10-year-old girl broke a chess record with her eyes closed (5 photos + 1 video)
A 10-year-old girl from Malaysia broke a record - she placed chess pieces on the board in 45 seconds while blindfolded. In addition, this talented girl is the best chess player in her school, constantly participates in various tournaments, and plays chess with her dad every day. 
10-year-old Punithamalar Rajashekar from Malaysia set a record by placing a chess set in starting positions while blindfolded. She broke the previous record by placing the pieces in just 45.72 seconds. The talented girl has won several awards, including Asia's Outstanding Kid 2022-2023, and has showcased her skills in various competitions such as Malaysia's Kids Got Talent. 
Besides the record, Punithamalar has been playing chess since the age of five. She is the best chess player in her school, and has represented her at chess tournaments more than once. The girl also regularly participates in national tournaments and is a registered member of the International Chess Federation. According to the girl, her father instilled a love for chess in her:
"My chess coach is my dad. We play with him almost every day," says Punithamalar. 
The idea to set a record came to the girl after she watched a documentary about a person’s outstanding achievements. She is inspired by people who challenge themselves and exceed their limits. Before breaking the record, she trained for 4 months:
“I studied videos of previous record holders to understand their methods and strategies. We started preparing 4 months in advance - it was both mental and physical work,” the girl said. 
According to Punithamalar, her favorite subject at school is mathematics, and when she grows up, she wants to become an astronaut scientist. The young record holder said the record “changed her life” and she hopes it will inspire others to achieve their own, albeit unusual, goals. In addition, the girl intends to set another record for chess blindfolded. 
