Every chess player plays blindfolded.

How is it possible for me to blast through the field of over 30 players beating most of them blindfolded? I commonly get this type of question. I imagine once you see one of my blindfold sessions you may assume that I possess super-natural powers. Memory, creativity, imagination, and endurance are all crucial in executing the ultimate feat. Now first I would like to mention that I hate blind adoration when it comes to judging somebody's success. If you think that someone must be born with the ability to be the champion, you got it all backwards. 

Abilities responsible for my ultimate success are all possible to develop overtime. Talent may work as an X-factor. Talent multiplies whatever effort you invest in your improvement. Now you still must put in countless hours to fulfill your god-given talent. Secondly we chess players all play blindfold chess already. If you doubt that, just consider the process of playing a single game. You not only looking at the board playing the move at hand. You must predict the moves happening ahead played by you and your opponent. You do that without moving your pieces inside your mind. Thus you play your game blindfolded. 

Now we know that every chess game we play, we use our blindfold ability. Is it beneficial to do so, or is it somehow straining or even life-threatening? Blindfold chess certainly presents serious challenges to our body, mind, spirit. We must engage all three elements to truly tap in our blindfold chess potential. Using your mind is self-explanatory, it is hard to play chess successfully without applying deep thought and consideration.  Strong body and empowering inner ecosystem you develop is essential in enduring long blindfold battles which may last up to 24 hours. Spirit is what makes blindfold game possible and actually easy in a way. 

Meditative mindset and letting go is essential in transcending the routine. For example as you move from one board to another you must keep in mind the position and your course of action. If you try to hold to every one of the positions, soon you will be exhausted. The miraculous essence to playing multiple blindfold games lies in the ease of games coming back to your memory at a moment's notice. I feel like blindfold chess is a form of meditation. You  get to enter the parallel universe of peace and contemplation. 

I suggest playing chess blindfolded as well as reading chess books without moving the pieces on a physical board is highly beneficial to your mastery. That what I did at the beginning of my career when I traveled to competition. I filled every vacant moment studying Dvoretsky endgame manual and other books. Whether riding on the train or waiting in line, I had a chess book with me I could read. That certainly helped improve my chess as well as developed my blindfold ability. 

Aloha from Hawaii Chess Festival! 

The event is serving as an excellent preparation for US Championship coming up in a couple weeks. 

Have a fun spring break time!

Timur