Can Magnus Carlsen Win A Chess Game WITHOUT Knowing The Pieces?

We've got a new challenge for Magnus Carlsen, and this time he has to play chess against GM David Howell WITHOUT knowing what piece is which!
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[@joeyharrington1863]

The big board was definitely more of a challenge than the pieces all looking the same.

[@alihms]

Looking at them panting to take breaths, this is good for chess players for their workouts.

[@azap12]

Magnus was not panting. He also workout.

[@LukeXBL]

@@azap12bruh he doesn’t workout that much

[@LukeXBL]

@@shaikoh mf that is mental stamina 💀

[@sohamdas]

Idiot, he trains physically including running with a coach before the championships. Go do some homework, you loose-mouth!

[@geometricart7851]

so this is essentially blindfold chess except you get the benefit of seeing the board and piece positions...Carlsen should find this quite easy.

[@zhongkaichen7505]

All professional chess player can play blindfold chess...

[@TheBotgaming]

@@zhongkaichen7505 no way sherkock, he was just pointing out that this is easier than playing blindfolded...so no real task for any gm

[@lazyshooter23]

@@JonaasK 'Carlsen should find this quite easy' is a new clause. The title of the video is a question directed at Carlsen. It's not weird to use the subject of the title clause to present an opinion; It's appropriate.

[@dylanlhs]

@@JonaasK The title of the video asks if magnus carlsen could win a game without knowing which piece was which. The original comment is talking about magnus being able to do it because that was the question, if the video title asked if a GM could do it the comment would be addressing all GMs.

[@lifetake3103]

@@JonaasK The title is "Can Magnus Carlsen Win A Chess Game WITHOUT Knowing The Pieces?" The commenter is literally addressing the question. It isn't weird. Yes you could also answer the question by saying any gm could play blindfolded thus any gm including Magnus could do this, but the commenters answer is also acceptable because its direct.

[@anonymustarrasque3550]

Yes. This is significantly easier than blindfolded Chess, and most GMs can easily do that. And Magnus is way better than most GMs...

[@lukaswolek7294]

No it isn't.

[@dujimon]

@@lukaswolek7294 it would feel easier because you can make a visual note of pieces rather than having to play the whole game in your mind

[@dixidum2380]

@@dujimon No it isn't.

[@anonymustarrasque3550]

@@dixidum2380 When you're blindfolded, you have no reminder of where the pieces have been moved. For me at least, having one and being able to figure out which pieces are which based off positions compared to where things were at the start of the board and where they can move too makes it a lot easier to play this way than it would be to play blindfolded.

[@mejazo]

@@dixidum2380 it is

[@darkknight32920]

Something that's being overlooked here is that David had the play the game like that too, and he remained quite competitive until the end. Give the guy some credit!

[@sxnchou]

“quite competitive” my brother he’s literally a GM as well. not a super gm but nonetheless a top 0.01% chess player

[@darkknight32920]

@@sxnchou Yes, but he's playing Magnus.

[@ilect1690]

@@sxnchou a GM is nothing compared to a magnus, its pretty much the equivelent to comparing a GM to a FM

[@sxnchou]

@@darkknight32920 it is expected that a GM remains "quite competitive" in any chess game he plays against anyone. even a game against stockfish v15 (despite the inevitable loss). any of the 2k ish GMs should have been able to give him a challenge. i dont disagree with your point though, just that i think that you've gravely underestimated david's skill

[@hoveringgoat8061]

I doubt magnus was really giving it any effort at all

[@jimhill4725]

This was WAY more entertaining than I expected it to be: Kudos to both players for keeping it so interesting until the time had run out (in the case of GM Howell who nevertheless kept it competitive throughout)

[@_-__-____]

Howell is a beast, he's ranked #58 in the world right now.

[@sleepyyuta112]

​@@_-__-____didn't know that, that explains why he always find nasty tactical opporunities in every game he's commentating!

[@user-dv3sm1ff5q]

The man is a walking Super GM as well. And gave Magnus a hard time way back in their Youth European Championships in the early 2000s.

[@ced3069]

Why do I not see Howell that much in tournaments? (As compared to others like Hikaru, Fabi, etc.) Sorry I'm very new to chess so irdk.

[@pilzz03]

@@ced3069because he‘s not one of the top 10-15 players of the world and those are the only ones that you see regularly in big streamed events.

[@suryanshtripathi6249]

I thought it was a random dude but he proved he is a gm in 39 seconds

[@sicdav1d0ff]

That is David Howell, a chess commentator and active play ranked top 55 in the world. He competes with the best, he is the real deal.

[@TheWizardsOfOz]

This should be how some chess event games should be played, so no one can deny that chess is an official sport. It is stand up chess, both good exercise and funny for the audience.

[@asaantoine9485]

why does chess need to be considered a sport?

[@meron7700]

@@asaantoine9485 Chess is already officially recognized as a sport, that is why you should consider it a sport.

[@behavior2836]

@@meron7700 didn't really answer the question

[@pomonoli]

I would propose a synched clock on both sides though, to not let the far end board side be a possible flagging strategy.

[@PanterD2S]

thinking and concentration is the sports part, not pressing the clock nor moving the pieces

[@lennoxlewis9513]

David Howell is such a wholesome person. It's always fun when he is around.

[@groupvucic2235]

He beats his wife

[@zacharyadler4071]

this felt a lot like a tennis match where you keep hitting the ball to make the opponent run a lot. Magnus would move some piece close to the clock a short distance which causes an attack on David's piece which is far away from the clock forcing him to run around and lose time

[@alextgordon]

Chennis

[@panbanan1151]

@@alextgordon Pennis

[@geometricart7851]

haha what a great analogy. It really was.

[@laxyajena4735]

​@@panbanan1151bishop

[@shennyboi110]

The mind games on magnus’ end are unreal

[@TheOriginalJohnDoe]

I love how Magnus is slowly moving and the other guy is rushing everything trying to hit the timer 😂

[@geometricart7851]

That's what happens in a game of Chennis

[@muneeb-khan]

The pros exercise a ton because it helps them with their games. Magnus really like football and yoga. Fabiano tennis etc.

[@chesscrush]

I think it would be cool if they played a game like this but with a previously setup middlegame position and only David knows where all the pieces are. That way Magnus has to figure out which piece is which and it would make for a very interesting game.

[@sebastiansf3463]

That'd be close to impossible though unless it was a really famous game.

[@nino9273]

david is a 2600 grandmaster, he would win in a heartbeat if only he knew the pieces

[@chesscrush]

@@nino9273 I don't think so, it's a middlegame position, all pieces developed and a fairly normal position. I think Magnus would figure out most of the pieces straight away. People also thought it would be impossible for Magnus to know a game by the first few moves or know a famous position only by the placement of the pieces and there we are.

[@kzkaa.]

​@@chesscrushhe could do it by asking if a move is legal or not until he has moved most if not all of his pieces.

[@Goodguy507]

There needs to be some indication for him to know the pieces, like the position being from a famous game or something, or the position being a theoretical position, otherwise he would just make illegal moves and lose, also as mentioned before, howell is a strong grandmaster, if he had such a great advantage against magnus it would really be unfair, this isn't some 1600 rookie he's playing against after all

[@johnbulanadi6204]

"I know you're guessing but sometimes you guess right" is such a flex lol.

[@HyperSpace588]

I mean he can literally play blindfolded. Even 1800s like me can play chess like this (not win)

[@Halti-xo1ls]

Yeah i am 1800 to maybe I could play this it would just be VERY HARD

[@adamgarbaczewski]

I've played blindfolded several times (1300) and I feel like it's very easy...? You just have to think a bit more as you have to remember the board.

[@BloontoniumWizard]

I’m stuck at 1800

[@builderphill1361]

​@@adamgarbaczewskiif you're 1300 there's no way you could play a real game blindfolded 💀

[@adarshtiwari6459]

​@@Halti-xo1lshow long did it take to reach 1800?

[@kuhelihalder4058]

8:18 when David said "story of my life, no time" I felt it

[@TrueLegoXman]

That’s not how you play checkers.

[@jdisdabetter]

Hahaha the thumbnail did you read it (no offense)

[@euyn_009]

@@jdisdabetter its called an joke

[@Jackjohnjay]

The most physical game of chess ever lol. I like it

[@lyrlwestrum3971]

Chess boxing is a thing.

[@vollkornkeks9177]

​@@lyrlwestrum3971the boxing is physical there, not the game of chess

[@geometricart7851]

Uh, You've never heard of Chess Boxing?

[@geometricart7851]

It's part of the game though.@@vollkornkeks9177

[@soot.mp3]

This only reminds me of the time my Chess Club senior 'wanted my help with practicing', so we played a normal game of chess except he kept his eyes closed the entire time with me announcing my moves, and moving his pieces for him... He mopped the floor with me... Chess isn't the same without you, Brandon.

[@Hans-nr4im]

David Howell is such a charismatic dude. Excellent host, commentator and player

[@lma5508]

I love him

[@swift8821]

Props to David for not getting blown off the board in 20 moves 😊

[@geometricart7851]

Well he is a GM too.

[@sankang9425]

A super one, in fact.

[@SevenCoC]

he actually had a missed win @3:33. Bh8 forces black to give up a rook to prevent mate, giving white a totally winning position

[@ab8jeh]

​@@SevenCoCWhy not Qc3 in defence?

[@SevenCoC]

@@ab8jeh bxc3

[@M4R4N]

Love the video! Makes chess content much more fun and creative, definitely years to remember.

[@billtalent1]

Carlson was playing blindfolded chess against 10 people at the same time when he was a child.

[@Tuh_qh90]

the cinematography of these videos is amazing. And David is such a nice person

[@88mphDrBrown]

Doing the recognition test of games with the air things pieces was one thing, it was a unique challenge, but playing a game with them is more of a beneficial handicap for Magnus than making it harder. Magnus can easily play 1 game blindfolded. Giving him a board with representative pieces probably feels no different for him than normal pieces (barring the size). I get that it was probably more of a production decision based off of getting another video out of the set, than it was about giving him a challenge.

[@BasedOtter]

this version of chess gives the definition of chess being a sport a whole new dimension, especially under time pressure

[@happydogger5009]

"I really wanna win" and so do many grandmasters, but you're playing against Magnus so that's not an option

[@useyourbrainjustthistime]

So it's blindfloded with knowing the position of the pieces.

[@valiantwarrior1988]

its a lot harder than normal blind fold trust me, the shapes are deceiving to handle

[@useyourbrainjustthistime]

@@valiantwarrior1988 bruh they both top 100 they already have the board in their mind.

[@Undefined14]

I think it's difficult because of the speed. The second game was essentially bullet, considering how long it took to run around and hit the clock. I've never seen anyone play blindfolded this fast.

[@useyourbrainjustthistime]

@@Undefined14 if it was an IM its a problem but for someone like Magnus it's not trust me on that .

[@outerdimension7276]

This looks harder than blindfold. At least in blindfold the pieces in your head are the actual pieces and that's all you got, but thinking of the pieces and looking at all these discs gotta be confusing.

[@gartyqam]

u can just do blindfold in your head and then move the disk

[@fivosliogas2127]

no thats wrong. In blindfold you need to remember both the piece and the position. In this u only need to remember the piece + you can check which piece u ate for double check

[@talessegatto5600]

Can someone ask to him (Magnus) about the match between Karpov? This match is impossible to find on the Internet!

[@g.3521]

@@fivosliogas2127 Nope, this is a lot harder. I can kind of do blindfolded, but seeing the board like this completely messes me up.

[@KrishnaSharma-mg8rt]

Well it's way easier than blindfolded

[@JustinRed624]

I like how they're still using the same hand rule despite the board being enormous and the clock being far away

[@shadowtony8]

"We might be able to rely on pattern recognition on the first few moves, but we will definitely lose our way somewhere along the lines" Magnus giving that look of "who's WE?"

[@paupajares9678]

actually, he himself is stupidly lying since any gm would find this hilariously easy and hes a 2600. Idk maybe he likes to lie, he gets off by being a liar

[@vuongnh0607l]

@@paupajares9678 it's for entertainment. Hyping stuff up for the audience.

[@geometricart7851]

@@paupajares9678 the problem herein is David is playing someone 200+ ELO stronger than him.

[@MrRickRenegade]

3:39 Doesn't David have the absolute crushing win with Bh8?!! What am I missing?

[@_HaSSaaN_]

I was wondering the same

[@MightySeagull29]

Me too

[@nilayzaveri468]

Damn yeah I can't see how you'd defend either

[@netramittal8127]

actually after f6 it would be challenging. even if Qf6 or Bf6 magnus could defend that

[@colbert6122]

He maybe mistook it for a pawn?

[@sad_oak]

"You're playing chess and i'm playing checkers" ahh board" 😭

[@Halti-xo1ls]

That is so cool respect to the players for remembering it for some time I would’ve lost track on move 3 😂

[@agentttttt]

Excellent video! Please make more of these.

[@1eny]

i thought they were playing checkers

[@pacattack2586]

I think a good change would be if the pieces were randomized fisher style first so that the players have to figure out what their pieces are as they play

[@meow-chan-likes-to-purr-1324]

this takes chess is a sport to another level

[@md.farhanabrarhossain5669]

He's never losing the way lmao. He can literally play blindfolded with multiple opponents at once. You think something like this can confuse him?

[@guillaumelagueyte1019]

It's promotional material, it's not supposed to be particularly hard for either of them (well, remembering the pieces is easy, winning is another story)

[@jayure1346]

Found a magnus simp

[@jayure1346]

Plus his opponent is also a gm, he never said he’d win he just said he’d like to lmao

[@alekhinesgun9997]

And Howel can do the same?

[@md.farhanabrarhossain5669]

@@jayure1346 it's literally facts. Why not prove me wrong if you think I'm simply a Magnus simp?

[@artificercreator]

That was fun; We need one made with people, all dressed up as chess pieces, the guests can be part of the game of that way. The board is gona be huge i guess and the players may had to use some megaphone and stand over a pedastal to have an overview of the field.

[@willlux7743]

Everyone has thought about this at least once in their life….yes please, I want this.

[@VividFlash]

I like how magnus smile at the start is like "yeah sure, i won't struggle, maybe you will"

[@ZsmZer0]

why the timer was so far from the board 😭

[@Alex-yj4wz]

It’s more fun to watch David struggle than to watch the game itself Lol😂

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

Clark Kent struggling is in fact part of his disguise.

[@valiantwarrior1988]

'Chess isn't a physical sport' Chess: 4:55

[@beniocabeleleiraleila5799]

he really played the pirc, one of the hardest defenses while playing semi-blindfolded

[@Andlekin]

Magnus has played three simultaneous blindfolded games. This wouldn't even make him break a sweat.

[@fSFan333]

the second match was more of a moving-fast-on-an-oversized-chessboard competition than an actual game tbh. Even though they sure could've made it a game if a certain person moved quicker, but sure that time increment often is brutal.

[@chmogo1892]

7:29 me everytime i play chess.

[@Magani79]

everytime. every move.

[@ronittiwari2080]

That sound when the pieces are moved is so satisfying

[@Veptis]

Playing time control with such a large board is the real challenge

[@HD-fy2wu]

I feel that the most challenging part of this game is enduring the screeching noise made when pieces are slid across the board.

[@KraggHC]

This must've been a workout, great job.

[@droidgeist]

The sound of the device rubbing on the surface is so grating. Reminds me of polystyrene pieces rubbing together.

[@issarealbanger7734]

Greatest chess player in the world: Qb7 Stockfish: ??

[@TheRubySpider]

I feel like Magnus, whether knowingly or otherwise, gave himself tactical advantage by concentrating his pieces on the left side of the board, thus saving himself time by being able to position his body right between his pieces and the clock.

[@avasam06]

I wouldn't be surprised. Magnus often seems to favor moves for time when he's not going for a setup.

[@Player-df7ny]

the run for the clock in such strict time controls makes it way harder. you gotta think on your feet and have a decent stamina.

[@johns8065]

if the question includes the words "can, Magnus and chess", the answer will be yes

[@Shwonak]

They needed a bigger increment given how long it takes to make each move

[@Romo23]

Howell is a beast

[@immjjaayy]

this is really funny if you look at it like an office company doing a team building excercise

[@TheWorldsLargestOven]

I would've lost track of the pieces like after 5 moves.

[@theprocrastinationschool5545]

Bro this guy can win 10 chess games at the same time without seeing the pieces.

[@ahmetozderin9564]

I love chess, but when the two come together, something wonderful comes out

[@poisonjam4564]

The first game turned into cardio at the end lmao

[@pawnriot3269]

3:27 Magnus plays Qxc2 to "play it safe" ...but how does that defend against Bh8? The only way to prevent Qg7# checkmate would be to push f6 but after Qxf6 black doesn't really have any defence. What am I missing here?

[@MrFrankCape]

Yeah, after Qxf6 there's Rxe7; Qxe7, Kxh8 ... I imagine taking the queen would have been the only move there and "playing it safe" was a blunder but I can't imagine Magnus didn't see that, so maybe taking the queen would have put him in a position that he thought more challenging to play?

[@pawnriot3269]

​@@MrFrankCapeAnd after Kxh8, David even has Qxb7. So at the very least he ends up a full piece up.

[@MrFrankCape]

@@pawnriot3269 yeah white is definitely winning there! But that's kind of the magic of Magnus in many of his games (though it might not be the case here), where he goes for a path that the engine hates because he knows that it's harder for his opponent to play perfectly

[@mtn2704]

Ilove how magnus isn't the world champion anymore and we are still looking at him as the world champion

[@alex2005z]

I mean he only lost it because he chose to. He still is the highest ranked player

[@youraverageweeb3823]

this is a whole workout

[@DutchDread]

I'm impressed that Magnus can do this, I am even more impressed that someone else can do this

[@kachartrand1962]

Go Magnus!!!

[@TheWormooo]

David is such a fun person to play with

[@hunterham9414]

This feels like the revolution longest lap, where bike racers have to stay on their bikes without putting their feet down as long as possible or crossing the starting line, then after a few minutes the starting gun is fired and it's a single lap sprint. It'd be cool to see some big board chess as just a little fun side event to give some excitement in tournaments.

[@stonksrgud7645]

that scratching sound is like nails on a chalkboard

[@mddono445]

For those saying everyone can play blindfold chess over 2000, try doing it against another super GM… and winning.

[@sleepyyuta112]

almost every people who watch chess underestimates any player who isn't magnus or hikaru

[@donquixote8462]

​@@sleepyyuta112 Oh they definitely underestimate them too. 😂

[@billj4525]

That's usually true, but not 100% true. I have played against 2100's who couldn't play blind folded, and I have played against 1400's who could. In general though 2000 is just a good rule, but don't take the 2000 rule as a guarantee, because it doesn't always work that way at all. Anyone can technically learn to play blindfolded any almost any rating with enough time invested in learning. Some people also just can remember where all the pieces are at all times regardless of their rating.

[@jmtx.]

For a dude who can play multiple people while blindfolded, and win, this game is just a damn inconvenience of having to move around so much. SMH.

[@TreeGGwi]

Time scrambles must be great on this

[@sadmonster6548]

The board is so huge, this has to become a full on sport speedrun

[@Elfutbol59]

He literally played 10 blindfold games simultaneosly, this is extremely easy for him, but also for the other guy

[@Aa-jd3dh]

I don't understand what is going on at 3:33. Seems like Carlsen is checkmate or close to lost after Bh8...

[@donuttsu9233]

yeah, the best line i saw was Bh8 f6 Qxf6 Rxe7, but then white is just up an exchange. Even the mobile engine agreed, but the stronger laptop engine saw that Bh8 f6 (and if Qxf6, Qc5+ allows Rxe7 to defend the mate, and black is actually for choice). The best move is Bxf6, after which Black can play Rac8, Qc5+, and just be very active.

[@Aa-jd3dh]

@@donuttsu9233 but the white king is on h1 not g1 so there is no ...Qc5 with check

[@Gomes862]

it wins a rook

[@Kafillen]

Gotta love some lightheartedness and fun!

[@jakubberan4791]

Please, does anyone know why the engine says that Qb6 by Magnus is a blunder at 2:26? Other than that, it´s a regular blindfold game, isn´t it? Or is it that Magnus didn´t know that the starting position is standard and had to figure out? Or is there any other difference from a blindfold chess (apart from being significantly easier)? Maybe that when blindfolded, you know the name of the piece that your opponent moves and here you don´t, but is this really a gamechanger? Does anyone have an experience to compare?

[@brimmed]

I didn't know the other guy was a GM til I read the description. Was going to say it's impressive he remembered where all the pieces are. Not surprised that Magnus remembers, but the rest of us mortals it's impressive, a little less so when you're a GM

[@AshiqReal1]

This man can do anything ❤

[@n8style]

Those air things were an essential part of the game, couldn't have done it without them lol

[@Stinkbatz]

ok, so he knows the pieces. it is like a blindfolded game

[@stan0033x]

David Howell trying different gimmicks to beat Magnus and fails

[@PotatoKaboom]

such a dumb ad, both of them could easily play blindfolded.

[@Plantabs]

That sounds like they're playing blitz & bullets at the same time..😅🤣

[@james088]

Wow. That was one of the coolest chess things I've ever seen. And Magnus is just... He looks badass and cool af.

[@prithvisinghpanwar6609]

magnus in head: Yeah, it was my 3452nd game on lichess

[@xaviermagny6632]

They really had to put the clock this far 💀

[@monikamorningstarshadlo4129]

It’s fun to see one of if not the greatest players of chess take a break from being serious bout the game and have a little fun, or even make mistakes 100% because of the board size though

[@razen7272]

now this thing should be something that makes chess called sport 😂

[@davidcowan3992]

That timer was small enough relative to the board that they could have just set it in the center to save all the cardio.

[@oicmorez4129]

They should have time pass buttons on them, or a different timer on the other side that's liked to the original. I don't like an idea of one side of the board taking longer

[@Sympanet]

This is just blindfold chess with a visual reference

[@MemesterTheMaster]

Magnus is laughing like he's having the time of his life

[@FishCncrt]

meanwhile me not even knowing where the king and queen go on a regular board…

[@GMPranav]

0:13 Magnus thinking bro we can play blindfolded, this is nothing

[@xqzme2040]

When is the 960 version available?

[@passingthetime_]

David Howell: “You sly dog. You got me monologuing. I can’t believe it.”

[@billepperson2662]

Didn't have to watch the video to know the answer was yes, but the fact that it was an entertaining watch, was a nice bonus

[@gormit0]

5:20 That's why playing chess burns a lot of calories