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Report of the Day 1 of Blindfold |
 After the rapid and blitz tournaments the most difficult part of the Mind Games - Blindfold chess has started. For the second time SportAccord chose this special form of chess play where the players do not see the positions of the pieces or touch them. All participants forced to have the mental model of the positions and use the computers to enter the moves. The organizers tried to provide the most comfortable conditions in order to help players not to lose their concentration during the games. It was forbidden for the spectators to enter the playing venue as well as for the photographers to take photos during the games. Four games were played at the first day of the event but it seemed players got really tired in the fourth round and few games finished quite quickly because of blunders.
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Levon Aronian and Peter Leko were on the top after the third round. In the fourth round Shakh got better position against Levon Aronian but blundered a rook and resigned immediately. Peter Leko made a draw against Teimour Radjabov. As a result, after the first day of blindfold Armenian GM Levon Aronian, who made the only draw against Hikaru Nakamura and won other three games, is a sole leader with 3, 5 points. Hungarian GM Peter Leko and Chinese Liren Ding share the second place half a point behind.
In the women section former world champion Hou Yifan took the sole lead after she defeated Humpy Koneru in the third round. Viktorija Cmilyte was just half a point behind. The game between Viktorija Cmilyte and Hou Yifan finished in favor of Lithuanian player, who immediately replaced former world champion on the top of the table. Chinese GM Hou Yifan and Indian GM Humpy Koneru share the second place half a point behind.
Some interesting moments chosen by GM Bartek Heberla.
Morozevich-Bologan
The evaluation had changed several times until players ended up in this position which looked winning for Black. However it was proved once again that everything is possible in blindfold chess…
1...Rh3?? 2. Re2 and suddenly White is winning
Pia Cramling – Hou Yifan
This position is clearly better for Black, however it’s still not easy winning.
But in blindfold chess it’s easier to blunder something, and that’s what happened:
1.Rc5?? it was not the best idea to attack a pawn in this position.
Hou Yifan immediately finds the way to win
1…Rd3+ 2.Kg2
Rxg3! (3.Kxg3 Ne4+) 0-1
Don’t miss the games of the second day of blindfold! The fifth round starts at 11 a.m. local time. |
