Blindfold
Play a complete game against Maia without seeing the pieces. The move list scrolls. Your imagination holds the board. This is the final exam of every visualisation drill in the system.
4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5
7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5
10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4
13.cxd4 Nc6 14.
A full game, lived entirely in your head.
Blindfold isn't a parlour trick. It's the operating mode of strong players: the board they're calculating from is mostly imagined. You don't need to play 10 games at once like Carlsen — you just need to play one, comfortably.
- Full games against Maia at any unlocked ELO
- Move list always visible — you read your game, you don't "play blind"
- Optional hint board (Pro): a faded board flashes for 0.5s on request, at XP cost
Players who've worked through the first five drills.
Blindfold without the foundation is frustration. Build coordinate fluency, then visualisation, then blind tactics — then this drops into place naturally.
- Tournament players targeting 1800+ classical
- Anyone preparing for OTB simul or blindfold play
- Players using long commutes to train without a screen
Inside one drill.
Each session is short, repeatable, and built around a single skill.
Pick a Maia ELO
Start at 1100 or 1300 even if you normally play higher. Blindfold knocks 300 ELO off most players initially.
Game begins with no board, just notation
You type your move (or speak it). Maia replies. The move list builds.
You can pause and use a glance
Glance: 1 second of board, at an XP cost. Use sparingly — the point is to not need it.
Post-game review
Full board playback. Stockfish notes the moments your mental position diverged from reality.
Pick where you start.
Difficulty isn't only "harder squares". It changes time pressure, hints, and the variation between sets.
Short
Play a 20-move opening only. Resign or save afterwards.
Standard
RecommendedFull game against Maia 1300. Two glances allowed.
Boss
Full game against Maia 1700. Zero glances.
Games-completed is the headline metric.
Win/loss matters less. The question is how long you sustained a clean mental position. Pawnther scores you on consistency, not just result.
- Games completed and average length tracked
- "Mental divergence" score: how often you misremembered a position
- Personal ELO floor at which you maintain a clean board
- Achievement: "Eyes closed" — beat Maia 1500 with zero glances
Run one set right now.
Advanced · standard · 15 min. The fastest way to know if Pawnther is for you.