Elaine

Blindfolded Saunders (later Pritchard), age 10, beating her father (above) in chess.

The photo above is from a game played in 1937; the game given is from 1936. Elaine was blindfolded in both games.   The given game came from Irving Chernev's 1955 "1000 Best Short Games of Chess."

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Hmm, 15.h3 is odd. Nice game though.

Of course the newspaper makes it seem like a miracle, but I'd like to know how she studied. She's certainly talented, but you don't play the evans gambit as a beginner

15.h3 was probably played to trap the Knight with 16.g4. So he played 15...f5??? to stop it - that definitely made sure he wasn't castling in this game.

Yeah, those were pretty much my exact thoughts. Seems like she knows her dad isn't very good. Would be interesting to see her play against someone closer to her strength. Of course we're talking about this in 2017 though. In the 1930s I'm sure there was no stronger opponent for a cute-but-dumb little girl than the patriarch.

Dumb???  She was obviously very smart to play a 21 move Blindfold game.

I'm speaking sarcastically, imitating how I imagine people in the 1930s would view the match, e.g.

"She's a little girl, a double handicap, vs her adult father, a double advantage."

"Chess Review," July 1938

(Saunders, born January 7, 1926, was actually 12, not 13.)

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Haha, Spielmann loses so it's "unaccountably weak" play from him

At least they give her some credit, "first rate master could not have improved on black's incisive play"

Give Spielmann a break, he was playing a simul, but don't say it's unaccountably weak. Good game by black.

And to resign on move 18 is showing respect IMO. I'm sure Spielmann was impressed.

"Chess Life"  Oct. 1939

She was British Women's Champion in 1939 and 1946, and in 1956 and 1965 as Elaine Pritchard.

Blindfold chess has intrigued me since watching Polgar in a documentary some years back. 

The old notation was sooo much simpler, easier to read and probably easier to play blindfolded.

I'm not usually writing the moves down when I play blindfolded.

She saved a lot of postage with that mini.  Thanks, BG.

Morning Batgirl. Yep, she was certainly a talent!  Alekhine was very complimentary about her, according to 'Chess' magazine, describing her as 'a genius'. after she was the last player to survive against him in a simultaneous exhibition. That was January 22, 1938. The game does not seem to have been preserved.

There is some stuff on her here. http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/old-times-part-three.html Thanks for the article.  

Chernev's comment "and a child could win it" it's funny in that context.