Money games / Action / Cheddar

[RidgeRaider]

I've been around pool my whole life, but took a fairly long hiatus for about 12 years before coming back. Since being back and deeper than ever, I started realizing that the money games and action has changed around me.

I am not old, not even over the hill, but when I was younger it wasn't abnormal to go into the local pool hall and there were dedicated money tables, or at least tables you knew if people were playing on it was a money game. Bars frequently had people playing on one table for fun, other table was money. Often if I was shooting alone, it didn't take but 10 minutes for someone walk up and ask to play for some bucks a set.


Now I feel like I spend more time in halls and bars than I ever did, but I've witnessed less action than I ever have. I don't ever see money on rails or lights, I don't see crowds around a table, I don't ever see arguments breakout about money anymore.

What I have noticed is that almost all the pool gambling has gone behind private doors near me. A lot of discussion is done on Facebook, then people either play at someone's house or undisclosed location. I can't seem to find anyone in a bar willing to play for $20 a game anymore unless it's the old local hustler. Are people taking it less or more seriously now?

What's it like near everyone else? How has it changed for y'all?

 

[qolbrand]

most people these days have less disposable income i think. i don’t gamble simply because i cannot afford to lose.

 

[u12armresl]

I've been around pool my whole life, but took a fairly long hiatus for about 12 years before coming back. Since being back and deeper than ever, I started realizing that the money games and action has changed around me.

I am not old, not even over the hill, but when I was younger it wasn't abnormal to go into the local pool hall and there were dedicated money tables, or at least tables you knew if people were playing on it was a money game. Bars frequently had people playing on one table for fun, other table was money. Often if I was shooting alone, it didn't take but 10 minutes for someone walk up and ask to play for some bucks a set.


Now I feel like I spend more time in halls and bars than I ever did, but I've witnessed less action than I ever have. I don't ever see money on rails or lights, I don't see crowds around a table, I don't ever see arguments breakout about money anymore.

What I have noticed is that almost all the pool gambling has gone behind private doors near me. A lot of discussion is done on Facebook, then people either play at someone's house or undisclosed location. I can't seem to find anyone in a bar willing to play for $20 a game anymore unless it's the old local hustler. Are people taking it less or more seriously now?

What's it like near everyone else? How has it changed for y'all?

My thought would be how many games do you want to play for $20 a game, if you lose 5 are you done?

Now, people want to adjust after 1 game and ask for a spot, they also need to google your name, post to a pool forum, and look at Fargo ratings before matching up. Your game may be knocked while you are shooting from the village idiot who wants to slide in and get your money by telling you "you can't beat him, he beat Billy Joe Bob the other day."

Here, $20 games aren't hard to find, once again, it's the amount someone will lose and how even the game is.

Personally, I'd prefer to play a set, but by the game is fine if there is nothing else going on.

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

My thought would be how many games do you want to play for $20 a game, if you lose 5 are you done?

Now, people want to adjust after 1 game and ask for a spot, they also need to google your name, post to a pool forum, and look at Fargo ratings before matching up. Your game may be knocked while you are shooting from the village idiot who wants to slide in and get your money by telling you "you can't beat him, he beat Billy Joe Bob the other day."

Here, $20 games aren't hard to find, once again, it's the amount someone will lose and how even the game is.

Personally, I'd prefer to play a set, but by the game is fine if there is nothing else going on.

People today just don't get it. Knocking culture is at an all time high. And yeah Fargo has destroyed the more sporadic action. Along with the drop in disposable income of course.

 

[easy-e]

My thought would be how many games do you want to play for $20 a game, if you lose 5 are you done?

Now, people want to adjust after 1 game and ask for a spot, they also need to google your name, post to a pool forum, and look at Fargo ratings before matching up. Your game may be knocked while you are shooting from the village idiot who wants to slide in and get your money by telling you "you can't beat him, he beat Billy Joe Bob the other day."

Here, $20 games aren't hard to find, once again, it's the amount someone will lose and how even the game is.

Personally, I'd prefer to play a set, but by the game is fine if there is nothing else going on.

100%

 

[Mensabum]

I've been around pool my whole life, but took a fairly long hiatus for about 12 years before coming back. Since being back and deeper than ever, I started realizing that the money games and action has changed around me.

I am not old, not even over the hill, but when I was younger it wasn't abnormal to go into the local pool hall and there were dedicated money tables, or at least tables you knew if people were playing on it was a money game. Bars frequently had people playing on one table for fun, other table was money. Often if I was shooting alone, it didn't take but 10 minutes for someone walk up and ask to play for some bucks a set.


Now I feel like I spend more time in halls and bars than I ever did, but I've witnessed less action than I ever have. I don't ever see money on rails or lights, I don't see crowds around a table, I don't ever see arguments breakout about money anymore.

What I have noticed is that almost all the pool gambling has gone behind private doors near me. A lot of discussion is done on Facebook, then people either play at someone's house or undisclosed location. I can't seem to find anyone in a bar willing to play for $20 a game anymore unless it's the old local hustler. Are people taking it less or more seriously now?

What's it like near everyone else? How has it changed for y'all?

In the halls around here, one old school, the other, a younger crowd, I was in Siberia for a long time trying to break into what I knew were money games going on around me. You can tell if you've been around the game as long as I have. These younger guys pre determine B4 getting to the hall, from what I've seen. By text, call or social site, setting up all of it in advance, so when they get there they just pull their axe and go.
Most pay offs are done discreetly in the men's room or by handshake after the match. In the past year, I've only seen one argument there and it was caused by changing the initial terms of the bet. Guy was whining about getting his ass handed to him and threatened to quit early if weight wasn't given. Dick move for sure and of course the volume went up.
Glad I've got big hands.