We Asked Grandmasters To Solve Our HARDEST Puzzles BLINDFOLDED

0:00 You actually solved it faster than I did.

0:02 And I'm looking at the puzzle.

0:05 So Arjun, I'm sure you've done a ton of puzzles in your time,

0:07 but now we're going to see if you can do one blindfolded.

0:10 Okay?

0:11 I'm not actually going to put you on blindfold cuz we want to see you.

0:13 So I'm just going to announce where the pieces are.

0:17 Okay?

0:17 And tell you whose move it is, and we're going to see if you can solve it.

0:21 Okay?

0:20 White has a king on H6.

0:25 Okay?

0:24 A bishop on D6.

0:26 D like dog.

0:28 and pawns on F2, D3, C4, and C5.

0:35 Okay, black has king F5, pawns on A3, B like boy seven, B7, C6, D4, and E6.

0:49 So, white has a bishop and black has a pawn.

0:52 Yes, one pawn in compensation.

0:54 Black has five points, white has four points.

0:56 Perfectly set.

0:58 pawned on A3.

0:59 Yep.

0:59 And it's white to move.

1:02 Okay.

1:08 Black's last pawn is on E6, right?

1:09 D4 D6.

1:10 C6.

1:10 B78.

1:13 Correct.

1:18 This looks easy.

1:22 Yes, I'm missing something for black.

1:32 Okay, white has to go bishop E5 and King E4.

1:36 King G5 is mate.

1:38 That's exactly right.

1:39 Yeah, bishop E5.

1:40 You're about to take on D4 and stop the pawn.

1:43 Yeah.

1:43 And just for clarity, what happens if king takes bishop?

1:45 I know you already said it, but yeah.

1:46 King G5 and next move F4 is mate and it's

1:49 not stalemate because black can push A2 B5 something.

1:52 Very good.

1:53 All right.

1:53 Well, you you crushed it.

1:54 We thought with the complicated pawns that maybe

1:56 that would be difficult blindfolded, but not for you.

2:00 All right, position number two.

2:02 This has more pieces.

2:04 White king still on H6.

2:08 Okay.

2:07 Uh, white rook B8.

2:09 B like boy.

2:11 Mhm.

2:11 White knight F6.

2:14 Okay.

2:13 And white has pawns on G5 and E5.

2:18 Okay.

2:17 Black has king E6, rooks G2 and C1.

2:24 Okay.

2:25 Pawns on A3, B6 and F5.

2:30 B6, F5.

2:31 Okay.

2:34 So, black is an exchange and a pawn up.

2:38 Correct.

2:38 And it's white to move A3 B6 F5.

2:43 Correct.

2:42 That's that's just missing two.

2:45 But am I hallucinating something or it's just mate into Yeah.

2:49 The key king F7 E6 is made.

2:52 You actually solved it faster than I did and I'm looking at the puzzle.

2:57 In fact, it is made into That's exactly right.

2:59 You basically solved it as fast as I could set it up verbally.

3:02 So, awesome job.

3:04 Are you ready for the challenge?

3:06 Yep.

3:06 Are you good at blindfold?

3:07 Not bad.

3:08 Okay.

3:08 All right.

3:09 This is a fun one.

3:09 All right.

3:10 So, white has king D1 D like dog.

3:13 And then white has three pawns.

3:15 F2, C5, and B5.

3:19 Mhm.

3:18 Okay.

3:18 Black has king on G5, bishop on G1, and pawns on F5, F6, and A7.

3:29 That's white to move.

3:31 Okay.

3:31 You want me to repeat anything back?

3:32 No, no, it's fine.

3:33 Uh, okay.

3:34 The solution is B6, AB, F4, King F4, C6.

3:40 Have you seen that one before?

3:43 No.

3:42 How'd you figure it out so quickly?

3:43 Uh, it's like a typical puzzle rush kind of thing.

3:49 Okay.

3:49 Well, that was puzzle rush probably like uh 40 or 45

3:52 in a in a threem minute sesh, but crushed it.

3:55 Okay, Nbeck, because you're too smart, we're going to challenge you even more.

3:59 Uh, fewer pieces, but my confidant says that it's harder.

4:03 Okay, here we go.

4:04 White has king F5.

4:08 Okay.

4:06 Pawn F6.

4:08 Pawns A7, B7.

4:13 Mhm.

4:11 Black has king F7.

4:13 H the M maiden two maiden three

4:17 m three um A8 bishop king F8 B8 queen F7 bishop D5 and if A8 bishop King

4:41 G8 then king G6 king F8 B8 queen and king E8 or the king A6 and B8 queen.

4:48 This looks good to me.

4:50 Um so underpromotion probably came to your mind right away.

4:53 But why did you think to underpromote the A pawn not the B pawn?

4:59 Um because if you promote B pawn then black can move king G8

5:03 and king G6 king F8 and there is no mate after a8 queen.

5:07 So

5:08 okay that was my logic.

5:09 Last question.

5:10 Have you ever underprooded to a bishop in a rated chess game?

5:16 Um, yeah, I can't recall one,

5:21 but I I assume yes, I I had to.

5:24 Okay.

5:24 Well, you got to do it today and you crushed it in blindfold.

5:27 All right.

5:27 Thanks.

5:28 Do you ever practice blindfold chess?

5:30 Yeah, of course.

5:32 Okay.

5:32 Well, now we're going to put you to the test.

5:35 Okay.

5:34 Okay.

5:35 Players have been doing well so far.

5:36 I hope you do the same.

5:37 So, this is actually going to be black to move.

5:39 Okay.

5:39 All right.

5:40 So, black king H8.

5:45 Okay.

5:42 Black queen E7.

5:44 Black rooks E8 and A8.

5:48 Black bishops C7 and C6.

5:52 Black knights B6 and G4.

5:59 Mhm.

5:56 Black pawns H7, G7, F5, B7, and A6.

6:04 Mhm.

6:04 Okay.

6:05 I can repeat that.

6:05 Black pawns, right?

6:06 1 2 3 4 5.

6:08 Yeah.

6:08 White king G1.

6:11 White queen C2.

6:13 White rooks F1 and D1.

6:17 White bishops E3 and B3.

6:21 White knights E2 and C3.

6:24 And white's pawns are H2, G3, F2, D4, C4, B2, A3.

6:35 White knights on E2 and C3, right?

6:38 Yes.

6:40 Okay.

6:39 And white is up two pawns.

6:42 Mhm.

6:42 Uh black to move is the puzzle.

6:44 And the white rooks F1 and D1, right?

6:49 Correct.

6:48 Okay.

6:48 Um black to move.

6:51 Oh yeah, it's queen H4.

6:53 How'd you get it so quickly?

6:55 Uh no, I saw these ideas before.

6:58 Got it.

6:58 Was it a little bit harder because the first one was

7:00 not check or did you just spot the idea right away?

7:03 No, I spot the idea.

7:04 Yeah.

7:04 Okay.

7:04 And just for completion for people that are not quite grandmaster at home,

7:08 tell us why you're hanging your queen on move one.

7:11 Uh yeah, I want to take on H2 and give a mate

7:14 and black white cannot take on H4 because of bishop H2 mate.

7:19 Very good.

7:19 All right.

7:20 Well, uh there was almost no piece missing from the board and you crushed it.

7:23 So, good job on that one.

7:26 All right.

7:26 Fewer pieces, but that might mean you've done studies.

7:29 You know,

7:30 I actually don't know the answer, but we'll see if you get it faster than me.

7:33 Okay.

7:34 So, white to move.

7:35 So, picture white perspective.

7:37 White king B5.

7:39 Be like boy.

7:40 Okay.

7:41 Okay.

7:41 White queen E6.

7:44 Mhm.

7:43 White bishop D5.

7:47 Mhm.

7:46 White pawn B7.

7:50 Okay.

7:49 Okay.

7:49 Black king E8.

7:53 Mhm.

7:53 Black rook H8.

7:56 Mhm.

7:55 Black bishop C7.

7:58 Black knight A8.

8:02 A8.

8:02 Correct.

8:02 in the corner.

8:03 Yeah.

8:03 And black pawns B6 and E7.

8:09 Yes.

8:08 And that's it.

8:09 White to move.

8:13 Ah, checkmate in two because it's winning position and I don't

8:17 uh checkmate into B8 knight.

8:57 Okay.

8:57 And uh let's say the bishop takes the knight.

9:01 Uh queen giate mate.

9:03 Okay.

9:03 And the reason is uh now uh the only move black can do

9:09 in the the first position that's not mate in one is bishop d8.

9:15 Uh and that's why I put the knight.

9:17 And after bishop d8 I have queen f7 mate.

9:20 And there's one other toggle move which is rook f8 which seems to do nothing but

9:25 queen d7.

9:26 Very good.

9:26 So, black either puts the bishop or the rook in the way of the king,

9:29 and you made the other way.

9:32 Fantastic.

9:32 All right.

9:32 Did you find some beauty in that one?

9:34 Yeah, it's nice one.

9:36 I like it.

9:37 Have you ever promoted to knight in a chess game?

9:40 Um, I think no, but maybe I forget, but no.

9:45 Okay.

9:45 It'll be a thing of beauty when you do.

9:47 Yeah.

9:47 Yeah.

9:47 All right.

9:48 Well, you crushed it.

9:48 Thank you, baby.

9:49 Thank you.