Reaction Video - Try Guys 'Can 4 Guys Beat A Blindfold Chess Master?'

[@christopherjohnson1873]

I imagine I'd be pretty stressed out if I were the one playing blindfolded and everyone was bantering like that

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

And then the video would be published for millions of viewers? Yeah maybe a little bit

[@gcollins1992]

I know this is an older video, but there have been academic studies done on what Kostya mentioned at the end of the video. Chess players do, in fact, have a significantly harder time remembering nonsense and random board arrangements. If I recall correctly, chess players' ability to remember nonsense positions is not significantly better than a non-player, if at all. If you think about it, that makes sense. Even at ~1300, I can picture, say, an Italian and think about reasonable moves that might come out of it. But if you played an Italian and then both sides played four random moves, there's no way I'd remember and I wager that would be harder for the NM to remember as well.

[@sophylacticthinking5807]

lol i can't believe how calm your commentary is 😂

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Thanks haha

[@Pipiopy]

in street chess, the king can be captured.

[@Ajgau11]

Newbie here, do you think that the other 3 being so distracting affected Kurt and Ned’s concentration?

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Definitely a little bit!

[@DemonFox369]

Loved this reaction video. I only played chess casually when I was little but I really enjoyed the Try Guys video and yours.

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Thanks!

[@Bergarita]

Ha ha non-chess players can be so cringey in their chess thoughts.

[@jessetorres8738]

After watching the original video and now your reaction video, I really want to see you play a game of chess against Kurt.

[@kirillzakharov7336]

imagine Kurt playing against Vassily Ivanchuk, Gary Kasparov or Bobby Fischer at the same time while blindfolded

[@CoolCat123450]

@@kirillzakharov7336 All of those guys could probably play against 3 Kurts while blindfolded. There are levels to chess.

[@kirillzakharov7336]

@@CoolCat123450 yes.

[@hanafuda]

I’ve won against my dad, two of my cousins, and against two of my high school friends blindfolded. Of course, I’m about 1200 OTB, and none of those five know much about chess other than how the pieces move, but… :3

[@thanossnap4170]

The impressive part is still to remember where the pieces are. I'm a decent player, but i get lost fast with my eyes closed.

[@iamskelebro8927]

I think the reason you got confused when Eugene got mated was because of some subtle video editing. You can see the position after ...Bxh3 at 16:22. It looks like the game actually went 1...Bxh3 2. gxh3 Nxe4 3. fxe4 Qh4+ 4. Ke2 Qf2#. I am guessing they thought it would be funnier if they had Kurt announcing mate in two immediately after Eugene makes his triumphant ...Bxh3 move, but in reality there was a move in between. I wonder if they had another chess player on staff to make sure that they were making the correct moves, because there are a handful of shots where you can see that they didn't make the right move for Kurt but fix it later. I noticed at one point on Eugene's board, Kurt's knight was on d6 somehow instead of f6, but they fixed it in a different shot. Nice video! :)

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Makes sense. Yeah I imagine they must have had someone double checking the moves!

[@rokayaahmed9055]

You honestly made me feel much better about not being able to play blindfolded. My grandpa taught me chess when I was little and I only knew it as a game, not as a competition. So when I saw the video I genuinely felt incapable. But now that I've seen your video I understood it takes practice and good knowledge of the game. So thanks alot.

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Awesome, glad to hear!

[@oskaraltman]

"this is what kids do when they're losing" lmao

[@kirillzakharov7336]

Kurt just standing quietly behind them while they talk loudly and are being weird is kinda creepy. it's like he is just subtly manipulating them into traps so he can execute them

[@TW-sh2un]

It’s the try guys so I’m sure they planned it to make everything more “sexy”

[@robertsmith6068]

that made me laugh in a weird good way

[@ryanmurphy1414]

Reaction vids are a nice addition to the standard repertoire. Cool idea!

[@chloex2955]

Thanks for explaining the game a bit more, good commentary

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

thanks!

[@EIIlast2791]

31:16 “he really baited me a lot, he’s a masturbator” haha

[@michael2244]

I saw something on TV (about Susan Polgar) where it's easier for her to recall a normal chess position rather a random position with random pieces on random squares.

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Yeah! Easier to remember a logically consistent position

[@michael2244]

@@IMKostyaKavutskiy she said it was pattern recognition that helps her memorize or recall positions.

[@stinky6521]

Also I assume Kurt is standing behind them because of the camera maybe?

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Makes sense!

[@onetouchtwo]

Super great, love a reaction video!

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

thanks!

[@drumetul_dacic]

Hi Kostya. Check out also the video "I tried to Master Chess in 30 Days". It seems that chess is getting more and more popular, which is a very good thing. :)

[@Quidifyy]

I don't know what it was but I think this is my fav reaction video ever.

[@hellwroughtangel]

Always edit out the chess, it's like the movies.

[@tef8873]

Loved the videoooop❤

[@TranscendentSol]

Loved the vid

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Thanks!

[@stinky6521]

Very good and respectful commentary! I enjoyed it (:

[@attention_shopping]

great video

[@Artofcarissa]

I’m guessing they didn’t have him in front of them because it would break the 180 rule and his back would be towards the cameras

[@ChessStudyMix]

My question is How can a blindfolded man know when he is offered a hand shake receive it perfectly without the aid of sight? 29:02 Please help me understand this

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Accepting a draw offer means a handshake. You shake hands at the end of every chess game

[@ChessStudyMix]

You didn't answer my question. How did he know where his hand was if he couldn't see?

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

The guy was right in front of him, he stuck out his hand and immediately found the other one. It's also quite possible they set up the handshake ahead of time for the camera

[@ChessStudyMix]

@@IMKostyaKavutskiy I will concede the camera theory is possible

[@taryth.]

@@ChessStudyMix 8 months late, but Kurt was not the one to complete the handshake. He stuck his hand out in the general direction, as per standard, and the other guy completed it.

[@notnotBenjamin]

you look and talk like a good friend of mine, who has a phD is mathematics

[@Maarten8867]

NM is not really a Master, or even Candidate Master. He's an expert-level player.

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

What's your rating?

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Let me note also that according to USCF ratings, 2000-2200 is considered Expert, while 2200+ is considered National Master, or master for short. Kirk has the NM title, which means he has been 2200. Yes I understand FIDE ratings are different

[@woosterjeeves]

@@IMKostyaKavutskiy WindowCat's rating is irrelevant to his/her question, so please consider deleting your rhetorical question. I also thank you for your next reply; that was indeed relevant and useful. (Also thank you for your videos; very entertaining and useful.)

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

@@woosterjeeves My question wasn't rhetorical. I was genuinely curious

[@woosterjeeves]

@@IMKostyaKavutskiy In life as in chess, perhaps retreating moves are the most difficult to achieve. (Now, taking my gratuitous advice, I will retreat to my obscure life. )

[@AceHardy]

👑🙌💯

[@sosotik]

Why is there an artist on a chess video

[@116BW]

The original video was too over the top and I really disliked it. But I really enjoyed it with your calm and insightful commentary

[@Johnnyjoejoe]

Imagine if the master stood behind them so that he could peek without them noticing.

[@kayteespring6515]

yoga with adrienne

[@howtobecometoolkit]

IM Kostya Kavutskiy I can play blindfolded at two boards and I am rated about 1475.

[@IMKostyaKavutskiy]

Cool! Most players up to 1800 have barely even tried it

[@motoputz3201]

lame!