Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin, increases alertness, energy, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure for a short time. It is used to treat ADHD, but others take them illegally as a study drug for exams to prevent mental fatigue.

Do you think this type of doping is consider cheating? When you do a 12 hour tournament the final hours is a battle against fatigue. It is hard for most recreational players to go 12 hours without ending up in mental fatigue.

A number of players have been somewhat open about taking drugs of various kinds.

Obviously quite a few smoke pot to relax - the joke being at any given time during the WSOP you go outside an exit and find yourself in a cloud of marijuana smoke as many take a hit on break.

However, others such as Charlie Carroll have discussed periods using various stimulants.

I do not think it should be illegal because such drugs affect everyone in different ways. One drug might focus one players attention but it might render another confused and distracted (whether speed or pot its user dependent). You can only have a general idea of effect and a not precise measurable one.

Besides which, I feel at this point we have become accepting in our overall take on drugs. After all, some get frenetic on multiple cups of coffee and others down alcohol to the the point of getting messy at the felt and no one is going to pull either of those.

I think it all becomes pointless when you think about the rampant use of stimulant in colleges, sports and other areas of competition.. If there's an edge to be had, people will go all-in.

Accepted with high probability.

Hi.
I believe that true professional players will never use stimulants, drugs, or doping. I am convinced that the question of endurance depends only on the physical shape of the player and his experience.
Good luck.

It is possible that players use such stimulants, but I do not think that this will be strictly prohibited.

First, poker is not yet a sport to establish doping control, and second, it has a different effect on a person, there is no guarantee that this will have a positive effect on the player.

Third, even if someone is mentally fresher than the others, this does not give them a great advantage, since poker is not chess, then the cards that you are dealt and the element of luck are more important. Even the smartest one can't do anything if the opponent gets aces.

Originally Posted by Newzooozooo

Hi.
I believe that true professional players will never use stimulants, drugs, or doping. I am convinced that the question of endurance depends only on the physical shape of the player and his experience.
Good luck.

I agree with this. In many things that are mentally competitive like poker (chess comes to mind), the best players usually value nutrition and stay in good physical shape. I think drinking water and trying to remain focused on the poker would do more than substances.

I don't know that the lens through which to view any form of cheating is, "can it make someone better than the top professionals?"

Instead:

Can it give someone an unfair edge vs rec players, who are important to the poker economy?

Does it create a "keeping up with the Joneses" rat race?

And ultimately:

Is it good or bad for the game?

I don't know the answers to these questions. But they are worth considering.

Coffee and sugar are drugs so your saying drinking redbull is unfair?

Probably yes but not as much as sum would think. I would assume sum of em are on cloud 9 just make a final table and sum are on the 💰 high getting amped up just because of winning and adrenalin. To each his own I guess, good luck and have fun..


Hey, hey, hey, im on vacation every single day because I love my occupation..

Originally Posted by blix177

Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin, increases alertness, energy, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure for a short time. It is used to treat ADHD, but others take them illegally as a study drug for exams to prevent mental fatigue.

Do you think this type of doping is consider cheating? When you do a 12 hour tournament the final hours is a battle against fatigue. It is hard for most recreational players to go 12 hours without ending up in mental fatigue.

Don`t know if it could be forbidden, but then the natural drugs as ginkgo biloba, maca peruana, ginseng, should add to the list.
Yoga and meditation should be avoided as well.

Originally Posted by Newzooozooo

Hi.
I believe that true professional players will never use stimulants, drugs, or doping. I am convinced that the question of endurance depends only on the physical shape of the player and his experience.
Good luck.

It is not a question of your belief.

Numerous professionals openly admit to smoking marijuana (Bryn Kenney etc)

https://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyl...d-series-poker

Further I am sure many take stimulants as detailed by Charlie Carrol. Each one to his own. Some people fail to grasp that certain drugs enhance others mood and play. On top of that there is zero regulation so if someone wants to play as high as a kite, so be it.

For what it is worth I do no drugs myself but have been acquainted with some hyper individuals who seriously imbibe just to chill themselves enough to undertake complicated tasks.

Originally Posted by Newzooozooo

Hi.
I believe that true professional players will never use stimulants, drugs, or doping. I am convinced that the question of endurance depends only on the physical shape of the player and his experience.
Good luck.

i agree lets start wide spread drug testing of both live and online players. (SARCASM)

In general, I believe that taking any stimulants, especially drugs, while playing in a tournament is a scam. I do not mind if players who play online, drink alcohol, or smoke marijuana, but while playing live, I think that this behavior of players is unacceptable.

Originally Posted by blix177

Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin, increases alertness, energy, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure for a short time. It is used to treat ADHD, but others take them illegally as a study drug for exams to prevent mental fatigue.
Do you think this type of doping is consider cheating? When you do a 12 hour tournament the final hours is a battle against fatigue. It is hard for most recreational players to go 12 hours without ending up in mental fatigue.

I believe it depends on the imposed rule. If it is determined that it is possible to use, that's fine.

As I see it we are all made up of chemicals in one sense or another. That is why we are given prescribed drugs to adjust or treat an illness to balance the chemistry in our bodies or brains (depending on the issue).

Couple things people will usually roll their eyes at is the fact that sugar for example is a widely accepted drug.

A highly cited study in the journal http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763407000589 found that sugar—as pervasive as it is—meets the criteria for a substance of abuse and may be addictive to those who binge on it. It does this by affecting the chemistry of the limbic system, the part of the brain that’s associated with emotional control.

ref: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/addiction-sugar-acts-like-drug-in-the-brain-and-could-lead-to-addiction-091813#:~:text=Brain%20scans%20have%20confirmed%20that,those%20who%20binge%20on%20it.

Most of us realize caffeine is a drug as well and nobody questions its use in the form of coffee or tea for example. But it clearly helps some of us with alertness and focus.

My problem with banning "drugs" is how to you draw an actual line and define what is "acceptable".

As someone in his late 50s whom has smoked marijuana for pain since the 80s (when it was a "Conspiracy theory"). I have little trust in what the FDA. CDC or WHO use as definitions given their blatant political backlash against marijuana this past century.

I think this is a personal decision that needs to be made by the individual. And have no problem with it regardless of what form it's taken in.

Just my opinion, but I highly doubt it can be properly enforced anyway

Taking drugs at the poker table for an edge for a mental game does not constitute cheating in my mind. Your job at the poker table is to find every way in which you can gain an edge over your opponents. If drinking helps (alcohol is a drug) then by all means drink responsibly and win some hands and I don't think this is cheating. Similarly, taking Ritalin or even other drugs doesn't matter because it's about how you can get an edge mentally. I definitely know a lot of players that play under the influence of something. I never bat an eye at it because my game stays constant regardless of the influence others may be under.

Any type of drug is illegal, and under no circumstances should drugs be taken, I don't think they will, maybe to stay awake, those vicious gamblers, however they can take painkillers to maintain good decisions, but it is something which would not be advisable to do.

Meditaion and mindfulness would probably work better. Staying relaxed and calm leads to better decisions.

Originally Posted by blix177

Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin, increases alertness, energy, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure for a short time. It is used to treat ADHD, but others take them illegally as a study drug for exams to prevent mental fatigue.

Do you think this type of doping is consider cheating? When you do a 12 hour tournament the final hours is a battle against fatigue. It is hard for most recreational players to go 12 hours without ending up in mental fatigue.

Hello, I agree with many here that drugs and some stimulants will not give you an advantage, and I agree that they act on everyone differently! Poker is a distance game and you just need to train your perseverance and patience, and on drugs and stimulants you will not last long, as this will affect your health! I don't think a lot of professional players use drugs for the benefit of poker, if anyone uses it, it's just for entertainment! And by the way, poker is not considered an official sport, in order to do doping control in it, but if it were included in the Olympic Games, then I think I would tighten the rules! Do not judge me strictly, this is just my opinion! Good luck to you!

each one with his own ... who are we to judge people for those acts ... if it is good for them to play well for them ... for my part I do not use any kind of doping nor would I use other methods like coffee or mate that is used a lot in Argentina, best regards !!!

Performance enhancing drugs are likely common.

Probably the two most common are those that increase alertness/concentration (drugs targeted at ADHD and narcolepsy, possibly those targeting cognitive decline - but those are less readily available); and those that target anxiety/nervousness tells (benzodiazapines and beta blockers).

Some will have legitimate prescriptions for diagnosed conditions, others will be acquiring them in countries where dubious prescriptions are readily available, others will be purchasing them illegally.

See this research for details,

https://www.slideshare.net/kclauson/use-of-cognitive-and-performance-enhancing-medications-in-poker-players

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100601171840.htm

Well, I guess if your chip stack get's too big, you might need to take steroids to lift them...

You should sleep enough, eat healthy, and drink Water or fruit juice--- NOTHING ELSE if you play Poker---- This Dirty Acting with drugs is not Professionell and will kill you later--Have a good game!

Not sure i would consider it cheating. I know stimulants may help in the long days but is it really a help to there game? I dont know. When I play in a big tournament like this I usually dont play any poker a few days before hand and attempt to get a lot of sleep in prior to the tournament. While the long days are exhausting, I never seem to lose focus or get tired. Maybe I am lucky this was or it because I took care of myself prior to the tournament.

I think this is all nonsense, nobody takes any drugs. The main thing is to know the theory and a lot of practice. And poker victories are just around the corner.

Those players who are up there and have been staying for a few years are doing too well with their psyche and they don't need anything else to help.

I think that poker pros don't do drugs, they use their IQ to the fullest.

Originally Posted by DS3

It is not a question of your belief.

Numerous professionals openly admit to smoking marijuana (Bryn Kenney etc)

https://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyle/secret-history-cannabis-world-series-poker

Further I am sure many take stimulants as detailed by Charlie Carrol. Each one to his own. Some people fail to grasp that certain drugs enhance others mood and play. On top of that there is zero regulation so if someone wants to play as high as a kite, so be it.

For what it is worth I do no drugs myself but have been acquainted with some hyper individuals who seriously imbibe just to chill themselves enough to undertake complicated tasks.

Obviously, players who take drugs will sooner or later have a serious problem. Dead professionals can no longer win.

Originally Posted by Newzooozooo

Obviously, players who take drugs will sooner or later have a serious problem. Dead professionals can no longer win.

Marijuana is now legal in 18 US states with the number climbing rapidly. So your comments are uninformed and absurdly alarmist. Millions and millions of people around the world indulge in marijuana and do not have 'serious' problems...they do not die from smoking pot.

Ridiculous comment.

I have known non-professional players who take drugs like pot, who supposedly to relax, but I consider that it is not necessary to take drugs, to play poker well, I do not know any professional player who uses drugs.

Hello.
In my opinion, most professional players follow a healthy lifestyle and do not use alcohol or drugs. At least they do not use drugs or alcohol during a live tournament. Players become professionals through skill and experience, not through psychotropic substances.

Originally Posted by DS3

Marijuana is now legal in 18 US states with the number climbing rapidly. So your comments are uninformed and absurdly alarmist. Millions and millions of people around the world indulge in marijuana and do not have 'serious' problems...they do not die from smoking pot.

Ridiculous comment.

I am not against marijuana, but in my opinion it is better to choose sports than smoking.
Instead of criticizing my comments, try to focus on improving your skills, you may be able to achieve better results.

No I prefer a healthy lifestyle to debauchery, medicine and drugs

It is difficult for anyone to live 12 hours without fatigue, not just the players. The drug user only harms himself. But at the same time, it seems to me that many professional players have tried any drugs at least once in order to understand how it will work on them.

Thats a bad habit to health, but the use of HUDs cheatiest than it.

Originally Posted by blix177

Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin, increases alertness, energy, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure for a short time. It is used to treat ADHD, but others take them illegally as a study drug for exams to prevent mental fatigue.

Do you think this type of doping is consider cheating? When you do a 12 hour tournament the final hours is a battle against fatigue. It is hard for most recreational players to go 12 hours without ending up in mental fatigue.

Unfortunately, being one of the strongest cards and preflop hands, I always play it all in and for that reason in poker I can't fold anymore, even though I once played until the post flop but still I never folded, because the baddest hands knew how to beat me.

Yes people have many different opinions of taking a stimulant to help them in a 12-hour tournament, but I really don't think it is illegal unless you're pro curing the medication from the street or from another person or if you're not being prescribed them yourself in that case it would be illegal,

I think at this point it would be more of moral issue than an illegal one...

I don't see any problem about it. I do not consider it cheating.

yeah, I think they may take some to focus

Of course, yes, this is, for example, comparable to when players on the Internet use prohibited programs that give advantages over oponents, regardless of their knowledge and skills

I hadn't even seen this happening in poker tournaments around the world, people using drugs for high performance, I'm not really accepted with this idea of ​​benefiting from using drugs.

i don't think it’s exactly cheating. They’re will Ben side effects and crash after, so if that what they want to do, so be it.

Personally, I wouldn’t use those, but nothing against booster shots and caffeine.

I think it is ridiculous to consider any of these drugs mentioned as truly "performance enhancing drugs".

In any case, I also think a person should have the right to do what they want as long as it isn't hurting anyone else. That would be difficult to do with "hard drugs", given that the existence of the market itself is harmful all along the supply chain.

However, as others have said, Cannabis has become legal in many states, all across Canada, in Portugal, South Africa, several South American countries and has been decriminalised in many others. It is used as an appetite

There are a lot of judgemental folk here it would seem... Y'all might want to walk a few miles in another person's shoes before you make your mind up about what is right and what is wrong.

I know folks who had no appetite/couldn't keep food down following Cancer treatment, until they tried cannabis. I know folk who were almost paralysed by anxiety, until their doctor prescribed Cannabis. They became a fully functioning person again. I know MANY folks who suffer from various forms of pain -- back pain, arthritis, knee/hip/joint pain...and guess what? Prescribed cannabis alleviated their pain.

Now, I don't think it is likely a cure-all...nothing is. But who are we to deny these folks substances which can improve the quality of their lives?

Rather than criminalising those who have lost their way and become addicted, we should help them. I'd far rather spend my "tax dollars" on making people succeed rather than locking them up (though murderers, rapists and kiddie fiddlers can all find their success on a remote island somewhere).

But back to the topic, I really don't mind what people do whilst they play poker as long as they don't turn into an ass-hat whilst doing it.

The whole drug debate is tedious though, as corporations are filling us with all kinds of things in the name of capitalism that are no better for us than what we call drugs. And "drugs" really just means government regulated chemical. Otherwise, everything is a drug. Everything is a chemical... everything we consume has a physiological and psychological effect.

Cheers,
ObbleeXY

Originally Posted by blix177

Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin, increases alertness, energy, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure for a short time. It is used to treat ADHD, but others take them illegally as a study drug for exams to prevent mental fatigue.

Do you think this type of doping is consider cheating? When you do a 12 hour tournament the final hours is a battle against fatigue. It is hard for most recreational players to go 12 hours without ending up in mental fatigue.

I didn't do drugs myself, but I know that legendary champion Stu Unger did drugs all the time

If Poker was recognised as a Sport and as some predict that it could be introduced as an Olympic event, then I am sure governing bodies would see it as cheating.
Any form of drugs can be addictive and become a problem for the person taking them, I know people who are addicted to over the counter, and presumption pain killers like Co-codamol and Codeine, even caffeine based drugs like Pro-Plus are bad for you, if you don't follow the recommended dosage.
Just because a drug might become legal like Cannabis etc, does not mean you should abuse it, and unless there is a medical reason for using any drug there really is no reason why a perfectly healthy person should resort to using any drug for anything other than the purpose for which it was intended.
I have played against Cannabis smokers in some live games, and for all the excuses they use to justify playing stoned, they are still beatable, because they fear nothing and they have a over-rated self belief that it helps them play.
I have even heard Cigarette smoker use the excuse that smoking helps them concentrate, Nicotine has no effect whatsoever on a person's ability to concentrate.
It is only the person's belief in the drug helping them to play better, that makes them believe they are helping.

When the fun Stops, STOP!

The issue of drug use during or before the game on the LINE or face-to-face, if poker is considered by many to be a sport, the consumption of drugs by players during a major competition should be considered as a drug used to be able to favor advantages to the player both online and in person, but it is up to each person what they want to consume or not, it is worth remembering that drug abuse in poker can indeed present advantages or disadvantages for the player.

Originally Posted by Newzooozooo

I am not against marijuana, but in my opinion it is better to choose sports than smoking.
Instead of criticizing my comments, try to focus on improving your skills, you may be able to achieve better results.

Try not to make ridiculous comments, that way no one will criticize them.

To give advise, one has to have something to back them up.

I'll take whatever this guy is on.

You Tube

I despise the pharmaceutical industry and these days, I won't even take so much as an aspirin. I just suffer thru whatever pain I might be experiencing, and the reason is because pain is a very important message to listen to, pain tells us that we have a physical problem that we should tend to immediately... and the way to tend to it is NOT BY TAKING PILLS, the way to tend to it is to address the issue head-on and confront it, deal with it, resolve it. Of course I understand that being in pain is a terrible state of mind, but that should increase our urgency of dealing with the root cause of the pain. Sometimes there's not very much we can do, such as spraining an ankle, the real cure for that is simply time, wait it out and let the body heal itself. But even in this case, I refuse to give in and take a pill, I just suffer thru it. I know it makes me a bit "odd" compared to others, but I am astonished at how many people just gobble down all kinds of drugs, and how they trust the doctors who prescribe those drugs, not realizing most of those doctors are getting kickback "bribes" or "payoffs" from the pharmaceutical drug companies and so their ultimate motivation is money, not "health". I refuse to participate in the medical community, I only would go to a doctor these days for something mechanical, such as a broken bone. But I'll never accept a doctor whose solution to a painful issue is "here, take these pills". The last time I saw a doctor, this is precisely what he did, and that was the last straw for me. I didn't fill the prescription he gave me, instead, I worked on my diet and solved my digestive problems naturally, with NO drugs at all. Ever since then, I have sworn off doctors, and of course I realize there are still good doctors out there who aren't so driven by money, but they get harder to find with each passing year, basically they are the older doctors who are nearing retirement age, the younger university-trained doctors are a lost cause at this point, they are fully immersed in the pharmaceutical solutions. If that works for you, great, but it doesn't work for me. Just look at what these idiots have done over the past 18 months, promoting this fraud and hoax... the medical community is just as immoral and unethical as any other industry, perhaps even moreso... and yet almost all humans believe doctors can do no wrong... think again.