Simultaneous Blindfold Exhibition
Report by Miša Hrenič
The city of Maribor in Slovenia, this year's European
Capital of Culture, witnessed a spectacle that was organized in preparation
for the upcoming World Youth Chess Championship
2012 and as a part of the ECOC project Black
and White World.
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The beautiful city near the river Drava was visited by many chess fans and
media representatives. They all came to be a part of a great event – a
simultaneous blindfold exhibition. The viewers were also given the opportunity
to follow the event live online.
Jonas Znidarsic, a Slovenian television personality and a huge chess fan,
hosted the spectacle...
... and the youthful players got to meet the TV star
Slovenia’s strongest player, a former World Youth Chess Champion and
a permanent member of the Slovenian national team, grandmaster Luka Lenic (above,
photo by Chess Tigers), played against
six young Slovenian hopefuls. This way the six chosen young players got the
opportunity to play against a real grandmaster.
Jonas Znidarsic blindfolds the simultaneous master...
... who then calls out his moves against the opponents
Before the event Lenic said that this was his first public attempt to try to
play blindfold chess against this many opponents. A difficult task required
his full concentration. Despite his great effort, the simultaneous blindfold
exhibition did not go quite smoothly: at one stage Lenic got a little confused.
But after approximately two hours of playing, the Slovenian grandmaster won
all six games.
The simultaneous blindfold exhibition was the last in a series of preparatory
events for the November’s World Youth Chess Championship, which will also
take place in Maribor. Judging by the data
that is available this year’s event will become a championship of
records, because the organizers are expecting more than 1600 players and about
1200 spectators from 90 countries to fill the city streets and the nearby towns.
One of the highlights of the championship will undoubtedly be the visit of the
former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov. The city is prepared for the arrival
of chess players, which was also confirmed by the chief arbiter Guran Unal after
his recent visit to Maribor.
You can find all information about the chess events on the following websites:
Previous articles (this year) on Maribor
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Ashley Chess Girl – fundraising for Maribor
10.09.2012 – From November 7 to 19 there is
a World Youth Chess Championship in Maribor, Slovenia, with over 1500
participants. Ashley Tapp from Canada has just qualified, but unfortunately
there is no state or federation sponsorship for the trip, and the family
cannot provide the substantial funds involved. So this enterprising young
lady is trying to raise the amount herself. Ashley
is twelve years old.
> |
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The 100-board Austria-Slovenia match – a unique spectacle
25.06.2012 – On the 16th of June 2012, the
city of Maribor hosted a true spectacle – a friendly match on 100 chess
boards between Slovenian Styria and Austrian Styria. This singular initiative
was a part of Georg Mohr's Black and White World project, and brought
together politicians, artists, and players of all kinds and strengths.
Read about this amazing match in the report
by Miša Hrenic.
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Maribor: European Capital of Culture to host chess events
04.06.2012 – It is the second largest city
in Slovenia and jointly with Guimarães in Portugal, the 2012 European
Capital of Culture. Recently it staged the meeting of Nobel peace prize
laureates, and from May to September it will host chess tournaments, which
will include top players, politicians, sportsmen, women to the youngest
novices. The slogan is: Maribor will be the
capital of chess in 2012!
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