Blind Chess

Blind Chess

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y
Genius

playing chess

Joined
29 Sep 07
Moves
38842
17 Jan 12

I'm interested in improving my blind chess.

Any suggestions?

s

Joined
05 Nov 08
Moves
13417
17 Jan 12
1 edit

practice by not looking at the board

P

The Ghost Bishop

Joined
11 Oct 11
Moves
877
17 Jan 12

Originally posted by yosiman
I'm interested in improving my blind chess.

Any suggestions?
There were a couple remedial exercises that I went through when I wanted to do this. At first I tried to play through some of the more famous games in my head, with a board in front of me - but no pieces.

I moved on to playing games in my head (again games which I had either played or were famous).

A big help is to write down all 64 notated squares ( I wrote them in descriptive notation back then) and without a board nearby, cite the color of each square... right it down. If you do this without cheating yourself, it will only take 3 or 4 times before you'll know each squares color without any trouble.

Q

The Near Genius

Fort Gordon

Joined
24 Jan 11
Moves
13644
17 Jan 12

Originally posted by PhySiQ
There were a couple remedial exercises that I went through when I wanted to do this. At first I tried to play through some of the more famous games in my head, with a board in front of me - but no pieces.

I moved on to playing games in my head (again games which I had either played or were famous).

A big help is to write down all 64 notated squares ( I ...[text shortened]... it will only take 3 or 4 times before you'll know each squares color without any trouble.

Q
One of the masters of old could play as many as 56 simultaneous blindfold
chess games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blindfold_chess

San Francisco, CA US

Joined
09 Jan 07
Moves
183457
17 Jan 12

Originally posted by RJHinds
One of the masters of old could play as many as 56 simultaneous blindfold
chess games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blindfold_chess
George Koltanowski was the best at blindfold chess. For years he was the chess editor of the San Francisco Chronicle.

y
Genius

playing chess

Joined
29 Sep 07
Moves
38842
17 Jan 12

Originally posted by PhySiQ
There were a couple remedial exercises that I went through when I wanted to do this. At first I tried to play through some of the more famous games in my head, with a board in front of me - but no pieces.

I moved on to playing games in my head (again games which I had either played or were famous).

A big help is to write down all 64 notated squares ( I ...[text shortened]... it will only take 3 or 4 times before you'll know each squares color without any trouble.

Q
I'm gonna try these, they sound better than anything I've come up with. Thanks for the quick response.

h
peacedog's keeper

Joined
15 Jan 11
Moves
13975
17 Jan 12

Had a blind tourn at Oban a few years back.

Spent all day at the bar Friday and got hammered in the opening. Then I went back and got more hammered at the bar. Next day, a rook up, I lost cos I spent all my time in the toilet.

Next time I'll just use a blindfold:-(

e4

Joined
06 May 08
Moves
42492
17 Jan 12
1 edit

George Koltanowski gave a 34 blindfold simul in Edinburgh in the 1937.
The Edinburgh C.C. was asked to help organise it by supplying the sets and
gathering the players.

The minutes record 'great mirth was supplied' when one of the players
turned up with own ornate set asking if Mr Koltanowskiit would object to him using it. 🙂
(think about it.)

I see the OP has been practising blindfold play. Game 4258253

😉 Don't worry about it mate. Everyone has a blunder like that on here.
Including me. It's unexplainable.

The Near Genius

Fort Gordon

Joined
24 Jan 11
Moves
13644
17 Jan 12

Originally posted by greenpawn34
George Koltanowski gave a 34 blindfold simul in Edinburgh in the 1937.
The Edinburgh C.C. was asked to help organise it by supplying the sets and
gathering the players.

The minutes record 'great mirth was supplied' when one of the players
turned up with own ornate set asking if Mr Koltanowskiit would object to him using it. 🙂
(think about it.)
...[text shortened]... about it mate. Everyone has a blunder like that on here.
Including me. It's unexplainable.
or·nate

1.Made in an intricate shape or decorated with complex patterns.
2.(of literary style) Using unusual words and complex constructions.

Why would someone make the blindfold chess even harder?
It would be stupid. Thank about it.

e4

Joined
06 May 08
Moves
42492
17 Jan 12
1 edit

Hi RJ.

It's obvious the lad had missed the fact it was a blindfold simul.

The Edinburgh Club has an annual event where the club champion gives
a normal simul against 20 or club members. This have been going since
the late 1800's. So the chap knew the concept of what a simul was.
He just did not realise it was blindfold.

Following the visit from Koltanowski, Alekhine appeared a year later and
gave a normal 23 board simul.

http://www.edinburghchessclub.co.uk/ecchistvis.htm

Here you can see his signature in the Guest Book then he added.
P.23 W.22 D.1 L.0

Further down you will see Karpov's signature in 1984.
That was a secret visit on Karpov's request and I was asked to give the guided tour.
Me and Karpov in the oldest chess club in the world.
We were like two kids in a chocolate factory.

I'd put that down as one of the most memorable moments of my life.
(and believe me, I've had few of them.)

The signature by Capablanca in the guest book nearly had David Hooper in shock.

David had just completed The Unknown Capablanca and did not know
of Capa's visit (or have any games.) from Edinburgh.

That was because the club sec had taken the book to Glasgow where Capa was
giving a simul and got Capa to sign it. 🙂

They have made me an honoury member of the Edinburgh Chess Club.
An honour I share with Howard Staunton.

Chess has been very kind to me.

The Near Genius

Fort Gordon

Joined
24 Jan 11
Moves
13644
17 Jan 12
1 edit

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi RJ.

It's obvious the lad had missed the fact it was a blindfold simul.

The Edinburgh Club has an annual event where the club champion gives
a normal simul against 20 or club members. This have been going since
the late 1800's. So the chap knew the concept of what a simul was.
He just did not realise it was blindfold.

Following the visit fr h Chess Club.
An honour I share with Howard Staunton.

Chess has been very kind to me.
You are not suggesting he was cheating in his blindfold games are you?
If so, then are you also suggesting that all simultaneous blindfold chess
is a fraud?

e4

Joined
06 May 08
Moves
42492
17 Jan 12
1 edit

Originally posted by RJHinds
You are not suggesting he was cheating in his blindfold games are you?
If so, then are you also suggesting that all simultaneous blindfold chess
is a fraud?
😕

Who are you talking about. The lad with the ornate set?

Don't tell me you think Koltanoski's blindfold simul means that all the
players don't have sight of the board.

Only the master giving the simul cannot see the boards.
The rest of the playes can see their pieces and the board.

This has to be a joke.

The Near Genius

Fort Gordon

Joined
24 Jan 11
Moves
13644
17 Jan 12

Originally posted by greenpawn34
😕

Who are you talking about. The lad with the ornate set?

Don't tell me you think Koltanoski's blindfold simul means that all the
players don't have sight of the board.

Only the master giving the simul cannot see the boards.
The rest of the playes can see their pieces and the board.

This has to be a joke.
Maybe, I don't understand what you are saying. Do you believe
in blindfold chess or not?

Pale Blue Dot

Joined
22 Jul 07
Moves
21637
17 Jan 12

Originally posted by RJHinds
Maybe, I don't understand what you are saying. Do you believe
in blindfold chess or not?
Is blindfold chess not mentioned in the Bible?

The Near Genius

Fort Gordon

Joined
24 Jan 11
Moves
13644
17 Jan 12

Originally posted by Green Paladin
Is blindfold chess not mentioned in the Bible?
Jesus does talk about the blind leading the blind.