Are there any players at FIDE master, IM or even GM level who
find it very difficult if not impossible to play blindfold?
Or to follow games without seeing the position in front of
them?
Thanks,

Marco

Fischer of all people was one of those. He actually stated that he
could not visualize a board in his mind. Koltanowski was famous for
that ability to visualize perfectly a chessboard in his mind and play
simuls blindfolded. I suppose it is something unique you either have
or you don't. Pillsbury also could visualize many boards and play.
Some GM's can do it to a certain extent but not at the level of
Pillsbury or Kolty. There are others but I don't know offhand.

EZoto

Dear Mr. Zoto,

Heil Dubya!

I find it very hard to believe that Fischer could not visualize one board in
his mind. How could he replay games sight unseen? It is my belief than any
reasonably strong tournament player learns how to do this. I have never been
stronger than a "reasonable" USCF Class A player, but can still play a game
blindfold. This seems to me merely a question of being familiar with the
fundamental concepts of positional play and the visualization required of all
USCF Class C players.

Fischer of all people was one of those. He actually stated that he
could not visualize a board in his mind. Koltanowski was famous for
that ability to visualize perfectly a chessboard in his mind and play
simuls blindfolded. I suppose it is something unique you either have
or you don't. Pillsbury also could visualize many boards and play.
Some GM's can do it to a certain extent but not at the level of
Pillsbury or Kolty. There are others but I don't know offhand.

EZoto


Heute Uhmuhrikkka, Afghanistan und Irak. Morgen die ganze Welt!

Uhmuhrikkka, Uhmuhrikkka über Alles!

(Was 11 September 2001 Kristallnacht or the date of the Reichstag fire?)

Fraternally,

Jerome Bibuld
[I did not go on trial on 5 January, for refusing to move away from a
demonstration site -- against the U. S. invasion of Iraq -- when ordered by a
member of the Army of Occupation of Westchester County, despite the fact that
the demonstrators had a "permit" to do exactly what I was doing, at the time
and place I was doing it. Instead the "system" copped out by offering an ACD
(Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal). The ACD effectively prevents suit
for false arrest. Twice, the U. S. INjustice system had postponed trial, in a
case which should have been dismissed out of hand. But, of course, that's part
of the system. This took up MY time -- and that of my lawyer, whose time is
worth more than I PAID him. Meanwhile, the judges, assistant district
attorneys, court clerks, bailiffs, stenotypists and other apparatchniks were
being paid by MY taxes and the taxes of other citizens and subjects of the
United States. My son, Douglass, has coined an apt phrase that I am proud to
use: HYPOCRISY, NOT DEMOCRACY!]
gens una sumus

On 07 Jan 2004 22:00:18 GMT, ospam (Jerome Bibuld)
wrote:

I find it very hard to believe that Fischer could not visualize one board in
his mind. How could he replay games sight unseen? It is my belief than any
reasonably strong tournament player learns how to do this. I have never been
stronger than a "reasonable" USCF Class A player, but can still play a game
blindfold. This seems to me merely a question of being familiar with the
fundamental concepts of positional play and the visualization required of all
USCF Class C players.

My experience matches yours. I have played opponents ranging from
class D through high Expert, both sides blindfold, over the years, and
did not find that the ability to play blindfold, in itself, correlated
much with chess strength.

However, a thread in this newsgroup some months ago, where a fairly
strong player stated he had *never* been able to play blindfold, gave
me pause. I still think most players can play without sight of the
board.

I believe the Soviets at one time discouraged blindfold play,
believing it mentally harmful.

From "Karl Marx Plays Chess" by Andy Soltis:

"Bobby was an excellent blindfold player and, on one memorable occasion, New
Year's Eve 1963, demonstrated this skill against international master
William Addison. They played a series of five-minute games. Fischer did so
without sight of the board _and_ gave odds of pawn and move to an opponent
good enough to qualify year after year for the U.S. Championship. Aft5er a
number of games the two men came out roughly even, according to eyewitness
Brady."

"EZoto" wrote in message
s.com...

Fischer of all people was one of those. He actually stated that he
could not visualize a board in his mind. Koltanowski was famous for
that ability to visualize perfectly a chessboard in his mind and play
simuls blindfolded. I suppose it is something unique you either have
or you don't. Pillsbury also could visualize many boards and play.
Some GM's can do it to a certain extent but not at the level of
Pillsbury or Kolty. There are others but I don't know offhand.

EZoto

ospam (Jerome Bibuld) wrote in
message ...(to EZoto):
I find it very hard to believe that Fischer could not visualize one board in
his mind. How could he replay games sight unseen? It is my belief than any
reasonably strong tournament player learns how to do this. I have never been
stronger than a "reasonable" USCF Class A player, but can still play a game
blindfold. This seems to me merely a question of being familiar with the
fundamental concepts of positional play and the visualization required of all
USCF Class C players.

Dear Mr. Bibuld,

I have been able to play a few blindfold games simultaneously, so I was rather
surprised when a player of FIDE 2200 strength (albeit one who had a serious
drinking problem) admitted to me that he always had found it extremely
difficult to complete even a single blindfold game successfully.

--Nick

I find it hard to believe also but he did state that. Maybe he was
thinking that he couldn't do several boards and all he could do was
one board.

EZoto

Mike Murray wrote in
message . ..
(snipped)
I believe the Soviets at one time discouraged blindfold play,
believing it mentally harmful.

As I recall, beginning in 1930, simultaneous chess exhibitions were
banned in the Soviet Union.

--Nick

Dear Nick,

Heil Dubya!

And a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year to you!

I'm sure your posting "error" was pure carelessness -- and, of course, it
could be taken from the context that you were referring to blindfold play, but
the ban was against BLINDFOLD simuls, not against simuls.

Mike Murray wrote in
message . ..
(snipped)
I believe the Soviets at one time discouraged blindfold play,
believing it mentally harmful.

As I recall, beginning in 1930, simultaneous chess exhibitions were
banned in the Soviet Union.

--Nick


Heute Uhmuhrikkka, Afghanistan und Irak. Morgen die ganze Welt!

Uhmuhrikkka, Uhmuhrikkka über Alles!

(Was 11 September 2001 Kristallnacht or the date of the Reichstag fire?)

Fraternally,

Jerry
[I did not go on trial on 5 January, for refusing to move away from a
demonstration site -- against the U. S. invasion of Iraq -- when ordered by a
member of the Army of Occupation of Westchester County, despite the fact that
the demonstrators had a "permit" to do exactly what I was doing, at the time
and place I was doing it. Instead the "system" copped out by offering an ACD
(Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal). The ACD effectively prevents suit
for false arrest. Twice, the U. S. INjustice system had postponed trial, in a
case which should have been dismissed out of hand. But, of course, that's part
of the system. This took up MY time -- and that of my lawyer, whose time is
worth more than I PAID him. Meanwhile, the judges, assistant district
attorneys, court clerks, bailiffs, stenotypists and other apparatchniks were
being paid by MY taxes and the taxes of other citizens and subjects of the
United States. My son, Douglass, has coined an apt phrase that I am proud to
use: HYPOCRISY, NOT DEMOCRACY!]
gens una sumus

I remember an end of year chess club dinner some years ago where we started
blindfold play after several beers and glasses of red wine... Very
interesting games, the kibitzing was even better. Other people in the
resturant thought we were a little strange (not a chess board in sight). 1.
d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 (kibitzers: No! no! should have played c5) etc. This is a
bunch of players from about 1200 - 2000 ratings.

Later ...Nf6g4 (Kibitzers: Illegal!! that was a bishop) and so on.

Maybe being relaxed and laid back helps, all I remeber was that it was one
of the best chess social events I ever attended.

I think the red wine was a big help.

Kym

"Marco" wrote in message
om...
Are there any players at FIDE master, IM or even GM level who
find it very difficult if not impossible to play blindfold?
Or to follow games without seeing the position in front of
them?
Thanks,

Marco