PUI (Playing Under the Influence)

dquarasr

dquarasr

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I did a cursory search but I didn't find anything. Apologies if this has been discussed in a thread before.

Drinking alcohol and playing pool has been romanticized, or at least portrayed, in popular films. Fast Eddie played well while drinking, up to a point.

Many of my APA pool league teammates claim they play better after a few drinks (or tokes). Personally, because it negatively impacts my performance, on league nights I do not drink until I am done playing.

I cannot imagine even a single drink can help performance. Some claim alcohol (or pot) can "take the edge" off and allow a player to relax, but I cannot imagine the sense of relaxation offsets the impact to impaired physical performance, even in moderation.

Are there any scientific studies (such as those performed testing drivers with one, two, three or more drinks) documenting players' perception of their performance vs their actual performance? What do you think subjectively? Do one or two drinks (or tokes) help or hurt your game? I'm in the camp that says it hurts, does not help. What say you?

(I'm fully ready to get shellacked and trolled for asking this question here. Fire away!)
 
MajorMiscue is speaking of the Car and Driver report early 1990s. Any amount of alcohol diminished driving abilities. However it took a significant amount of pot to diminish driving capabilities--well beyond "just high". I, personally, discount some of this as all of the test subjects were 25-40 YO. I suspect this changes if you get older than <say> 55 YO.

Many league players are there more for the drinking than for the playing. League play is a social event to these people--perhaps as many as ½.

I moderate myself. I do play better with about 8-16 oz of beer in me + 16 oz per hour. This is a rate of drinking I can maintain for 5+ hours while maintaining most of my playing skills.
 
One thing I've noticed is that the people who claim to play better drunk learned to play pool while drinking.

I started playing pool when I was a kid ( obviously not drinking then ) and I play way worse after a couple drinks.

If someone learned to play at the bars before taking it seriously I wouldn't be surprised if they actually do play better drunk to a certain extent.
 
MitchAlsup said:
MajorMiscue is speaking of the Car and Driver report early 1990s. Any amount of alcohol diminished driving abilities. However it took a significant amount of pot to diminish driving capabilities--well beyond "just high". I, personally, discount some of this as all of the test subjects were 25-40 YO. I suspect this changes if you get older than <say> 55 YO.
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Yes, the C&D report was what I referenced in my original post. I was wondering if there were a similar exercise documenting impact to performance playing pool.

Hmm, as a crappy player, purely in the interest of science, I suppose I should incur the, um, inconvenience of testing it myself. In the interest of science. 😁
 
MitchAlsup said:
MajorMiscue is speaking of the Car and Driver report early 1990s. Any amount of alcohol diminished driving abilities. However it took a significant amount of pot to diminish driving capabilities--well beyond "just high". I, personally, discount some of this as all of the test subjects were 25-40 YO. I suspect this changes if you get older than <say> 55 YO.
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I'm not so sure of that. Many of us well beyond 55yo geezers are chronic. We always play a little high but never get too high to effectively function.
 
Almost all of the old timers 9-ball great players were loaded up on drugs. I learned this from an oldtime pro. And according to him if you aren't doing drugs you aren't reaching your full potential. Of course the drugs we are talking about here are speed and tranqulizers.
 
For casual games, no problem.
In tournaments or league, I avoid it.
I play better focused and sober...

At the top level, they have WADA.
Kind of spells it out, not just for pool.
 
I would pretty much agree with what has already been said. Alcohol is a performance decreasing drug. Marijuana for most people is gonna be neutral at moderate levels.
 
northdakotafats said:
One thing I've noticed is that the people who claim to play better drunk learned to play pool while drinking.

I started playing pool when I was a kid ( obviously not drinking then ) and I play way worse after a couple drinks.

If someone learned to play at the bars before taking it seriously I wouldn't be surprised if they actually do play better drunk to a certain extent.
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Honestly I play better stoned. I used to be high 24/7 when I was a better shooter. Not anymore. That’s 20 yrs ago. But on occasion I smoke and legitimately play 50 balls better. I just see shots I don’t see sober and know how to make them. It’s not the “placebo” effect either. I can legitimately take a few puffs half way through my practice session and will miss less balls after. I call weed my pool steroids. My stroke even changes a bit after smoking. Maybe because my body is more relaxed. Who knows? Weird but true.

Drinking while playing is hit or miss. Sometimes it can help but many times it goes the other way. At least that is in my case.

There was a study on tests in school a long time ago. The study concluded that if a typical person learned a subject stoned they will do better on a test on the subject stoned than they will sober.
 
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lfigueroa said:
Anyone who wants to slurp beers, down mixed drinks, do shots : -) or go outside and light up a doobie (showing my age, lol) before or while playing me is more than welcomed to do so.

Lou Figueroa
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Lighting up and drinking excessively won't help.
Other things can if the mix is right.
Problem is, What mix do I need? Roller-coaster at best, each day, each match, if that's the crutch.
Very Long Sessions Required to determine today's mix.
And a large Roll required to figure it out.
 
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Willowbrook Wolfy said:
Honestly I play better stoned. I used to be high 24/7 when I was a better shooter. Not anymore. That’s 20 yrs ago. But on occasion I smoke and legitimately play 50 balls better. I just see shots I don’t see sober and know how to make them. It’s not the “placebo” effect either. I can legitimately take a few puffs half way through my practice session and will miss less balls after. I call weed my pool steroids. My stroke even changes a bit after smoking. Maybe because my body is more relaxed. Who knows? Weird but true.

Drinking while playing is hit or miss. Sometimes it can help but many times it goes the other way. At least that is in my case.

There was a study on tests in school a long time ago. The study concluded that if a typical person learned a subject stoned they will do better on a test on the subject stoned than they will sober.
Click to expand...
I'm the same way. I feel like I can play way longer sessions if I'm stoned too. Definitely pool steroids for some people.

I used to study high in college. Never took the test stoned though. I didn't do half bad. Got a degree out of the deal.
 
Well it must be said.

If I did it, I’d be wide open about having done it. However I’ve never done it once, but coke/blow is the best drug possible for playing pool. I’ve seen first hand how well people on it play-they play much stronger than without it. I’ve never seen a exception.

I was just scared to death if it so I’ve never done it.

I’m not going to debate this, or get into a moral discussion about drugs. I love steroids, well until I got too old. That was my drug of choice.

Best
Fatboy<——-likes Mountain Dew
 
I bet if you asked this question a good few years back you'd get a different response. Pool/darts/poker was mostly played in smoke filled rooms with alcohol almost compulsory.
Just like a lot of things - this seems to have changed in recent years. Is this a good thing? Now that is very debatable...

Has the standard got better nowadays? I'd say a small 'yes' for pros who now appear to play stone cold sober - but for the amateurs? Not much difference I'd say. There's a lot of great amateur players who guzzle lots of beer when they play pool. Always have done. Always will. Would these players be better on water and diet soda all night? I don't think they would be.
This is different than some new player who doesn't really drink who then decides that it is the secret to playing better. Must drink lots like those guys do because they always beat me!

To be a top pro you have to play sober. If you're an amateur playing at your local hall/bar then drink like you normally would on a night out. Enjoy your game. If this means a few beers then don't sweat it - just do it. Too much drama nowadays about so much stuff. Can we at least continue to have a few beers and a game of pool without it being over-analyzed!
 
watching some older accu stats vids i sometimes sense the players are high on something, like speed or coke, but maybe it’s just the cliche haircuts?

they say earl is a stoner but some of his behavior is fast fast fast

i drink wine and when i quit for a year i was prepared to be better but saw no improvement with my new sobriety

same thing the next year when i was sober
for six months

maybe psychedelics are the answer?
 
dquarasr said:
I did a cursory search but I didn't find anything. Apologies if this has been discussed in a thread before.

Drinking alcohol and playing pool has been romanticized, or at least portrayed, in popular films. Fast Eddie played well while drinking, up to a point.

Many of my APA pool league teammates claim they play better after a few drinks (or tokes). Personally, because it negatively impacts my performance, on league nights I do not drink until I am done playing.

I cannot imagine even a single drink can help performance. Some claim alcohol (or pot) can "take the edge" off and allow a player to relax, but I cannot imagine the sense of relaxation offsets the impact to impaired physical performance, even in moderation.

Are there any scientific studies (such as those performed testing drivers with one, two, three or more drinks) documenting players' perception of their performance vs their actual performance? What do you think subjectively? Do one or two drinks (or tokes) help or hurt your game? I'm in the camp that says it hurts, does not help. What say you?

(I'm fully ready to get shellacked and trolled for asking this question here. Fire away!)
Click to expand...
I think it is different for everyone. I feel like I can play a tournament match a little more relaxed after a few drinks, but I still only do it rarely as I don’t drink much and I don’t want to get in the habit of feeling I need it for every tournament I play in..

The problem is it starts to feel pretty good and you have to be real careful about not passing that point in which if you keep up the drinking, it clearly starts negatively affecting your performance.
 
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