Blindfold Chess and Draught Playing.
Blindfold chess and draught playing are popularly regarded as wonderful feats of memory. It is, however, less a feat than a phase. It should be borne in mind that blindfold chess and draught players are more than ordinary good sight players, and that, moreover, their minds are completely saturated with draught and chess ideas. They know every opening, every standard position, and to players of this class every game played, at sight or blindfold, has a well-defined individuality. No good player will find much difficulty in playing blindfolded if he will take the trouble to master a little "book play" and constantly practise it. The first thing to be learned is the notation, and this must be learned thoroughly. In draughts the single corner row—4 to 29—is generally easily learnt, the double corners—1—5 and 32—28—are also familiar; and if it is borne in mind that 12—20 and 12—21 are the four overhanging central squares, one half of the board will be in the mind. The playing over of a few book games will soon make a player well acquainted with the notation. He should then take a short end game and study it carefully on the board until he thinks he can remember the exact position of each piece, and its relation to each of the others. After playing this carefully over on the board it should be put on one side, and, if possible, dismissed from the mind for some hours. He should then sit down with the eyes closed (which will assist in the concentration of his ideas) and endeavor to recall the position accurately to his mind. The first attempt may not be successful, but after a few trials he will find that he can manage very well. By practice in this manner, and by obtaining a good knowledge of the various games, with their principal variations, added to the assumed thorough familiarity with the notation, a good player will find that he can play as well blindfold against an ordinary player as at sight. Sarratt, the first of the English masters, in his translation of "Damiano, Ruy Lopez, and Salvio," gives Damiano's rules for blindfold play; but beyond indicating the range of each piece, they give little information. Perfect acquaintance with the notation
