"
Al Suli died A. D. 946.
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The writer is not enamoured of blindfold play, preferring not
to attempt to do that without his eyes, which he can do better
with. "Blindfold Play" the term used nowadays, or "playing
behind your back," as one of the old Arabian manuscripts has it,
seems not the most happy expression for the art, playing "Sans
Voir" or without sight of chess board or pieces clearly expresses
it. Good players, actually blind, may be mentioned, the writer
has played with such, in a simultaneous exhibition of chess play
at Sheffield, a game against two blind boys from the Asylum,
proved one of the best contested and most interesting in the series,
and these bright but afflicted lads evidently, with their kind
attendant, derived the greatest pleasure from the meeting.
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THE GAME OF CHESS
Elaborate and learned works have appeared treating on the
supposed origin of chess. Oriental manuscripts, Eastern fables,
and the early poets have been quoted to prove its antiquity, and
it would not be easy to name any subject upon which so much
valuable labour and antiquarian research has been bestowed, with
so little harmonious or agreed result as to opinions concerning
the first source of this wonderful game.
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