Plotting a winning strategy with the fingertips

The Gauteng Braille Chess Open was held in Roodepoort West, on Saturday, 26 October. Partially sighted strategists and tacticians engaged in a day-long Swiss format competition to decide who would be crowned the Provincial Braille Chess Champion.

Sponsored by Russell Kantor of Back Up Spares (Pty) Ltd, the competition consisted of 12 players playing over four rounds. The Swiss format means that no players are eliminated, instead they are paired with opponents with the same or a similar amount of points. The player who accumulates the most points by beating those closest to them is the victor.

Chess is the ultimate test of mental strategy and plotting one’s course would generally be done by observing the board’s black and white squares. Making the complicated task harder for these competitors is their visual impairment. With some having less than 10 per cent use of their eyes, players run their fingertips over the tops of the distinguishable pieces. The board as well as each piece is modified to guarantee stability. Each square has a small hole drilled into it and each piece has an extension underneath which locks into the hole fixing it in place.

The day began with an address by Russell, whose inspiration for getting involved stems from his wife who is visually impaired. Then it was over to tournament director, Fransie Grobbelaar who explained the layout and the opening pairings. After all the pawns had been sacrificed and all the Kings captured, it was Johannes Grib who emerged victorious, his four wins from four rounds securing the winner’s trophy.

The friendly and welcoming day was capped off with a well-earned braai where the players recounted the day’s moves, moves that would seem almost impossible to those of us who depend so much on our sight.