Visually impaired eves make perfect moves in chess c'ship

Chandigarh, September 29

Visually impaired women chess players, who are participating in the National Open Chess Championship for Visually Challenged, are setting an example of courage and patience for the world. They are proving that visual impairment is no deterrent for them.

The championship is being organised by the All-India Chess Federation for The Blind in collaboration with the Equal Opportunity Cell (PWD) and the Director of Sports, Panjab University, here.

Chess players play with a special set in which black squares are raised above white and all squares have a hole in the centre, where a piece can be fixed. The black pieces have a pin on the top so a player can distinguish them. After making every move, the player announces the move aloud and instead of writing the moves on a score sheet, the player writes the moves in Braille or records the moves on a tape recorder as per the rules.

As many 50 players, including both partial and fully blind, are participating in this championship, said one of the organisers.

Para Asian players lead

Both international chess players – Indonesian Para Asian silver medallist Mrunali Pandey and bronze medallist Megha Chakraborty – are leading the championship with 5 points each. Mrunali is representing Maharashtra, while Megha is carrying the challenge for West Bengal. Sunita from Delhi ended her penultimate day with four points, followed by Sivaparvathi of Tamil Nadu, Sheetal Rajput from Gujarat, Swapna of West Bengal and Varsha from Tami Nadu at four points each.

“I started playing at the age of 6 and participated in my first national for the visually challenged in 2016. I have always felt that chess needs a good presence of mind. I don’t think there’s anything else except chess which keeps my nerves calm. If not pulling off a win, I can compete against sighted players,” said Megha, who can see from her left eye since her birth.