Things like this are the reason why I never bothered with the gambling side of pool. I've seen plenty of people get punched, stabbed, yelling matches start, etc literally right next to me as I'm just playing minding my own business. Unfortunately, it's one of those things that is so engrained to the game that it feels, specially from the people in this forum who have shared stories of their interactions at the pool hall, that you never actually played pool unless you partook in these activities.

In a weird way, and I'm not saying this as if it's a fact, some of you probably look down upon players who never placed a bet at the table.

My feeling is that blind test done years ago is somewhat meaningless if all the cues had their own shafts on them.
It just would show who's cue you like the feel of, not what joint was better.
Not sure it's actually possible to say one joint is better than another with all the other variables.
The only possible way might be for a carbon cue maker to make a full carbon cue in different joints, but even then there would be different weight ballances and feel.
Then again top cue makers have their preferences, but that still doesn't mean one is better.
I have Schons in 5/16x14, Jacobys in radial, Mcdermots in 3/8x10, and a DZ in 3/8x10 modified and am just getting started in making cues and will probably do 3/8x10 modified but really like my Schons and Jacobys. The only joint I won't use to make a cue is a standard 3/8x10.
Also the hardest hitting cue by far that I have is a bar cue that I made into a two piece cue just to try doing it. I just put a triangle tip on it, as that was what I was using to fix about ten or so of their other cues. The owner told me to keep a couple for my troubles and I kept one to try and make a two piece out of it. Really shoots good and makes me wonder what all this fuss is about layered tips when these triangles work so good.

easy-e said:

I tend to feel more pressure in tournaments. One "dumb shot" can cost you the match. I play dumb shots all the time when I'm gambling just to see if I can do it! I believe you improve most when you play under the most pressure, so whatever that is for you is the answer! I am one of the weirdos that wants the trophy and the title more than the cash...

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Funny you should talk about trophy’s vs cash. I used to race mountain bikes, we only got trophies. One day at a pool tournament, one of the guys there was asking how much it cost to enter the MTB race's and how much money you win. I just laughed, $30 and it’s only trophy’s you win. He said screw that the only trophy I kept is the one at the end of the year when I won the race series in my category. I do prefer cash

The question reminds me of this movie.
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Bob Jewett said:

The problem is whether you are on only the first or second layer of "in on it".

About 45 years ago, the local room champ was going to play the champ from the city and the fix was in. The locals bet on their guy knowing the champ was dumping. That's not how it worked out. The local room champ dropped out of sight after that.

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I knew of a deal like that. The dump, double dump, back and forth it went! By the time of the game both players had money down both ways and the rail was a hopeless mess. One of the players disappeared for over five years, one just disappeared. Did he skip the country never to be seen again in those parts or did he try to swim with a jukebox around his neck?

The local mothers and fathers italian association had all the jukeboxes and cigarette machines in town under totally ridiculous contracts. When the jukeboxes were worn out and couldn't be rented they made good ballast!

They used to dredge under the Mississippi River bridge a mile or two from the strip every few years. I always wondered how many jukeboxes they dredged out of the river!

I considered buying a bar at a good price. When I read the contract on the jukebox and cigarette machine I backed off. The contract was valid as long as the place was a bar regardless of who owned it. It was also very lopsided. Probably not legally enforceable but the good hands people weren't worried about legally enforceable!

Hu

Mensabum said:

2 diff mindsets

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Uh oh you got me mid step. So er uh yeah. Ed Zachery .
I tried to balance my play back in the day.
Small ring games and 5 dollar tournaments were abundant in the Seattle Tacoma area. Sometimes the small ring games could lead to big scores. Kinda like fishin' Forrest Gump would say.
3 ball led to my biggest one night score of 11 to 12 hundred in one night. My largest tournament payout came in second and required 2bdays work.
Gotta know when to hold 'em..........
Gotta know when to RUN!!!