Does taking valium help playing chess?

I hope the Icelandic government grants me political asylum. And flies in some of that blonde Afghan hash.

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All that matters on the chessboard is good moves, valium, and some blow.

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   So there you go - well done, you've found a way to legally cheat. Just find an unscupulious doctor to write you a little chit !  (which would be illegal and cause the doctor to be struck off if found out )

I'll give you credit - you've mastered the art of being obtuse.

In response to the original question, while Valium would calm your nerves it would also make you hardly care about the game or its outcome. You need a bit of tension to be involved.

On other substances that are being discussed, one of my most enjoyable games ever was played on pot. We were silently super-involved all night, but, had I lost, it might have broken me.

I find a steady intake of fine pale ale is best. Calms nerves and background noise without impairing judgment too much. Or better still, just drink tea.

 Ok maybe its just me but i would like to thank the op. Just reading the title gave me a good laugh.....

Many people, including scientists who have researched the question, think that cannabis (THC) is one of the least harmful recreational drugs.  From Wikipedia:

 EDIT: I changed my wording from "most benign" to "least harmful" since all drugs have harmful side effects.

I think Valium is way too strong for anybody to take if they take it to calm nerves just so they play better chess. Actually, the people here who respond and say "yea! Valium helps! It helped so and so" are irresponsible. Valium is an addictive substance and when you realize what it does you will take more. The day you don't take it you'll become angry and psychotic. In severe cases of addiction to benzo category drugs a person can have a heart attack if they don't take one when needed. If you absolutely have to take something to calm your nerves the ask your doctor for something mild like Ativan. But ideally don't even begin taking them. I have personal experience with these and other medications because I had cancer and had many procedures to get rid of it. When someone is in a depressed states and state of panic with that illness the doctors are willing to prescribe thins more readily. I am just telling you. Don't start if you can avoid it.

Mild like like Ativan? How about lithium which hits the gaba receptor and something mild like buspar which is non addictive.

I have to mention one drug that did seem to help me play but made me feel nervous and actually doesn't help anymore. I do not recommend people take it. But it's called Wellbutrin. I was given it for depression for PTSD from having had cancer. It's a stimulating antidepressant. But it only stimulates the mind when you're not yet used to it. The effect goes away after one week. So there is no point in even trying it. Plus if you don't actually have a medical reason to take it, it will only do more harm.

Have you tried lexpro?

Good luck coming off any Benzo its a living hell, try relaxation tecqniques or if you need a drug for you nerves a Beta Blocker is a much safer non addictive solution

Nekhemevich wrote:

Have you tried lexpro?

Yes, I took that and other similar antidepressants over the years. Lexapro has least side effects like sweating and has least side effects when someone stops it. But it's still from category of antidepressants that cause cause some laziness and reduce motivation. Although when I did take any given one of the SSRI antidepressant they did reduce frequency of panic attacks I used to get.

I stopped smoking pot nearly a year ago and my game has improved drastically. I've found that, at least for me, absolute sobriety is the best state for playing chess.

Cannabis is not  good for young people, it takes away motivation. If you have done most thing in live and dont need motivation or even sick with cancer then it is maybe a different story. Antidepressants are sometimes useful in the beginning of depression to start exercice and cognitive treatment, and benso should never be good. If that helps playing chess, then you should play something else, if chess makes you afraid, because you should play for fun.

I hear you drawgood. It's a double edged sword.

It is indeed, especially if you wanna play at your best, and keep improving.

Yea, I mean can you find a study of which nuclear blast site is the least likely to give you radiation poisoning?

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