Opening

This is an opening I feel comfortable with. So far, I have a 5–1 record with it in official tournament games in Japan. The line I mainly play is the Valencian Variation (2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd8). I chose it because it has relatively little theory and is easy to learn. I think it’s a good idea to start playing blindfold chess with an opening you are already familiar with. Of course, once you’re out of book, things can quickly fall apart—but even getting through the opening is meaningful. If you struggle right from the opening, you may get discouraged and fail to build a habit of playing blindfold chess. In that sense, I think the openings suitable for blindfold chess are somewhat different from those used in regular games. For now, I plan to stick with the Scandinavian Defense while practicing blindfold chess.