Category: Chess

While a 2006 survey of Grandmasters found that 80.5% reported eating chocolate during games, the common misconception that chess players eat a lot of sugar for energy is far from the reality for elite players today. Instead, modern grandmasters focus on stable blood sugar levels to maintain peak cognitive function throughout demanding, multi-hour matches.

During intense matches, elite chess players can burn up to 6,000 calories a day due to mental stress and focus, a demand comparable to marathon runners. To sustain this, a grandmaster's diet is carefully curated, shifting the focus from traditional chess food myths to a science-backed nutritional strategy that prioritizes stable energy and brain function.

Did you know elite chess players can burn up to 6,000 calories a day during intense tournaments? It's why world champion Magnus Carlsen's diet is strategically crafted for maximum mental endurance, focusing on superfoods and sustained energy sources.

With an estimated Elo rating of 3645 in October 2025, Stockfish stands as the strongest CPU chess engine in the world. So, how good is Stockfish? It operates at a level far beyond human capability, providing unparalleled analysis and crushing opponents in top computer tournaments.

While Stockfish holds an Elo rating far superior to any human grandmaster, relying solely on it for chess improvement comes with notable disadvantages. This powerful engine can inadvertently stifle human creativity and offer insights that are impractical for human play, undermining genuine skill development.