How does one calculate moves while playing chess? How is it that other players can move and rearrange pieces in their heads and someone with aphantasia can still win a game of chess? Also, how does one make strategic moves regarding their future?
How does one calculate moves while playing chess? How is it that other players can move and rearrange pieces in their heads and someone with aphantasia can still win a game of chess? Also, how does one make strategic moves regarding their future?
Memory. I know the moves, I can still reason out a strategy of possible outcomes and outcomes of that. I actually played a lot of chess as a child and it makes me wonder if something like speed chess would be more or less advantageous.
Hi J_baby,
I am an avid chess player. I’m not the best, but I can best most people I know.
When I play chess I have an idea of what I want to do and attempt to make it happen. I look at all the pieces and where they can move and where they can move from there. I look at the board like a battle field and the pieces are the troops. I try to create troop formations and not leave troops without support. I do not see the strategy in my head I see it on the board. When things don’t go the way I want I can change strategy as I go and adapt.
I hope that helps.
Cheers
I’m not very good at chess but I’m world class at bridge. At bridge, I’m a grandmaster who plays in the Australian Open Team. Aphantasia gives me several advantages at bridge. I have quite a few friends who have aphantasia – they too are good bridge players. None of us are great at chess. At chess, I try to use strategies like creating open files to make up for my inability to visualise what’s going on.
I’m 80 and un-discovered my “mind’s eye” a couple of months ago. It got a name, aphantasia, a few days ago. Looking back, a lot of pieces started to drop in. This is another! I was never good at chess but I killed at checkers. Just thought of another. Pool. Can’t shoot a game of pool to save my life but I can make incredible shots. I just have no idea of where the cue ball will land.