Chess experiment: How much does three pints of beer impact your chess ability?

* UPDATED PROPOSAL (after game 3) *

My proposal is that three pints of regular strength beer should *alter* your chess playing ability by a quantifiable amount. In order to test this theory I generously offer myself as a human guinea pig (you're welcome). My original hypothesis was that one's chess-playing ability would go down, but three games into the experiment and after three wins... well... I have to accept that I may actually be playing better after drinking three pints of beer... The experiment continues...

If you are willing to supply the beer, I am willing to sacrifice my body and mind for science.

It is the least I can do .....

Alas, my esteemed colleagues, we will have to wait for game 2 of this grandious beer/chess experiment.  I spent far too long annotating, uploading and proofing game 1 for your scientific review and my blood alcohol level fell dangerously close to standard physiological concentrations.  In order to maintain strict experimental conditions I am forced to postpone game 2 until I can adequately replicate the exact conditions game 1 was performed under.  However, I want to assuage any mounting fears you may harbor at the lack of an immediate annotated game 2, and assure you, so that you have no doubts, that I remain highly committed and enthusiastic towards gathering significantly more empirical data on this most fundamental of chess-related issues...

I have already done this "experiment." My rating drops about 200 points on average, but I find an occasional brilliant move that I would not normally see. Whether it is actually brilliant or not, I have not verified. I do know that against extremely casual players (<1000 rating) it is usually a brilliant move indeed. In fact, against players with <1000 rating, I am basically a chess master -- even when drunk.

I want more of this!

Depends on the individual. It's entirely possible that, as a result of the beer increasing risk-taking, that you could find yourself winning more games.

In honor of your experiment, I read your posting while sipping from a second shot of vodka. Extremely entertaining. Thanks!

I think mahearn may be on to something. Haha. But other day after 4 cans of jimmy 2white label & 2 black labels i was going alright until I ... Nah too shamefull, I'd be one of 1st people to stuff up that badly. Next time I get drunk I might tell ya

I took down a 5th of jack daniels which gave me the energy to lose 10 straight games and like 100 rating points.  I was winning most of the games and then dropped a piece eventually, sometimes several.   Tonight im on beer 5 and am 3-0 so far

What type of beer?

yingling

For me, 1-3 beers is worth ~200 points in blitz. Any more than 3 beers, and I'm too sick/tipsy to play. But I'm a light-weight.

 i finally dropped one, although I decide to trade a bishop for 4 passed pawns.  only problem is my king was too out of posistion to stop his pawns and he queened before me...  I just got too cute with it

Your brother Austin is a way better chess player, didnt you see his game against Ivona

Sometimes after a wild beer night I will see the next morning my rating is higher and more times lower. These tests are done with enough beer to make me not remember playing.

Why beer?

wine-r is fine-r

I'm no lightweight, but at around the three beer mark I start to get a little cavalier regardless.  Risk assessment (caring about doing it) goes out the window, and that's for any and all decisions -- not just chess.

Beer is the superior beverage.

you should create a separate account for your 'drunk self' and then calculate the rating point difference.