Poker on an empty stomach

This may seem pretty funny and I probably wouldn't consider myself the least bit supersticious but I have to say that I play amazing poker when I don't eat breakfast and just have coffee. If I wait a little longer for lunch, I tend to play much better than if I eat while I am playing. Does anyone else notice a trend like that? Do you have anything that you have to do to keep up your streak? Just wondering... that is mine.

I'm a wreck if I don't eat. Although too much food can make you sleepy. And I don't play well if I'm eating while playing.

I play good poker when I am not eating while I play. I have figured out that much when it comes to food and poker. =) Oh! Less liquids too!

It definitely is going to be different between different people. It is a personal thing. If I did not eat before playing I would play quicker and more reckless just thinking about what is on the other end, food!

Whatever works for u! I eat - some of the tourney's are just too long for me to get thru w/out eating. But, if it's working for you - stick w/ it...

I still like to have some munchies beside the mouse just to take the edge off.

What ever works best for you then stick with it, or, pass the peanuts!

I always play on a empty stomach if i can, makes me more alert.

Maybe with an empty stomach the caffeine is hitting you more. Personally, I think caffeine really helps me play, especially multi-tabling cash table.

I will have a snack while playing. Since I generally fold most hands immediately, having a bite to eat passes some of the time in between hands. Plus, I stay more focused when I am not hungry.

They also say chewing gum makes you focus better.

Must admit - if i have just eaten I dont play as good. Bit too relaXed i think. A few beers is just right!

Eating while I play poker is really distracting and tends to make me more tired...so I'm better when I play on an empty stomach! I usually like sipping on some Crystal light lemonade as I play...not too much though!

Eating is way too distracting, especially if you are eating finger foods like fries or chicken fingers...lol. A few beers is also very fun poker...only a few.

If you eat a good meal before playing, your mind will be more alert and you will make better decisions. So playing poker on an empty stomach is actually a bad thing.

It's like taking a test in high school when you were really hungry, you tend to not do so well on the test.

i usualy eat while playing.. idk, it just makes me play better, haha.

...im the complete oppisite to be honest...If i dont eat, i get very distracted and fustrate very easy...plau im counting the odds on how many times my stomach will make noise, instead of the odds in poker :-)

I actually find that I play a little better when I am tired or sick. It sounds weird but I think because it requires me to focus more I am less likely to make some loose calls or reckless bluffs than I might otherwise do. The longer I play the better I seem to do too. Which is why I only play freerolls early in the day and play buy ins later.

I'm a big guy so I just like to eat period. Poker or no poker

+1 to that.

lol...I always have a good game if I eat and take a nap before a tournament.

+1 to that.... all of my best winning sessions playing live were when I was nearly falling asleep....except for one big tourny cash, same is true for online play...
get into that zone between awake and sleeping...get all zen and what not



+2 to that one

if that's true....I'm puzzled as to why you dont have a good game every time you play........

cause you eat then nap every day

Never really thought about this, but I couldn't enjoy the game on an empty stomach. I have low blood sugar, so empty stomach = feeling miserable.

I always have to have a coke zero by the computer, in a glass with ice. I have had great sucess while having this at the table so a few months ago I just made it a tradition to have a coke zero with ice.

Personally I never eat breakfast... I have been this way all my life unless when I was a little kid my parents FORCE FED me or wouldnt let me do anything unless I eat breakfast... LOOOONG time ago

Anyway, back to the point, I then started drinking coffee in the morning and la la la... but I suffer from panic attacks.

My doctor put me on xanax 3 years ago now so I can't drink caffiene and now that im tolerating the xanax it helps me play a lot better (it relaxes you) and I dont ever go on tilt.

That's how I get by in short,
Moe

Lol, I can't feel hungry. I start to get antsy if I'm hungry. The other thing I've learned is not to play when you're tired. I lost my whole BR on FTP because I was too tired to think straight... (then again it was only $4.)

I feel I play best about an hour or so after a small meal. If I don't eat and I'm hungry I will play loose and make very poor decisions.

On the other hand, if I eat too much I feel lazy and tired and will make some stupid bets and calls.

I vote to eat but depends what works for you

If i don't eat enough before i play poker it definetely will affect my game, cant concentrate with a growling stomach.

I personally cannot play well if I don't eat breakfast... But after eating I'll have some coffee and be ready to play.... I rather play with coffee because it keeps me up and focused but with out food I feel dizzy and have many other side effects...

I will never try it again at a tournament. I was jittery and coulod not focus. Big mistake!

I remember Daniel Negreanu make a few posts about how he seems to do better when he's hungry. I found one quote in his blog:

"It’s pretty strange actually. I must play better when I’m hungry, not only in the metaphorical sense, but literally!" -Daniel Negreanu

I am exactly the same! I live in Australia so the time difference is quite large and the big tournaments that happen in america start at about 4 or 5am here so i go downstairs and pretty much lock my self in the study for like 6 hours till i have an early lunch.

This seems to work for me and it also means that i dont have to get up and walk to the kitchen to get some food! lol