AAdditional Games
Vol. 5, No. 1, California Chess Reporter, July 1955. Al Sandrin, Abe Turner.
Nearly Blind Chess Player Short of Goal 08 Jun 1949, Wed Metropolitan Pasadena Star-News (Pasadena, California) Newspapers.com
Nearly Blind Chess Player Short of Goal
Chicago. June 8. (INS) Albert Sandrin, Jr., 26, nearing total blindness, was a mite short today of winning $10,000 in a unique chess contest in which he had to win 13 of 15 games against Chicago's topnotch, blindfolded chess experts.
Sandrin won six, lost four and had five draws.
The prize of $10,000 had been offered Sandrin by Alex Bisno, Los Angeles real estate dealer, if he could win 13 games.
Sam Cohen, secretary of the Chess Club of Chicago, said he wired Bisno the news today. He added:
“If I know Bisno, Sandrin wont go unrewarded.”
VISUALIZING a move which will baffle his opponent, Albert Sandrin grins at the chess board he cannot see. The blind Chicagoan tied, for seventh place in the chess championships here despite his handicap.—(Staff Photo by Robert Sanders.
Blind Man Wins 8 Chess-Meet Tilts 20 Aug 1955, Sat Independent (Long Beach, California) Newspapers.com
Albert Sandrin, 32-year-old contestant in the U. S. Open-Chess Tournament which concluded here Friday night, played through the entire tourney without seeing his opponent or the board.
Sandrin, a Chicago resident, is blind.
Going into his final match, Friday night, Sandrin had won 8 and lost 3, which put him in a tie for seventh place.
Despite his handicap, the Chicagoan isn't pleased with his standing. He's done better.
In fact, he was winner of the 1949 U. S. Open Tournament in Omaha, Neb., and was Illinois champion in '44, '47 and '50. At present, he's co-champion of Chicago.
Sandrin plays by “seeing” a mental picture of the chess board and positions of the pieces. His opponent tells him of each move and Sandrin mentally shifts the affected piece accordingly.
One-board mental chess is child's play for him. Once in Chicago, he played 13 opponents at one time defeating 12, drawing with 2 and losing only 1 game.
Sandrin has been going blind for 10 year. At present, he can only distinguish night from day.
Back home, he is attending school to become a piano tuner and repairman.
He is not married.
