PhD, Associate Professor A.I. Alifirov
PhD, Associate Professor I.V. Mikhaylova
Dr.Hab., Associate Professor A.S. Makhov
Russian State Social University, Moscow

Keywords: chess players’ training system, mental hygiene factors, nutrition, chess players’ fitness shape.

Background. Brain metabolism and energy metabolism at rest are tested to claim on average some 35 cal per minute making up around 3% of the whole body metabolism that claims around 140-150 kcal per hour. The higher is the intellectual work intensity the higher is the energy demand. A chess match normally takes 4-6 hours in the classical time-control competitive format, and for the intellectual performance being efficient and successful enough, the player’s body claims at least 1000 kcal. Basal metabolism under long mental stresses in the regular season tends to be on the rise and, hence, the players are recommended to make resort to individual diets. Individual needs of adults engaged in high-intensity intellectual labour are estimated to vary at 2800-3000 kcal [1, 5], with chess matches known to also highly activate oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions. A variety of trophic processes in cells, tissues and body organs triggered by prolonged mental and physical loads may result in gradually developing over-fatigue. Rehabilitation processes may take place even during the chess matches with the relevant oxidation-reduction reactions being activated to support re-synthesis of the necessary energy-supplying chemical agents. Incomplete compensations of the bodily energy losses due to the high-intensity intellectual loads associated with expressed over-fatigue effects were reported to result in loss of appetite in 27% of the cases and, consequently, in the body weight loss [3]. This is the reason why the modern chess players’ training systems give a high priority to the daily/ nutrition regimen and diets in the regular season (competitive) periods. A good case in point may be provided by the legendary World Chess Championship of G.K. Kasparov versus A.Y. Karpov in 1984-85 that lasted for half a year and was stopped due to the “physical and mental resources of the players being drained” as was verified by many factors including the 10-kg body weight loss for the contender [2]. In the recent 2016 World Chess Championship (in New York) of Magnus Carlsen versus Sergey Karjakin, graduate of Russian State Social University, the contender was tested to lose 4 kg. Sergey Karjakin was served prior to and during the Championship by a special team including (in addition to the financial manager), physician, masseur, two conditioning coaches, psychologist and personal chef. The competitive success of the Russian national team at the 2016 World Youth Chess Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk was largely due (apart from the highly effective training system), in opinion of M.R. Kobalia, Chief Coach, to “the largely traditional lifestyle, traditional food and reasonably comfortable accommodation during the event. It was good that the boys and girls could do without serious revisions to the daily regimen and diets, and the only difference was the two-hour time difference with Moscow”.

Increasing intellectual, mental and physiological stresses in the regular season within the annual meso-cycle may be offset by the relevant action plans including the prudent physical trainings, strict daily regimen and balanced diets [2]. A reasonably designed diet is known to improve the bodily stress tolerance rates and contribute to the brain performance. The daily diets and their key components are to be designed so as to supply the body with every necessary nutrient to duly support the central nervous system (CNS) regulation processes, with a special emphasis on reasonable combinations of vitamins and microelements to step up the brain performance standards.

Objective of the study was to develop and offer a sport-specific diet and nutrition regimen for the highly-skilled chess players to secure their due physical and intellectual performance in the pre-season and regular season within an annual meso-cycle.

Methods and structure of the study. It was in the period of 2014-15 that a multidisciplinary task research team from the Physical Culture and Sports Theory and Practice Department of Russian State Social University (Moscow) developed, tested and implemented a special diet and nutrition regime and physical training system for highly-skilled chess players in the pre-season and regular season within an annual meso-cycle. The process tests, calculations and test data processing were performed in the period of January 2014 to June 2014 on a monthly basis in the pre-season and regular season. Subject to the tests were 14 students and postgraduates of the academic chess team of Russian State Social University (Moscow) qualified at least FIDE Chess Masters. The following test methods and fitness shape tests were used to rate the diets and nutritional regimen of the subject chess players: 1) Basal metabolism was rated using the following formula: BM=К–SE, with К – meaning the kcal per day; SE – meaning the energy claimed by specific activity forms; 2) Body mass index; 3) Endurance index; and 4) Physical activity ratio.

Study results and discussion. The highly-skilled chess players’ training system was designed for the highest competitive success on a monthly meso-cycle basis. The competitions in the classical time-control format lasting for 9-12 days were found being associated with high mental, emotional and physical stresses that may result in body weight losses of up to 3-4 kg. Knowing that, the chess teams need to take the relevant preventive actions including special diets, daily recreation and nutritional regimen and due physical activity in the regular season to maintain the required optimal mental and physical shape. The chess players’ competitive-period diets and nutritional regimen and the relevant practical approaches were designed based on the known theoretical provisions to secure improvements in the individual intellectual performance, thinking process, attention focusing, memorising and other key abilities by a variety of tools including supplies of the key nutrients and microelements to facilitate trophic processes in the brain. The study resulted in 8 diets being developed based on individual preferences of the chess players with the relevant daily nutrition regimen to secure due supply of the necessary nutrients and microelements. The diets were designed basically on the knowledge of the normal daily demands for the key nutrients and microelements in the pre-season and regular season as provided in Table 1 hereunder.

A special emphasis in the diet design was made on the proteins formed from amino acid components to synthesise neurotransmitters that speed up the signalling processes in the brain. Haricot, lentil, peas, soya beans, nuts, mushrooms etc. facilitate production of tyrosine, dopamine, nor-epinephrine and epinephrine that are highly important for the mental health and attention focusing. Seafood and pumpkin/ olive/ maize/ sunflower oils rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids are known to be of high influence on the heart/ brain membranes building and innervations processes. Bread, spaghetti, rice, muesli and chocolate facilitate production of polysaccharides that secure brain cells being duly supplied with glucose and increase the serotonin and endorphin levels. Foods rich with B-group vitamins (choline, dopamine, thiamine, riboflavin, cyancobalamin) improve memory and data transmittance in brain cells, and at the same time slow down a fatigue propagation process. It is veal liver, cauliflower, black caviar, eggs, sour cream, milk that are known to be the richest with the B-group vitamins. Furthermore, vitamin C is known to be indispensable for production of anti-stress hormones and for the body protection from toxins produced by the decay processes ongoing in cells.

We should also mention the following important microelements. Magnesium known to be the key energy supply element of highest importance for the energy, constructive electrolyte metabolism may be supplied by spinach, oats, figs, peanuts, bananas etc. Zink is very important for memory and attention focusing abilities and it may be found in seafood, peas, bread, turkey meat etc. Brain activity cannot be efficient enough without boron, and this element is found in apples, pears, grapes and broccoli. Calcium is a highly important element for the nervous system functionality predominantly supplied by milk products.

Table 1. Chess player’s body daily demand rates for the key nutrients and microelements in pre-season and regular season within annual meso-cycle

In the regular season the Study Group had 3 meals per day albeit it should be noted that it is not always possible to maintain a strict nutrition regime since the meal time may be shifted due to the match schedules.

Table 2. Test rates variations in the regular season of annual meso-cycle (n=14)

Performance tests under the study showed the energy food prior to the chess matches being of slow-down effect on the intellectual performance rates of the subjects [3]. The subjects were strictly required to take food 1-1.5 hours prior to the match, with the peak of neurohumoral activity tested to be attained roughly by the middle of the first game. Most of the subjects were found prone to increased consumption of water, juices and other drinks during the games. For 2-3 days before the end of a tournament, virtually every competitor was diagnosed with loss of appetite. In this case, breakfasts and/or dinners were replaced by 3 light snacks with the nutrition regimen being modified to include 5 meals per day. The mental and physiological status of a player and the habitual nutrition and daily regimen were normally restored 2-3 days upon completion of the competitions. Furthermore, the match schedules were found very important as well, since 78% of the subjects were tested with an increased intellectual activity in the morning hours. Excessive food in the evening hours was found to be of notable suppressing effect on the mood in the morning. Our methodology required every meal being followed, on a compulsory basis, by a moderate physical activity (like walking) for 20-30 minutes to facilitate digestion, intestinal peristalsis and oxidation-reduction. Positive effects of the modest physical loads were verified by the efferent impulse rates in the CNS and the high tissue metabolism rates. Given in Table 2 above are the test rate variations in the regular season of an annual meso-cycle under the recommended nutrition regimen.

Conclusion. The recommended method was tested as beneficial as verified, among other things, by the competitive success during the study period when the Russian State Social University picked chess team won the second team place at the 2014 All-Russian Chess Universiade in Kazan.

References

1. Bal'sevich V.K., Zaporozhanov V.A. Fizicheskaya aktivnost cheloveka [Human physical activity]. Kiev: Zdorovye publ., 2007, 324 p.
2. Vershinin M.A., Ilchenko N.A. Psikhologo-pedagogicheskie aspekty povysheniya effektivnosti trenirovochnogo protsessa kvalifitsirovannykh shakhmatistov [Psycho-pedagogical aspects of effectivization of training process of skilled players]. Fundamentalnye issledovaniya, 2015, no. 2, pp. 1474-1477.
3. Grinchenko V.S., Kasyanov G.I. Novy podkhod k razrabotke produktov pitaniya dlya shakhmatistov [New approach to development of food products for chess players]. Nauchnye trudy KubGTU, 2016, 12, pp. 141-155.
4. Karpov A.E. Shakhmaty v nashi dni [Chess today]. Moscow, 2005, 142 p.
5. Mikhaylova I.V., Makhov A.S., Alifirov A.I. Shakhmaty kak mnogokomponentny vid adaptivnoy fizicheskoy kultury [Chess as multi-component type of adaptive physical culture]. Teoriya i praktika fizicheskoy kultury, 2015, no. 12, pp. 56-58.

Corresponding author: anat.alifirov@yandex.ru

Abstract

The article considers the key nutritional provisions for highly-skilled chess players in the pre-season and regular season of the annual meso-cycle and analyses the reasons for the growing demand for the major nutrients and microelements in the regular season with the relevant loss compensation schemes applicable in the training period.

The study data and analyses demonstrated that special diets and nutrition regimen help the highly-skilled chess players attain the required high standards of fitness shape in the pre-season and regular season periods. Individual failures of the highly-skilled chess players in maintaining the required day regimen and diets in the regular season were found to be of potential detrimental effects on the competitive success rates and associated with mental/ emotional disorders and fatigues that may stay for quite a long time upon completion of the competitions. To speed up the rehabilitation process in the pre-season and regular season periods of the annual meso-cycle, chess players are recommended to prudently combine modest physical training with active recreation and take timely corrective actions in case of sleeping disorders. Comprehensive biomedical test data (including the integrated blood biochemistry and lipid complex tests; densitometry; colonoscopy and gastroscopy) were used to recommend, in some cases, the players to administer certain medicines from the lists of the Health Ministry of the Russian Federation including Tanakan, Essentiale Forte, Omega 3 Forte, Calcium-D3 Nikomed etc.