Hi,
I'm glad there's some interest in chess around. It's a remarkable game, and
important for blind people in some ways for example they're able to compete
on the same level with sighted individuals, not like blind cricket, golf,
etc. where there's an obvious disadvantage being blind.
At the bottom of this mail is an excerpt from the fido rules of chess to
indicate what had been done to accommodate blind players in sighted
tournaments.
We are working hard in South Africa to promote Braille chess. We have
various clubs and work to create even more.
Our club competed for the past three years in our provincial league (sighted
chess), and we are very satisfied with our performance.
We take part as club and individuals in various open tournaments around our
country. Its very exhilarating and satisfying, and learns you a lot about
your self as well.
We also hold a yearly national Braille Open tournament, a top eight
tournament for the first eight places of the nationals, an over fifty five
for the greyer beards amongst us, and for heightening the awareness of
Braille chess we organise an tournament for physical disabled, ai.e. don't
matter what type of disability, you're welcome to join in the day's events.
We are thinking of an 35 and younger tournament as well.
If any one wants to mail me off list, my email address is
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Here's the rules for accommodating visually impaired players.
Rules F: Visually handicapped players
These rules are to be applied as a supplement to FIDE Rules to accommodate
the needs of the visually impaired in competitive games between visually
impaired
and sighted players, and between visually handicapped players.
Tournament directors shall have the power to adapt the following rules
according to local circumstances. In competitive chess between sighted and
visually
handicapped players (legally blind) either player may demand the use of two
boards, the sighted player using a normal board, the visually handicapped
player
using one specially constructed. The specially constructed board must meet
the following requirements:
(a) At least twenty centimeters by twenty centimeters;
(b) The black squares slightly raised;
(c) A securing aperture in each square;
(d) Every piece provided with a peg that fits into the securing aperture;
(e) Pieces of Staunton design, the black pieces being specially marked.
GENERAL RULES
1. The moves shall be announced clearly, repeated by the opponent, and
executed on his board. To make the announcement as clear as possible, the
use of
the following names are suggested instead of the corresponding letters, the
algebraic notation to be used:
A~Anna B~Belia C~Ceasar D~David
E~Eva F~Felix G~Gustav H~Hector
Ranks from white to black receive the German numbers:
1~Eins 2~Zwei 3~Drei 4~Vier
5~Fuenf 6~Sechs 7~Sieben 8~Acht
Castling is announced "Lange Rochade" (German for long castling) and "Kurtze
Rochade" (German for short castling).
The pieces bear the names: Koenig, Dame, Turm, Laeufer, Springer, Bauer.
When promoting a pawn the player must announce which piece is chosen.
2. On the visually handicapped player's board a piece shall be considered
"touched" when it has been taken out of the securing aperture.
3. A move shall be considered "executed" when:
(a) In the case of capture, the captured piece has been removed from the
board of the player whose turn it is to move;
(b) A piece is placed into a different securing aperture;
(c) The move has been announced.
Only then shall the opponent's clock be started.
As far as points 2 and 3 are concerned the normal rules are valid for the
sighted player.
4. A specially constructed chess clock for the visually handicapped shall be
admissible. It shall incorporate the following features:
(a) A dial fitted with reinforced hands, with every five minutes marked with
one dot, and every fifteen minutes by two raised dots.
(b) A flag that can be easily felt. Care should be taken that the flag is so
arranged as to allow the player to feel the minute hand during the last five
minutes of the full hour.
5. The visually handicapped player must keep score of the game in Braille,
or longhand, or record the moves on a tape recorder.
6. A slip of the tongue in the announcement of a move must be corrected
immediately and before the clock of the opponent is started.
7. If during a game different positions arise on the two boards, they must
be corrected with the assistance of the controller, and by consulting both
players'
game scores. If the two game scores correspond with each other, the player
who has written the correct move, but executed the wrong one, must adjust
his
position to correspond with the move on the game scores.
8. If, when such differences occur and the game scores are found to differ,
the moves shall be retracted to the point where the two scores agree, and
the
controller shall readjust the clocks accordingly.
9. The visually handicapped player shall have the right to make use of an
assistant who shall have any or all of the following duties:
(a) Make either player's move on the board of the opponent.
(b) Announce the moves of both players.
(c) Keep the game score of the visually handicapped player and start his
opponent's clock (Note Rule 3.c).
(d) Inform the visually handicapped player, only at his request, of the
number of moves completed, and the time used up by both players.
(e) Claim the game in cases where the time limit has been exceeded and
inform the controller when the sighted player has touched one of his pieces.
(f) Carry out the necessary formalities in case the game is adjourned.
10. If the visually handicapped player does not make use of an assistant,
the sighted player may make use of one who shall carry out the duties
mentioned
under points (9.a) and (9.b).
IBSA Technical Rulebook Chessplayers.
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