Did Nick Varner used to gamble when he was in his prime, or was he just too feared to get played? I have never heard about Nick playing anyone for big money. I think he is right up near Efren being the best all around player in the world, so how did he get so good when he was coming up?
Nick Varner
- Thread starter cuetechasaurus
- Start date
LOL.. I think Gamble is his middle name. He used to fly places just to go gamble with some people. Let's just say that it was worth his while.
Nicky was mentored by none other than Hubert "Daddy Warbucks" Cokes. One of the great all time gamblers along side Titanic Thompson. Last time I saw Nick he was at the Cue Club giving some kid the 6 out for a bunch of money. Nick was running racks like drinking water.
cuetechasaurus said:
I have to agree with you that Nick is one of the best all-around players I've ever seen. I've definitely heard of him gambling for big money. I think he said that when he was young he was there at the Johnston City tournament when the police raided the place, Nick had something like $1,200 confiscated that he had won gambling.
Bobby
cuetechasaurus said:
Way back in the early 90's he was supposed to play Louie Roberts at the Break in Chahokia IL, it was a pretty new place then. I heard about it and went there to watch (I was a new to pool, broke and around 20 so this was a big deal for me). Louie was playing great and was supposed to be on the wagon. Well that night he fell off and walked in late, said he wanted to play but his backer wouldn't let him. He did grab half of my sandwich and eat it before I knew what happened though.
Varner ended up playing some local guy named Jake the stockbroker I think, they played 1p, which I knew nothing about at the time so I don't remember much else about it. I heard he won "a lot" and he was giving up all kinds of weight. I only watched a few games then my friends had to go. I wish I would have stayed and watched, but we were fired up to watch a game between two heavyweights, not jake.
Alex
That was "Big Jake"
Big Jake was known all over St Louis for gambling. Not known for his great game but known to bet "BIG" and single handedly supported the St. Louis pool scene for years. He was built BIG..He talked BIG...He entertained BIG..He was not one to back down on a bet. Jake leaving pool had an impact as big as the gambling boats being legalized. Most pool players miss him dearly. Most room owners miss him too. He brought an excitement and buzz to anywhere he went. Like I said....the entire St. Louis area gambling scene was changed when he stopped the big dollar wagers.Alex Kanapilly said:
Also about Nick Varner...
I don't know Nick well enough to speak about his gambling habits but he has been in my room enough to know some things. He has probably done more for the sport than any player alive today. Everything from his behavior to his business ethics when he was sponsored by cue companies and table companies. He is always a class act. Always willing to play the bangers for cheap sets or cheap games. He would always play kids for free and give them signed autographs. I think that is more a good character trait than the guys that bet the whole farm on a single set. Maybe his restraint made him the player and the person he is today. Professional is an understatement. The game needs a lot more players like Nick Varner. A lot more!
cuetechasaurus said:
I don't know Nick well enough to speak about his gambling habits but he has been in my room enough to know some things. He has probably done more for the sport than any player alive today. Everything from his behavior to his business ethics when he was sponsored by cue companies and table companies. He is always a class act. Always willing to play the bangers for cheap sets or cheap games. He would always play kids for free and give them signed autographs. I think that is more a good character trait than the guys that bet the whole farm on a single set. Maybe his restraint made him the player and the person he is today. Professional is an understatement. The game needs a lot more players like Nick Varner. A lot more!
jjollie
Well-known member
He gambles.....
Nick came to our town and played a local here. They played 1 hole and Nick was playing him 10-5. My friend pulled up after Nick pocketed the winning ball to win the 15th game in a row. My friend lost 15 large. The next week who shows up at the same poolroom.....Allen Hopkins !!!! When Allen left he had won 8 thousand. I guess Nick told Allen of our little hole in the wall....lol.
jjollie
Nick came to our town and played a local here. They played 1 hole and Nick was playing him 10-5. My friend pulled up after Nick pocketed the winning ball to win the 15th game in a row. My friend lost 15 large. The next week who shows up at the same poolroom.....Allen Hopkins !!!! When Allen left he had won 8 thousand. I guess Nick told Allen of our little hole in the wall....lol.
jjollie
Nick Varner represents the BEST of the best when it comes to American pool legends. He grew up in Owensboro, KY, in an era when action was prevalent, though there was an existing tournament trail which kept him quite busy. His father owned a pool room, which makes me believe that Nick learned how to play pool as a young child.
Nick is one of the FEW existing players in today's pool world to have graduated from college. He is truly a scholarly man and always a gentleman player, and off the table, you couldn't meet a more personable and charismatic person.
It is no wonder that Nick Varner was inducted in the BCA Hall of Fame not only because of his many championship title wins, but because he is the people's player, always giving back to the sport in so many ways.
I always get a kick out of seeing Nick deep in focus, chewing on that gum, much like the baseball players do today.
Check out this picture of Nick Varner in the heat of the battle, the concentration on his face, the way he holds his cue stick level. You can even see the infamous long professional taper in this pic. Nick Varner is, without a doubt, one of the good guys in today's pool world, and it's always a pleasure running into him.
JAM
Nick is one of the FEW existing players in today's pool world to have graduated from college. He is truly a scholarly man and always a gentleman player, and off the table, you couldn't meet a more personable and charismatic person.
It is no wonder that Nick Varner was inducted in the BCA Hall of Fame not only because of his many championship title wins, but because he is the people's player, always giving back to the sport in so many ways.
I always get a kick out of seeing Nick deep in focus, chewing on that gum, much like the baseball players do today.
Check out this picture of Nick Varner in the heat of the battle, the concentration on his face, the way he holds his cue stick level. You can even see the infamous long professional taper in this pic. Nick Varner is, without a doubt, one of the good guys in today's pool world, and it's always a pleasure running into him.
JAM
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JAM said:
Nick is actually a little off-kilter in that photo due to the fact that he is right handed. In the photo he is making a lefty only shot. I watched Nick gamble at One Pocket for $100 a game at JOBs in Nashville, TN in the early 90's. He was playing another pro, but the guy had no chance. Nick has this focus that is hard to match. The other guy didn't win a game and I quit watching after 7 games.
Nick gamble?
Bet your booty Nick would gamble. Who the hell said he didnt. I have played and gambled with him ever since he was the intercollegiate pool champ (I think he went to Purdue). When he came to my joint North Shore in 81, 82, he gambled like mad for about a month, playing everybody in town. Then he went to NY and won the straightpool chmpshp at the Commodore Hotel. He came back to Chicago and gambled some more. He beat everybody he played, including Artie in the first go around. I had him 2 games loser, he got even and I packed it in. Artie finally beat him after he got back from NY.
the Beard
check out my Website, I finally got it running:
bankingwiththebeard.com
Bet your booty Nick would gamble. Who the hell said he didnt. I have played and gambled with him ever since he was the intercollegiate pool champ (I think he went to Purdue). When he came to my joint North Shore in 81, 82, he gambled like mad for about a month, playing everybody in town. Then he went to NY and won the straightpool chmpshp at the Commodore Hotel. He came back to Chicago and gambled some more. He beat everybody he played, including Artie in the first go around. I had him 2 games loser, he got even and I packed it in. Artie finally beat him after he got back from NY.
the Beard
check out my Website, I finally got it running:
bankingwiththebeard.com
Matt_24 said:
I had not even noticed that Nick was shooting it left-handed in the pic.
Thanks for pointing that out. I think it makes this pic even more interesting, the fact that he's able to hold his cue so level shooting it opposite-handed.
I ususally cringe when I see a player attempting a left-handed shot, thinking it would be better to retrieve the bridge for a little more support.
And the worst form a player can have, IMHO, is when they're shooting it on one leg like a stork. Oh, the vision of it all, and then the miss that inevitably follows!
I think I could write a book on what NOT to do in shot execution. Some players do have good textbook form and utilize all of the basic fundamentals, and then there are some players who have developed their own unorthodox style which works for them only.
Being ambidextrous with consistency is a real toughie. It's a trait that can only be had by many hours of practice, developing the strength in one's bridge hand and fluidity in one's shooting arm.
Here's Nick shooting right-handed below, though he's a little off kilter in this pic as well because he's shooting over a ball, but you can see he's got dead aim on his target.
Check out the straight line of his stroking arm in alignment with his bridge hand.
JAM
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Saurus,
There is an Accu-Stats tape with Weenie Beanie and Nick V. as commentators - fabulous commentary. They recount some of their marathon one-pocket gambling matches (against each other, Nick giving weight). I don't remember which match they were commentating.
There is an Accu-Stats tape with Weenie Beanie and Nick V. as commentators - fabulous commentary. They recount some of their marathon one-pocket gambling matches (against each other, Nick giving weight). I don't remember which match they were commentating.
It's a Johnny Archer v. Steve Mizerak straight pool match from the 1992 U.S. Open. Just watched it last night. Good tape, and Willie is right the commentary is top notch.
Isn't there a story of Nick playing Artie B. and he was losing $$ but didn't want to quit because he was learning too much?
Seems like the old schoolers were less worried about their money roll if they were learning something that could help them become champions. Of course, they didn't have all the instructional stuff we have today...
Somebody get Artie to write something, anything down before his knowledge goes the way of Hayden Lingos' missing one pocket charts.
Seems like the old schoolers were less worried about their money roll if they were learning something that could help them become champions. Of course, they didn't have all the instructional stuff we have today...
Somebody get Artie to write something, anything down before his knowledge goes the way of Hayden Lingos' missing one pocket charts.
OldHasBeen
Tom Ferry
"Big Jake Is Back"...............
The Only reason Big Jake Quit for a while was Illness. On his 3rd gastric by-pass surgery, he went into a coma for 2 month and almost died twice. He is slowly recovering and has played quite a few $200 - $3,000 sets in the last 4 months (@ The Break). He can't play as often or as long, but looking to get back in full swing again.
TY & GL, OHB
cueandcushion said:
The Only reason Big Jake Quit for a while was Illness. On his 3rd gastric by-pass surgery, he went into a coma for 2 month and almost died twice. He is slowly recovering and has played quite a few $200 - $3,000 sets in the last 4 months (@ The Break). He can't play as often or as long, but looking to get back in full swing again.
TY & GL, OHB
Nick embodies everything that is noble and honorable as regards the game of pool. If any young aspiring pool player wants to learn what it means to be a full-class champion, watch some Nick Varner tapes and try to follow his example. I really hope that Nick gets the financial reward he deserves via the IPT...couldn't happen to a nicer guy.