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Effects of Caffeine on Chess Performance and Cognitive Function in Professional Chess Players

St. Louis University · NCT07641335

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 18–50 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
12
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
August 25, 2026
Record last updated
September 30, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

This study will examine whether caffeine improves cognitive and competitive performance in professional chess players during tournament-style games. In a randomized double-blind crossover design, participants will complete two experimental sessions in which they consume either caffeinated coffee or decaffeinated coffee before playing a standardized chess match. Cognitive performance will be assessed using attention and reaction-time tests, including the Stroop Test, Trail Making Test, and Puzzle Rush task. Chess performance outcomes such as move accuracy, time management, and error rates will also be evaluated. The study aims to determine whether moderate caffeine intake enhances focus, alertness, and decision-making during prolonged competitive chess play.

Being studied: Caffeinated Coffee; Decaffeinated Coffee Placebo

Conditions: Cognitive Performance; Attention; Reaction Time; Caffeine

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full 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

Recruiting US locations

  • Saint Louis University

    St Louis, MO 63104

    Site contact: Hossein Rafiei, PhD · 314-977-8675 · hossein.rafiei@health.slu.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Hossein Rafiei, PhD · 13149778675 · hossein.rafiei@health.slu.edu
All healthy volunteers studies in Missouri →
Effects of Caffeine on Chess Performance and Cognitive Function in… (NCT07641335) | Bored Studies