I have seen quite a few VP players who also drink heavily
that Bob Dancer rightfully says is a no-no. However, for these players
I think they are sharper after a few drinks to get them past the
withdrawal symptoms
.
Over a couple, there must be great degradation but casual observation
has not revealed any mistakes in their play. How soon do you play
after a heavy meal or a drink?
A friend of mine who is a Bellagio dealer emailed me the following
when I sent him the story by Mickey Crimm about diets for poker
players.
I worked with Cindy Violette--so I know her story well. In December of
1986 she was dealing swing shift in the poker room at the Four Queens
downtown.
She was, and still is, a respected 7-card stud player. In December
1986 she won first place in the Golden Nugget's Grand Prix of Poker stud event.
She won in the neighborhood of $200,000. She immediately quit her job.
Back then, she was a low-limit stud grinder. She was a fairly good
player and respected by most players downtown. After her win, she started to
move in higher circles. As a women, she befriended many a player who
tutored her in the finer points of the game. She is, to this day, a fairly
competent player in the black chip games. Make no mistake: she IS a winning
player, but not to the degree that would support her lifestyle.
As for her money, well, like most high-limit players, it did not come
from poker. In the late '80's, she married a rich guy from back east. Soon
after, she moved to New Jersey/New York and began playing almost
exclusively in Atlantic City. (Keep in mind that stud was fast becoming obsolete
on the West Coast but still held its place on the East Coast.) She is
currently divorced. As for her financial arrangements, I have no creditable
information.
As for her diet, I don't recall ever seeing her eat in a poker room. I
know that she is always interested in the healthy aspects of her diet. AS
such, I think she plans her meals and eats them outside the room. I'm sure,
too, that the sanitary aspect of eating food at a card table turns her off.
Eating draws blood from the brain for digestive purposes. Still, I don't
think it would be enough to detract from a competent player's abilities.
The player is more likely to be distracted while looking for a salt shaker;
missing the action, a tell, or a bet.
In our room, and I think most rooms, a player will eat what ever is
available. Our dining choices consist of gift shop snacks all the way
to gourmet room service. The most common choice is Chinese takeout from
the Noodle kitchen on property. But the usual behavior of players is to
leave the table to take a meal break. An absence of an hour is not unusual
in our joint.
The dietary behavior of our players is as diverse as the population at
large. I see people who would eat half a leftover sandwich from an
abandoned plate--I also see people who bring in their own granola bars
and fruit. Just like the rest of the world, we see all kinds.