Blind Chess Tournaments Complete Guide

Blind chess is real, competitive, and more impressive than most people realize. I thought it was just a chess variant with special rules. 

Turns out, it’s the same game — just played by memory, touch, and unbelievable focus. 

While reading up on it, I found out how tournaments work, how players train, and how blindfold chess overlaps in fascinating ways. 

Some of the world’s strongest chess players compete without ever seeing the board. Trust me, you’re about to see chess from a completely different angle. 

So, How Do You Even Play Blind Chess? 

Did you know that Blind chess is played with a regular set, on a real board, and often in serious tournaments? I always assumed players needed some sort of special setup or digital help, but turns out, the system is brilliantly simple and completely analog.

The board is designed so you can feel everything. Each square has a small hole, and every piece has a tiny peg that fits in. 

This keeps the pieces steady while you run your fingers over them. 

The black squares are raised just enough so players can tell them apart from the white ones by touch. Black pieces even have a tiny marker on top, like a small pin, so you don’t mix them up.

While reading up on the rules, I found that moves aren’t just played silently. 

Both players announce each move out loud, and then the other repeats it. It keeps things clear and avoids any confusion about what’s on the board. 

You’re not required to write anything down either. Some blind chess players record their games using a small voice recorder, and others use Braille notation.

Blind chess matches follow real tournament rules. The only difference is in how the information is shared. 

Everything else — the strategies, the focus, the nerves — is exactly the same. And once you understand how it works, it makes complete sense. 

What Actually Changes When You Can’t See the Board?

While reading more about Blind chess, I started wondering how the game feels when you can’t rely on sight. I mean, you and I are used to glancing at the board, checking diagonals, scanning for threats. 

But what happens when you can’t look? Can you believe players are calculating combinations and setting traps entirely in their heads?

It turns out Blind chess isn’t just a different way to play. It’s a completely different kind of focus. You’re not reacting to what your eyes see. 

You’re building the whole position in your mind. Every pawn, every square, every file — it’s all memory and spatial reasoning.

That’s why this isn’t just a chess variant. It’s probably the purest form of chess out there. When you’re playing blindfold, you’re not relying on patterns you can glance at. You’re holding the entire board like a map in your head. 

Blind Chess forces you to listen, remember, visualize, and plan — all without ever looking down.

The Tournaments Are Bigger Than You Think 

Blind chess is also massive and has its own Olympiad? Its size far exceeded my estimation. I thought wrongly it might be a small community thing, maybe a few friendly matches and tournaments here and there. 

But oh, I was wrong. 

There’s a full international tournament scene. Teams from over 75 countries compete. It’s real, it’s organized, and it’s intense.

The Olympiad for blind chess players is run by the International Braille Chess Association. 

Same rules as the regular Olympiad — teams of four players, nine rounds, time controls, standings, everything. The only difference is how the players interact with the board. You’ll hear moves announced across the room. 

You’ll see assistants helping set up the pieces on mirrored boards.

One of my favorite finds? In 2023, Poland’s Marcin Tazbir — who’s completely blind — won the International Braille Chess Association World Championship. In addition, he’s a regular chess Grandmaster, earning the title as any sighted player. 

Don’t you think that says something about how powerful the human brain can be?

The games are serious, the strategies are sharp, and the competition is global. It’s as competitive as any chess variant out there.  

Can You Actually Get Good at Chess Without Sight? 

I kept thinking about this while reading player profiles. Can you really master chess without ever seeing the board? Turns out, not only can you play — you can absolutely dominate. And some players do exactly that.

That’s how serious Blind Chess is. Predrag Nikač is another name that kept popping up. He’s an International Master, sharp as ever, and a former IBCA world champion. 

These players aren’t just competing with each other, they regularly play and dominate sighted opponents.

One of the most interesting things I found was how these chess players train. They don’t rely on fancy tools. 

They play blindfold chess constantly. Not for show, but to build memory, calculation, and focus. Even top-level sighted players use blindfolded game exercises to get better.

Then There’s Lubov Zsiltzova-Lisenko. She’s won the IBCA Women’s World Championship five times. 

She has been competing since the 1990s and still outperforms her opponents today.

Want to Try It Yourself? Here's How to Start 

Did you think Blind chess was only for grandmasters or visually impaired players? I did too. But while reading through a blindfold training guide by a Master, I found out anyone can start — even if you're just learning the basics.

Here are a few simple ways to try it:

• Start with square color recall: Think of a random square like c3. Is it dark or light? Don’t calculate — just picture the board. This builds your mental map faster than you’d expect.
• Trace piece paths: Take a knight, bishop, or rook. Imagine its route from one square to another. No board, no touching. Try g1 to f8 for a bishop. Did you get it?
• Blindfold simple puzzles: Look at a basic tactic or position. Memorize it. Then walk away and solve it in your head. It feels impossible the first time. Try anyway.
• Play out opening lines: Choose an opening you know. Say the first five or six moves out loud, without looking. Can you remember what comes next?
• Try blindfold endgames: Pick something like the bishop and knight mate. Play both sides. Make yourself resist. You’ll learn more than you expect.
• Bonus: Review your own games: Go through one of your games in your head. No board, just memory. Spot your mistakes without the engine helping you.

Blind Chess Isn’t a Side Format — It’s the Heart of the Game 

While reading all this, I kept asking myself why we don’t talk about Blind chess more often. It's not some side hobby or feel-good story. 

It's real chess. Real matches, real stakes, real players. And honestly, it shows you what the game is truly about.

You don’t need to see to understand control over a square. You don’t need sight to calculate a fork or plan an endgame. That’s the part that really stuck with me. The board is in your head. The ideas are all there. 

And if anything, they get sharper when you're not distracted by visuals.

Guess what I found? The International Braille Chess Association sends teams to the FIDE Olympiad — right alongside everyone else. No special section; just the same event. That says something, doesn’t it?

Blind chess challenges how we define skill. It’s not about seeing faster or moving quicker. It’s about knowing the position, thinking it through, and trusting yourself. I think that’s why it matters so much.

If you’ve never looked into it before, now’s the time. This isn’t a chess variant. It’s the same game you love — just played by people who never needed to see the pieces to beat you.

And maybe, that’s the purest version of chess there is.

So, What Did We Just Learn? 

I didn’t expect to walk away from this feeling inspired. I started out just curious about how blind chess works. But the more I read, the more I realized — it’s not about what you see at all. It’s about how deeply you can understand the game.

Think about it. These chess players aren’t glancing at the board, scanning patterns, or waiting for blunders. They’re holding every move in their minds. They’re listening, remembering, calculating, and planning — all at once. And they’re doing it without ever looking down.

Blind chess isn’t just a cool twist on the game.

It’s a reminder of what makes chess powerful in the first place. Strategy. Patience. Confidence. That feeling when you see five moves ahead and know exactly what’s coming. Whether your eyes are open or not, that’s still chess.

So here’s my challenge to you: try a blindfolded game this week. Just one. Start with a few pieces. Say your moves out loud. See how far you get.

You don’t need perfect vision to understand this game. You just need a little patience and a mind that’s ready to learn.