"I'm going to skip basic strategy..."

**Bigdaddy** · 02-13-2017, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Norm

Not at my age. Even in my heavier drinking days, I very rarely even sipped on playing trips. It wasn't so much that it affected my play. In fact, I could concentrate a bit better with some alcohol as it allowed me to ignore the raucous casino and focus on the local environment. But, it tired me. Alcohol is rather odd. In small quantities, it has a stimulating effect. In large quantities, it's a depressant. And, it dehydrates you and takes too long for the kidneys to filter it out. The sum of it is that alcohol is a negative.

+1 excellent insight - won't hear this too much in card-counting literature. Fact of the matter is that for regular drinkers, they're probably dead in the zone with a few in them. Much more of a threat to the casino than the stiff that's drinking coffee.

**moses** · 02-14-2017, 01:09 AM

Sometimes I might have a beer before playing or after a difficult day. I don't know where the tension comes from but it stays in my neck. So a beer gets me ready for the next session or bed...whichever comes first.

**Joe Mama** · 02-14-2017, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by moses

Sometimes I might have a beer before playing or after a difficult day. I don't know where the tension comes from but it stays in my neck. So a beer gets me ready for the next session or bed...whichever comes first.

I found out that I can't have just one drink, so I haven't had one in over 12 years. When I was drinking, I remember practicing play on the computer, and was amazed at the volume of playing errors even after one or two drinks. I thought that little bit of ethanol made me sharper, but the computer did not lie.

**Norm** · 02-14-2017, 07:52 AM

Alcohol can deplete the water-soluble vitamins (C and all the Bs). Also B-1, B-3 and B-6 are used in its metabolization. But then, caffeinated drinks also deplete water-soluble vitamins and can reduce absorption of B vitamins.

**davethebuilder** · 02-14-2017, 09:53 AM

A drink does knock the edge off after a hard day and I find it is better tolerated with a meal. The problem is stopping at one or two so I need to be strong. In the casino with my players card it is all free so I need to be very strong otherwise it will cost me money.