Gunslinger Nit or knowing how to match-up?

[Johnnyt]

Many threads have been started and opinions given on this subject over the years on AZ. Some think if someone is an open tournament player they should take on anyone in a match-up, or take the small meaningless spot given by a top tier pro.

Many think the gunslinger that draws/plays even with anybody is a hero or the man.

These same people think that knowing your true speed and knowing how to match up right (not hustle) is being a NIT.

Where are most of the gunslingers of the past? Are they retired and living comfortably in their old age…not many. When you put your whole bankroll on the line in almost every game you end up one way…BROKE.

If you use a stakehorse all the time you will go broke. If you play better players than you for more than the lessons are worth you'll go broke.

If you want to play pool for a living you have to match up even or better. If your matching even you must have something else going for you in every match-up. Sometimes it might be that you know the opponents comfort level stops at $100 a set and raising the bar a little higher than it. Sometime you know he plays poorly early…so play a few short sets for a good amount of money. Sometimes they drink while they play (they use to get me on this one sometimes) so play longer sets so the booze clouds their judgment.

Playing pool for a living or to supplement your income (which I advise) needs and should be treated like a business. In business the businessman that makes the best deals and decisions more than 50 % of the time usually are very successful over the long hall. They don't put all their eggs in one basket (shoot the whole bankroll) They invest part of their profits/winnings and risk a percentage of the rest in more than one investment/game.

Oh yeah, one added note. The groupies go for the winner for the night. It's cool being the winning gunslinger 50 % + of the time, but it's even cooler to know how to match up and win 80 % of the time. Who gets the most groupies? You do the math. Johnnyt

 

[trustyrusty]

Many threads have been started and opinions given on this subject over the years on AZ. Some think if someone is an open tournament player they should take on anyone in a match-up, or take the small meaningless spot given by a top tier pro.

Many think the gunslinger that draws/plays even with anybody is a hero or the man.

These same people think that knowing your true speed and knowing how to match up right (not hustle) is being a NIT.

Where are most of the gunslingers of the past? Are they retired and living comfortably in their old age…not many. When you put your whole bankroll on the line in almost every game you end up one way…BROKE.

If you use a stakehorse all the time you will go broke. If you play better players than you for more than the lessons are worth you'll go broke.

If you want to play pool for a living you have to match up even or better. If your matching even you must have something else going for you in every match-up. Sometimes it might be that you know the opponents comfort level stops at $100 a set and raising the bar a little higher than it. Sometime you know he plays poorly early…so play a few short sets for a good amount of money. Sometimes they drink while they play (they use to get me on this one sometimes) so play longer sets so the booze clouds their judgment.

Playing pool for a living or to supplement your income (which I advise) needs and should be treated like a business. In business the businessman that makes the best deals and decisions more than 50 % of the time usually are very successful over the long hall. They don't put all their eggs in one basket (shoot the whole bankroll) They invest part of their profits/winnings and risk a percentage of the rest in more than one investment/game.

Oh yeah, one added note. The groupies go for the winner for the night. It's cool being the winning gunslinger 50 % + of the time, but it's even cooler to know how to match up and win 80 % of the time. Who gets the most groupies? You do the math. Johnnyt

First off, I have no need or want to use pool to make money, but now that's I've said that....for those who do -

Johnny makes a great point. Being the MAN in most anything isn't showing how much heart or balls you have. It's not about being a HERO. It's all about who has the most ($$$$$$$$). Sure, you might be able to beat a worldbeater 1 outta 10 or even 5 times. Great for telling everyone at the poolhall (how you took down so and so once), but not so good on the wallet. So, if your main objective is to make money....forget the ego boost and pad the wallet instead.

If it's just the gambling bug that has ahold of you....you'll end up betting on anything anyways and this logic will elude you. So, for those of you - play any and everyone even; maybe (hopefully) you'll go bust and learn your lesson. Probably not, but I had to throw that side into the gambling discussion as well.

As Johnny said, make your goals that of any small business owner....BOTTOM LINE. If you can get there with the 8, get the 7, and so on. Smart is just smart, and there's never anything wrong with that. As for the NIT part - I still think a nit is someone who asks for the 7 - gets it, and still won't play, not someone who wins with the 7 when they can play even.....

 

[aj6788]

Many threads have been started and opinions given on this subject over the years on AZ. Some think if someone is an open tournament player they should take on anyone in a match-up, or take the small meaningless spot given by a top tier pro.

Many think the gunslinger that draws/plays even with anybody is a hero or the man.

These same people think that knowing your true speed and knowing how to match up right (not hustle) is being a NIT.

Where are most of the gunslingers of the past? Are they retired and living comfortably in their old age…not many. When you put your whole bankroll on the line in almost every game you end up one way…BROKE.

If you use a stakehorse all the time you will go broke. If you play better players than you for more than the lessons are worth you'll go broke.

If you want to play pool for a living you have to match up even or better. If your matching even you must have something else going for you in every match-up. Sometimes it might be that you know the opponents comfort level stops at $100 a set and raising the bar a little higher than it. Sometime you know he plays poorly early…so play a few short sets for a good amount of money. Sometimes they drink while they play (they use to get me on this one sometimes) so play longer sets so the booze clouds their judgment.

Playing pool for a living or to supplement your income (which I advise) needs and should be treated like a business. In business the businessman that makes the best deals and decisions more than 50 % of the time usually are very successful over the long hall. They don't put all their eggs in one basket (shoot the whole bankroll) They invest part of their profits/winnings and risk a percentage of the rest in more than one investment/game.

Oh yeah, one added note. The groupies go for the winner for the night. It's cool being the winning gunslinger 50 % + of the time, but it's even cooler to know how to match up and win 80 % of the time. Who gets the most groupies? You do the math. Johnnyt

First off, I have no need or want to use pool to make money, but now that's I've said that....for those who do -

Johnny makes a great point. Being the MAN in most anything isn't showing how much heart or balls you have. It's not about being a HERO. It's all about who has the most ($$$$$$$$). Sure, you might be able to beat a worldbeater 1 outta 10 or even 5 times. Great for telling everyone at the poolhall (how you took down so and so once), but not so good on the wallet. So, if your main objective is to make money....forget the ego boost and pad the wallet instead.

If it's just the gambling bug that has ahold of you....you'll end up betting on anything anyways and this logic will elude you. So, for those of you - play any and everyone even; maybe (hopefully) you'll go bust and learn your lesson. Probably not, but I had to throw that side into the gambling discussion as well.

As Johnny said, make your goals that of any small business owner....BOTTOM LINE. If you can get there with the 8, get the 7, and so on. Smart is just smart, and there's never anything wrong with that. As for the NIT part - I still think a nit is someone who asks for the 7 - gets it, and still won't play, not someone who wins with the 7 when they can play even.....

I love you guys. I'll buy you a beer any day! Then we can make the sets a little longer! You couldn't have said it any better!

 

[Johnnyt]

First off, I have no need or want to use pool to make money, but now that's I've said that....for those who do -

Johnny makes a great point. Being the MAN in most anything isn't showing how much heart or balls you have. It's not about being a HERO. It's all about who has the most ($$$$$$$$). Sure, you might be able to beat a worldbeater 1 outta 10 or even 5 times. Great for telling everyone at the poolhall (how you took down so and so once), but not so good on the wallet. So, if your main objective is to make money....forget the ego boost and pad the wallet instead.

If it's just the gambling bug that has ahold of you....you'll end up betting on anything anyways and this logic will elude you. So, for those of you - play any and everyone even; maybe (hopefully) you'll go bust and learn your lesson. Probably not, but I had to throw that side into the gambling discussion as well.

As Johnny said, make your goals that of any small business owner....BOTTOM LINE. If you can get there with the 8, get the 7, and so on. Smart is just smart, and there's never anything wrong with that. As for the NIT part - I still think a nit is someone who asks for the 7 - gets it, and still won't play, not someone who wins with the 7 when they can play even.....

I agree 100%. Johnnyt

 

[JAM]

Many threads have been started and opinions given on this subject over the years on AZ. Some think if someone is an open tournament player they should take on anyone in a match-up, or take the small meaningless spot given by a top tier pro.

Many think the gunslinger that draws/plays even with anybody is a hero or the man.

These same people think that knowing your true speed and knowing how to match up right (not hustle) is being a NIT.

Where are most of the gunslingers of the past? Are they retired and living comfortably in their old age…not many. When you put your whole bankroll on the line in almost every game you end up one way…BROKE.

If you use a stakehorse all the time you will go broke. If you play better players than you for more than the lessons are worth you'll go broke.

If you want to play pool for a living you have to match up even or better. If your matching even you must have something else going for you in every match-up. Sometimes it might be that you know the opponents comfort level stops at $100 a set and raising the bar a little higher than it. Sometime you know he plays poorly early…so play a few short sets for a good amount of money. Sometimes they drink while they play (they use to get me on this one sometimes) so play longer sets so the booze clouds their judgment.

Playing pool for a living or to supplement your income (which I advise) needs and should be treated like a business. In business the businessman that makes the best deals and decisions more than 50 % of the time usually are very successful over the long hall. They don't put all their eggs in one basket (shoot the whole bankroll) They invest part of their profits/winnings and risk a percentage of the rest in more than one investment/game.

Oh yeah, one added note. The groupies go for the winner for the night. It's cool being the winning gunslinger 50 % + of the time, but it's even cooler to know how to match up and win 80 % of the time. Who gets the most groupies? You do the math. Johnnyt

Nobody gambles anymore, Johnnyt. They're all tournament soldiers today.

The gunslinger nits got old and gave it up, after nobody would listen to their B.S. anymore. Some decided to become trolls on pool forums where they can really have some horsepower.

The action men are either dead or broke dogs, sitting in a homeless shelter somewhere, dying of AIDS from all those drugs they injected, liver problems from the alcohol abuse, and lung cancer from all those fumes they inhaled.

Playing pool, devoting your life to it and having passion is, of course, a lost cause, and anybody who thinks they're going to do something productive in their life by promoting action and/or pool is barking up the wrong tree, poor fellows.

Thanks for proving the point so eloquently. :smile:

 

[Gerry]

Nobody gambles anymore, Johnnyt. They're all tournament soldiers today.

The gunslinger nits got old and gave it up, after nobody would listen to their B.S. anymore. Some decided to become trolls on pool forums where they can really have some horsepower.

The action men are either dead or broke dogs, sitting in a homeless shelter somewhere, dying of AIDS from all those drugs they injected, liver problems from the alcohol abuse, and lung cancer from all those fumes they inhaled.

Playing pool, devoting your life to it and having passion is, of course, a lost cause, and anybody who thinks they're going to do something productive in their life by promoting action and/or pool is barking up the wrong tree, poor fellows.

Thanks for proving the point so eloquently. :smile:

wowowowow......that was depressing :frown: yea, I remember much better times for the game, but I still have hope. TAR and the streaming guys are doing great things for the action hungry masses. I still know many people that will gamble. They aren't at the pool room every day anymore, but they will still play when called for the most part.

I still play the game and try to improve because I believe at some point it will rise again.....I hope.

Then again, I never chose to make a living at the game.

G.