Drinking and Playing

[Quads]

Rather simple question, of which I'm hoping will generate some good conversation and viewpoints.

Do you drink when you play poker?
How do you think it effects your play? (be it that you do or don't drink)

I usually look down to see a beer in my hand when I play. I don't think it hinders my game (what little game I have). If anything it makes me a little more relaxed and helps my game. I can't see myslef doing shots while I play......but beer.....no prob!!

[Quads]

I guess I should have posted my thoughts on this along with launching the topic.

I've made it a solid rule of thumb, if I'm playing to win, then I don't drink. If I want to drink and play cards, don't plan on winning. On occasion, I will nurse a beer or a cocktail in a home game setting in more of a laid back group where stakes are low and the game is about the social aspect.

In a cardroom or casino, where I'm there to take pots down and nothing else... I'll drink water and only water.

I've toyed with drinking while playing and seeing what that does to my game and didn't see anything on the short term as far as effect / profit from the game, but in the long term (looking at 20 games with drinking versus 20 games without) is where I noticed that when I mixed the two, my winnings were impacted.

It's pretty obvious that drinking a few beers is different form actual cocktails. I would not throw back mixed drinks and play. Drinking a few or many beers doesn't seem to affect my decision making process. Maybe the years of practice drinking and doing other things has finally paid off? LOL!! Never thought I would hear myself say that!

[Quads]

Would be nice to have you problem!

It doesn't make a difference to me. Mixed drinks or beer.
However I have a much higher tolerance for hard alcohol than I do beer, as Vodka and Whiskeys are my drink(s) of choice.

[Hagar]

As it is with almost every poker question.....it depends.

As a rule, I like to have a few beers when I play, but I won't go out of my way for them. I've noticed that I don't usually drink when in the local rooms. I think most of that is because I just don't normally drink mid-week anyway - it's not really because I'm worried that 3 or 7 cocktails will affect my game.

When in Reno (et al) where the liquor is "free" and I don't need to worry about driving, I'm usually pretty liberal with the intake, but I don't get stupid. A drink/hour or so. I have a pretty high tolerance for liquor, so I'm able to keep my wits about me pretty well (well enough for a 3/6 game) and it loosens me up (attitude, not card wise) just a little.

I know that every poker "expert" in the world says that even one drink is too many, but I think sobriety is for those who can't handle their liquor. There has been an occasion or two that I have decided no to sit down because of severe intake (15-25 mega-cocktails over the course of about 12 hours), but even then I was sober enough to make the decision not to sit down.

You'll notice that I tend to have 3-6 beers (or beer typ drinks) during a BYOC event. Dealing has a greater effect on the amount consumed rather than any other factor.

If anything it relaxes me enough to where I am not thinking myself out of a hand.....ya know? Like when I go up against you in the head to head tourney......I will probably start drinking before I leave the house! LOL!! :drunken:

[BigKahuna]

I encourage all players at any table I am at to drink. Love it when the alcohol starts making the decisions.

[Hagar]

Just curious BK -

Do you make use of the "bus" before you play?

LOL!!! I forgot about the BUS!!!

Yeah I wanna be at the game where people were on the bus beforehand!

[partykid707]

i do not drink when i play poker unless maybe it is a small stakes game among friends. My biggest problem i have is how much drinking hinders my online bankroll. I will spend weeks upon weeeks building an online bankroll turning my 50 dollar deposit into 3-5 hundred and then one random night i come home piss drunk with big kahunas and play 5/10 or 10/20 and lose huge chunks of my bankroll and half the time i do not even remember doing it. when i'm drunk and lose all care for the value of a dollar especially an online dollar. It has come to the point where if i'm going out drinking i need to start hiding my mouse the same way i hide my keys

What site did you say you played on?

[Moddy]

I had the "Minefield" game here last Friday nite and I got fuggen WRECKED. Buddy of mine and me finished off 2 bottles of Gold Schlager, and 1/2 bottle of Jager. Tack on 6-8 Coronas, and needless to say I had a slight buzz :) I did rather well with that group because I wasn't playing "solid" poker - I was goin w/ my gut - not fearing their raises, and overall I just became one of THEM. LOL

Saturday night was a different story. Had a couple of beers all night - played (what I consider to be) decent poker. Made some good calls - folded when I felt I was beat, and made some pretty mean bluffs. If I was drinking heavily on Saturday night, I would have been lucky to place in the money at all....

[BigKahuna]

The bus has a new happy home with a close friend of mine. Never got a chance to use it but seeing as though I have not had that kind of fun since my late teens....