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FIDE has a doping policy, but I doubt there's any drug that will make you better at chess. In fact, if my opponents were on drugs when we played, I certainly wouldn't complain!
For this, you can be banned for OTB tournaments and have health and addiction problems
In an OTB tournament several years ago, my opponent asked, "Would you mind if I drink a beer during the game?"
I said, 'no objection.'
I'm not sure if the 'drags' helped him play better chess, or if he was just better.
But I lost that game.
He was one of a group of redneck chess players, no slur, that's just really who they were, from Virginia who came to North Carolina tournaments with an icebox full of beer in their shared hotel room. They drank most of the weekend. It was always fun to overhear their southern mountain accents in a drunken after-the-game session. "Ah reckon you shoulda sac'ed the knight and pushed the pawn. After your rook move you've got about as much chance as a possum trying to cross the road."
I said, 'no objection.'
I'm not sure if the 'drags' helped him play better chess, or if he was just better.
But I lost that game.
He was one of a group of redneck chess players, no slur, that's just really who they were, from Virginia who came to North Carolina tournaments with an icebox full of beer in their shared hotel room. They drank most of the weekend. It was always fun to overhear their southern mountain accents in a drunken after-the-game session. "Ah reckon you shoulda sac'ed the knight and pushed the pawn. After your rook move you've got about as much chance as a possum trying to cross the road."
Alekhine supposedly played quite a few of his games while drunk, and did pretty well. Whether it was because of the booze or because he was Alekhine is still an open question.
FIDE and players have to comply with olympic PEDs and drug testing rules if they want to be a part of an olympics event. So, they couldn't take EPO for example. I don't see why EPO wouldn't help and can't see why it would hurt. more red blood cells feeding the brain? sounds like a win to me.
@GrandPatzer_Fish said in #5:
> Alekhine supposedly played quite a few of his games while drunk, and did pretty well. Whether it was because of the booze or because he was Alekhine is still an open question.
I read somewhere that Alekhine came into the playing hall drunk during the latter stages of his first WC match with Euwe and that is why Euwe was able to comeback and win. During the second WC match with Euwe, Alekhine drank milk and won the match.
> Alekhine supposedly played quite a few of his games while drunk, and did pretty well. Whether it was because of the booze or because he was Alekhine is still an open question.
I read somewhere that Alekhine came into the playing hall drunk during the latter stages of his first WC match with Euwe and that is why Euwe was able to comeback and win. During the second WC match with Euwe, Alekhine drank milk and won the match.
Tkachiev passed out at the board, drunk. The question arose, 'would it be "providing assistance" to wake him up?' Someone decided it was more important to find out if he needed medical help. They woke him up. He said he was fine; resumed play; passed out again. I think they let him sleep until his flag fell.
I did not personally observe any of this. It was reported thus from a tournament in India.
Supposedly a few glasses of sherry was enough to cause Alekhine's loss to Euwe.
Frank Marshall said if you are on a losing streak, go out that night and get really drunk, and you will play better the next day.
Personally, I am sure that consuming alcoholic beverages has a negative effect on my game.
I did not personally observe any of this. It was reported thus from a tournament in India.
Supposedly a few glasses of sherry was enough to cause Alekhine's loss to Euwe.
Frank Marshall said if you are on a losing streak, go out that night and get really drunk, and you will play better the next day.
Personally, I am sure that consuming alcoholic beverages has a negative effect on my game.
The interesting question is whether any of the top players self medicate with drugs that are popular with biohackers. For example, metabolism modulation by metformin or CNS stimulants like modafinil.
If anything I think maybe light stimulates like coffee would be best. A small amount of alcohol would produce a similar affect. But to be honest there are no performance enhancing drugs in chess.
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