A hustler... not

F

Fastolfe

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Funny thing happened to me last night at the pool hall: I walked in to say hello and get a coffee after my work day, no more. The place was almost empty, save for a guy talking too much at the bar. After 15 minutes as I got up to go, the guy said "a little game of pool friend?". I unconvincingly agreed, not really wanting to play or anything.

So we played 8 ball for like half an hour and I whooped him bad. But the guy was strange: he was shooting *very* straight when he was shooting, but always missing really simple shots and leaving me in position to finish him off. Also, he was going ooh-ahh-you-really-play-good on almost all my shots, like if they were something special. But most strangely, he was putting on that really drunken act, but didn't smell of booze.

So after a while, as I was eyeing him suspiciously, it finally came: "how about 10 euro a game eh? I really play better when there's money on the table". Uh-oh, if he isn't hustling, I'm the queen of England. So I said "ok, but I might have to leave soon, I'm waiting for a phone call", then I went to the toilets and told the barman to call my cell phone if I ordered a diet coke.

So we played, he lost. We played again, he lost again, etc... Finally I was up 70 euro, waiting for him to bump up the bet, and much to my surprise, he stumbled on the carpet, splattered himself widely on the floor, picked himself up, then started packing up saying he'd had enough and too much to drink. He then proceeded to the bar, paid for the table and all our drinks, paid me and buggered off. Wow.

Turns out, he really was drunk out of his mind. The barman told me he had been siphoning off the beer keg for the better part of the afternoon, and that he had a good time watching me trying to figure out the guy. I don't know who he was, just his first name, but hey, I made a bit of money :)
 
Fastolfe said:
Funny thing happened to me last night at the pool hall: I walked in to say hello and get a coffee after my work day, no more. The place was almost empty, save for a guy talking too much at the bar. After 15 minutes as I got up to go, the guy said "a little game of pool friend?". I unconvincingly agreed, not really wanting to play or anything.

So we played 8 ball for like half an hour and I whooped him bad. But the guy was strange: he was shooting *very* straight when he was shooting, but always missing really simple shots and leaving me in position to finish him off. Also, he was going ooh-ahh-you-really-play-good on almost all my shots, like if they were something special. But most strangely, he was putting on that really drunken act, but didn't smell of booze.

So after a while, as I was eyeing him suspiciously, it finally came: "how about 10 euro a game eh? I really play better when there's money on the table". Uh-oh, if he isn't hustling, I'm the queen of England. So I said "ok, but I might have to leave soon, I'm waiting for a phone call", then I went to the toilets and told the barman to call my cell phone if I ordered a diet coke.

So we played, he lost. We played again, he lost again, etc... Finally I was up 70 euro, waiting for him to bump up the bet, and much to my surprise, he stumbled on the carpet, splattered himself widely on the floor, picked himself up, then started packing up saying he'd had enough and too much to drink. He then proceeded to the bar, paid for the table and all our drinks, paid me and buggered off. Wow.

Turns out, he really was drunk out of his mind. The barman told me he had been siphoning off the beer keg for the better part of the afternoon, and that he had a good time watching me trying to figure out the guy. I don't know who he was, just his first name, but hey, I made a bit of money :)
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LoL he was so drunk you thought he was acting........now that is classic. I'd imagine the thought: "This is the worst hustler I have ever seen." passed through your mind eh.
 
That's funny, buy me a new jump/break cue with that charity you got rolling in.
 
Just watch even more carefully if he comes back in to play you some in the next couple of days with higher stakes.
 
I guess "You can't read them all!!!" Good for you. Spend your winnings in good health.
 
Good story! Interesting move - calling the barkeep while in the john. I gotta remember that one, it could be used for a number of purposes.

Were you being paranoid? Nah, just being wary. Obviously you're not too wet behind the ears.
 
Fastolfe said:
Turns out, he really was drunk out of his mind. The barman told me he had been siphoning off the beer keg for the better part of the afternoon, and that he had a good time watching me trying to figure out the guy. I don't know who he was, just his first name, but hey, I made a bit of money :)
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Sounds like he's playing the long game on you. Stay on your guard.
 
You're right guys, he may be trying to get me over time. I've never seen it done myself, but I'm sure it's possible, especially since I look like a regular at that poolhall, so not likely to disappear with his initial investment. My paranoid self is on the lookout though.

As for the little trick with the barman, it's something I always do if I smell a rat. I nearly got my teeth bashed in when I cut a hustle short at the pivotal moment once. So now I make sure I have an airtight alibi to get the hell out of here before being had.
 
Sounds like you got a little "seed" money. If I were you, I'd stay out of sunlight and avoid water for a while. Old boy will be back through to harvest the crops if you know what I mean.

Reminds me of something a very infamous knife wielding member on AZB used to do. See on a trip to the beach in Carolina there are lots of places to play between Raleigh and the water. Well this gentleman, whom is a heavy drinker, liked to go in to each action spot and just lose $30-$80 not a lot, but show a tiny bit of speed so the guys would take him a little serious. Well after a long week on the beach and the expenses totaled up. You rest assure the trip money was recouped on the way back. He knows you will win $70 so he figures you will lose about $500.

Only question left is, is he right?????
 
Thats a great story ..... I think the best part was your frame of mind to have the bar tender call you if you ordered a diet coke .. That my friend was pretty genius .. I will have to remember that one great move !!.. Rep to you

Cheers,
Darin
 
Funny how many times I've been on the other end of this deal,not even betting money but being mistaken for a hustler. It tends to depend on the place, but recently I pulled up to a very rednecky karaoke/bar/pizza place with some bar boxes. My car was blaring rap, I was dressed neatly, and I carried my own cue in, so as soon as I pulled up the people smoking near the door started saying "hustler, hustler", even though I don't think they had a concrete idea of what that entailed. Inside, people were eager to play me, kept waiting for me to bet, and phsawwed if I missed a shot, even a difficult one, as though it was all an act. This can be entertaining at times but if you just want to shoot a game of pool it can get annoying.
 
dr2112 said:
Thats a great story ..... I think the best part was your frame of mind to have the bar tender call you if you ordered a diet coke .. That my friend was pretty genius .. I will have to remember that one great move !!.. Rep to you

Cheers,
Darin
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If you have an iphone, there is an app for that!


"FAKE CALLER"
 
mikeyfrost said:
He knows you will win $70 so he figures you will lose about $500. Only question left is, is he right?????
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Not very likely. I have a rule of never playing over what I previously set out to potentially lose, be it poker or pool. When I go to a casino, I come in with a small wad of cash and a deadline, and I come out either empty handed or on time. Same goes for pool. I figure if I lose it all, my initial money paid for the fun I had. If I win, so much the better.

In the case of the guy, I was initially willing to part with 10 euro. When I first won, my initial investment was secured, so I would have been willing to part with 10 again, then with 20, then with 30, etc... When he called it quit, I was ahead 70, so I would have been willing to bet a maximum of 70, no more. If he comes back, my counter is reset, so I'll bet no more than 10 again. Actually, probably less if I reckon he looks sober. So whatever happens, he's not getting anything from me.

My little rule allows me to be a happy player of money games. I'm not going to get rich that way, but I can get my adrenaline fix every now and then, and still pay my bills and provide for my family :) The only danger is with personal bets is, when my opponent realizes I'm the stingy kind, he may suddenly become extremely unpleasant, so I make sure I have a way to tell him that, yes, I really would love to play again, but I really gotta go.
 
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Be careful, Fastolfe. He's got you right where he wants you.

Either that or he's just a sucker.

Hope this helps. :grin:
 
There's one piece of advice nobody has given yet.. Go look for the guy, buy him a few drinks, then take his money again. :grin:
 
Ronnie Allen tells this story of traveling across the country once and losing in every spot on the way across. Then a few weeks later he went the other direction and by then the word was out that Ronnie Allen was 'washed up and couldn't make a ball'. He cleaned up in every spot all the way back to California.
 
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