Eating Well Between Hands
Tournament nights run long. Regulars at The Star's poker room know that what and when you eat shapes how well you play at midnight. Here is the dining strategy the serious players use.
The pre-game meal is tactical
Heavy food is a handicap. A big rib-eye at 18:00 feels great until hour four of the tournament, when the blood leaves your head for your stomach. The experienced move is a lighter, protein-forward meal two hours before play: grilled fish, a small steak with greens, or the shared plates rather than a full main. Enough to run on, nothing to sleep on.
Alcohol is the other trap, and the floor knows it. One glass of wine with dinner is pleasant; three is a donation to the table. Most of the regulars we feed keep it to one or none until after the session, which is part of why they are still playing profitably at midnight.
Mid-session refuelling
Long tournaments have breaks, and the players who last are the ones who use them for food rather than the bar. A quick plate at the counter, something warm and small, resets concentration better than another coffee. Ask the floor team for the fast list; it exists precisely for players on a clock.
For guests who want the evening structured properly, our events calendar lists the regular poker nights alongside the tasting events, so dinner and the game can be planned as one booking rather than two.
The best players I feed all eat the same way: light, early, and nothing on the felt.
Section manager, BLACK Bar & Grill
After the last hand
Win or lose, the walk back to the restaurant is the decompression most players skip. A quiet dessert and a proper drink, taken slowly, is how the regulars close the night.
If the session ran long, the casino bars serve until close. If it ended early, the harbour is a five-minute walk and beats chasing the feeling on the main floor.
And the rule everyone learns eventually: never eat a big meal at the table. Your hands are for cards, and your judgement deserves better than a burger.
Eat first, play better
Book an early table on tournament night and arrive at the felt fed, sharp and ahead of the field.