Best Moves for a Hustler To Use

C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1) Racking the balls at the wrong end of the table.
2) Asking the house man for a 9 ball rack.
3) Chalking your cue tip while holding it directly over over the table surface.
4) Placing the chalk upside down on the rail.
5) Grabbing the chalk and chalking your tip after missing a shot, when your opponent will be needing to use it.
6) Asking the house man if you have any talc/hand chalk.
7) Standing right next to the table while your opponent is shooting.
8) Breaking the balls as soon as they’ve been racked, before the racker even has time to place the rack on the hook and get out of the way.
9) Dumping the tray of balls on the pool table surface, as opposed to carefully removing them and placing them on the table.
10) Asking the house man for a rack of balls as opposed to a tray of balls.
11) Setting your drink on the rail of the table.

Just for starters - Any others you guys can think of? If I witnessed a perspective opponent doing any two or more of these, I know either they are trying to hustle me, or there is absolutely no way they can beat me!
 
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It is very simple, providing, you can actually play.
One move is to just get a table and start playing, but not so good. Hopefully a local hustler want to be will just come over and ask you to play.
It is best in you have a little of a line on the place befor you go in.

You need a good cue you can play with but not high end. No one is scared off anymore because you have your own cue, that ended 30 years ago. The cue says "I like to play but don't you have a $600. cue". I soft case or even better a cheap box case is a good touch.

You also have to look like you can play a little, don't look like an idiot with spazzy bridge and so on. You will most likely have to stall but it has to be done in a way you can shift gears if you have to. You will most likely play more then one guy and assume the next one will be better the the first.
The amount you bet can be a factor. $2 to $5 nine ball or 8 ball sort of classifies you right off. It also does not scare off the easy action that you want to start with.

Never use your real name. This is not because they will know it, it is just not a good idea.

9 ball is better then 8 ball. In 8 ball you have to show something even to beat a weak player. 9 ball you can get away with letting him have the table a lot, if he runs out, good. You actually want him to win games on his own. Mostly though, weaker players will sell out to you in 9 ball and he is racking feeling he should have won.

This is just something extra I just happened to remember. I would if I could lose the first game and pay the guy. This established we were paying after every game. The guy will never turn it down. Otherwise he may start marking up games on the counter. You don't want to even have that discussion about when to pay. Or worse, have to ask him for the money.

I usually avoided playing sets, I like by the game. The reason is, a set meant he can quit when it is over and that may be after the first set.
By the game it is not very hard to keep him playing, often "WAY" beyond what he normally would have.

All this is just fun to talk about. I doubt you can make any money running around playing pool anymore like we did back in the 60s and 70s. To be honest, you didn't even have to be that good a player to go on the road and make a few dollars back then. Pool rooms, bars were everywhere and you could always get played. In fact there was sort of a gunfighter mentality back then, players wanted to play.
 
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Fatboy said:
Throw a $100 bill on the rail when your racking the balls if your looking for action
Click to expand...
I don't know how good an idea that is. You better be a world beater if you do that. I remember years ago getting a call and the owner at the pool room tells me there is a guy there looking to play. He said the guy wanted to play $100. one pocket. (This is 1970s) He says he hadn't seen him play. I said, I know how he plays, he plays like a guy who plays $100. one pocket. I went ahead and called Ronnie Sypher to go.

I got a call like that another time saying there is a guy here looking to play some straight pool. I go over and played a few games almost never getting to shoot. It was Gene Nagy.
 
middleofnowhere said:
I don't know how good an idea that is. You better be a world beater if you do that. I remember years ago getting a call and the owner at the pool room tells me there is a guy there looking to play. He said the guy wanted to play $100. one pocket. (This is 1970s) He says he hadn't seen him play. I said, I know how he plays, he plays like a guy who plays $100. one pocket. I went ahead and called Ronnie Sypher to go.

I got a call like that another time saying there is a guy here looking to play some straight pool. I go over and played a few games almost never getting to shoot. It was Gene Nagy.
Click to expand...
I did that more times than I can count in the 80’s and early 90’s and I’m far from a world beater. But I got action. Won more than I lost, but I did book losers. That move used to get things going-the whole idea. Now days that move is suicide since camera phones etc.
 
middleofnowhere said:
It is very simple, providing, you can actually play.
One move is to just get a table and start playing, but not so good. Hopefully a local hustler want to be will just come over and ask you to play.
It is best in you have a little of a line on the place befor you go in.

You need a good cue you can play with but not high end. No one is scared off anymore because you have your own cue anymore, that ended 30 years ago. The cue says "I like to play but don't you have a $600. cue". I soft case or even better a cheap box case is a good touch.

You also have to look like you can play a little, don't look like an idiot with spazzy bridge and so on. You will most likely have to stall but it has to be done in a way you can shift gears if you have to. You will most likely play more then one guy and assume the next one will be better the the first.
The amount you bet can be a factor. $2 to $5 nine ball or 8 ball sort of classifies you right off. It also does not scare off the easy action that you want to start with.

Never use your real name. This is not because they will know it, it is just not a good idea.

9 ball is better then 8 ball. In 8 ball you have to show something even to beat a weak player. 9 ball you can get away with letting him have the table a lot, if he runs out, good. You actually want him to win games on his own. Mostly though, weaker players will sell out to you in 9 ball and he is racking feeling he should have won.

This is just something extra I just happened to remember. I would if I could lose the first game and pay the guy. This established we were paying after every game. The guy will never turn it down. Otherwise he may start marking up games on the counter. You don't want to even have that discussion about when to pay. Or worse, have to ask him for the money.

I usually avoided playing sets, I like by the game. The reason is, a set meant he can quit when it is over and that may be after the first set.
By the game it is not so hard to keep him playing, often "WAY" beyond he normally would have.

All this is just fun to talk about. I doubt you can make any money running around playing pool anymore like we did back in the 60s and 70s. To be honest, you didn't even have to be that good a player to go on the road and make a few dollars back then. Pool rooms, bars were everywhere and you could always get played. In fact there was sort of a gunfighter mentality back then, players wanted to play.
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I respectfully disagree

8B you can just push balls around until you win, like 1P and never show your true speed. In rotation games you eventually have to let out your stroke and will show speed to get from one shot to the next.

If you really know how to move in 8B you can make a rack last long as it takes and never shoot a hard shot, tie up balls. Make winning look like luck. Harder to hide speed in rotation games. Barbox or big table don’t matter

Best
Fatboy
 
Fatboy said:
I did that more times than I can count in the 80’s and early 90’s and I’m far from a world beater. But I got action. Won more than I lost, but I did book losers. That move used to get things going-the whole idea. Now days that move is suicide since camera phones etc.
Click to expand...
What it will do is bring out the greed in a lot of players. You have a bankroll and they may give you the world (weight) thinking they will get into it. That money can be bait.
 
middleofnowhere said:
What it will do is bring out the greed in a lot of players. You have a bankroll and they may give you the world (weight) thinking they will get into it. That money can be bait.
Click to expand...
Yes lots of times I’d lose to the first guy I played using that move. But it got people watching talking. Established that I am action.

So it accomplished a lot. If I beat the first guy, the 2nd guy was a problem. They don’t always bring out the best player first. I fell for that trap too, I’ve also laid that trap with partners.

The whole point of the $ on the rail is to wake up the town that action has arrived.

Those days are over now. But there was a time that was THE move. How you managed it win or lose that first $100 was up to you and your experience playing in unfamiliar places. It’s a lost art now.

Best
Fatboy
 
Fatboy said:
I respectfully disagree

8B you can just push balls around until you win, like 1P and never show your true speed. In rotation games you eventually have to let out your stroke and will show speed to get from one shot to the next.

If you really know how to move in 8B you can make a rack last long as it takes and never shoot a hard shot, tie up balls. Make winning look like luck. Harder to hide speed in rotation games. Barbox or big table don’t matter

Best
Fatboy
Click to expand...
No, I agree. Ronnie Sypher and Jimmy Reid loved hustling 8 ball. Hustlers like Pots and Pans, I would go to bars with him and he was an expert playing 8 ball. On a 9 foot table though I don't like it that much. Another problem is, a lot of these guys who play in leagues can play it pretty damn good. You stall a little and 3 hours later you are up like 2 games. They can do what you describe to you also.

9 ball just feels like you can manage the game against weaker players and they never know the difference.
9 ball against weak players was always stress free. 8 ball I have to actually pay attention. Again, I'm referring to hustling pool. How to beat weaker players without having to show much of anything. I guess there can be a case made for either game.
 
ChrisinNC said:
1) Racking the balls at the wrong end of the table.
2) Asking the house man for a 9 ball rack.
3) Chalking your cue tip while holding it directly over over the table surface.
4) Placing the chalk upside down on the rail.
5) Grabbing the chalk and chalking your tip after missing a shot, when your opponent will be needing to use it.
6) Asking the house man if you have any talc/hand chalk.
7) Standing right next to the table while your opponent is shooting.
8) Breaking the balls as soon as they’ve been racked, before the racker even has time to place the rack on the hook and get out of the way.
9) Dumping the tray of balls on the pool table surface, as opposed to carefully removing them and placing them on the table.
10) Asking the house man for a rack of balls as opposed to a tray of balls.
11) Setting your drink on the rail of the table.

Just for starters - Any others you guys can think of? If I witnessed a perspective opponent doing any two or more of these, I know either they are trying to hustle me, or there is absolutely no way they can beat me!
Click to expand...
Who hustles pool anymore?? With smart-phones a player gets knocked within minutes of going in a spot. Haven't seen any of these 'moves' in eons.
 
Fatboy said:
I respectfully disagree

8B you can just push balls around until you win, like 1P and never show your true speed. In rotation games you eventually have to let out your stroke and will show speed to get from one shot to the next.

If you really know how to move in 8B you can make a rack last long as it takes and never shoot a hard shot, tie up balls. Make winning look like luck. Harder to hide speed in rotation games. Barbox or big table don’t matter

Best
Fatboy
Click to expand...
One of the things with 9 ball is that the game is a little hard for the average player. Most average players if you give them ball in hand on the 1 will not get out. Pretty much they will sell out. That's how I am hoping to win, after a sell out if possible.
 
middleofnowhere said:
No, I agree. Ronnie Sypher and Jimmy Reid loved hustling 8 ball. Hustlers like Pots and Pans, I would go to bars with him and he was an expert playing 8 ball. On a 9 foot table though I don't like it that much. Another problem is, a lot of these guys who play in leagues can play it pretty damn good. You stall a little and 3 hours later you are up like 2 games. They can do what you describe to you also.

9 ball just feels like you can manage the game against weaker players and they never know the difference.
9 ball against weak players was always stress free. 8 ball I have to actually pay attention. Again, I'm referring to hustling pool. How to beat weaker players without having to show much of anything. I guess there can be a case made for either game.
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I miss Pots &Pans he was a pool players pool player. “Scouts honor I need the last 2” RIP.

Yes you are right if someone knows a bit about pool 8B is more work to lay low playing.

If they know nothing then rotation games are easier to stall playing. But sometimes there’s nowhere to hide and you have to come with a shot and speaking from experience I have “woke” them up and lost a customer.

I lost more customers playing 9B than 8B over the years. But that was years ago. That’s possibly changed now, idk know what bar pool is even like anymore. The start with a beer & $5 a rack type of bar pool that turns into $20 to $100/rack(hopefully). Does that exist anymore?

Sadly this is part of my past and I don’t see it happening again in the future for me anyways. I had great mentors, Joe Villapondo, Dave Knottingham, and others of the like. What I lacked in pool speed I made up for in picking good spots.

Best
Fatboy
 
garczar said:
Who hustles pool anymore?? With smart-phones a player gets knocked within minutes of going in a spot. Haven't seen any of these 'moves' in eons.
Click to expand...
It’s all done.

First time I saw a camera on a phone in a picture. My first thought was “pool hustling is dead” sadly I was right.

Sucks
Fatboy 😕
 
middleofnowhere said:
One of the things with 9 ball is that the game is a little hard for the average player. Most average players if you give them ball in hand on the 1 will not get out. Pretty much they will sell out. That's how I am hoping to win, after a sell out if possible.
Click to expand...
Spot anyone the break playing short rack-6!ball. You’ll like that. 3 less balls to shoot and your and “you are giving them a spot”.

If they fall for that carnival game you hooked a good one. Try and raise the bet. Or use the break “spot” as a reason to bet more.

Lots of tricks

Have fun
Fatboy

PS I’ll get you my address where to ship my jelly, I don’t use PayPal 😉
 
Any chance you get shoot behind your back and strut like a badass when you make it.

And or

fire a few ducks in one handed then quickly rubberneck around to see who saw your mad skills in action.
 
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