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Guardian 30,049 (Brummie)

11,12 across

You won't see board members taking part in this criminal bloc's NHS fiddle (9,5)

I'd never heard of this and didn't even know this was a thing. I mean, seriously, can you imagine the level of concentration and powers of recall it must take to remember the position of every piece based on hearing verbal notation and subsequent moves - very impressive.

Brendan, it's not uncommon among strong chessplayers. Although the skill is said to be almost impossible to pick up after the age of 35.

For a long time there was a "Melody Amber rapid/blindfold tournament" in Monte Carlo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_chess_tournament
The blindfold games sometimes featured gross blunders.

Rumour had it that Capablanca did not even own a chess set. I read the same years ago about GM Alexei Shirov (though he surely uses a computer for databases, and engine analysis has become more essential since then).

This video is amusing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRY147v6M_U

Thanks Geeker,

That YouTube video was one of the most enjoyable chess ones I've ever seen. All 3 players were so likeable and unassuming, so refreshing to see that.

I thought the girl at end was particularly impressive, especially given the number of pieces on the board in her first challenge and her promoting to Knight in the second

... but all of them were great.

Brendan, Joseph Blackburne was a 19th century blindfold ace. He used to play blindfold simuls while enjoying alcoholic beverages (see some comments to the blog entry linked below).

The excellent Neil Blackburn (no relation - "simaginfan" on chess.com) has featured JB in several blog columns.

This is a nice one: https://www.chess.com/blog/simaginfan/a-blackburne-blindfold-brilliancy-and-some-bonuses

Thanks Geeker, that was an interesting read - what a skill to have:-)

Do you ever play on Chess.com? I only ask because my younger brother, who like me is a novice, plays on there and I wondered if you might like to play him sometime. perhaps give him some tips.

Like me, he's got lots of books on openings etc. but it's after those moves end that him and me tend to lose our way.

If so, his username is "snakewalk" (no numbers or anything just that one word). Maybe let him know that we are friends on here....

... and go gentle as, like I say, his rating hovers around the 700-800 mark so you'll be way above his level.

Brendan, sorry but I don't play online chess.
I tried years ago, but encountered some unpleasant behaviour, plus I just prefer using a real board.

And nowadays online speed chess seems to be dominated by tricky gambits (Stafford, Hillbilly, Alien, etc.) that you really have to study to avoid catastrophes.

No problem Geeker.

I don't know if you've seen this about Kramnik being banned but, just in case you haven't...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd6epx607dqo

Guardian 30,054 (Brendan)

16 Being promoted on board - for French, that upset good number (8)

I've seen the Kramnik item. I approve, but am sure the Russian chess establishment will have many harsh words for the decision.