Games: Chess
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Here is another of Vladimir Kramnik's wins from the blindfold section of the Amber Tournament in Monte Carlo. The way this works in practice is that the players sit in front of computer screens on which only an empty chessboard is displayed. They indicate their moves by blipping first the square on which the piece to be moved is standing, then its destination. Illegal moves are detected by the computer and rejected. Meanwhile, the spectators can watch the progress of the games on screens the players cannot see.
Kramnik has so far scored three straight wins in the blindfold games. This one is typical of his enterprising style. White's 9.Ng5and 10.e4 is an extraordinary idea, giving up a pawn for an enduring attack after queens have been exchanged. Black met all the threats, without ever quite freeing his game, until 28.Rf3! left him defenceless. Despite White's extra piece, the endgame was tricky, but Kramnik won without difficulty.
White: Vladimir Kramnik
Black: Veselin Topalov
Monte Carlo (Blindfold) 1998
1 Nf3 g6 25 Rxe5 Rf8
2 d4 d6 26 Nc5 Rf7
3 c4 Bg7 27 Re3 b6
4 Nc3 e5 28 Rf3 Rxf3
5 dxe5 dxe5 29 Nxd7 Rf2
6 Qxd8+ Kxd8 30 Nxb8+ Kc7
7 Bd2 Be6 31 Na6+ Kb7
8 0-0-0 Nd7 32 Nb4 c5
9 Ng5 Bxc4 33 Nc2 Kc6
10 e4 Bxf1 34 Rd2 Rf1+
11 Rhxf1 Nh6 35 Rd1 Rf2
12 f4 c6 36 Rg1 g5
13 fxe5 Ke7 37 h3 h5
14 Nf3 Ng4 38 Ne1 c4
15 Bg5+ Ke8 39 Nf3 c3
16 e6 fxe6 40 bxc3 Rxa2
17 Rd6 Nf8 41 Kb1 Rf2
18 Rfd1 Bf6 42 Nxg5 Kd5
19 e5 Bxg5+ 43 g4 h4
20 Nxg5 Nxe5 44 Rd1+ Kc4
21 Nxe6 Ke7 45 Ne4 Rh2
22 Nd8 Rb8 46 g5 Kb3
23 Ne4 Nfd7 47 Rg1 a5
24 Re6+ Kxd8 48 g6 resigns
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments