Your brain needs oxygen -- and lots of it. Your brain uses up 20% of all the oxygen you breathe in.
To play your best game of chess, you need lots of oxygen freely flowing to your brain.

40% of your body's energy is burned in your brain -- probably a lot more while you're playing a game of chess. Oxygen is the chief fuel for your body's energy.

If a chess tournament were the Indianapolis 500, would you rather drive a car running on low octane fuel -- or high octane?

Yet most people take in only 20% of air they could be inhaling.

Do some research on oxygen and you'll find that it will also help you lose weight, fight infections and lower your chances of getting cancer. Good stuff, but this article is about winning more games of chess.

Good systems of exercise and health include breathing exercises, for the benefit of your body and mind. Yoga and pranayama. Tai chi and chi kou. And Pilates incorporates breathing exercises.

When you take a series of deep breaths before the game starts, then remember to breath deeply and slowly at intervals during the game . . . you're giving your brain the high octane fuel it needs to play your best game of chess.

First, you must learn how to breath properly. You must unlearn what you think you know. Chances are, you've been taught that "deep breathing" means sucking in air through your mouth while sticking out your chest. Forget that.

Your mouth is primarily for eating, not breathing. Breathing is the job of your nose. Plus, your lungs are much larger at the bottom than the top.

So you want to breath slowly through your nose while gently expanded the bottom of your rib cage so you fill your lungs with air, starting at the bottom. Inhale gently for a count of 4.

Hold for 16.

Exhale slowly through your nose for a count of 8. Exhale completely. That means slowly contracting your rib cage from the bottom to the top.

Inhale and fill up your lungs as though they were a pitcher -- from the bottom up.

Exhale and empty your lungs as though they were a pitcher -- from the top down.

When that feels easy, start increasing the times, in the same ratios. That is, inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 20, exhale for 10. And so on.

Do ten of those deep breaths three times a day, every day -- and you'll feel better, have more energy and play more focused chess.

During a game of chess, tension and stress are your enemy. So is a brain starved by oxygen.

Deep breathing just happened to relax your entire body, making you better able to concentrate on the game itself. Plus it obviously sends more oxygen to your brain, so you can think better and faster.

Just before beginning a game of chess, you can really improve your concentration through an ancient breathing exercise where you breathe through only one nostril at a time, alternating each nostril.

Cover your right nostril. Inhale through your left for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 16. Cover your left nostril and exhale through your right nostril for a count of 8.

Then inhale through your right nostril. Hold for a count of 16. Cover your right nostril again and exhale through your left nostril for a count of 4.

Repeat 3 times -- or until you feel relaxed yet mentally focused.

Yes, it's more complicated than simple breathing. That's why it's so effective. It's certainly not complicated compared to playing chess, but it does force you to concentration on your breathing, the count and the pattern.

If your opponent watches you and thinks you're crazy -- so much the better.

Give your brain the oxygen it needs to perform at its best, and it'll reward you with the best game of chess you're capable of.