All chess players know the concept of blindfold chess: playing without the actual board and pieces, but using the mind only. It used to be an annual affair among the top players at the Amber tournaments in Monaco, and sometimes there's news about the occasional blindfold simultaneous exhibition. But what about players who are actually blind? Nobody pays much attention to this small subgroup of chess players, who are unique in their own way, but now a beautifully filmed documentary might change this.

At the 14th IBCA Chess Olympiad for Blind, held in August in Chennai, India British filmmaker Ian McDonald announced the completion of his documentary film Algorithms in India. The film features a documentary on Blind chess for the first time in India. It took almost four years to complete this unique film and it is the first ever feature documentary on young blind chess players from India.

McDonald told journalists:

The story of the film revolves about a group of Indian boys who are dreaming to become chess masters. These boys are no ordinary boys and have only one vision to win the Champions title. Over past three years we have been making the film and our aim was to highlight the world of Blind chess in India. It also talks about the struggle, anxieties and hopes of the chess players.

The official website gives the following storyline of Algorithms:

In India, a group of boys dream of becoming Chess Masters, driven by a man with a vision. But this is no ordinary chess and these are no ordinary players. Algorithms is a documentary on the thriving but little known world of Blind Chess in India.

Filmed over three years, Algorithms travels with three talented boys and a totally blind player turned pioneer to competitive national and world championships and visits them in their home milieu where they reveal their struggles, anxieties and hopes.

Going beyond sight and story, this observational sport doc with a difference moves through the algorithms of the blind chess world challenging the sighted of what it means to see. It allows for the tactile and thoughtful journey that explores foresight, sight and vision to continue long after the moving image ends.

We must say we're quite impressed with the trailer:

The documentary is in black & white and runs 109 minutes. It is in English, Hindi, Tamil and Odiya but English subtitles are provided.

Algorithms has been selected to the International Documentary Section of the International Film Festival of India, 2012. Held in Goa from 20 to 30 November, this annual festival is the most prestigious film festival in India.