Some bits and pieces from the tournament blog...
BLOGGER: GM Joel Benjamin -
I hallucinated so many times today I should be drug tested! *%^$!%$&#!
BLOGGER: Chouchanik "Shushan" Airapetian -
Well, I just played my worst game ever. Maybe the worst game in US championship history! Of course every beginner knows this trick and I saw it a few moves ahead. And I was thinking not to make this mistake and then I did it anyway. It won't be embarrassing to tell my chess students because it shows it can happen to anyone if you are nervous.
(Wib note: if you check out her game see the sequence that starts with move #11 for white. Gonzalez vs Airapetian. She's currently rated 2149 I think so that should make all of us feel better. 🙂 http://www.uschesschampionship.com/games/livegames01.htm Scroll down and find her game )
BLOGGER (again): GM Joel Benjamin -
I just want you all to know... if someone throws beer on me, I'm ready to go.
BLOGGER: Chief Arbiter Carol Jarecki -
Of course, one of the big issues is quick draws and how the administration can convince the players it is not in their best interest. The Championship has a few new sponsors this year and hopefully no one will bore them with quickie draws. Chess touraments certainly don't need NBA tactics but a good over-the-board fight is the name of the game.
Originally posted by buddy2I wonder what "beer chess" is like Buddy? I can't remember ever having a drink and playing chess at the same time. I did try having a couple of beers and playing tennis once. To say that was a disaster would be to minimize the word "disaster"...
Wait...serving beer during chess tournaments. That's the ticket!
I'm sure I'd play badly. On the other hand I wouldn't give a ----!!
🙂
Originally posted by wibIf your opponent is drunk as well,it really doesn't make much difference.Just don't analyse the game(s) the day after 😉
I wonder what "beer chess" is like Buddy? I can't remember ever having a drink and playing chess at the same time. I did try having a couple of beers and playing tennis once. To say that was a disaster would be to minimize the word "disaster"...
I'm sure I'd play badly. On the other hand I wouldn't give a ----!!
🙂
Originally posted by lauseyApparently that's a big debate among professional chessplayers right now. My understanding is that to be considered an olympic sport FIDE had to submit it's players to some form of drug testing. Chess players are pretty peeved about it.
Considering there are performance enhancing drugs in relation to athletics (or other physical sports). Are there equivalent in mental games like chess? If so, are they banned?
I have no idea which substances are banned. Maybe someone else has some info about that?
I can't think of any ligitimate mental enhancing drugs. I can name a few mind altering drugs though.
Oh wait, there was one in the US called Ginko Biloba, or something like that, that was supposed to help you keep your memory as you got older. But honestly I have no idea if that's legit.
Originally posted by wibCaffeine is banned--I couldn't play chess without it!
Apparently that's a big debate among professional chessplayers right now. My understanding is that to be considered an olympic sport FIDE had to submit it's players to some form of drug testing. Chess players are pretty peeved about it.
I have no idea which substances are banned. Maybe someone else has some info about that?
I can't think of any ligi ...[text shortened]... ou keep your memory as you got older. But honestly I have no idea if that's legit.
Originally posted by wibYou need to have a talk with some of us Metallica clan members, specifically Boris (The_Slow_Pawn). He definitely has experienced a few drunk moves in his past!!! 😉
I wonder what "beer chess" is like Buddy? I can't remember ever having a drink and playing chess at the same time. I did try having a couple of beers and playing tennis once. To say that was a disaster would be to minimize the word "disaster"...
I'm sure I'd play badly. On the other hand I wouldn't give a ----!!
🙂
Myself though, my only addiction at the moment is root beer, so..... meh.
-Kev
Originally posted by buddy2I've been at a tournament where the two leaders (who are friends) both turned up to the morning game 1 hour late (standard FIDE time controls) and both with huge hangovers. They were playing each other. Man was that game fun to watch them analyse afterwards.
I don't think I've seen a ruling on drinking alcohol during a game. I certainly don't think your opponent would complain, as long as you don't begin to sing.
Originally posted by XanthosNZIn college I did a fair amount of experimenting with the alcohol and chess combination. After exhaustive study and many different experiments, I found the following:
I've been at a tournament where the two leaders (who are friends) both turned up to the morning game 1 hour late (standard FIDE time controls) and both with huge hangovers. They were playing each other. Man was that game fun to watch them analyse afterwards.
1) Your chess rating and the number of beers you have consumed have an inverse correlation. There is also a geometric thing that starts to happen around beer 3.
2) Smoking marijuana before a game of chess often heightens your understanding of the mysteries of "square weaknesses" and the like. It has the unfortaunate side effect of tending to make you hang your queen and forgetting whose move it is.
3) For some reason, I play very well in the first game of the day when I am hungover.
4) All games after the first game when I am hungover are disasters. Seems like nervous energy can hold off the desire for death for one time control only.
The desire to play a decent game of chess is probably the only thing that enabled my liver to survive college. Thank God drinking and chess don't mix.