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Most kinds of performance-enhancing drugs are useless in poker. You will not play better on steroids, nor will you play better if you have spent three weeks in the Andes, playing poker at a great altitude before an important tournament.

There are, however, other methods that can be used. Smoking is prohibited during most tournaments, especially in the US. However, swedish snus is allowed, maybe mostly because many people do not know what it is. Nicotine may have a calming effect and make it easier to concentrate on the game. Coffee is also used for the same reason.

Another way is alcohol. One small drink of e.g. vodka might heighten your concentration. For this reason, alcohol is forbidden in sports such as skeet shooting, where it can be considered a performance-enhancing drug.

Most of today’s top poker players have learnt the game though long hours in front of the computer screen. Anyone spending time in front of the computer is familiar with Jolt Cola, the highly caffeinated soft drink that in some countries is heavily associated with LAN parties. Jolt can therefore be used also by poker players, sometimes spruced up with extra caffeine pills and instant coffee powder. If it doesn’t drive you crazy, it might enhance your skill.

Graduating with a degree in Business Administration, J.C. Tran chose not to join the ranks of the corporate world. Instead he embarked on a career in professional poker. His shift and unpredictable play has landed him in four WSOP final tables and seven WPT final tables, including a second place finish at the 2007 L.A. Poker Classic, earning around 1.2 million in the process.

He hasn’t won any events this year but has already played in three final tables. He hopes to be respected as a player and plans to donate some of his prize money to charities.

Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond earned his first World Series of Poker bracelet when he won at the $5k Pot Limit Omaha with rebuys event last June. He faced Hourani for the final hand of the tournament. Hourani called on Galfond’s bet making him all in. The flop at that time was A-Q-8 and Hourani is on top with his A-K-J-10 against Galfond’s A-7-6-5. The turn had a 6 giving Galfond a pair. The river didn’t improve Hourani, making him settle for second place. The win merited Galfond $817,781 in prize money.

Nam and Tuan Le might be the best poker playing brothers in the world. They both started around 2004. Tuan drew first blood that year by winning a WPT event and earning around 1.5 million. He also won the WPT Season 3 Championship and the WPT Battle of Champions III. These wins made him the all time money winner in the WPT.

Just like Tuan, Nam is making waves as a professional poker player. He won the 2006 Bay 101 main event. He was also won a place at 2 WSOP final tables.

David Pham, better known as Dragon, is walking in clouds these days as he is one of the top ranked poker players in the world. Originally from Vietnam, he now calls Bell Gardens, California his home. He learned poker from this cousin, Men “The Master” Nguyen but in recent tournaments the master is overtaken by his student. The Dragon has already amassed around 3 million in tournament prize money and is a proud owner of two WSOP bracelets. He won these bracelets at the 2001 S.H.O.E. event and at the 2006 No Limit Hold’em Shootout.