If a chess game becomes very interesting or very fast
and I dedicate all of my available attention to it, my face
starts to glow, becoming much warmer than e.g. my hands.

I am curious if it is common among chess players or not?
(I have never played or attended any chess turnaments)

Another questions a
Why is my head and face getting so hot?
Is this only the excitement or the intense thinking
generates more heat than can be taken by the
circulating blood?
Does it only happen when playing blitz or
bullet chess? (I don't play any other chess games,
because I usually loose the patience to keep my
attention on same position for a longer time)

Have someone experienced loss of weight because
beeing intense busy playing chess for hours? Can it be
compared to physical training where much calories
get lost while excercising? Does a chess player playing
e.g. a big number of simultaneous games get really
hungry after it, like a sportsman after a triathlon?

Would be glad to hear about your experience.

Claudio

Claudio Grondi wrote:
If a chess game becomes very interesting or very fast
and I dedicate all of my available attention to it, my face
starts to glow, becoming much warmer than e.g. my hands.

I am curious if it is common among chess players or not?
(I have never played or attended any chess turnaments)

Another questions a
Why is my head and face getting so hot?
Is this only the excitement or the intense thinking
generates more heat than can be taken by the
circulating blood?
Does it only happen when playing blitz or
bullet chess? (I don't play any other chess games,
because I usually loose the patience to keep my
attention on same position for a longer time)

Have someone experienced loss of weight because
beeing intense busy playing chess for hours? Can it be
compared to physical training where much calories
get lost while excercising? Does a chess player playing
e.g. a big number of simultaneous games get really
hungry after it, like a sportsman after a triathlon?

Would be glad to hear about your experience.

Claudio

I read that at the world championship level, e.g. Bobby Fischer, a
player can lose 5 pounds from a single tournament game. So yes, it is
comparable to peak physical competition.

As to your face getting red, I would check that out with a doctor.
Everybody is different, this is probably just the way you're built.

My experience is different. I seem to be able to concentrate and
function at the right level of intensity. I don't blush (at least no
one has told me that I do.) But in that sense a tournament game is no
different than the Bar exam or final exams in law school.

Dan

Just a side remark on face turning red. Dr Donninger, the chief programmer
of Hydra, has said that GMs typically calculate 12 to 14 ply (1 ply = a half
move of either black or white). He infers that from the 18 ply or more that
Hydra calculates and the typical time delay that it takes for the faces of
the GMs to turn red when they discover their oversight.


"Dan-the-K" wrote in message
ups.com...


Claudio Grondi wrote:
If a chess game becomes very interesting or very fast
and I dedicate all of my available attention to it, my face
starts to glow, becoming much warmer than e.g. my hands.

I am curious if it is common among chess players or not?
(I have never played or attended any chess turnaments)

Another questions a
Why is my head and face getting so hot?
Is this only the excitement or the intense thinking
generates more heat than can be taken by the
circulating blood?
Does it only happen when playing blitz or
bullet chess? (I don't play any other chess games,
because I usually loose the patience to keep my
attention on same position for a longer time)

Have someone experienced loss of weight because
beeing intense busy playing chess for hours? Can it be
compared to physical training where much calories
get lost while excercising? Does a chess player playing
e.g. a big number of simultaneous games get really
hungry after it, like a sportsman after a triathlon?

Would be glad to hear about your experience.

Claudio

I read that at the world championship level, e.g. Bobby Fischer, a
player can lose 5 pounds from a single tournament game. So yes, it is
comparable to peak physical competition.

As to your face getting red, I would check that out with a doctor.
Everybody is different, this is probably just the way you're built.

My experience is different. I seem to be able to concentrate and
function at the right level of intensity. I don't blush (at least no
one has told me that I do.) But in that sense a tournament game is no
different than the Bar exam or final exams in law school.

Dan

Seems I read somewhere that intense mental activity does not burn
significantly more calories than, say, sitting around watching television.

I think I also read that the average person expends 60-80 calories per hour
doing nothing.

I don't have any references for these assertions -- it's just an impression
I have from something I read long ago.

That said, I know that I usually feel exhausted after a weekend tournament.
My eyes are usually tired and I get headaches. The mental strain, and the
strain of sitting in an uncomfortable posture for hours on end are very
taxing. Not to mention the stress of a time scramble, or the euphoria of
bringing home the win.

Chess is very draining. I feel more tired after a day of tournament chess
than I do after a day of outdoor activity in 90-degree heat -- say working
in the yard or walking 18 holes of golf.

But as far as actual calories burned, I do not think it is that many.

First thank you all for the up to now got replies
with some very interesting information.

Just to clarify it, I want to mention, that stating
my face starts to glow, becoming much warmer
than e.g. my hands.
means, that I can feel the increase of the
temperature of my face compared to my
hands. My face is not turning red like it is
known when someone is suddenly getting
ashamed, catched lying or very excited.
Sometimes I can see the effect of the
higher temperature onmy face because
it is turning a little bit morered compared
to usual state, but this is not necessary
always the case. Sometimes the face
gets only warmer, what is hard to notice when
not touching it with hands. I have tested that
not my hands are getting colder asking my
relatives about the temperature of my face
and my hands, so they told me my face is
warmer than usual. Maybe I should find a
way to measure it exactly, to see what is really
going on? But how?

My overall experience is also, that after some
days I am mentally very busy with an exciting
idea my body weight is dropping even if I eat
as usual, so intuitively I infer, that is comes
from loosing calories of energy due to intense
brain activity, but it can maybe be wrong.

I can remember to read some sources, stating
that the brain doesn't require much energy for
its activity, but my personal experience seems
to show the opposite.

Any further reports about own experience and
pointers to reliable sources of appropriate
information are appreciated.

Claudio

"Claudio Grondi" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...
If a chess game becomes very interesting or very fast
and I dedicate all of my available attention to it, my face
starts to glow, becoming much warmer than e.g. my hands.

I am curious if it is common among chess players or not?
(I have never played or attended any chess turnaments)

Another questions a
Why is my head and face getting so hot?
Is this only the excitement or the intense thinking
generates more heat than can be taken by the
circulating blood?
Does it only happen when playing blitz or
bullet chess? (I don't play any other chess games,
because I usually loose the patience to keep my
attention on same position for a longer time)

Have someone experienced loss of weight because
beeing intense busy playing chess for hours? Can it be
compared to physical training where much calories
get lost while excercising? Does a chess player playing
e.g. a big number of simultaneous games get really
hungry after it, like a sportsman after a triathlon?

Would be glad to hear about your experience.

Claudio

Claudio Grondi wrote:
First thank you all for the up to now got replies
with some very interesting information.

Just to clarify it, I want to mention, that stating
my face starts to glow, becoming much warmer
than e.g. my hands.
means, that I can feel the increase of the
temperature of my face compared to my
hands. My face is not turning red like it is
known when someone is suddenly getting
ashamed, catched lying or very excited.
Sometimes I can see the effect of the
higher temperature onmy face because
it is turning a little bit morered compared
to usual state, but this is not necessary
always the case. Sometimes the face
gets only warmer, what is hard to notice when
not touching it with hands. I have tested that
not my hands are getting colder asking my
relatives about the temperature of my face
and my hands, so they told me my face is
warmer than usual. Maybe I should find a
way to measure it exactly, to see what is really
going on? But how?

....

Any further reports about own experience and
pointers to reliable sources of appropriate
information are appreciated.

....
As you've now described this phenomenon, it sounds good. The warm face
sounds to me like you in the zone. You're relaxed and everything is
working well.

Dan

Claudio Grondi wrote:
First thank you all for the up to now got replies
with some very interesting information.

Just to clarify it, I want to mention, that stating
my face starts to glow, becoming much warmer
than e.g. my hands.
means, that I can feel the increase of the
temperature of my face compared to my
hands. My face is not turning red like it is
known when someone is suddenly getting
ashamed, catched lying or very excited.
Sometimes I can see the effect of the
higher temperature onmy face because
it is turning a little bit morered compared
to usual state, but this is not necessary
always the case. Sometimes the face
gets only warmer, what is hard to notice when
not touching it with hands. I have tested that
not my hands are getting colder asking my
relatives about the temperature of my face
and my hands, so they told me my face is
warmer than usual. Maybe I should find a
way to measure it exactly, to see what is really
going on? But how?

....

Any further reports about own experience and
pointers to reliable sources of appropriate
information are appreciated.

....
As you've now described this phenomenon, it sounds good. The warm face
sounds to me like you in the zone. You're relaxed and everything is
working well.

Dan