Drinking and Poker

by Susan G
(PA)

If you are wearing this shirt, you are probably not sober

While I'm stranded in chilly New England, far from my beloved Texas, at least playing this form of poker reminds me of home. Unfortunately, certain other things do as well, among them the beloved frozen margarita.

Of course this should be a no-brainer, but it should be said just in case someone who turned 21 about ten minutes ago decides to celebrate that even with the happily lawful consumption of the blessed margarita AND a game of Texas HoldEm.

Keep telling yourself that poker, and in particular Texas Holdem, is a MIND game and if you ingest things that send your mind elsewhere, then you just aren't likely to do very well.

Trust me, I speak from tragic experience and eventually the numbing effect of the elixir of the manguey plant and lime juice does wear off and you will remember every stupid bet and exactly how much you lost.

Save the delicious margaritas for your post-game celebrations and stick to something boring but safe. Of course, there is no rule that says you can't sip away at a virgin 'rita while serving your opponents a potent version of the real thing, but that's a different tip altogether.