What should one eat/drink during a chess tournament break?

I was wondering if there was any type of "brain" food that would help a chess player keep on his game during the second portion of a tournament. This would be eaten during a lunch break or just a break in general.

Well? What would you recommend eating? Drinking? Does it make a difference? Are there things you shouldn't eat/drink? What about before the tourny?

Thanks, David

This has been discussed before, and as I recall such foods as fruit, bagels, yogurt, juices, tea were approved as sensible choices.

David,

Between tournament games I think a beverage such as milk (protein) is the best bet.  Sugary carbohydrate drinks give you quick energy, but rapidly drop off and leave you tired and sleepy.  I also wouldn't look at or review any games during a break, you can do that later.  Save your mental energy for the tournament.  Even during a match, I wouldn't sit for the whole game.  After 20 to 30 minutes, I'd get up and stretch and get my blood recirculating.  ~~  Tim

At my level of play it would probably be poison!

I usually drink a couple of small beers during the break, then move more carefully during the next round because my head's spinning a little. I went 8 rounds unbeaten in a recent rapid-play tournament before losing in the 9th round and finishing 6th. I'd had a beer at 7am whilst waiting for the Channel Tunnel train to arrive, one on arrival in France at the venue at 9am and another every couple of rounds. I felt relaxed and enjoyed the whole day, not just the chess.

Bobby Fischer sipped on apple juice, we now know today this is a "slow-release
carbohydrate", so it doesn't give one a quick sugar fix and crash.  He also exercised
on days he didn't play at exactly 5:00 PM, then scheduled his biggest matches at,
you guessed it, 5:00 PM.  He called this "peaking", and he was thus pumped up
and ready to go each time.

I haven't looked at all the posts, but this is a good helpful topic.

Bananas always worked for me when I took exams. They contain many nutrients and keep you from getting hungry for a long time.

I don't think it matters...

I used to be super careful... drinking lots of water and eating fruits and veggies...

At this point I just make sure I don't eat too much before the day starts, knowing the nerves are gonna bring it back up...

I do pop an energy drink or two before the afternoon rounds... I find it helps me calculate a lil' better.

 I went with my chess club (during the break of course) to pizza pizza and we ordered pizza.. i drank coke and ate pepperoni pizza with fries,

then after that i got 3 losts in a row.. hope this helped!

As part of my lean diet, I like to plug in my George Foreman grill on the table next to the board and grill up some lean beef patties, usually it is good sportsmanship to offer your opponent a burger if you are grilling at the board.  Drinking cows blood from the catch tray is an excellent source of brain food as well, and can have an excellent intimidation factor over the board.

Almonds baby. Josh Waitzkin would take almonds on the advice of his sports medicine coach. Make sure and eat light (so the blood doesn't all rush to your stomach which makes your drowsy) and stay hydrated. Slow steady doses of caffeine are supposed to help alertness without the crash.

Also, not to be forgotten is getting enough sleep so that you're not feeling sluggish, and a steady exercise regimen, the kind of cardio where you're sweating a good 30 minutes. The mind/body connection is so strong, that these things must be done also for optimal chess performance.

During breaks, I would advise you to stuff yourself with as much corn liquor and Cheetos as you can hold.

That's assuming you're my opponent, of course.

Alcohol, coffee, candy, Red Bull and Monster Drinks. Also, start smoking! It seems to work for all of our local experts in Southeastern Michigan.

: )

Salmon sashimi.  Extra wasabi.

Hey... it IS lunch-time...

try eating food.

it works!!

fish is always good! The Omega 3 helps! Garlic is good to put yer opponent off to :P

chess is the perfect lunch time food it will keep you ojn the ball

eat about 10 to 15