Chess players' performance affected by air quality, suggesting impact on cognition: Study

Washington, Feb 2 (PTI) Chess players perform objectively worse and make more suboptimal moves when there is more fine particulate matter in the air, according to a new study.

The researchers assessed and measured the chess players' moves by a computerized analysis of their games, the study co-authored by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researcher said.

More specifically, given a modest increase in fine particulate matter, the probability that chess players will make an error increased by 2.1 percentage points, and the magnitude of those errors increases by 10.8 per cent. In this setting, at least, cleaner air leads to clearer heads and sharper thinking, the study said.