The effect of 12 weeks of chess-based training under time pressure on some electroencephalographic and skill indices in chess players

Playing chess under time pressure is one of the most important challenges faced by chess players during various competitions in the final stages of the game, and it affects the performance of athletes in this field during the competition, hence suggesting the suitable training solutions is considered necessary to improve the performance of athletes in this sport field along with its occurrence mechanisms. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of chess-based training in time pressure on the electroencephalography and skill indicators in chess players.

In a semi-experimental research among chess players (with15-22 years range) in the international level (ELO) range of 2000-1400 who had the experience of at least 3 years of chess activity, 28 subjects were chosen voluntarily and were placed in two groups: chess-based training under time pressure and the normal chess training group. On the first day of the study, electroencephalography indices of the subjects were recorded at rest and during the game under time pressure. The chess-based training group did 12 weeks of special chess training under time pressure in the form of 5 sessions per week each session for 4 hours. In the sixth and after the twelfth week of the study protocol, the electroencephalography and skill indices of all subjects were recorded to determine the absolute and relative power of theta and, alpha waves and the theta to alpha ratio. The data were analyzed with a 3×2 analysis of variance (ANOVA), bonferroni post hoc and independent t-tests using SPSS22 software at a significance level of P < 0.05.

The results showed that before the start of the research project, there was no difference between the studied groups between the absolute and relative power of theta and, alpha waves and the theta to the recorded alpha ratio (P>0.05). Subsequent six weeks of regular and time-limited exercise, a significant increase was observed in the absolute and relative power index of theta, and alpha waves, and the ratio of theta to alpha waves(P<0.05), but no intra-group and inter-group differences were observed in terms of the aforementioned indicators (P>0.05). However, the increase in theta wave and the alpha to theta ratio in the time-limited training group were significantly more than from the normal training group.

It could be concluded that time-limited chess-based training may cause positive changes in the cerebral cortex by modulating theta wave activity. Therefore, time-limited chess training can be an effective intervention to improve the brain waves and electrical activity of the cerebral cortex and potentially improve the brain performance of chess players.