You can download Rebel 2.0 (Elo 2300) for free here. Also there is the popular program Gnuchess which you can find here. There have been free versions of Crafty scattered around the net as well. If you look hard enough you may still find a version that is free for dowload. If you're on a MAC, try here. There you can find Sigmna 4.0, a master strength program with very nice graphics and some interesting features, such as "Desparado" and "Chicken" mode.

Both moves are OK. 1 d3 is less committing, and a transposition to normal lines is possible. It is also a move that says White is comfortable with letting Black dictate the course of the opening, but it leaves no weaknesses and cannot be considered bad. Also it leaves the possibility of playing a reversed opening such as the King's Indian Attack. So in some ways, 1.d3 is more flexible, although not as popular as 1 d4, which stakes out territory in the center straight away.

Blindfold Chess is an excellent way to help your visualization of the board. Having said this, I am reminded of the story that at one time Blindfold chess was illegal in certain areas of the world: it was thought to cause insanity! The late and great George Koltanowski was well known for his astounding exhibitions of blindfold chess, taking on many players simultaneously as well as his famous blindfold Knight's Tour, using the 64 social security numbers from members of the audience as notation for the squares! (And no, it hasn't been proven that blindfold chess causes insanity.....I myself have played HUNDREDS of blindfold games and.......well............ok, forget that analogy)