NCT07641335
Effects of Caffeine on Chess Performance and Cognitive Function in Professional Chess Players
Not Yet Recruiting
NAAges 18–50InterventionalBasic scienceSt. Louis UniversityInvestigator-initiated
~12 participants
Updated 2026-06-11 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Caffeinated CoffeeDecaffeinated Coffee Placebo
At a glance
Recruiting sites
0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Chess Performance Accuracy
Measured over 30 minutes after beverage consumption through completion of the tournament-style chess game at each experimental visit.
Conditions
Where it's being run
1 sites across 1 statesMissouri1
Study leadership
- Hossein Rafiei, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · St. Louis University
Who to contact
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Do you actually qualify for this trial?
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Eligibility criteria
Inclusion
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
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
What this trial measures
- Chess Performance Accuracy30 minutes after beverage consumption through completion of the tournament-style chess game at each experimental visit.
Chess performance accuracy will be assessed using engine-based analysis of tournament-style chess games. The primary reported metric will be average centipawn loss per move, with lower values indicating better chess performance accuracy.