During the years 1855-6 and 7, Louis Paulsen at Chicago, and
other cities in the west of America, first accomplished the feat of
playing ten games at chess simultaneously, without seeing the board
or pieces, now familiarly called Blindfold Chess; and at Bristol, in
1861, and at Simpson's Divan, London, in the same year, he repeated
the performance, on the last occasion meeting twelve very
powerful opponents.
The phenomenon Paul Morphy, from New Orleans, when twenty
years of age only, conducted eight games blindfold at Birmingham,
in August, 1858, losing one to Dr. Salmon of Dublin, drawing
with Mr. Alderman Thomas Avery, and winning the remaining
six. Morphy at Paris, in March, 1859, repeated the performance,
and won all eight games; his play was superb, and all agree has
never been surpassed, if equalled, and drew forth press notice
even more gushing than that bestowed upon his predecessor
Philidor.
J. H. Blackburne appeared in 1862, and with Louis Paulsen,
the pioneer of the art upon the extended scale, was engaged by
the British Chess Association at their International Gathering, in
1862, to give blindfold exhibitions; each played ten games with
great success, amid much appreciation.
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