From: Hans Secelle <J.Secelle <at> CDDB <dot> MINFIN <dot> BE>
Date: 17 apr 2000
Subject: Re: Shogi for the Visually Impaired

 Dear Vincent,

Richard, the dean of Belgian Shogi, passed away in 1988.
I don't know what happened to the famous Braille Shogi Set,
but I'll check it out with Susanne, his widow.

The set was actually shown to visiting professionnals (e.g Murooka)
but I don't think the set made it all the way to Japan.

I'll contact you as soon as possible,

Cheers,
Hans Secelle

---- SHOGI-L(a)TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL's Message ----

Among all the recent flurry of messages about Shogi rules, I noticed in passing a query about Shogi for the blind.

This reminded me of issue 47 (January 1984) of Shogi magazine. Its cover photograph is headed "Look! Shogi set designed for the visually handicapped" and the photograph shows two players side by side, one using a normal set, the other a special set. The Editorial tells us that Richard Verkouille of Belgium was "the man behind our cover photograph this time with his splendid work in manufacturing a shogi set especially designed for the visually handicapped. All the necessary details for such a set have been calculated and Richard has much knowlege in these matters since he has had years of experience in an official capacity for blind chess players".

Does anyone know if this went any further?

Vincent West