Red Dirt Diaries: Blind Ambition Drives Chess Grandmaster

Some of the best young chess players in Oklahoma got to see a world class player up close and got to help him practice for his world record attempt.

Timur Gareyev is a chess Grandmaster and is friends with Oklahoma State Chess Champion Advait Patel.

Earlier this month, Timur along with several members of the Challengers Chess Club put on a blindfold chess exhibition at Fusion Kitchen in Midwest City.

“You might not be able to execute each one of the decisions to a level of perfection,” said Timor about the challenges of only seeing the chess board in your mind.

Later this year in Sweden, Timor will attempt to play 50 simultaneous games of chess while blindfolded. He must win 40 of the games to capture the world record.

That feat means tracking 1,600 chess pieces in your head.

“To be able to hold and transition from one game to another, that’s what excites me at this time in my life,” said Timur.

Timur physically trains his whole body to be ready for the record breaking attempt.

That can mean riding blindfolded on a stationary bike as he plays numerous chess games at one time.

He says the attempts has given him a new appreciation for chess and new talent to break down the game and each move.

“That’s when you become truly fulfilled in your chess experience,” added Timur.