Here’s a fascinating study on sleep deprivation and correlation in playing tournament chess. This is actually what spurred my interest on this topic.  My performance level dipped down if I was a bit tired.  Now if I was exhausted from a long days of work I’d drop down a 100 elo points.  It’s that apparent.  I translated that to my poker game and realized how essential sleep is.

Here’s the list of PEDs (performance enhancing drugs) for poker players and gamers alike I’ve witnessed.  Do so at your own risk.

1.) Liquor (what…the entire article talks about lack of sleep and how not to drink and play poker.)  If it works for you then go right on ahead.  After all Scotty Nguyen won the $50k HORSE while hammered…lolz!

2.) Smoking greens.  If you’re in Canada it’s probably a norm.  It seems to calm ones’ nerves.  Personally I can’t tell whether the player is bluffing, tilting, has a hand or is too stoned to even know.

3.) Ecstasy – Probably not recommended.  The only advantage I could say is that one will probably be folding 99% of the times due to the fact that he/she is frying balls.  Can’t lose what’s not in the pot.

4.) Six hour power shots from 7-11.  Apparently it works pretty well!

5.) Coffee – Proven elixir.  Easily the most popular choice among the ‘squares.’

6.) Red Bull – Great for a 30 minute window til one crashes.  *World ranked #2 GM Hikaru Nakamura usually has a can nearby while playing chess.

7.) Cigarettes – While extremely common, it is a PED imo as it helps calms the nerves of stressed out players albeit temporarily.

8.) Shrooms & Acid.  Although I’ve yet to hear or see anybody play poker on shrooms or acid, I’d imagine it would be a major trip! 

9.) Coke – Yep, good ol’ fashioned Coca Cola has caffeine and sugar to keep you up for a lil while for that extra kick.

10.) Coke – The urban fuel version.

In the end I think we all know what’s conducive to winning in poker. It all boils down to discipline.  How does one know when to call it a night.  The body gives us warning signs, but with the copious amounts of stimulants at our disposal why not indulge.  We can always win it back and some.