Blindfold king Timur Gareyev on tour

by ChessBase
4/6/2016 – In 2016 Timur Gareyev wants to break the world record in blindfold play by taking up 47 opponents simultaneously. In March he played a 35 player blindfold simul in Santa Clara, California. Gareyev lost one game, drew two and won 32. As Gareyev believes that physical fitness and mental excellence go together he spun a stationary bike for over 9 hours during the simul!
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Spinning to Victory

By Timur Gareyev

Blindfold king Timur Gareyev in action

As the players started to show up around 8am, we had everyone assembled for morning exercise. We started off following my Tai Chi classmate Jeannie through a few gentle stretches. As players warmed up, we had everyone introduce themselves and show their own favorite stretch. Playing the game of chess at your best requires the connection of body, mind, and spirit. I feel like a bit of physical exercise and improvisation plays a key at intellectual mastery especially with younger players.

Physical exercise as a warm-up for mental exercise

The event launched with a video describing my blindfold chess journey and lifestyle. My good friend and partner in blindfold chess journey Jennifer Vallens inspired her friends to put this video together:

The toughest part of a blindfold match this big is being able to visualize and rearrange all the different opening moves into several neat “shelves” inside my mind. As I moved through the initial stage, I had about 7 games that were somewhat in the “haze”. Meaning the original move order did not quite sink and I had to go back and forth with the moves in my mind to clarify as to what the position was at the moment. After about an hour of play I started to get more comfortable and continued to build towards my first few miniatures in the match.

 
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1.e41,170,31954%2421---
1.d4949,86755%2434---
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1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.cxd4 d6 7.Bc4 Nb6 8.Bb3 Bg4? 8...dxe5 9.d5 Na5 9...e4 10.dxc6 Qxd1+ 11.Bxd1 exf3 12.Bxf3+- 10.Nc3 Nxb3 11.Qxb3 f6 12.Be3 g6 13.0-0 Bg7 14.Nb5 9.Bxf7+! Kxf7 10.Ng5+ Ke8 11.Qxg4 dxe5 12.Ne6 Qd6 12...Qd7 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Qh5+ Nf7 14...Ng6 15.Nf4 15.Qe2 13.Be3! h5 14.Qf5!? Rc8 15.Nc3 Nc4? 16.Nxf8 16.Ne4! Qb4+ 16...Nxe3 17.Nxd6+ 17.Bd2 Nxd2 18.Qg6+ Kd7 19.N4c5+ Kd6 20.Nf4+ Kc7 21.Nd5+ 16...Rd8 17.Ne6 Rd7 18.Qg6# 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Timur-Ajay Sunkara13721–02016B22Santa Clara 35 B-Simul (Game 19)

 

 
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1.e4 e5 2.f4 I like playing gambits and open positions in my blindfold simuls. d6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bg4 5.0-0 Nge7 6.Nc3 a6 7.Bc4 Nd4 8.Nxe5!? 8.Bxf7+! Kxf7 9.Ng5+ Kg8 10.Qxg4± 8...Be6 8...dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nxc2 10.d3 Nxa1 11.fxe5 9.Bxe6 Nxe6 10.Nxf7!? Playing "bughouse style". As I keep the momentum, I trust the initiative will pay off. Kxf7 11.d4 c6 12.f5 Nc7 13.Bg5 Kg8 14.f6 gxf6 15.Bxf6 Bg7? 15...Qd7 My opponent had to get away from the pin and take the g4 square away from white's queen. 16.Qg4 Ne8 16...Qf8 17.Be5 dxe5 18.Rxf8+ Rxf8 19.Qd7+- 17.Qe6+ Kf8 18.Bxe7# 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Timur2680Agrim9781–02016C30Santa Clara 35 B-Simul (Game 3)

Tigran and Jeff were among the happiest of the early finishers

I was very consistent with my “middlegame” performance and got my first couple dozen victories. Haha that’s the fun part about giving this simuls you win a bunch of games! You might lose a game too…

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bc4 e6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Qe2 dxc4 8.Qxc4 b6 9.Re1 Be7 10.Re3 a5 11.h3 Ba6 12.Qc3 0-0 13.Re1 f5 13...Rc8 14.Ng3 Qd5 14...Bf6 15.Qe3 Re8 15.Nh5 After a "shaky" beginning by white, right around here my opponent's team got the older brother take over. Nd4 16.Nxd4 cxd4 17.Qg3 Rf7 18.Nf4 Qd7 19.Nxe6 Poisoned pawn.. Bd6 19...Re8 20.Nf4 Bd6 21.Rxe8+ Qxe8 22.d3 Qe1+ 23.Kh2 Bb7-+ White is completely tied up. 20.f4 Re8 21.Ng5 Bxf4?? This is one of those typical "blindfold chess blunders". Aside from the opening stage, it is tough to always remember the tiny little pawn moves like h3 or a3. And at times this comes back to bite you. Out of the 2000 moves played in this event, not remembering move 11.h3 cost me this game.. 21...Rxe1+ 22.Qxe1 Re7 23.Qh4 h6 24.Nf3 Re2 25.d3 Bb7-+ Once again white is tied up and can't develop his queen-side while being mated on the king-side... 22.Rxe8+ Qxe8 23.Qxf4 Qe1+ Unfortunately this is not leading to mate... 24.Kh2 Surprise surprise! Rf8 25.Qxd4 Bb7 26.Qe3! White is going smart about converting the material advantage. Qxe3 27.dxe3 Rd8 28.Nf3 Be4 28...Rd1 29.b3 29.Nd4 g5 30.c3 h5 31.Bd2 Kf7 32.Rf1 Kg6 33.g3 b5 34.b3 Rd5 35.Rc1 Bd3 36.c4 bxc4 37.bxc4 Rc5 38.Nb3 Re5 39.Rc3 Bb1 40.a4 f4 41.c5 fxg3+ 42.Kxg3 Rf5 43.c6 Be4 44.c7 Rf1 45.Rc1 h4+ 46.Kh2 Rf2+ 47.Kg1 I've worked my way to something that closely resembles a mating net as a consolation prize. Rg2+ 48.Kf1 Rh2 49.c8Q Rh1+ 50.Ke2 Rh2+ 51.Kd1 Rh1+ 52.Be1 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Vignesh (413) &,A1500Timur-0–12016B30Santa Clara 35 B-Simul (Game 18)

Here are a few more games from the same group of tougher finishers:

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nc3 Na5 5.Nf3 Nxc4 6.dxc4 d6 6...Bb4 7.h3 c6 8.Be3 Be7 9.Qd3 0-0 10.0-0-0 Qc7 11.g4 b6 12.Nh4 Rd8 13.g5 Nh5 14.Nf5 g6 15.Nh6+ Kg7 16.h4 Be6 17.Rhf1 Bh3 18.Rg1 Be6 19.Nf5+ Kg8 20.f3 Bf8 21.Nh6+ Kg7 21...Bxh6 22.f4! Kh8 23.f5 Bc8 24.Ng4 Rd7 25.Nf6 Nxf6 26.gxf6 Bb7 27.h5 gxf5 28.exf5 d5 29.Qf1 29.Qd2 29...dxc4 30.Qg2 30.Qg2 Rxd1+ 31.Nxd1 and black has no way to guard vs. the mating threat. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Timur2680William Lombard14031–02016C28Santa Clara 35 B-Simul (Game 27)
 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 My favorite opening as of recently. Be on the lookout for my Trompovsky Chessbase DVD to be released this Spring. e6 3.e3 d5 4.Bd3 Be7 5.Nd2 Nc6 6.f4 Setting up powerful central structure. Nb4 7.Be2 Nd7 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.c3 Nc6 10.Ngf3 0-0 11.Bd3 f5 12.h3 Nf6 13.g4 Bd7 14.Qc2 Ne4 15.Rg1 Rac8 16.Rg2 Rf7 17.0-0-0 Kh8 18.Rh1 g6? "Do not move pawns on the side you are weaker." 19.h4 Rg8 20.h5 a6 21.Bxe4 dxe4 22.Ng5 Rfg7 23.hxg6 Rxg6 24.Rgh2 R8g7 25.Rxh7+ Rxh7 26.Rxh7+ Qxh7 27.Nxh7 Kxh7 28.g5 Ne7 29.Nc4 Nc6 30.Qd1 b5 31.Nd2 Ne7 I succeeded in my attack. However I realized I had no quick win, and despite large material deficit my opponent was not going to resign. I took a few deep breaths and continued in a spirit of a regular tournament game. 32.c4 c6 33.a4 Kg7 34.a5 Kf7 35.Qb3 Rg7 36.Qb4 Kg6 37.Qd6 Bc8 38.Qe5 Kh7 39.b3 39.Nb3 bxc4 40.Nc5+- Nd5 41.Nxe6 Bxe6 42.Qxe6 Nxe3 43.Qh6+ Kg8 44.Qxc6 39...Ng6 40.Qd6 Ne7 41.Kc2 Slow is fast in this type of situations. I have had several painful experiences where I tried to play faster and push for a quick win. That didn't go well increasing the likelyhood of an oversight or a blunder. After playing for over 9 hours, the most important part is to stay focused and patient. Kg6 42.Kc3 Kf7 43.Qe5 Kg8 44.Nf1 Rh7 45.Kb4! Primarily applauding the brave spirit of the king! Kf8 46.Kc5 Kg8 47.Ng3 Kf8 48.Qf6+ As white's pieces are maximised, it is finally time to go for the decisive breakthrough. Rf7 49.Qh8+ Ng8 50.Nh5 Bd7 51.g6 51.g6 Re7 52.Nf6 Rg7 53.Nh7++- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Timur-Sathvik R11731–02016D00Santa Clara 35 B-Simul (Game 21)
 
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1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Qb6 5.Nc3 Bd7 6.dxc5 Qxb2 7.Be5 Qa3 7...Nc6 8.Rb1 Qa3 9.Nb5 Qa5+ 10.Bc3 Qd8 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Qxd5 Qa5+ 13.Qd2 Qxd2+ 14.Nxd2 0-0-0 8.Bxf6 exf6 9.Nxd5 Qxc5 10.Qd4 Qd6?! 10...Qxd4 11.Nxd4 Kd8 11.Qe4+! The game started to look tough for me as white seized the initiative. Be6 12.Rd1 f5! 13.Qa4+ Bd7 14.Bb5 Nc6 15.0-0 Qb8 15...Rd8 16.Rfe1 16.e4! 16...Bc5 17.Qc4 Bd6 18.Ng5!? 18.e4! My opponent failed to execute this simple idea opening up the game. 18...0-0 19.Bxc6? 19.Qh4 h6 20.Nf6+! gxf6 21.Qxh6 Bxh2+ 22.Kh1 fxg5 23.Qxg5+ Kh7 24.Rxd7 Qe5 25.Bd3 Qg7 26.Qxf5+ Kg8 27.Kxh2+- 19...Bxc6 Now black is fine. 20.Qh4 h6 21.Nf6+ This idea is no longer promising for white since black does not have to capture the knight. Kh8 22.e4 Bxh2+ 22...Be5 23.Kh1 Qf4 23...Be5 24.Qxf4 Bxf4 25.Nh3 Be5 26.Nd7 Rfe8 27.exf5 Bc7 27...Bc3 28.Nc5 Bb6 29.Nb3 Be4 30.f6 g5 31.f3 Bxc2 32.Rxe8+ Rxe8 33.Rd7 Kg8 34.Rxb7 Re6 35.Rb8+ Kh7 36.Rc8 Bf5 37.Rc3 Kg6 38.g4 Re1+ 39.Kg2 Bb1 40.Nc5 Re2+ 41.Kg3 Ba5! 42.Rc1 Be1+ 43.Rxe1 Rxe1 44.Kf2 Rd1 45.Ke2 Rd6 46.Na4 Bxa2 47.f4 Bc4+ 48.Kf2 Rd2+ 49.Kg1 Rd1+ 50.Kf2 Kxf6 51.Nc3 Rd2+ 52.Ke1 Rd3 53.Ne4+ Kg7 54.Nhf2 Re3+ 55.Kd2 gxf4 This was one of the tougher games, as it turned out I was facing not just one but 6 opponents consulting on this board! 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Vahak Mandijan1837Timur26800–12016D02Santa Clara 35 B-Simul (Game 26)

A few food items to get the energy going

The players

You may find more details about the event at organizer Mathew Benson’s website:

Now wait a moment, the show must go on! Check out my interview with Leo Laporte aka “Leo the Tech Guy”. Screen Savers crew filmed the show the day before my big event. Neurology expert Dr. Jesse Rissman shared his insights on memory and blindfold chess.

A view into the studio

Discussing blindfold chess with Leo Laporte

Show time

Practicing blindfold chess with Leo Laporte (and here's a video of the event)

The images of this article were provided by Jennifer Vallens
who is leading OffdaRook and here is seen with her son Evan.

The blindfold king contemplates his moves

Despite setting the North American and my personal records in blindfold chess this is only a major step in my ultimate accomplishment. The current world record belongs to Marc Lang who played 46 games in 2011 topping Najdorf’s accomplishment of 45-game blindfold simul in 1947. My mission is to set the world record playing 47 games blindfolded simultaneously this year. Stay in touch via blindfoldking.com!

Timur Gareyev is not only an excellent blindfold player, he is also known and feared for his creative chess and his vicious attacks. On a 60 minute ChessBase video Timur Gareyev revealed secrets how to develop the initiative in your games.

 

Timur Gareyev:
Developing the initiative

Dynamic play is what makes your chess effective and most importantly fun! You start the game making the essential steps of developing pieces and focusing on the center. As the battle heats up one player assumes the defensive position while the attacker takes over the initiative. As you commit to your attack, keeping the initiative becomes alike ''walking a tight rope''. There is no turning back and the path to success is narrow. You either come out victorious or you fall crushing down. This is the kind of chess we love to play!

  • Video running time: 60 min (English)
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