I never drink while playing. I want to be 100% lucid at the poker table
Alcohol impairs your decision making. It makes you less inhibited. Not a good thing when you are playing poker me thinks.
For those non-drinkers, it might be a good idea to get club soda or something that appears to be alcoholic. I might be going crazy with this, but it seems people don't respect me as much as a player as they look at me drinking a beer every 30 minutes or so. At this rate it doesn't really do anything for me but calms my nerves.
some good comments here, well the true grinder saying goes never drink well playing.
however... I'll drink live If I feel like drinking. It doesn't effect my game I play the same range and stay disciplined even after 7 or 8.
Im a hell of alot more talkitive drunk im like daniel neagranu im cracking jokes trying to get reactions from people asking them questions about their game for information and I think the fearlessness from the alcohol actually helps my game because of confidence I get respect at final table and people are weary about trying to bully me on raises and blinds
I normally have a beer or a Captain and Coke to calm the nerves when I play live. I have found that when I play online after I have been drinking that it is not a good idea. If I win it is hard to stop playing. If I lose its easy to walk away however I still have to get myself out of the hole I put myself in.