Drinking and Smoking

We always associate poker games with a bunch of poker players drinking some whisky and constantly smoking at a poker table. However, this is just another poker myth. The fact is that alcohol and cigarettes are the worst ally for any poker player.

Everybody handles alcohol differently. But, when it comes to poker games the best thing to do if we want to win big money is to be sober. This doesn't mean that when playing poker one shouldn't drink at all.

Poker hands are much more than a game. Poker is a way of life and a very important social event. We can have a couple of drinks during a poker hand, but never mix different alcoholic substances, or have drinks that we are not used to drink, for we don't know the effect they will have on us and, therefore, on our poker skills.

After a couple of drinks, no matter the alcoholic substance we drink, we are not so much in control and our poker skills are not at their best. When playing poker with not very good poker players, this cannot make too much of a difference, and we can even make some money. However, when playing poker with professional poker players, having had some extra drinks can make us loose lots of money.