This year (2023) the tournament was played outdoors, providing great light but also that meant exposure to the rain and unusual heat. Nonetheless, the surrounding mountains are beautiful and the stadium’s location was great. This year, as the number of teams grew from 8 to 11, two courts were dressed and played simultaneously.

Just as it happened in 2022, the lazarillo (a guide person) was in charge to lead and orient his/her fellow teammates. This year we introduced the award to the best male and female lazarillo of the tournament. The game’s nature gives the lazarilo a core and decisive role.

Last year’s tournament (2022) proved to be very physical and prone to contact. This year, we collectively decided (as a staff) that in order to reduce contact, but most of all, to avoid or at least reduce the risk of an unintended dangerous shove, as soon as the player with possession of the ball entered the protected area (a square zone of 1.5 meters), the referees would yell, “Freeze” and the rest of the players would become immobile, while the person with the ball attempted his/her shot. In this video we can appreciate how, the fact that players are frozen does not mean that the score could be taken for granted.

Tammy, the 2022 returning MVP (woman) led all scorers with 76 points. Here we can witness Tammy’s greatness. She is a back-to-back award winner.

The game is intended to be played in a hustle and bustle format. Therefore, just as it happens with some pro games, there is a 30 second possession/shot clock. The time referee whistles once as 10 seconds elapse, then whistles twice as 20 second have elapsed. The referee whistles three times as the shooting clock reaches 28 seconds. The player knows that it is time to take a shot before the 30 seconds possession expires. In this video we see how Alexia’s possession expired.

In this video we witness how the protected area and the freeze instruction work and how the player with the ball’s possession correctly manages the play.

One of the main challenges (if not the main challenge) that players face is to locate/orient themselves in a limited size court. Players have to be fully concentrated not to step out of bounds.

Toño, another returning disabled player from 2022 shows great competitive spirit as he opts to step out from the protected area and attempt a 5 point shot instead of an easy one point shot.

While TEB is normally a low-pace game (due to the blindfold), here we can enjoy a change of pace and what could be considered a short sprint by one of the female players. So, for those thinking that the game is just too slow, the game is at times thriving.

From the starting whistle, it became clear that Bere and Tammy would become the 2023 female MVPs (Bere as a disabled player, Tammy as a conventional player). It was so exciting to see Bere playing that at times we called her (in English, Bere the “Scorinator”).

In this short video we can hear the cheer “Tiro en Braille” in a brotherhood manner.

Most videos were rather short and captured just highlights. This video allows to see, in an interrupted way, the flow of the game for more than one minute. Each half lasts 15 minutes.

The audience is divided between those who think that the game is mainly about power and those who consider Tiro en Braille to be more of a shooting game. In this video we see how Leo, a very powerful player shows laser precision in his shots.

Hats off to our 2023 female disabled MVP, Bere. Her husband, Toño, captured the male disabled MVP. We hope to see you two returning for the 2024 edition.

In this video we witness how great and clear instructions from Flor, the lazarillo, are crucial for her teammates to drive the ball home. Teams with superb lazarillos tend to perform much better in a collaborative sport such as Tiro en Braille.

The 2023 tournament witnessed the introduction of penalty shots for faults and other violations of rules. All penalties were shot from 10 feet out from the basket (3 meters). Penalties proved to be a decisive factor in a good number of games, including one of the semifinals and especially in the championship game, when Alex scored his three penalty shots. Penalties were worth 10 points each time one was scored. In thi9s video we witness the difficulty of scoring.

Tiro en Braille creates lots and lots of turnovers. Here we appreciate how being blindfolded does not mean that players are not capable of creating steals, deflecting passes, and creating turnovers. Indeed, while some players are natural-born shooters, others excel for their defensive skills.

There were many exciting, unconventional goals. In this video we see Leo scoring an odd goal right, as a defender was ready to block the shot.

The best goal of the tournament was the result of a staff’s meeting. It was really hard to decide whether the best goal would be awarded to Fanny who scored with a laser shot after literally running five meters and while still on the move she threw a clean shot into the middle of the basket. The problem was that the goal was not recorded. In this short video we can enjoy Bere scoring a basketball-like shot over a sticky defender.