I Stopped Drinking and Got Better at Chess

I’m taking a significant break from consuming alcohol. I like to reset every now and then, and with a 13-year-old kid who is sometimes exposed to alcohol and drug use among her peers, I thought it would be a good time to lead by example.

Overall, I’d reduced my drinking from the last time I took an extended break, so the effects have been pretty subtle. It’s possible I’m sleeping slightly better, and that my gut biome has moderately improved. But so far my body composition hasn’t changed, my stress levels feel about the same, and I haven’t noticed any major physical, emotional, or cognitive differences.

Except for one area. My evening chess games are significantly better.

Lately I’ve been playing 5-10 games a day on lichess.org, all 10-minute rapid. So maybe an hour or so a day, which has replaced all other “video” games for the moment (except for Pokemon GO, which I play outside while walking). My rating is currently hovering around 1100 (not very good, but not horrible either). A few months ago, when I first got back into chess, it was hard to break 600. And only a few weeks ago I was at 1000 or so.

I don’t know how much of my recent progress is due to not drinking; it’s probably more attributable to watching chess videos on youtube, and studying the post-game AI analysis on lichess. But I have definitely noticed that I win more games in the evening than I used to, and that’s mostly because I’m making fewer blunders.

Alcohol impairs chess for the obvious reason of reducing inhibition. With even half a drink in my system, I’m more likely to move quickly and impulsively, before carefully evaluating the board. But there’s also a hyperfocused state of consciousness that alcohol induces. For me, that means I obsess over my own strategy, and become oblivious to my opponent’s plan. Not good.

I was surprised by how much going from .5-2 drinks per day to abstaining impacted my chess game. It’s definitely food for thought: how much was my light to moderate drinking detracting from my evening decision making and cognitive performance? I tend not to work in the evening, but I’m interacting with my family, going on evening walks, planning my next day, and plenty of other activities where I want to remain clear and sharp.

Previously I had only really considered the negative side of drinking in terms of health. It has never occurred to me that 2 or fewer drinks per night would have such a negative impact on my cognitive performance. But the proof is there in the chess games.

What does that mean for the future? I’m not sure yet. For the moment abstaining feels like the right course, but I don’t necessarily want to give up social drinking forever.

I am curious to see if my chess rating will keep rising.

Personal Updates and Random Bits

1. Obligatory book mention: my science fiction novel The Last Crucible comes out next week, 9/21, though it’s already available in some bookstores, including East Bay Booksellers in Oakland (I stopped by and signed a few copies yesterday). From a recent review:“This novel is an emotionally charged ride of epic proportions. The Last Crucible is moving, memorable and magical.”  The Last Crucible is Book 3 of the Reclaimed Earth Series, but it definitely works as a standalone. Or you can start with Book 1, The Sky Woman.
2. If you’ve read any of my books or stories, leaving a quick rating or review on amazon or goodreads makes a huge difference. Algorithms pay attention to such things, and algorithms drive book recommendations. So please do me the equivalent of “smashing the like button” if you’ve enjoyed my works of fiction.
3. I enjoyed reading The disastrous voyage of Satoshi, the world’s first cryptocurrency cruise ship in The Guardian, and you might too.
4. I’m seeing Kelly Lee Owens at the Starline next week. The Starline’s Covid-19 precautions are reassuring.
5. We painted our bathroom last weekend and replaced our mirrored cabinet and most of the fixtures. We still need to do the floors, but already it feels like a luxury hotel. Total project cost was under $500 for a huge quality of life boost. Kitchen is next.

I hope you are thriving and living your best life.