Chess Perception and Game Reality.

As individuals what are the different ways our minds process the game internally to create the reality of the actual game seen without aids. Do you use mathematics, how so, memorize moves, visualization, what do you see and any other ways?

@mike69

I don't use any deliberate process to think about chess. I just like playing games casually and watching chess analysis videos.
I did work out why I don't want to spend time thinking about chess moves. My job is working in IT, so I spend all my working hours solving problems, and don't really want to spend my free time solving problems. So I'll just play whatever move looks ok.

I've played a lot of games and watched a lot of games, so I see patterns. And I'm surprisingly good at playing moves in my head, although I'd don't "see" a chess board. I just know where the pieces will end up. I have no idea how I developed the ability to do this.
For example, I can do problems where you have to walk a Knight around the board, avoiding certain squares and do it all in your head. But I don't see a chess board in my head when I do this.

I guess this is why my games are a mix of good moves and horrendous blunders.

@mike69 said
As individuals what are the different ways our minds process the game internally to create the reality of the actual game seen without aids. Do you use mathematics, how so, memorize moves, visualization, what do you see and any other ways?