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

I don't think I ever play without at least this (very minimal) amount of alcohol in my system. By 0900 hrs I have always had 2 (very) large brandies with my coffee and am on my second beer. If alcohol decreases my abilities then I might, possibly, be good if I didn't drink.

Yes, this is certainly a possibility... But it is also possible that you may play worse without your morning libations. If you were to record and analyze your games with and without intoxicants, such information would prove most useful for our research. We should let the data lead us to the truth...

I'm not sure if this question was directed at me. Either way, my potation of choice for this experiment is Sierra Nevada, served cold, followed by a heartfelt toast of "Carpe diem" to that sexiest of sexy goddesses, Siduri...

How interesting that you are the second person to directly connect the consumption of up to three beers with a 200 Elo point decrease in chess ability.  We may be on our way to reaching a consensus.  However, even if a consensus is achieved, I would still suggest that we owe it to our colleagues to publish the raw data/games these conclusions were derived from, with details of the associated level of alcohol consumed during each game, so they can see for themselves how alcohol consumption correlated with chess moves played...

Depends on how fast you drink 'em too.  FWIW I'd estimate 3 drinks at ~200 point blitz difference for myself as well.

That would make you number three! A powerful, and as-of-yet, unopposed "minus 200 Elo point" lobby group.  I think it is only fair to state that you and your associates may well be right, but the scientist in me still has a physiological, psycological, pathological need for proof...

The posting ability is certainly impacted, three beers and it's straight to the Kasparov vs Fischer threads.

Haha, "pathological need for proof" :)

Some thoughts when I read your original post.  Instead of "beer" you'd have to calculate your blood alcohol content.  And if the game is 30/0 and so lasts up to an hour you'd have to keep drinking to try and maintain that BAC.

Also, wins and losses don't seem so important to me.  First establish a baseline of performance by calculating your rating performances (many games vs many different players around your rating) and blunder rate.  Then compare.  Your inebriated games will also have to be against many different players around the same rating.  Of the players around your rating I think you'd want to filter for players with unestablished ratings.

Would you be so kind as to consider posting a link to this thread?  I am meant to be writing a grant... but... but... for some reason... I find myself drifting back, time and again, to this thread... May as well learn something from the masters while I'm here...

Years ago there was an Aussie expert who played in tournaments quite drunk and annoyed his sober opponents by scoring well.  

Yes, very good point, blood alcohol content (BAC) would be a far superior measurement than quantity of beer consumed.  However, I will be performing these experiments in a public setting, and rolling up one's sleeve and punching a vein may prove slightly impractical for regular BAC measurements; even alternative less direct measurements of BAC, such as blowing into a breathalyzer, are likely to draw unwanted attention from the bar patrons who are completely unaware of the groundbreaking research I am conducting and just wanting to have a quiet pint and watch the game...

Facetiousness aside, calculating an estimated BAC using key variables such as body weight and alcohol quantity over consumption time (which I assume you were referring to) is a great idea, I will be sure to include this calculation following game 2... That is, if I can figure out the correct BAC formula once I am three beers deep and committed, on my honor, to posting a possibly highly embarrassing game online...

On your second point, I agree completely.  I have already established a 1400+ baseline that I have been gradually improving on with very few weak moves/blunders.  It is against this baseline that I intend to compare the "three beer" inebriated games.  You raise a very good point that I have not addressed yet, which is my control (sober) games... I will post these online too so the raw data will be comparable between the two groups, 0 beers vs 3 beers...

Alcohol not being my intoxicant of choice... would it be too devilish to substitute 'joints' for 'beers'. Or is that the province of another forum? 

In the name of science hopefully chess.com will soon sponsor a chess.com beer day.  Chess.com will supply the drinks of course. 

The stuffy accountants may say no, but clearly the number of people that will be drawn into premium accounts during and after beer day will more than cover the costs.

How about we organise a handicap tournament?

Rating Difference     Number of beers drunk by stronger player before game

0 - 99                      0

100 - 199                 1

200 - 299                 2

300 - 399                 3

etc up to a maximum of 10

I don't drink beer, but 3 pints of it might improve my chess.  

Assuming your local and national laws permit you to consume said intoxicant, and you clearly identify quantity and all associated variables, and I may be in a minority here, but I say the more research data the better! Science never sleeps... Unless your intoxicant is a potent Indica... Then science may or may not take a nap... depending on your tolerance to said intoxicant and if you are a truly committed seeker of the truth...

This is a wonderful idea... However, I feel it is necessary to highlight that it is predicated on the assumption that there is a simple linear decrease in playing strength per beer consumed.  Many of our esteemed colleagues on this thread have suggested that this may not be the case, with, for example, a single beer tending to loosen inhibitions and potentially increase playing strength.  It is unclear if this hypothesis is correct... No data has been posted, but you may want to consider recalibrating your ladder if this is indeed the case...

Ive found that a beer or two is a good companion to any game of wits :D

Seriously, one beer for me has doesnt seem to have a big negative impact. I  worry a lot less and make moves faster, dont know if its a good thing or not. Now 2 or 3 beers, that seriously starts to hamper my game. I make much more blunders and i seem to be especially weak in seeing discovered attacks. I can still make decent positional moves but tactics are harder and harder the more beers i drink

I'm curious.

You could simply test BAC at home with a specific beer, over a certain amount of time. Then drink the same beer (or a beer with the same alcohol content) when you are performing the "experiments" in a public setting. This way, you will have a very close approximation of the BAC.

-Dr. Checkevertim