Lets Face it... The poker lifestyle is a constant grind that can never be predicted. It can propel the weakest people into spontaneous money and it can destroy the strongest people with humility. It is a constant test of emotional strength and is definitely a lifestyle that is not recommended for all. To compensate for this roller coaster lifestyle, one must find other activities or hobbies to soothe the soul. Everybody needs some form of escape when things are not going well. For a large percentage of poker players, the escape that is chosen is marijuana. How neat it is that a little plant can completely change your mood instantaneously with only slight mental and health side effects.

It Doesn't cause hangovers

It only lasts 30 mins - 2 hours depending on if it's your first smoke of the day

It is not addictive (to an extent)

It gives you something to do during the seemingly endless number of hours in front of a computer screen

But how much does weed really effect one's poker game and one's self image/level of happiness? People who smoke a lot build a tolerance to the plant and can function very normally when under the effects. People who don't smoke a lot can become incoherent and irrational when under the effects. This causes some people's views of the plant to be something as a distraction rather than an inhibitor.

To begin the experiment I will tell a little bit about myself. I have been grinding poker for a little over a year with high success. I pride myself on my ability to personalize the game and think outside the box. My initial success came when i won the 27.50 25k gtd on stars for 7k. I quickly lost this money over a couple of months and I consider this to be my learning curve. My parents always knew I had a gift for the game(it runs in the family) so I sent them a business plan and got them to invest $5500. Since then I have been very successful with it and I have stayed disciplined enough to avoid any sick swings(this is highlighted in my sharkscope graph)

I also just graduated from college with an accounting degree and am just now getting into the game full time. I am on the verge of a lot of changes in my life and I am hoping this experience will yield to a stronger me. I just broke up with my girlfriend of 3.5 years because she did not support the lifestyle that I had chosen(she thought I was addicted to gambling lol). We lived together for a couple of years and she is the type that never tries to break the rules. She has been riding my ass since the day we got together about my weed smoking. She didn't mind how it made me act. It was all about the principle. How could I do something everyday knowing it was illegal? How could I take care of her and offer her support if I am stoned all the time "working"? She didn't appreciate all the benefits the lifestyle has to offer such as the freedom from obligations and the constant supply of money I had ready to be spent on fine dining. Thus, We're finished and it is time for me to focus on me.

On to the Experiment

I will go 30 days without smoking weed starting on May 31. I will not be drinking much during this time and will be focusing on a healthier me. I will constantly be surrounded by people smoking weed during this time but I will not yield once. I will be disciplined in the name of science and I will prove to myself that it is not an addiction.

Then I will go 30 days completely stoned. I will wake up with a pipe in my hand and go to bed with a final good night bowl. I will smoke in the shower, I will smoke on the toilet, I will be high.

During this time I will be playing a LOT of poker! I am anticipating that I will get 20,000 - 30,000 FPPS during each month with a constant variety of SNGS and MTTS

The buyins will range from:

$11 - $215 with the mtts

$115 - 230 with HU Sngs

I refuse to limit my poker to one niche and encourage other poker players to constantly try to new forms of it. People who play MTTS everyday are dependent on big wins to keep them going. People who play HU SNGS all day lack the excitement of a potential big win and it turns into a job. Balance is key.

I will be assessing many different factors in this experiment.

How much money did I make in each section

How much did variance vs good play effect these results

How much stress each lifestyle brings

Am I a better person when high or not

I encourage my fellow stoners out there to track my progress and I encourage the people who are on the ropes about marijuana to view this experiment with an open mind. The poker lifestyle is a very delicate one and hopefully I can keep my sanity throughout this process. I will be frequently posting in this blog in order to update each of the four elements of the experiment. I look forward to hearing feedback and I will take you a long with me on this interesting journey :)