Listening to Music

Well, I was just wondering if you guys like to listen to music while playing in tournaments. Over the years, I have gotten used to bringing my iPod to every tournament. But in a tournament I played recently, I found as though listening to music made me loose concentration and focus while playing. What are your opinions?

It really depends on what I'm listening to. I find music very helpful when I'm playing in tournaments, but sometimes what I'm listening to is some good ol' Metallica or Iron Maiden, which, if you've heard their music, can be quite enticing, and gets you into the music, rather than getting you into your game, which is what happened to me unfortunately today at state level. Next time I'll try a little jazz.

I usually listen to classical music when playing Live chess but sometimes I turn it off when I really need to concentrate. 

I think the key to it helping or hurting is not what type of music, but if youve heard it before... youre brain can practically play the song itself so theres no subconious issue. it helps set you in a good zone. I like old AIC, Pantera, Anthrax, Soundgarden etc

I never see a GM listening to tunes, so I figure it's probably best not to.  However, since I lose a lot anyhow, I can't see it hurting my game.  :)

Id say a majority of the younger GMs do. in 10 years when that wave is older and they are the Super GMs I think it will become even more common

Which young GMs listen to music during tournaments?

I like music for online games where it's good to cut calculations short and go with your intuition/feeling, which is why I think the music helps, but for pure concentration with a long time control I have to think no music is best.

I've never listened to music at a tournament.

For this, I recommended Tuxedomoon's Desire, with its multiple breaking, fast-paced "Dont' think, don't think" rhythm sections!  For longer games, naturally one should go with The Ghost Sonata, so as to encourage greater reflection.

Hmm, Tuxedomoon's desire has the right lyrics, but it's not my kind of blitz music, mostly because the beat is a bit slow for blitz.

I like something more like this or basically anything with a fast beat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z6zNUHiQLQ  of course after getting into the game it's all white noise, sometimes when I "come out of it" my playlist has gone through a good number of songs and I don't remember hearing any of them heh.

now that I think of it the article might just of been on titled teens, and not all-gm teens.

looked through my uscf mags and its not there, so it must of been online.. which means it was probably bs

I didn't even think you're allowed to listen to music at tournaments.

I've the problem of having a music in my head during tournament games, its really annoying and it distract me.

When I play Live Chess, I tend to listen to The Postal Service. It sometimes actually helps me calm down and focus, but it seems to differ when it comes to real tournaments.

indeed, what are the FIDE rules on this?

more to the point: why listen to music when you could listen an an audio lecture on the 'french defence' during your game? (which, by shere coincidence, happens to be a french defence game)

In fact, why bother remembering opening theory at all when you can just shove all that data on your Ipod?

I was thinking of the same thing. if you have 900+ songs like I do, then theres no way someone could find it. you just put  the audio under the name of a real band you have tons of songs with.

intersting were can you find video lectures of openings?

obviously joking 

The "don't fight" appendage to that line is counter-productive, anyway.  I usually put on films when I'm in live chess as it is - things like Tarkovsky or Teshigahara I've already seen a hundred times.  When things are fast-paced I get distracted easily, else I'd be playing Isolee all day.

As for hiding lectures under legitimate artists, I'd opt for The Fall, who have made so many bloody songs it's feasible they already have one titled 'Exchanging Bishops in the Advanced French.'

the best way to do it imo would be to have a real song (thats terrible) play for 2 minutes and then the notation starts. with all the losers out there my guess is its been done a few times.

Ratatat for chess! Or Memory Tapes.