Is Drug-induced Enhancement Acceptable?
The preceding sections made the strong case that “enhancements” that provide the player with outside “help” are, in general, considered to be a violation of the meta-rules of chess. Players may not consult books, magazines or notes during play, as this constitutes illegal “help.” Similarly, players were at one time honor-bound not to analyze adjourned games because of this notion of receiving “help.” during play. Our colorful “cyborg” example points out the potential problems associated with mechanical enhancements of one’s body and mind during play. What about chemical “help” during a game of chess? To answer this question fully, we must first clarify our notions as to the purpose of a game of competitive chess and (unsurprisingly) the meta-rules associated with such purposes. First, let’s say what a game of competitive chess is NOT. A game of competitive chess is not about finding the best moves or crafting the most well-played game possible. If that were the true purpose, then rules
