blindfold chess

i just want to know how blindfold chess works. 

Both (or just one) of the players has a blindfold on and keeps their eyes closed, you simply say notation in order to make your move, ie. so if my first move was e4 then I would say "e4". My opponent would then think about their response, and say that. Anybody who has a blindfold on has to visualize the board in their head. Apparently this is not to difficult for grandmasters but I wouldn't attempt it for a while as it is difficult to keep track of 32 pieces in your mind :p

I am definitely not any sort of "master."  I have tried blindfold chess and find it very fun, and challenging.

aa-

Same here - I've played "pseudo-blindfold" (using a move list and just not looking at the board) and it's quite a mental exercise. Give it a try, if not actual blindfold chess!

Another similar way to play chess would be memory chess. You don't even need a board, just another chess player. All you do is say the moves in notation form (ex. e4, Nf6, etc..) and just keep memory of the game. The only problem is if both players forget the board, so a chess board is reccomended for new memory chess players.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo1AakdEYH4&feature=related

Anyone can try and may succeed at blindfold chess. I read a book by Kotanowski about blindfold play and was consumed with being able to do the trick. Just before I entered my first tournament I was able to play a bad game, but I did it. Strength is not the key...desire is...and it helps if you've stared at a chessboard for countless hours.

A good mental spatial ability is an advantage.

Some USCF 1800s say they cannot do it while weaker players they could beat all day can do it. There may be masters who can't play a full game though I think they'd be rare.

 Fischer never went in for blindfold displays (many simultaneous opponents) but on one occasion he took on a strong master (who was in the US championships with Fischer--Addison was his name) blindfold in blitz and gave him a pawn to boot. Ended up equal score.

Are you allowed a move list while playing blindfold? I've played against chessmaster and Fritz blindfolded. it's a lot of fun. I think it is good for building chess muscles because you have to really put moves in context to help remember the position. It helps build chess strength because it forces you to think about the purpose and effect of every move.

Vladimir Kramnik in his blindfold game against Francisco Vallejo

How do you play blindfolded against chessmaster?

 You're not supposed to be able to consult a move list. This is one reason Najdorf's 45 games is considered a suspect record. Of course, whatever the blindfold player asks for he usually gets--like white in each game.

In the blindfold tournaments the top players have, they have a blank board on their screen and the last move the opponent made. Players like Ivanchuk who often plays his regular tournament games while staring at the ceiling do well but others, like Anand, do too.

Some think Koltanowski's 34 games is the display best recognized as the record while others note Alekhine's 26 against very strong opposition (several masters in the group). Other displays by Najdorf (45 games) and Flesch (52) are thought to have such defects as to disqualify them, like too many very short games where opponents walked off or the consulting of score lists by the master.

These big displays were once a good source of income for the masters but now have fallen out of style.

The biggest one I saw was a local NM (2300) who took on six 1400-1599s USCF.

blindfold chess is actually pretty easy for GM. that's because they recognize patterns so well. I could play the ruy lopez in one second blindfolded. They just know every opening, almost every position. that's why they do such a good job.. 

 I would definitely say yes their vocabulary of typical positions plays a part of their blindfold skill, as does the ability to visualize insofar as the otb skill translates to in-the-mind only.

The ability to play many blindfold games simultaneously would also demand a great retention. Single game not at all as I can do that and I have no great skills at all.

Blindfold Chess is pretty fun, and exceptionally challenging.  I used to play against other members of my old team after tourneys blindfolded; it's a great workout for the mind.