Blind Chess: Matter of seeing with hands

MAKAR SHRESTHA

BHAKTAPUR, June 28 – “Shall I capture your pawn?” “Please don’t,” comes the reply.

“In that case, I’ll move my knight.” The conversation is between two blind players competing in a chess championship at the Bhaktapur Durbar Square on Saturday.

Padhma Bhatta of Gorkha, who is currently studying at Padhma Kanya Campus, plays chess despite her blindness. She was playing against Krishna Gopal Chaguthi, who has already participated in the national games. “This is the first time I am participating in a competitive tournament,” said Bhatta as he maneuvered a piece. “Please dai! If you don’t capture this piece,

I’ll win.”

“I don’t want to, but I have no option,” replied Chaguthi replied, moving her piece with the help of both her hands, as blind players usually do.

The two are not the only blind players in the tournament. There are altogether 14 participants.

This is the sixth year in a row that Mangal Sadhan Shrot Parichalan Kendra has organised nation-wide open blind running shield chess championship.

The wooden boards have holes in them to keep the pieces in place. The white pieces have marks on them so that the players can differentiate them from the black pieces.

On the chess board, black pieces are kept on the part with a slight indent while the white ones are kept on the lower part. But while those with vision have to make a move as soon as they touch the piece, the visually impaired players do not have to follow the rule.

“We need good memory to remember where the pieces are by feeling them,” Saptasundar Shakya, one of the participants, said to the Post “Only those with good brains can compete in this game.” Shakya has been playing chess for the last 20 years and participated in 12 national tournaments.

According to Ram Bahadur Bhele, President of Mangal corporation, 14 players from 12 districts are competing in the tournament, out of which two are females.

Sushil Thapa, Sapta Sunder Shakya and Deepak Pradhan are on pole position after winning in two rounds.

Source: http://www.kantipuronline.com

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