Poker: The Sex Strategy

Poker is a battle of the mind, heart and - just maybe - who got the most sex in the last week. Poker has gone from cowboys in Texas, to gangsters in Vegas and now to a new breed of ruthless online geeks. In keeping with this tradition of bravado, I want to discuss a poker strategy that has received a little less coverage than implied odds and the power of position. That is, that an active sex life shouldn't be considered an extra bonus if you win the tournament money but rather sex should explicitly be an important pre-game strategy for any serious poker player looking to squeeze some extra juice out of his long run EV.

Your mind is your most important poker weapon and one way to look at it is to see it as just a bio-chemical soup - electrified. Sex is an important ingredient in keeping this soup just right. Without going too much into the Darwinian / Freudian psycho babble - sex calms the mind, increases testosterone levels and releases endorphins. Put another way, a sexed up poker player comes to the table with a mind clear, with the aggression levels to dominate the abstaining and enough natural happy drugs to take the swings.

The evidence from the sex professors indicates, that sex increases testosterone and also that abstinence can dangerously drop testosterone levels. Dr. Emmanuele A. Janni, a professor of Endocrinology, told National Geographic that "after three months without sex ... testosterone dramatically dropped to levels close to children's levels". Abstinence from regular sex would be dangerous for any poker player.

The evidence from the poker pros is also in favor of sexing up before poker. In Ace on the River, Barry Greenstein explains:-

"If you have sex before you go to sleep, you probably will be more rested and less distracted when you play. Therefore, a sex partner who travels with you can be a big asset. In theory, if your partner isn't with you when you go on an extended poker trip out of town a relatively steady substitute will give you a competitive advantage".

In an interview with The Economist the British poker pro David "DevilFish" Ulliot reportedly prepared for important poker sessions by having sex sessions for five hours at a stretch. In DevilFish's own words, "I like to get a woman and wring her out like a flannel".

In the end, besides becoming a better poker, the skills required to gain an active sex life are similar skills to winning poker; a bit of lying, a bit of aggression, a bit of situational awareness and exploiting opportunities. The two activities are natural partners and you should use your poker talents as widely as you can. I know you didn't really need the encouragement... but hey its always nice to have an argument.

About The Author-- For more articles on the best gambling strategies, visit the GamblersHandbook.net

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