When Magnus Carlsen Played Bindfolded Against 10 Opponents

Chess is usually seen as a boring sport, but it has its own kind of thrill, especially when Magnus Carlsen steps up to the board. And not just any board, but 10 boards at once, all while blindfolded. Yes, you read that right.

The chess giant, often called the Mozart of chess, left everyone speechless by playing 10 opponents simultaneously without even looking at a single board. It’s like watching a magician perform, but the magic is pure brainpower.

Why It Is A Big Deal

Imagine Magnus Carlsen, the reigning world chess champion and a legend, facing off against 10 players at the same time, and not just playing, but winning. Blindfolded. That means he had to keep track of 320 chess pieces moving across 10 different boards, all in his mind.

No peeking, no glancing, just pure memory and strategy. Carlsen himself has said that knowing his opponents’ faces beforehand helps him mentally “match” each game to a player, making the impossible seem a little more doable.

So, When Did Magnus Carlsen Do This?

The event took place at Harvard University, where the crowd watched in awe as Magnus calmly dictated his moves through a microphone. Someone else physically moved the pieces on the boards, but Magnus was the mastermind behind every single move, all while blindfolded.

The speed at which he cleared pieces from his opponents’ boards was nothing short of breathtaking. The room erupted in applause when he finally removed the blindfold, a moment that felt like witnessing a superhuman feat.

Not The First Time

While the world record for blindfolded simultaneous play is held by Marc Lang, who played 46 opponents at once, Carlsen’s feat of 10 blindfolded games is still jaw-dropping, especially given the complexity and mental stamina required.

What makes this even more incredible is that Magnus Carlsen is not just a memory machine; he’s a universal player known for his attacking style, intuition, and ability to adapt. Playing blindfolded against multiple opponents means he has to calculate moves, anticipate threats, and remember positions, all without seeing them. It’s chess on a whole new level.

So next time you think chess is just a quiet game of moving pieces, remember this: Magnus Carlsen just played 10 opponents blindfolded, and won. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the greatest battles are fought not on the racetrack or the football field, but silently on a chessboard.

Also Read: Magnus Carlsen: Biography, Achievements, Lesser-Known Facts