Study: Poker Players Use Drugs To Enhance Performance

[HuckleB]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/190638.php

"A Nova Southeastern University study recently presented at a national conference found that 80 percent of poker players around the world reported using drugs and other substances to enhance their performance in poker.

Poker players are using drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, Valium, and other prescription medications, as well as substances including caffeine, energy drinks and guarana to get an edge over their opponents.

"The use these substances could allow poker players to stay awake longer, as well as focus and concentrate better, which would be a competitive advantage," said Kevin Clauson, Pharm.D., an associate professor at NSU's College of Pharmacy, who was the principle investigator in the study. "Stamina is important for any poker player because tournament poker and cash games can go on for many hours."

Using these substances can be harmful for poker players, Clauson said. Depending on the type of substance, he pointed out; there will likely be short-term and long-term side effects.

..."

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A new career in the making for Barry Bonds and Floyd Landis!

:applause:

[liberal N proud]

1. The pumped up poker player

:rofl:

[Lasher]

2. Marijuana helps them concentrate?

Imagine Cheech and Chong in a poker game.

[eShirl]

6. Maybe they give it to their opponents, while they stick to coffee instead.

otherwise, wtf?

[HuckleB]

7. Whether it actually works or not may not be the issue.

Some people may perceive that they concentrate better when they've smoked up. And personal conviction is all that is needed for most, it seems.

[PassingFair]

12. If you don't BUZZ IN, you can't answer. Never underestimate a pot smoker!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2H8IOzWAuo

Cheech Marin....2 time Jeopardy Champion

[Lasher]

16. Woah, that was funny!

I like Cheech and AC.

[JackRiddler]

13. Staying relaxed may be more important than concentration...

In itself, Texas hold'em is not a very sophisticated or complicated game compared to other varieties of poker (let alone bridge and the like). It's come to dominate because prizes are so high, and that's because everyone can understand the rules. It's often more about acting like a dick in advance of a coin-flip (declaring all-in when you don't even know three of your own cards) -- more importantly, knowing when not to do that. Psychology is as important as the cards. If you have a strategy that you know well, you still may not follow it if you're not relaxed. Or you may otherwise tip your hand. etc. etc. It may pay not to get too worked up and invested.

Of course, effects of marijuana do vary. To some it's a better stimulant than coffee, and makes others paranoid.

There should be no restrictions on this at least until drugs are developed that can be proven scientifically to enhance card-counting ability, or give you powers of hypnosis.

[slampoet]

14. Marijuana helps people born without empathy to read other's emotions. There's the poker advantage.

[JackRiddler]

15. There's some extreme thinking implied there you may not subscribe to.

Short of bad brain damage people are not born without emphathy. It gets trained out of them, sometimes beaten out of them.

[slampoet]

17. No. I have seen whole cities w/o the abilty to read emotions cold w/o stimuli.

and your fellow DUers have a current thread to the contrary

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8463708&mesg_id=8463708

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. lol

[Xipe Totec]

3. What, no botox? nt

[SoFlaJet]

4. Ahhh...and I thought their wearing sunglasses...

was to thwart their "tells" not to hide bloodshot or pinned eyes..

[Romulox]

5. Ummm, what about tabacky and sugar?

:hi:

[Missy Vixen]

8. I play poker

I play sober. I'm sure it helps me beat others who indulge. Routinely.

:woohoo:

[HuckleB]

9. That is a beautiful strategy!

[Cosmocat]

11. I have a few games I play in ...

One of them at least half the guys smoke up before and during the game ... They are pretty high strung guys to begin with, might be using other substances and trying to take the edge off with the weed ...

I don't drink alcohol at all, maybe late in some games if they are winding down and I want to take the edge off ... I don't have enough money to be dulled with beer ...

I do definitely bring some diet Mountain Dew a lot of the time, to keep me going, but I have to be careful, because if I get too much caffeine in me, I get too amped up in big hands ...

[KittyWampus]

10. I only ever used my spidey-sense. Either won or broke even. Always kept loses minimal.

[HuckleB]

19. Isn't that what they all say?

;)