On the outside, yes. A hustler appears to be the "fool" and the hustled ends up being the fool. Either way, it takes two to tango.
How to identify a hustler.
- Thread starter JoeW
- Start date
On the outside, yes. A hustler appears to be the "fool" and the hustled ends up being the fool. Either way, it takes two to tango.
Maybe I missed something along the way, Joe, but I never really understood your original post. It appeared to me that you were putting out a warning to all that would hear, about a swarm of locusts disguised as pool hustlers and that should any one of us fall prey to their evil, and nefarious deeds, our home, health, and happiness could be placed in jeopardy. (Forgive my melodramatics, but I'm on a roll here.)
I became even more confused when sharking was thrown into the mix. I had allways considered sharks and hustlers as being two distinct entities.
If you add to that the scuffle that broke out when JB and Manwon went nose to nose, I hardly slept at all last night.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't hustlers simply one part of the rich tapestry of pool? When I was a kid, hustlers would come through town, hustling a living. Word would get around and we'd head for the poolroom and watch the hustler and the shortstop have a go at one another. It was great entertainment.
I can only speak for myself, but I like hustlers, and pool sharks, and shortstops, and darkened pool rooms, and '59 Cadillacs.
I became even more confused when sharking was thrown into the mix. I had allways considered sharks and hustlers as being two distinct entities.
If you add to that the scuffle that broke out when JB and Manwon went nose to nose, I hardly slept at all last night.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't hustlers simply one part of the rich tapestry of pool? When I was a kid, hustlers would come through town, hustling a living. Word would get around and we'd head for the poolroom and watch the hustler and the shortstop have a go at one another. It was great entertainment.
I can only speak for myself, but I like hustlers, and pool sharks, and shortstops, and darkened pool rooms, and '59 Cadillacs.
you are not a victim.A hustler did not put a gun against your head and asked you to play with him.you chose to play him.you thought that u could rob him.
PS:I will get out of the town before the number of claimed to be victims increases and y`all gang up on me.
PS:I will get out of the town before the number of claimed to be victims increases and y`all gang up on me.
The intent of the original post was to assist the naïve pool playing public with the identification of hustlers when they enter the darkly lit pool room that is inhabited by many characters. I assume that some (many?) people who come to one of the primary places on the net for all things pool might be interested in how to avoid being hustled when they are merely out for a little fun and relaxation.
Words to the wise, so to speak. While many of the characters found in a hall are wannabe hustlers who are in turn hustled by those with more skill in the art of the con, I also think there are weekend players out on a date who might be drawn into the pool world where each needs to be aware of where they fall in the social structure.
The thread is (was) intended to provide information for those who think that a nit may be some type of a crochet stitch. We would like these people to feel at least mildly comfortable and perhaps come back again to help support the expense of operating a pool hall for those of us who are there on a daily basis
And then the thread took off on its own – so to speak.
What better place to learn than from the denizens of the nefarious pool hall.
PS Had a friend with a 59 pink caddy -- remember those great fins -- and he would have been a wannabe hustler. You nailed him.
Words to the wise, so to speak. While many of the characters found in a hall are wannabe hustlers who are in turn hustled by those with more skill in the art of the con, I also think there are weekend players out on a date who might be drawn into the pool world where each needs to be aware of where they fall in the social structure.
The thread is (was) intended to provide information for those who think that a nit may be some type of a crochet stitch. We would like these people to feel at least mildly comfortable and perhaps come back again to help support the expense of operating a pool hall for those of us who are there on a daily basis
And then the thread took off on its own – so to speak.
What better place to learn than from the denizens of the nefarious pool hall.
PS Had a friend with a 59 pink caddy -- remember those great fins -- and he would have been a wannabe hustler. You nailed him.
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You and I as well as many others on this board feel comfortable in our little world and it would be good if we could enlarge it to some extent with educated weekenders who saw our world as a fun place to be. Heck they might even bring some good looking women along - ya never know.
OOPS might be an underlying hustle there -- but then that is part of the game -- which game, and who is really on first.
OOPS might be an underlying hustle there -- but then that is part of the game -- which game, and who is really on first.
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My three wives were the best hustlers I've ever come across. They've hustled me out of houses, cars, dogs, silverware, you name it, and a couple of them were pretty good sharks to. If the girls I meet nowadays aren't self-sufficient, they don't spend time with the Trampster. Good looking or not. :wink:
P.S. Good thread, Joe. Anytime a topic provokes a spirited discussion, with a wide range of opinions and a smidgeon of humor, it's a good thread in my book.
In your scenario no one is getting ripped off because both players are looking to steal from the other one.
But in a situation where someone uses deliberate deception to make it appear to be an even gambling game, as in the other player does not think that he has the nuts or is stealing but instead thinks it's an honest contest of skill on the table then the hustler is stealing without a gun.
How do you feel about a pro-class player who gets into B-class tournaments because they don't know who he is? What if he lies about his name when he signs up for the tournament? I think it's shady and sad when the pro-class player does it to tournaments where all the other players are baby kittens compared to him but he is not specifically barred. But when it's an advertised B-only event then such behavior borders on criminal theft in my book.
I used to go to a bar once in a while for a little Thursday tournament. It was a ONE GAME 8 ball tournament and first prize was $50 and second prize was a case of beer. I liked to go there and hang out and usually ended up with a $30 bar tab, some weeks I won, some weeks people got lucky on me and put me out.
One night I walk in and there is a really really good player there that I know. I see him when I walk in and he sees me but he turns away before I can go say hi. A little later he slides up next to me and says, "in this bar they know me as Slim so keep it that way if you don't mind". I just smiled and said sure.
The point is that hustling at pool is not always about TWO people thinking that they are robbing each other. Sometimes it's literally one or more people acting in concert to rob a mark.
I have seen a few elaborate setups in pool in my time where people went to great lengths to pretend to be someone that they aren't in order to gain the trust of the mark and then they proceeded to bleed him dry little by little, first by beating him on the table and then by getting him to "back" them in "sure thing" games.
That's just plain thievery. Nothing honorable about it. Makes for good stories though.
For "the leading man" 5-10 sounds about right. For the sidekick Hmm Nascar related hat...yup..think it was black and he did have glasses too. With the added details you added I am almost certain these are the same guys I saw.
Shooters looks like a decent place to play. I need to get up that way sometime and check it out. I am usually kicking it down South but move around some too.
Hustles come in different clothing.
The first hustler I ever played in the early 60's and probably my 3rd time playing pool offered to play me for 25 cents a game but to make sure we really tried hard let's play for 50 cents a scratch. He had to tell me what a scratch was but I agreed on the rules and he beat me out of 3-4 hard earned dollars and made me feel good about my game before I left.
Later on, in the mid-60s I went down to Long Beach, Ca. to watch the World Pool Championships. Richie Florence won the 9-ball title I believe and about two weeks later at the Mecca in Fresno, Ca. I see this guy shooting really hard and knocking balls all over that table. I walked up and told him that his game had really come undone in just two weeks. He looked at me and laughed his butt off. He then played me some real cheap 6-ball until one of our money players came in. When he did Florence walked over to the table and told him who he was and did he want to play with the last two and they went at it and were still going when I went home to dinner.
Now, the real hustlers that I have seen are the guys that come in and say they can kick three times and make the 9 off the foot spot (they can make it in two most times). And the guy that comes in and bet quite a few people that he can outrun a car at 50 yards, which he proceeds to do. And the guy that can throw his keys in a corner pocket from quite some distance. I always told my friends that if someone came into the Room and said he would bet that he could do a double somersault from the top of table...then watch out, he can. I have never been able to believe that anyone can be as gullible as pool players. We are strange people.
The first hustler I ever played in the early 60's and probably my 3rd time playing pool offered to play me for 25 cents a game but to make sure we really tried hard let's play for 50 cents a scratch. He had to tell me what a scratch was but I agreed on the rules and he beat me out of 3-4 hard earned dollars and made me feel good about my game before I left.
Later on, in the mid-60s I went down to Long Beach, Ca. to watch the World Pool Championships. Richie Florence won the 9-ball title I believe and about two weeks later at the Mecca in Fresno, Ca. I see this guy shooting really hard and knocking balls all over that table. I walked up and told him that his game had really come undone in just two weeks. He looked at me and laughed his butt off. He then played me some real cheap 6-ball until one of our money players came in. When he did Florence walked over to the table and told him who he was and did he want to play with the last two and they went at it and were still going when I went home to dinner.
Now, the real hustlers that I have seen are the guys that come in and say they can kick three times and make the 9 off the foot spot (they can make it in two most times). And the guy that comes in and bet quite a few people that he can outrun a car at 50 yards, which he proceeds to do. And the guy that can throw his keys in a corner pocket from quite some distance. I always told my friends that if someone came into the Room and said he would bet that he could do a double somersault from the top of table...then watch out, he can. I have never been able to believe that anyone can be as gullible as pool players. We are strange people.
If you get hustled it's your own fault and you deserve to cough up the cash and walk away like a little girl.
I'm not a gambler to begin with, but that doesn't mean that I never play for money. I do on occasion, but I don't need it as a motivator. With that said, I would never, and I mean NEVER, bet with someone I don't know. That has got to be the stupidest thing you could ever do on a pool table. And if I did bet with someone I don't know there surely wouldn't be any handicaps and there wouldn't be any adjusting that. Straight up is the only way I'd play someone. You win, I pay. I'm perfectly fine with that.
MULLY
I'm not a gambler to begin with, but that doesn't mean that I never play for money. I do on occasion, but I don't need it as a motivator. With that said, I would never, and I mean NEVER, bet with someone I don't know. That has got to be the stupidest thing you could ever do on a pool table. And if I did bet with someone I don't know there surely wouldn't be any handicaps and there wouldn't be any adjusting that. Straight up is the only way I'd play someone. You win, I pay. I'm perfectly fine with that.
MULLY
Yeah, there was a guy in Cincinnati back in the late 80's that would set a ball against the center of the end rail and then set the cue ball on the foot spot one ball to the right and then bet that he could cut the OB into the right corner, one handed. He needed 5 tries though. I don't think I ever saw him miss it all 5 times.
MULLY
This shot isn't that crazy using both hands, but one handed takes talent
KSwiss10
Registered
I haven't been playing pool very long and don't usually play for money unless it's people I know and it's usually only $5 race to 5 for fun. But one night I was at a bar and a guy kept asking to play for money and I kept refusing. Finally he said let's play for a drink...Loser buys the beer. I agreed and won 4 straight. He bought me a beer after each game which I would finish before the next game. He then asks to play $5 a rack. I was feeling pretty good after winning 4 straight and 4 beers so I agreed.
I ended up winning 5 of 6 games, and have honestly never played as good as I did that night. The guy got pissed and said, "you're hustling me so I'm leaving." Surprisingly he did pay me but then did leave. I later found out that what the guy did was a classic hustler trick. I got lucky that I played as well as I did and that he left.
I ended up winning 5 of 6 games, and have honestly never played as good as I did that night. The guy got pissed and said, "you're hustling me so I'm leaving." Surprisingly he did pay me but then did leave. I later found out that what the guy did was a classic hustler trick. I got lucky that I played as well as I did and that he left.
never ever take somebody else's prop bet
I've taken a few prop bets when the other fellow was a drunken cowboy three sheets into the wind but as a general rule I never take anyone else's proposition bet. Sure as hell there is a way they can do it.
One of the funniest things in a bar was to put the cue ball on the headspot and an object ball on footspot. People that wouldn't bet a beer on a pool game would cheerfully bet a dollar a shot on this shot, just make the object ball straight in without scratching. It isn't a scratch shot anyway but once that is on their mind . . . I'll let them shoot the shot or if they wanted to take turns being a gentleman I'd let them go first. Of course the odds on a typical bar room player that had drank a few beers making this shot was less than 50% plus they shot one more shot than I did. Wasn't unusual to get a handful of people involved in this challenge and take a tidy sum out the place when nobody wanted to bet on a game or set.
Hu
I've taken a few prop bets when the other fellow was a drunken cowboy three sheets into the wind but as a general rule I never take anyone else's proposition bet. Sure as hell there is a way they can do it.
One of the funniest things in a bar was to put the cue ball on the headspot and an object ball on footspot. People that wouldn't bet a beer on a pool game would cheerfully bet a dollar a shot on this shot, just make the object ball straight in without scratching. It isn't a scratch shot anyway but once that is on their mind . . . I'll let them shoot the shot or if they wanted to take turns being a gentleman I'd let them go first. Of course the odds on a typical bar room player that had drank a few beers making this shot was less than 50% plus they shot one more shot than I did. Wasn't unusual to get a handful of people involved in this challenge and take a tidy sum out the place when nobody wanted to bet on a game or set.
Hu
How to avoid being hustled: Don't play pool for money with people you don't know.
Come on by and check it out. They just put new cloth on all the tables and they just brought in a 9 footer. If you see a guy there with beard shooting with a McDermott Dubliner, that's probably me
Ha! what a chump that guy was. nothing wrong with mixing it up at all. i thought you were going to say that he won and asked for the cash for the beer instead of the beer.
you didn't get lucky you just out played him. even if he had won he would have had to have won 4 beers worth of cash just to break even. it's actually still a pretty tame loss. 30 bucks and 4 beers isn't nothing to cry about