Does the color of the board affect your play?

I am curious if other player's expericene this also and why does this happen? I have been playing with classic pieces and a brown board for years online. If I change the board color or add a new theme it is like a deduction of 300 rating points. 

As long as the color is not one with a horrible contrast to the pieces, it shouldn't matter.

Same thing applies for over the board.

I can play on a board with Brown squares, Green squares, etc.  But you start putting something like fire engine red, or hot pink, or Orange, or Neon Green, or anything that like and yes, it hurts the eyes!

I can play on brown or green boards, anything else and I suddenly turn into a 1500

The color of the board will impact the way you play. Select pieces and colors that are comfortable to your eye.

As others have said, low contrast is important. Other than that, I've never really noticed.

Maybe during the first minute or two of play (sometimes the board is a little dirty or an uncommon color like brown instead of blue or green) but then I completely forget about it.

Or when the set is really expensive, nice wood, fancy, glossy pieces, etc. That's certainly distracting at first. But "at first" you're just playing through the opening, so it doesn't really matter... at least not in my experience.

Playing with a different style or color chess set is, for me, like driving a different vehicle. Sometimes there's something inherently wrong with the way things work, but the vast majority of the time it's a difference that I notice at first but then adapt to within minutes.

As long as its an approved color scheme im ok with it.  A friend has this obnoxious bright orange, and white board.  I refuse to play on it.  

good Post Topic i just play on Green board I guess brown is OK too I've Seen blue and Turquise boards but never played on them ..

Unless its changed, the accecpted color schemes are:

Black/White

Blue/White

Brown/White

Green/White

Are they specific about what kind of blue/brown/green? Either way, they should add Burgundy/White to that list. My reasons for this follow:

1. I like it.

Like i said, unless something has changed.  The standard color schemes are the ones i listed, and the colors have to be a standard shade of those listed.

I guess I can't use a seafoam green or cornflower blue board, then. That's a shame, because they're such happy colors!

I don't think the OP is talking about over the board play.

He's talking about the boards that are available online. At this website, they have several different options for the color of the squares and the way the pieces look. If you mess around with those settings, you will find some color and piece combinations that aren't very good. Those combinations would not help the way you play

I can't lie; I want that set.

whose standard? USCF? FIDE?

Sets like that are good for kids to get them interested in the game.

USCF

The actual rule is somewhat nebulous.

USCF rule 41B (Chessboard color):

"Like the pieces, chessboard colors should offer high contrast between the light and dark sections yet remain pleasing to the eye. Good combinations include green or brown with ivory or buff, and walnut or teak with maple or birch. The colors and the finish should allow extended examination without eyestrain.

Squares that do not exactly match the colors of the pieces are popular because they allow ready distinction between empty and occupied squares. For example, the green and buff vinyl roll-up board sold by USCF and others is the most commonly used at tournaments. Red and black checkerboards are nonstandard."

CORNFLOWER AND IVORY IT SHALL BE, THEN