Is this Sharking?

PhilosopherKing

PhilosopherKing

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I have a few different scenarios. All involve money and an evenly-matched opponent that you know and interact with on a regular basis:

1.) Your opponent says he has to leave at a certain time, goes on a roll, and continues playing well past the stated time without saying a word about it.

2.) Your opponent is down, says this is his last set, catches a gear, wins the set, gets even, and goes to flip the coin like nothing was ever said.

3.) You're up several sets, your opponent keeps making the bet double-or-nothing, loses several more sets, eventually wins one, gets even, and quits.

Do you consider these moves sharking? How do you deal with them?

Thanks
 
I agree on that one. I'm not too knowledgeable on the gambling lingo but it
seems not as much shark moves as being a nit and borderline cheating in a way.

I have to leave at a specific time. Only if I am down. If I am winning, I will adjust my quit time until I'm ahead or even.

Don't gamble with him again or if you do, pull off the same moves. If you're up, get an unexpected text message that an emergency has come up and you have to leave.

Anyway, I'm not much of a gambler so someone will have much better ways of dealing with nits like him thru personal experience.
I should learn because I certainly wouldn't mind playing cheap sets with people.
 
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PhilosopherKing said:
I have a few different scenarios. All involve money and an evenly-matched opponent that you know and interact with on a regular basis:

1.) Your opponent says he has to leave at a certain time, goes on a roll, and continues playing well past the stated time without saying a word about it.

2.) Your opponent is down, says this is his last set, catches a gear, wins the set, gets even, and goes to flip the coin like nothing was ever said.

3.) You're up several sets, your opponent keeps making the bet double-or-nothing, loses several more sets, eventually wins one, gets even, and quits.

Do you consider these moves sharking? How do you deal with them?

Thanks
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1) He/she is SAYING they will quit and don't want hard feelings when they do!!!!!

2) He is telling you that was his last barrell, You now know how much or how little you can win!

3) He/she is saying they do not think they can WIN! Just hoping for one LUCKY roll! Telling you to CERTAINLY play him again ON SIGHT!!!!!

The above is NOT sharking!!!! Pool/Gambling is all about INFORMATION and KNOWING how to interpret the signals and information your opponent provides you!!!!!

KD
 
Apocalypse2012 said:
I wouldn't say its sharking...more of being a nitty gambler
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How do you deal with it?

I can take people reaching in their pockets for the money when I'm on the last 9, and I can take endless idiotic, petty, and contentious comments, but, for some reason, these things send me into total meltdown.
 
DoubleD said:
Seriously, grow a pair.

1. If he doesn't leave at the time he said, pack up and go home. It is your choice to stay.

2. If he wins after he said it was the last one, tell him goodbye.

3. If you don't like the possibility of him getting his money back, don't take the bet.

And always quit while you are ahead. Just good words to live by.

dld
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I don't think it's as cut and dry as you're making it out to be.
 
In all the scenarios mentioned you have a role in the interaction.

You don't have to play more sets if you don't want to... If your opponent says last set you can quit after that set if you like. Why wouldn't he want to quit, he just said last set.

If you feel like stopping and you are even (after he said last set) and he wants to flip the coin say.... "nope, I'm done... you have to go anyway, right??"

I personally rarely double the bet more than once when in action. I can't stand winning 6 sets then losing 2 and breaking even or losing. Whatever amount I am playing for I will usually play to the end of the night, we can adjust tomorrow.

These situations are mild, there is nothing tricky about what they are doing. You can use their own words against them.

If they are posturing to leave while they are ahead yeah that is kind of annoying but someone has to win right? It also gives you the power to quit after that set so I don't really think its that big of a deal.
 
PhilosopherKing said:
How do you deal with it?

I can take people reaching in their pockets for the money when I'm on the last 9, and I can take endless idiotic, petty, and contentious comments, but, for some reason, these things send me into total meltdown.
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Having this much reaction to sharking/bad sportsmanship will hurt you....

If it works against you they will continue to do it. Unfortunately, not everyone has a higher morality when it comes to gambling/competition. It is some cutthroat ish. If they make a move and it gets to you take a second gather yourself and keep going. They are not the ones who are to blame--->you can manage your own thoughts.

Dudley
 
I havn't read everyone elses comments so maybe this was said all ready. I deal with the exact same scenerio in my home town with a few people. Every time its the same thing. SO when I play them I require that we post a certain amount and we play til that amount is achieved. So we'll post $300 and play $50 sets until someone is down $300. Then you reneg from there.
 
Built in excuses.
Safety net.
Whatever you want to call them.

Bottom line is that it should tell you you have a perceived advantage. Use it to your advantage. Take control of whether he uses them or not.
For Pete's sake, don't let it get to you. Use it.
 
bankout86 said:
I havn't read everyone elses comments so maybe this was said all ready. I deal with the exact same scenerio in my home town with a few people. Every time its the same thing. SO when I play them I require that we post a certain amount and we play til that amount is achieved. So we'll post $300 and play $50 sets until someone is down $300. Then you reneg from there.
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That's one way to do it....


Good advice.

Dud
 
DoubleD said:
Nah, it is perfectly cut and dried.

If it isn't, the fault lies on you for describing it poorly.

dld
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I think sometimes it's more important to leave not looking like a jerk when you're dealing with someone you know... And, not for sentimental reasons.
 
You're gambling, what difference does it make? There is one question to all of this - Is the juice worth the squeeze?

The truth is, people you gamble with should be viewed as someone you're simply doing business with, like a client. You're not there to teach them proper etiquette or manners. You're there strictly to get paid. You can choose to play or not play someone for any reason you like.
 
maha said:
winning or losing you should be able to quit when ever you want.
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I don't think that people will disagree.... you have the "right" to quit at any time. However there is etiquette in gambling.

If you communicate that you gotta at a certain time that's fine but to just leave because you got up a couple sets---> that sucks.
 
I say they're sharks (especially the first two). Because, in my opinion, they amount to stealing control over an aspect of a match that should be neutral: time.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
You're gambling, what difference does it make? There is one question to all of this - Is the juice worth the squeeze?

The truth is, people you gamble with should be viewed as someone you're simply doing business with, like a client. You're not there to teach them proper etiquette or manners. You're there strictly to get paid. You can choose to play or not play someone for any reason you like.
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I agree, but how you do business with one person today can affect how you're forced to do business (or not do business) with a number of other people in the future.

It's tricky when everybody knows everybody else. There's nothing worse than bad blood in a small pool room.
 
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DoubleD said:
So you are worried about looking like a jerk when someone is being a jerk to you?
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I think this is valid. You want to avoid looking like a jerk as much as possible. If you bring drama with you every time you gamble, people are not going to want to gamble with you unless they're certain to get paid. If you're a pleasant person to play, you're likely to keep the easier games going a bit longer.
 
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