I'm sure he would not have played it in a serious OTB game, but maybe he was hoping it was just offbeat enough to work at blindfold.

Almasi,Z (2707) - Giri,A (2714) [C43]
SportAccord WMG Blindfold Bejing CHN (3), 15.12.2011


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