I'd bet >99% of masters can play blindfold. Not just a GM, but you want a top player with bad (for a pro) visualization skills? I strongly doubt a person like that exists.
You can train board visualization though. I'm not going to say there's hope for you to be a top player, but you can certainly improve a lot. I'd also bet nearly no one starts out with the ability to play a complete blindfold game.
Thanks for the helpful answer. Maybe I will start practicing!
Hi TokyoJim,
You are a diamond member. Go to the 'learn' tab and search the video lessons archives for the video lesson called, "Achieving Full Board Awareness" by IM Daniel Rensch. It is excellent.
No. When you look ahead in a game you are always doing visualizations of stuff not on the board. So in a way we all play "blindfold" a little bit. Obviously the better you become the further you can go with it. Any serious player will be able to play blindfold simply as a consequence of becoming better at visualizing. To ask if there are GMs that can't play blindfold is pretty close to asking if there are GMs that can't look ahead very well. Strong-ish club players will be able to play through a blindfold game (although it will obviously affect their strength). So you're definitely not going to find any GMs that can't play a full game blindfold let alone "top" ones.
I only have a second so I'm going to make it quick. Does anyone know of any top players/grandmasters who cannot play blindfold chess? I'm just wondering if there's any hope for me, because I can't do it! When I say 'top', I mean really up there.