Special thanks to ChessBase (see “A genial genius at work – Tal blindfold simul in video” by Steve Giddins) for pointing us to and translating a surprising old Soviet video showing Mikhail Tal giving a blindfold simul exhibition. I say “surprising” because I had always thought (like many) that “In the former Soviet Union simultaneous blindfold chess exhibitions were banned, for they were decreed bad for your health!”
There seems to be a sudden interest in blindfold chess around the internet, perhaps following the success of the book Blindfold Chess: History, Psychology, Techniques, Champions, World Records and Important Games by Eliot Hearst and John Knott, which won the Fred Cramer Award for best book of 2009. Readers of “A History of the Kenilworth Chess Club” may recall that NM Scott Massey used to give exhibits at our club. Maybe it is time to revive the practice?
On Sunday, September 13th, Citizens For Global Warming Research and Development, Inc. will be having a fund-raising meeting and chess tournament.
Here are the details :
Site -
McDonald’s Restaurant
Central Ave.
East Orange, NJ
(the flier given to me says it’s “almost across from East Orange General Hospital” & Google says the address is 375 Central Ave.)
Time of meeting – 3:00 p.m.
Fee – $10.
Format – 4/SS, non-rated
Time Control – G/15
Prizes -
1st place : 40% of proceeds
2nd place : 20% of proceeds
3rd place : 10% of proceeds
Bring sets & clocks.
Dislclaimer : I am not affiliated with this organization & will not be attending the event.
Mr. Labate, 
On Sunday, September 13th, from 1-4 p.m, Ernesto Labate will be giving a simultaneous exhibition at the Scotch Plains Public Library.
To participate, you must pre-register by calling 908-322-5007 extension 204.
photo credit : Al Lawrence, Chess Life 1997
As we recently saw in the Jermuk Grand Prix (article of 25.8.), there was once
again a nice mating attack in an endgame in the Grand Slam Final in Bilbao.
Sergey Karjakin obviously underestimated the dangers threatening his king in
the simplified position after the exchange of queens. After 22. … Qxf3
23.Qxf3 Rxf3 Aronian started with 24.Re7 – an attack which
came like a bolt from the blue and soon forced a resignation. Here’s
GM analysis of Aronian-Karjakin
All
ChessBase reports on Bilbao
CBM Magazine Online.
The wonder that is YouTube occasionally throws up something really fascinating. We have a great example – a ten-minute video that shows a blindfold simultaneous display, given by the immortal Mikhail Tal. The date is unclear and the commentary is all in Russian, but we have prepared a summary transcript in English. We were even able to reconstruct four game fragments. Must watch.
In the position in the diagram, Boris Gelfand could have given himself a
wonderful 41st birthday present. Unfortunately he missed his chance and the
game later ended in a draw. What was the move required for Gelfand to get
his birthday present? (White to play)
Analysis of the ending Gelfand-Shirov by GM Karsten Müller
Endgame DVDs by Karsten Müller