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Thomas Bowdler vs Francois Philidor
Philidor Blind Simul 3b, London (1783) (blindfold), London ENG, May-26
Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack (B20)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-29-09  just a kid: I have no idea how Philidor was able to play this blindfolded.
Jun-11-09  WhiteRook48: fell over a Bowlder
Feb-27-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  wwall: Perhaps a king move instead of 45...Bxf3 is best if Black is trying for a win.
Jun-22-12  Petrosianic: As a matter of interest, this is the oldest drawn game in the database, as of today.

But the database doesn't contain all known Philidor games, or all known games period. So, does anyone know if this is the oldest surviving draw on record?

Jul-11-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: <wwall>Perhaps a king move instead of 45...♗xf3 is best if Black is trying for a win.

<wwall>,
45...♔g7 46. ♔g2 ♔f7 seems to be better. White is nearly in zugzwang - any knight move loses the h5 pawn, while the King has to stay put to protect the knight.

Black's plan would be to play his King down to b3 to attack the c3 pawn.

Jan-13-16  TheFocus: From a blindfold simultaneous exhibition in London, England on May 8, 1783 at Parsloe's Chess Club.

Philidor won the other two games in this exhibition.

See <Quarterly for Chess History>, #4, 2000, pg. 392-393.

Apr-11-16  juanhernandez: incredible !!!
Aug-25-20  kereru: @Petrosianic I'm interested in that too. Apparently the Oxford Encyclopedia of Chess Games includes a drawn game from 1750 but I haven't been able to confirm this. Draws were extremely rare in the early days and only happened in greatly simplified endgames. It is only quite recently that draws by agreement were allowed earlier than this.

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