Does caffeine help professional chess players think faster and play better?
Official title: GRANDMASTER: Gauging the Role of Alertness and Neurostimulation With Dietary Caffeine in Master-Level Chess; A Double-Blind Randomized Crossover Trial
Run by St. Louis University · NCT07641335 · Data updated 2026-11-12
In this study, professional chess players try caffeinated versus decaffeinated coffee to see if caffeine improves focus, reaction time, and game performance.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 50 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 12 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | St. Louis University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (St Louis, Missouri) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 25, 2026 |
| Main results expected | July 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | August 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | September 30, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07641335 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Professional chess players aged 18-50 with a FIDE rating between 2300 and 2600 in the prior 12 months and habitual caffeine consumers (≤2 cups/day).
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals with cardiovascular, metabolic, psychiatric conditions, or high caffeine intolerance may not experience benefit and could be at risk.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized, double-blind crossover study tests whether moderate caffeine intake enhances cognitive performance and chess-related performance in professional players. Twelve FIDE-rated players compete in two sessions (caffeinated vs. decaffeinated coffee) in randomized order under controlled laboratory conditions. Cognitive tests (attention, reaction time) and a standardized chess game are used, with engine-based measures (move accuracy, centipawn loss, time management) and self-reported alertness collected as outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If caffeine proves beneficial, players may optimize performance strategies during long, mentally demanding games.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in cognitive performance and sports suggests caffeine can enhance alertness and reaction time, but this exact chess-focused design is novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Male and female professional chess players aged 18-50 years * Current Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) standard rating between 2300 and 2600 Elo, or achievement of a standard FIDE rating within this range during the previous 12 months * Habitual caffeine consumers consuming ≤2 cups of coffee per day * Willingness to comply with all study procedures and study visits * Ability to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Non-caffeine users * Habitual caffeine intake exceeding 2 cups of coffee per day * Cardiovascular disorders * Metabolic disorders * Psychiatric disorders * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Current smoking * Shift workers * Use of psychoactive medications * Participation in another clinical trial within the previous 3 months * Known allergy or intolerance to milk proteins, dairy products, or soy * Known red-green color blindness or other color vision deficiencies that may interfere with Stroop Test performance
Where it's running
-
Saint Louis University
St Louis, Missouri, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Hossein Rafiei, PhD — St. Louis University
- Study coordinator: Hossein Rafiei, PhD
- Email: hossein.rafiei@health.slu.edu
- Phone: 13149778675
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.