How much do you drink when you play? |
|
Posted Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:38 am GMT by lwestatbus
Most of my online play is in the evenings when the family is off to bed. This is my personal wind-down from the day time which involves one to three beers or the equal. Since it has been shown that drinkers don't know how impaired they are when driving I assume that the same is true for playing poker.
How much do any of you drink when playing?
Did you know that participating in a poker forum can help you improve your own game? Be it by sharing experiences or simply asking for help, participation in a forum helps you focus and keep 'on topic' which will help you improve your game. You can learn from other players feedback and from their experiences. Why the THP poker forums? We offer one of the best managed texas holdem poker forums available, and the community within is far more friendly than those typicaly found on other sites. We've made a 'lurkers edition' of the poker forum available here on Holdem Poker Online, but we encourage all visitors to register and join in on the conversations on TexasHoldem-Poker.com
Posted Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:53 am GMT by MJJ
that depends on how much booze is in the house...
Seriously, I really stopped doing the drunk online poker thing a couple years ago. As I moved up stakes it became more painfull to have a few too many. When i played drunk I would tend to bluff a little too much and get caught eventually; after a couple dropped buy ins to SNGs I would try to jump stakes to get unstuck (leading to more drinks of course...) Now that I try to be a little more 'serious' about my game, I would hate myself for dropping a few hundred bucks while playing drunk.
Posted Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:21 am GMT by fiezk
I've only played "under influence" a couple of times. Every time (except one new years eve, but let's forget about that  ) I've dropped down in stakes, played a $5 SnG or the likes. It's not all that exciting, but I reckon I still have an edge at those levels.
Another thing I've tried is to play a game that I'm not used to, like 2-7 3-draw or 7S H/L and play it for the lowest stakes possible. It's a lot of fun, but won't put a serious dent in my pocket.
cheers
Posted Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:33 am GMT by tame_deuces
I drink to get drunk.
That may sound bad, but it is the truth. I don't drink often, when I do, I drink to get pissed drunk because...well...I occasionally enjoy being very, very, very drunk, I laugh alot and say lots of stupid things to people and, drink alot of beer and tequila and generally act like drunk people usually do.
I don't drink a beer when watching the soccer game or when I'm with friend on the town I prefer a cup of coffee or a meal to a single beer.
So I don't drink when I play poker either.
Posted Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:42 pm GMT by BeerWench13
| Quote: | | How much do any of you drink when playing? |
It depends.
Online:
1-Normal day 1-2 beers max or 1-2 glasses of wine
2-Tough day at work, need a little more to wind me down 2-6 beers or 1 bottle of wine
3- Monday (i.e. horrible day at work) 3-9 beers or however much wine is in the fridge
4-Weekend day/night varies greatly
Live:
1-In a casino 3 beers, 1 cup of coffee, 1 bottle of water, repeat.
2-Home game I'm usually DD so I don't drink at all
3-Home game when I'm not DD if at someone else's house 2-5 beers
4-Home game at my house unlimited amounts of shots, beer, wine and whatever else will make me puke later.
I'm most successful to date in a casino, but sometimes I have great nights at my house playing drunk out of my mind.
Posted Thu May 04, 2006 7:50 pm GMT by squirrel barefoot
| tame_deuces wrote: |
So I don't drink when I play poker either. |
I very rarely drink when I play poker. I mainly play online, and get so much aggitated, that it is not funny. Alcohol does not let me concentrate and have more fun, no matter how strange that might seem It is usually vice versa for everybody..
Posted Fri May 05, 2006 1:26 am GMT by supafrey
If I'm playing online I'm not sober. I rarely have booze in the house though. Do the math.
Posted Fri May 05, 2006 7:07 am GMT by BeerWench13
| supafrey wrote: | | Do the math. |
1 + 1 = 420?
Posted Fri May 05, 2006 11:45 am GMT by kingetje
i might drink a few beers but i dont drink alot really... though smoking weed/hash is mandatory in home games... i mean, i dont live in the netherlands for nothing
Posted Sat May 06, 2006 11:45 pm GMT by J-Dee
I've definetely had a few in the casinos, they are free....right? 
At home I prefer to blaze up. Marijuana seriously helps me stay focused, don't knock it until you've tried it. Drinking gets me in MUCH more trouble because I think I grow a set of balls when in actuality I'm making very dumb plays. Not good, especially after 4+ beers...
Posted Tue May 09, 2006 6:10 pm GMT by greathuskie
i dont drink.
theres no proof.
Posted Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:58 pm GMT by squirrel barefoot
| kingetje wrote: | | i might drink a few beers but i dont drink alot really... though smoking weed/hash is mandatory in home games... i mean, i dont live in the netherlands for nothing |
I thought those were only stereotypes....) Have you ever ended up under the table trying to survive the attack of the Poker Ghost?
Posted Tue Jun 20, 2006 4:09 pm GMT by supafrey
| squirrel barefoot wrote: | | kingetje wrote: | | i might drink a few beers but i dont drink alot really... though smoking weed/hash is mandatory in home games... i mean, i dont live in the netherlands for nothing |
I thought those were only stereotypes....) Have you ever ended up under the table trying to survive the attack of the Poker Ghost? |
yes. every drug user has freakouts and barely survives.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:02 am GMT by BeerWench13
| supafrey wrote: | | yes. every drug user has freakouts and barely survives. |
 You're so evil, supa.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:04 am GMT by shorn7
I never drink when I am playing (unless I am just scrwwing around live at $2/$4 LHE). Generally, I am putting at least $500 on the table when I play, and I want all my faculties available to me for that kind of dough.
I think there are really very few players in the world who can drink and play well enugh to consistently beat the game. If you are really trying to win $$ and not just "having a good time", I think you need to separate the 2 activities.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:03 am GMT by supafrey
| shorn7 wrote: | I never drink when I am playing (unless I am just scrwwing around live at $2/$4 LHE). Generally, I am putting at least $500 on the table when I play, and I want all my faculties available to me for that kind of dough.
I think there are really very few players in the world who can drink and play well enugh to consistently beat the game. If you are really trying to win $$ and not just "having a good time", I think you need to separate the 2 activities. |
nah.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:18 am GMT by BeerWench13
| shorn7 wrote: | | If you are really trying to win $$ and not just "having a good time |
It is possible to do both at the same time, ya know.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:25 am GMT by crispy cookie
| supafrey wrote: |
yes. every drug user has freakouts and barely survives. |
That's what they always used to tell me at school... 
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:02 am GMT by supafrey
| crispy cookie wrote: | | supafrey wrote: |
yes. every drug user has freakouts and barely survives. |
That's what they always used to tell me at school... |
lol that's why drug awareness initiatives are laughable.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:38 am GMT by shorn7
I am not saying that u can't win at all when you throw a few back. But, there is absolutely no way that your judgment is as good with two drinks in you as it is when sober. When playing in a game that requires your utmost attention, why would you want to give away that edge if your goal is to maximize your winnings?? I just don't see it.
Again, if you are playing as a social thing or if you don't care that you won't win as much or as consistently, then by all means go for it. But, for me I am at the table for one reason and one reason only...to take other people's money. Anything that coud possibly detract from that is bad news.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:41 am GMT by MJJ
For some people a couple drinks helps them loosen up and play better. Guys like Scotty Nguyen always have a beer or two when you see them at a final table to help them stay loose.
I would agree with your point if you said 6 or 8 drinks instead of 2 though...
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:53 am GMT by UrAteUp
I have been on both sides of the fence live and online. A couple of good drinks helps my play. It thins the blood and lets more into the brain... .
I prefer one of marys good sweat roll your owns myself and often find it relaxes me enough to concentrate on the game as a whole, even though I will find myself making some weird calls but still winning.
Ever play under the influence of cid? And I don't mean Lambert here... . I have and all I can say is you might want to think twice before you do. Me, I have had no problem with it, but people tend to think your a raving mad lunatic when they look over and your constantly smiling and always eager to enter the pot... ...oh and the cards have some hidden pictures on the backs as well....
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 10:59 am GMT by BeerWench13
| shorn7 wrote: | | But, there is absolutely no way that your judgment is as good with two drinks in you as it is when sober. |
Perhaps for a 60 lb. weakling or someone who has never had alcohol. Two drinks does not in any way reduce your judgement. In fact, I can get better reads and make better plays when I have had a drink or two than I can when I'm stone-cold sober. Sobriety is overrated.
Drinking at the table is not for everyone. However, just because you or someone you know cannot do it, doesn't mean that others don't have the ability. My goal is not only to make money playing, but to enjoy myself while making money. I've played 14-20 hour sessions in a casino drinking (alternating w/ coffee and water) the entire time and made over a grand each time at $1/2 NL buying in for $150. I've had bad sessions too, but they were not due to any alcohol intake.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:03 pm GMT by Sean_in_NJ
I was playing .05/.10 limit on Titan last night, hammered, raising every pot, talking extreme trash to everyone at my table. If I can find some of the rants, I'll post them. I seem to remember being particularly witty.
I think I broke even too, and then berated everyone for being unable to beat me when I should've been so easily outmatched. I don't think anyone was sorry to see me go.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:32 pm GMT by golddog
Sean's hit on the key point; if you're going to drink, especially while playing online where you can find any number of different limits, just adjust your game down to one of the two being true (probably both end up being true):
-The money is so low, you don't care about losing
-The players are so bad, you can still beat them
Last weekend, on two different night, I just wanted to play after having a few beets. One night I decided $0.05/$0.10 (or was it $0.01/$0.02? $1 buy-in anyway) PL Omaha 8/b was a good idea, and rolled it up to $3.50 in an hour or so.
The next, I played $0.25/$0.50 limit and managed to lose ~$10, cuz those people could actually play a little bit.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:38 pm GMT by BeerWench13
I agree with gold too. Playing online while drinking heavily requires an adjustment of your limits. I seem to play just as well, but once I hit that mark (from having a few drinks to full-on drunk), I have to adjust accordingly. You just have to know your limits.
Online play is a completely different game, IMO. You can't pick up on tells that you may notice in live play, so you have to play the players based on their betting habits. You need to be able to recall how they play, so playing extremely under the influence is not a good idea unless you're playing limits that have golddog's two key points; either the money doesn't matter or you can still win because the players are that bad.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:40 pm GMT by shorn7
Sorry, but I am not convinced. I am sure that if you asked Men or Scotty to be straight up with you whether or not their drinking had a negatvie effect on their play, they would say yes.
Anyway, don't take my post as a "you shouldn't drink when you play" admonition...by all means, do what you think is best for you and what makes you happy. But don't kid yourself by saying it has no effect on you. Alcohol is a drug friends...that is just the truth.
Posted Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:10 pm GMT by supafrey
so is tylenol and coffee. What's your point?
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:58 pm GMT by shorn7
Mind altering drug...I think you knew what I was saying.
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:26 pm GMT by BeerWench13
| shorn7 wrote: | | Mind altering drug |
Some of us need to alter our mind.
Sean, can you name this movie quote?
"Fact: you know why so many drunk drivers get in wrecks? Because they don't learn how to drive drunk."
Tolerance makes a big difference when referring to alcohol or any other "mind altering drug."
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:30 pm GMT by arras
Besides, i think id rather play cards on 3 too many beers than I would 3 too many double espressos.
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:32 pm GMT by MJJ
This might be the place to concede that it is different for different people-
There are guys like Stu unger who was the best player of his time (and maybe ever) who probably never played dead sober or like Men/Scotty who find a couple drinks helps them relax. There are also players who feel that any amount of alcohol/other substance will hurt them.
Like most things, the best answer is 'it depends' on the situation and person...
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:34 pm GMT by golddog
Of course, we've all left out an important factor: defining your goals.
If your goal is to maximize profit, then drinking is not a good idea. If your goal is to have a good time, then a few drink shouldn't hurt; you should be able to find a level you can still beat.
If your goal is some self-destructive behavior, well, then, you oughta head to the NL tables with your whole bankroll.
People never understand when we have some insane notion come up at work why my first question is, "Is our goal still to be profitable?"
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:57 pm GMT by BeerWench13
All I know is that I haven't had a drink in over a week, and I plan on getting heavily sloshed while playing $10NL online one night this week. Will I win? Who knows, but I'm going to have a hell of a time trying.
I will say that if you can't handle your alcohol, you shouldn't drink while playing unless you're not playing to win. Otherwise, eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:49 pm GMT by zinn0
I always like to snort a line of coke off of my dogs back before I play. It helps me relax.
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:01 pm GMT by UrAteUp
| BeerWench13 wrote: | | Otherwise, eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. |
I don't want to be Merry unless that is the name for Mr. Wench...
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:00 pm GMT by arras
| zinn0 wrote: | | I always like to snort a line of coke off of my dogs back before I play. It helps me relax. |
Is it the dog dander that helps? I usually use a stripper's back, but that's just splitting hairs.
Posted Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:03 pm GMT by MJJ
| arras wrote: | | zinn0 wrote: | | I always like to snort a line of coke off of my dogs back before I play. It helps me relax. |
Is it the dog dander that helps? I usually use a stripper's back, but that's just splitting hairs. |
You like hairy strippers?.. Yuck
Posted Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:11 pm GMT by lwestatbus
Wow, I haven't revisited this post in a while and it has grown. Some interesting discussions. I'm a little surprised at the poll numbers showing those that don't drink at all.
Because a lot of my poker playing is in the evening, during my 'wind-down time' it often accompanies a couple of beers or the equivalent. I put up the original post because I was wondering about others' drinking patters. I have noticed some times when I realize that I'm playing like an idiot. But I also believe, but without any note taking to back up the opinion, that being tired is a bigger factor than the drink. Drink on top of being tired is essentially fatal.
Thanks for all the responses.
Posted Fri May 04, 2007 3:34 pm GMT by pokerTim
It all depends on how the game is going. I usually have about 2-3 beers. Sometimes I don't have any.
If the game starts off bad, I figure why not start drinking, but if I get off to a good start, I won't have much to drink.
|
|
