Drugs in poker

[phatomch]

In all my years I only ever removed one person from a comp and that was because he had a huge stack of 50 point chips.

His plan had fallen apart because we hadn't used the 50 point'ers for a few weeks because a stack went missing, I was tempted to email ironsider his thoughts but I was happy to go on my own gut instincts that he was in fact the tea leaf.

[tikay]

Wow, what a great debate!

just to confirm you're talking about the previous 14 pages? LOL

A huge percentage written has been absolute nonsense, written by people who are either purporting to know what they're talking but i would imagine are genrally accepting this is a subject about which they know very little or people who seem to think they have an informed opinion to impart when in fact from what ive read have nothing remotely accurate or coherent to say.

Unless the next three pages are spectacularly insightful this was not anything near approaching a great debate.

I'm embarrassed for some people that have posted on this thread

No, one disagress with the Rt Hon ( & very good to see his return) Bolt.

It IS a great debate, specifically because.....

It's an awkward & emotive subject to Debate - but everyone kept their cool, kept it civil, & despite a huge diversity of opinion, there has not been the need to Delete a single Post. That's a good debate.

You are certainly right about many of the Posters - me especially - not knowing what they/we are talking about. But I don't see that as a problem, because it helps those of us ignorant of drug-culture to better understand.

In my case, having never touched recreational drugs in my life (cigarettes excluded), it was a bit of an eye-opener to see how many people do partake, & to learn about new things - "poppers", amal nitrate, coke, etc. I disagree & disapprove of every aspect of recreational drugs, but that did not detract from my fascination with the subject. Not the least, there is one, single thing I never understood about drug use - why do people do it? I'm none the wiser, even now. Any more than I know why I smoke cigarettes, by the way, so I'm not being holier than thou, it's just one of life's questions I don't get - what on earth makes folks want to do it?

As to the subject of the debate - the guy who caused it - my view was that he should have been excluded, or penalised - but not becauser he did drugs, but because he marred so many people's enjoyment. Because, as it happens, he was as high as a kite, & grossly offensive to his table companions, including a young lady.

Most responses on the thread come from an angle - being that the Posters approve, or disapprove, of drugs. I am no different, nor, I suspect, are you. We simply debate from our respective positions.

Anyway, where you been?

[RED-DOG]

, he was as high as a kite, & grossly offensive to his table companions, including a young lady.

And he upset Ding.

[gatso]

In my case, having never touched recreational drugs in my life (cigarettes excluded)

Tony, do you not consider alcohol to be a recreational drug then? an interesting viewpoint when you do put cigarettes into that group

or was it just an age related oversight?

[gatso]

In my case, having never touched recreational drugs in my life (cigarettes excluded)

Tony, do you not consider alcohol to be a recreational drug then? an interesting viewpoint when you do put cigarettes into that group

or was it just an age related oversight?

or indeed probably the widest used recreational drug of which you are probably one of the biggest users on the forum, caffeine

[AlrightJack]

In my case, having never touched recreational drugs in my life (cigarettes excluded)

Tony, do you not consider alcohol to be a recreational drug then? an interesting viewpoint when you do put cigarettes into that group

or was it just an age related oversight?

He misread his hand. Thought he had Kings, then realised it was SuperKings.

[WYSINWYG]

I don't get - what on earth makes folks want to do it?

-They find life boring
-They are trying to block out unpleasant feelings/memories
-Peer pressure
-Once they start, they're addicted

[WYSINWYG]

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:9A4awoExoZUJ:www.eurad.net/mary/Cannabis%2520and%2520Mental%2520Illness.pdf+CANNABIS+MODERATE+USE+MENTAL+ILLNESS&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13


So some guy wins the WSOP main event but you as the TD thought he was a bit jumpy, so test him. Turns out he's on Coke, speed, Nootropil and Valium, having taken them at different stages of the tourney. What do you do?

[Karabiner]

Anyone have any views on Stu Ungar while we're on the subject ?

[ShatnerPants]

So some guy wins the WSOP main event but you as the TD thought he was a bit jumpy, so test him. Turns out he's on Coke, speed, Nootropil and Valium, having taken them at different stages of the tourney. What do you do?

Put him in touch with a supplier you can get a good rakeback from ?

[boldie]

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:9A4awoExoZUJ:www.eurad.net/mary/Cannabis%2520and%2520Mental%2520Illness.pdf+CANNABIS+MODERATE+USE+MENTAL+ILLNESS&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13


So some guy wins the WSOP main event but you as the TD thought he was a bit jumpy, so test him. Turns out he's on Coke, speed, Nootropil and Valium, having taken them at different stages of the tourney. What do you do?

Not really an issue, is it? the problem was that the guy was an arse..not that he was stoned, no?

[boldie]

I don't get - what on earth makes folks want to do it?

-They find life boring
-They are trying to block out unpleasant feelings/memories
-Peer pressure
-Once they start, they're addicted

- they want to see what the big deal is and find they like it and they don't get hooked immediatly.

- they like the feeling they get, and the fact that they can have a nice quiet smoke with a couple of other relaxed people, while playing a game of chess and drinking a cup of tea. Rather than being stuck in a pub full of agressive drunken louts.

- it brings out their creative side.

[WYSINWYG]

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:9A4awoExoZUJ:www.eurad.net/mary/Cannabis%2520and%2520Mental%2520Illness.pdf+CANNABIS+MODERATE+USE+MENTAL+ILLNESS&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13


So some guy wins the WSOP main event but you as the TD thought he was a bit jumpy, so test him. Turns out he's on Coke, speed, Nootropil and Valium, having taken them at different stages of the tourney. What do you do?

Not really an issue, is it? the problem was that the guy was an arse..not that he was stoned, no?

The problem was that he won a sport of mental performance while using mind-enhancing and mood-modulating drugs. Obv the extent to which this can help you WIN is well open to debate but:
-a lot of people (inc myself) consider poker to be a sport. Albeit a sport that heavily uses your mind (at times). Other sports ban athletes who attempt to gain an unfair edge by chemical means, why does poker get off?

If the main event runs a LONG time, then u see how tired is everyone is getting, the guy who decides to resort to illegal stimulants will often have an edge, ceteris paribus.

I'm just throwing this out there as an idea, I don't really have a strong stance on it either way.

[boldie]

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:9A4awoExoZUJ:www.eurad.net/mary/Cannabis%2520and%2520Mental%2520Illness.pdf+CANNABIS+MODERATE+USE+MENTAL+ILLNESS&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13


So some guy wins the WSOP main event but you as the TD thought he was a bit jumpy, so test him. Turns out he's on Coke, speed, Nootropil and Valium, having taken them at different stages of the tourney. What do you do?

Not really an issue, is it? the problem was that the guy was an arse..not that he was stoned, no?

The problem was that he won a sport of mental performance while using mind-enhancing and mood-modulating drugs. Obv the extent to which this can help you WIN is well open to debate but:
-a lot of people (inc myself) consider poker to be a sport. Albeit a sport that heavily uses your mind (at times). Other sports ban athletes who attempt to gain an unfair edge by chemical means, why does poker get off?

If the main event runs a LONG time, then u see how tired is everyone is getting, the guy who decides to resort to illegal stimulants will often have an edge, ceteris paribus.

I'm just throwing this out there as an idea, I don't really have a strong stance on it either way.

everyone on Red Bull could have an edge as well.

I doubt that there is a drug out there that would have a positive effect on someone's poker skills. A poker player like Ivey (to name but one) is good for a lot of reasons, one of which is his mental attitude. That would be altered if he took cocaine or something like that thus making him more inclined to bugger up.


p.s. Poker is most definitey not a sport...although some poker players i know would love to be classed as Athletes, they most certainy aren't.

edit before the whole "poker is a sport" nonsense debate kicks off.

http://www.sportdevelopment.org.uk/html/eucharter.html definition of sport, let's not argue that poker is a physical activity please.

Sport" means all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels.

[ShatnerPants]

http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:9A4awoExoZUJ:www.eurad.net/mary/Cannabis%2520and%2520Mental%2520Illness.pdf+CANNABIS+MODERATE+USE+MENTAL+ILLNESS&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=13


So some guy wins the WSOP main event but you as the TD thought he was a bit jumpy, so test him. Turns out he's on Coke, speed, Nootropil and Valium, having taken them at different stages of the tourney. What do you do?

Not really an issue, is it? the problem was that the guy was an arse..not that he was stoned, no?

The problem was that he won a sport of mental performance while using mind-enhancing and mood-modulating drugs. Obv the extent to which this can help you WIN is well open to debate but:
-a lot of people (inc myself) consider poker to be a sport. Albeit a sport that heavily uses your mind (at times). Other sports ban athletes who attempt to gain an unfair edge by chemical means, why does poker get off?

If the main event runs a LONG time, then u see how tired is everyone is getting, the guy who decides to resort to illegal stimulants will often have an edge, ceteris paribus.

I'm just throwing this out there as an idea, I don't really have a strong stance on it either way.

I don't believe there's anything in place with the WSOP about drug use.  So it's not an issue.

Once Negraenu and his pals see young, up and coming internet pros gaining an advantage because of their drug use, that's when it'll become illegal.