Poker Nutrition

Today’s game is ever becoming a matter of squeezing small edges. Because players are getting better and better every day, if you want to be able to compete in poker you need to find every edge you can.

Nutrition is one such place where you can find an edge on your opponents. I don’t care how good your opponent is, if they have a hangover, have not eaten or couldn’t sleep the night before chances are you have an edge on them. By the way, all of these tips apply to someone in study as well as poker players.

Carbohydrates/Sugar

Our brain primarily metabolises sugar for its source of energy, this can in the form of pure sugars, such as the sugar you put in your coffee or sugar from fruits and vegetables, but ideally should be in the form of carbohydrates such as cereal, potatoes, pasta or bread and the like. I say carbohydrates are the ideal as eating them will allow sugars to get to the brain gradually throughout the day rather than in one large dose. In drastic circumstances the brain can process other things like protein, but this is really a last resort. I used to think the brain could process fat just fine, I actually spent a good few months really enjoying myself on KFC, beer and curries thinking that a storage of fat would be a good emergency fuel supply when my brain needed it during poker, but it turns out the brain processes fats very poorly1. Ignorance was bliss!

Fruit and Vegetables

These are ideal for the poker lifestyle. For starters they help prevent constipation and trust me, you do not want to be constipated while playing for lots of money. They also provide lots of micronutrients that serve all sorts of functions within the body to keep you functioning at your optimum. They help with pretty much everything in your body from keeping your immune system strong to helping you digest your food.

Fruits in particular are very useful. I always have snacks on me when playing a poker tournament for when my blood sugar gets a bit low and I need a boost. A banana has a good dose of the sugar that my brain needs to function and is easy to digest. It also contains lots of those micronutrients that have so many roles in our body. Whether you want to snack on a carbohydrate type snack, or a sugary snack depends on just how quickly you want the sugars to reach your brain. If you feel exhausted, get some fruit. Only a little tired? Eat a cereal bar.

Alcohol

This is by far some people’s biggest life leak. Don’t get me wrong I love a good drink, but I don’t even have one beer if I’m playing or even playing the next day. I’m very sensitive to hangovers personally, some people not so much, but I’ve seen many a good player rock up to day 2 of a poker tournament hungover to hell and saying that it won’t affect their game. Punish these players by avoiding alcohol until you are lifting the trophy. Some people may feel the need for a beer to settle their nerves, especially if it’s a big tournament or they are new to the game. That might be ok, but be mindful that alcohol can cause fatigue as well as loss of inhibitions.

Caffeine

Coke, coffee and Red Bull are good sources of caffeine. Everyone is different, and everyone metabolises everything slightly differently, so it’s up to you to experiment with how your body reacts to caffeine. Personally if I’ve had a bad night’s sleep, or I find myself flagging part way through a tournament a coffee with sugar is a great pick me up. One thing to be cautious of though is knowing how long the effect caffeine has will last on you personally, as if you make it to the next day of a major tournament a good night’s sleep is essential and the caffeine could keep you up all night.

Exercise

I confess this is one area that I do have a life leak in. Exercise is great for the body, it releases endorphins which are “happy” hormones and the improved stamina you will get in the long term should let you play longer sessions at your optimum performance. Hit the treadmill, you’ll be a better poker player for it.

Breakfast

I used to say this to the kids all the time in my teaching days, but breakfast is essential. Poker is an intense game, often involving long hours of constant brain activity. How can you possibly expect to compete at your best if you haven’t fuelled up your brain first thing in the morning?

Washing Your Hands

This one isn’t quite nutrition, but it is definitely related to your health. A lot of people don’t bother washing their hands when after they go to the bathroom. If they get faecal coliforms (that’s poo germs to the layman) on their hands, riffle their chips and you win a pot off them those germs could get on your hands. Then if you order a sandwich, or other food you eat with your hands the germs can get inside you and can potentially make you very sick. People consider it polite to cover your mouth when they cough or sneeze, but if someone with a cold does this then you win their chips, the bacteria end up on your hands. I’d advise not touching your face, or your food with your hands directly whilst playing and wash up before each meal while you are playing. I’ve spend far too many day 2’s sick at the poker table, which has definitely cost me money.

1. Schönfeld P, Reiser G 2013.Why does brain metabolism not favor burning of fatty acids to provide energy? Reflections on disadvantages of the use of free fatty acids as fuel for brain.