How to improve blindfold chess • page 1/1 • General Chess Discussion • lichess.org

Hello. I've been wondering it is worth to play chess with blindfold? Does improving our blindfold visualization make a big impact on improving chess overall?

and what are the steps to improve our blindfold chess?

thanks.

Hello. I've been wondering it is worth to play chess with blindfold? Does improving our blindfold visualization make a big impact on improving chess overall? and what are the steps to improve our blindfold chess? thanks.

S0what edited

#2

Of course it does ... Do you know that most the Top Players keep visualizing the board in their heads while looking away from the board , and we think that they are just observing the environment :P actually they are calculating in their minds ... this method is called "stepping-stone" ... Once when a journalist went to Alexie Shirov's home to take an interview , and he asked for a chess board (i dont know for what :D) , Shirov Couldn't find his board , saying that he considers the board to be a very big obstacle :-O .... So you see , The method of stepping stone is very important for a players improvement ! .. so you should certainly practice it too !...

How to do that ? Answer is very simple , but you will need to be persistent :
1.if you really have a poor vision , then the first thing you should be able to do is to calculate without moving the pieces while solving a puzzle ...
2.When you are able to solve puzzles without moving the pieces , next you should solve it over the book ..
3.When you are able to solve puzzles over the book , try solving them in your head ... this is how you do it : note down placement of the pieces of the puzzle (in a copy for example :P) , then remember the king position of white , close your eyes , and place it in your minds board... then open your eyes , check where white queen is ,close your eyes , recall white kings position , then place the white queen in your minds board .... do this till you have completely setup the board in your mind , and start solving ....

Some Tips : *when utilizing the stepping stone method , start with positions having fewer pieces , and gradually increase the number of pieces.
*if you are unable to visualize clearly , retry ... be persistent ...
*even if you are able to solve only 1 puzzle in 1 hour , let it be ... do not mind ... when you improve , you will be able to solve 1 puzzle in 1 minute !! ...
*Stay Focussed ... Stepping stone is similar to meditation , you lose focus , you will have to restart ...

Good Luck !

Of course it does ... Do you know that most the Top Players keep visualizing the board in their heads while looking away from the board , and we think that they are just observing the environment :P actually they are calculating in their minds ... this method is called "stepping-stone" ... Once when a journalist went to Alexie Shirov's home to take an interview , and he asked for a chess board (i dont know for what :D) , Shirov Couldn't find his board , saying that he considers the board to be a very big obstacle :-O .... So you see , The method of stepping stone is very important for a players improvement ! .. so you should certainly practice it too !... How to do that ? Answer is very simple , but you will need to be persistent : 1.if you really have a poor vision , then the first thing you should be able to do is to calculate without moving the pieces while solving a puzzle ... 2.When you are able to solve puzzles without moving the pieces , next you should solve it over the book .. 3.When you are able to solve puzzles over the book , try solving them in your head ... this is how you do it : note down placement of the pieces of the puzzle (in a copy for example :P) , then remember the king position of white , close your eyes , and place it in your minds board... then open your eyes , check where white queen is ,close your eyes , recall white kings position , then place the white queen in your minds board .... do this till you have completely setup the board in your mind , and start solving .... Some Tips : *when utilizing the stepping stone method , start with positions having fewer pieces , and gradually increase the number of pieces. *if you are unable to visualize clearly , retry ... be persistent ... *even if you are able to solve only 1 puzzle in 1 hour , let it be ... do not mind ... when you improve , you will be able to solve 1 puzzle in 1 minute !! ... *Stay Focussed ... Stepping stone is similar to meditation , you lose focus , you will have to restart ... Good Luck !

thanks @S0what !

Your Welcome :) @azhar101

kettwiesel

#5

I am playing chess for a long time and from my experience i know in standard OTB games the ability to visualize the chess board and the pieces is very important to calculate long forcing lines without errors and evaluate the final position. I am not able to memorize and visualize the stuff propperly and this is the main reason i guess that i was not able to go 2000+ fide rating.
Visualizing is the most important skill in chess in my opinion, without that skill it is not possible to become a very good player. (get a Fide title for example)
Some people has a natural skill for that (eidetic memory), but i guess the most people has not and need to train it. How to train it? I do not know, but i read the first step is to know the squares with names and colors (e.g: a1 -> black) and the interconnection between the squares (rows, lines, diagonals, knight jumps)

I am playing chess for a long time and from my experience i know in standard OTB games the ability to visualize the chess board and the pieces is very important to calculate long forcing lines without errors and evaluate the final position. I am not able to memorize and visualize the stuff propperly and this is the main reason i guess that i was not able to go 2000+ fide rating. Visualizing is the most important skill in chess in my opinion, without that skill it is not possible to become a very good player. (get a Fide title for example) Some people has a natural skill for that (eidetic memory), but i guess the most people has not and need to train it. How to train it? I do not know, but i read the first step is to know the squares with names and colors (e.g: a1 -> black) and the interconnection between the squares (rows, lines, diagonals, knight jumps)