Action in Miami and Denver?

mapman72

mapman72

New member
Ok, so the ONLY good thing about my job is that they pay for me to travel throughout the country for various conferences. I have a couple upcoming trips. One to Denver and one to Miami. I will also be heading to Charlotte later in the year. I'm looking for some pool rooms in these cities where I can walk in and get played. I'm certainly not looking for world class competition, but I'd like to challenge myself against some decent players for a reasonable sum. Before you ask "what's a reasonable sum", I'm talking about sets for $100 or $200. Remember, I'll be there on business, so my time will be limited. I need a place that I can walk into and get played right then, not wait around all night for this guy to call that guy to call his cousin and then Efren walks in the door four hours later.
 
Miami Pool

mapman72 said:
Ok, so the ONLY good thing about my job is that they pay for me to travel throughout the country for various conferences. I have a couple upcoming trips. One to Denver and one to Miami. I will also be heading to Charlotte later in the year. I'm looking for some pool rooms in these cities where I can walk in and get played. I'm certainly not looking for world class competition, but I'd like to challenge myself against some decent players for a reasonable sum. Before you ask "what's a reasonable sum", I'm talking about sets for $100 or $200. Remember, I'll be there on business, so my time will be limited. I need a place that I can walk into and get played right then, not wait around all night for this guy to call that guy to call his cousin and then Efren walks in the door four hours later.
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Well, if you want to get played it's not too tough. I don't know what your schedule is like but any of the weekly tournament nights are good to get a game. Hollywood Billards tuesday night tournament plenty of people to gamble with and also can give you an idea of your rank in the pecking order...

Sharpshooters Billiards in Miami thursday night tournament same as above...

IF you want pm me and i'll give a bit more...
 
The Denver area is ok if you go to Paradise Billiards, or Shakespears. There are also a couple of places in Colorado Springs where there's a little bit of action. The western slope sucks!! I just got back from there. I managed to find only one kid who actually knew what a no cushion foul was, and likewise, he was the only kid in the house that didn't freak out with awe everytime I drew the cue ball (B player at best). As far as I know, he was the only 'player' in the area, and he'd only go for $15 for a race to five!! I took his $15, won, and then paid for his pitcher of beer to be nice, so I walked away with nothing but an ego and an itch that still needed to be scratched!!
dave
 
I don't think that you will find any action in Shakespears in Denver. It's not really a players room. You're best bet is Table Steaks on Sheridan ave. in Denver (Lakewood location). Paradise Billiards is down the street, but you are maybe less likely to get action there. Generally, action can be found at Table Steaks, but if you are an out of towner they will think you are a road player and will probably not pony up over $100. One pocket is the gambling game of choice there. The best players can be found at Paradise for their Thursday night tournament.

Cheap action can be found if you have nothing better to do. All that said, I would come down and meet you if you give me some advance warning. I'm comfortable with $200 sets in one pocket or nine ball.

If you go down to Colorado Springs you can try either Sticks billiards or Antique billiards. Antique is probably you're best bet for action....generally in the evening.

I know other good players that like to match up. If interested I can arrange meetings.

Regards,

Doug
 
Salamander said:
I don't think that you will find any action in Shakespears in Denver. It's not really a players room. You're best bet is Table Steaks on Sheridan ave. in Denver (Lakewood location). Paradise Billiards is down the street, but you are maybe less likely to get action there. Generally, action can be found at Table Steaks, but if you are an out of towner they will think you are a road player and will probably not pony up over $100. One pocket is the gambling game of choice there. The best players can be found at Paradise for their Thursday night tournament.

Cheap action can be found if you have nothing better to do. All that said, I would come down and meet you if you give me some advance warning. I'm comfortable with $200 sets in one pocket or nine ball.

If you go down to Colorado Springs you can try either Sticks billiards or Antique billiards. Antique is probably you're best bet for action....generally in the evening.

I know other good players that like to match up. If interested I can arrange meetings.

Regards,

Doug
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Since I don't live in Denver anymore I am not the best to ask - the quoted post sums it up nicely and is in accord w/ my experience there. I go to Shakespeares to play billiards when I am in town. Great place to play, but I have not seen pool action. I played some pool there the last time I was in town and nobody offered to play me, which is unusual. Most times people see me play and want to gamble. :p

Table Steaks on sheridan would be where I would go if I wanted to gamble. Historically that has been where the action was. Colfax Billiards was the place to go for action until it was moved out and the owner opened table steaks. Colfax Billiards was sweet, open until 4:00 and always interesting.
 
JPB said:
Since I don't live in Denver anymore I am not the best to ask - the quoted post sums it up nicely and is in accord w/ my experience there. I go to Shakespeares to play billiards when I am in town. Great place to play, but I have not seen pool action. I played some pool there the last time I was in town and nobody offered to play me, which is unusual.
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FWIW Shakespeares is closing sometime in the near future as the lease got too pricey (sucks!). Here's another vote for Table Steaks to match up. There are 3 locations - the original on Sheridan is the action spot. Other places are previously mentioned Paradise, Brooklyns on Wadsworth and maybe B-52's (I've never been there). Have fun.
 
cjlos said:
FWIW Shakespeares is closing sometime in the near future as the lease got too pricey (sucks!). Here's another vote for Table Steaks to match up. There are 3 locations - the original on Sheridan is the action spot. Other places are previously mentioned Paradise, Brooklyns on Wadsworth and maybe B-52's (I've never been there). Have fun.
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that's horrible. Are they relocating? Those 4 billiard tables need a home. If you lived in Denver 20 years ago, lets just say that nobody would imagine a business as nice as shakespeares in that location, and really would have thought you were nuts if you said they would get priced out of there.
 
JPB said:
that's horrible. Are they relocating? Those 4 billiard tables need a home. If you lived in Denver 20 years ago, lets just say that nobody would imagine a business as nice as shakespeares in that location, and really would have thought you were nuts if you said they would get priced out of there.
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link:
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_2887483

It looks like they will move to the burbs - ugh. (even though I live in the burbs myself - it will never be the same.)
 
cjlos said:
link:
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_2887483

It looks like they will move to the burbs - ugh. (even though I live in the burbs myself - it will never be the same.)
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I guess that's the normal trend. I wasn't old enough to play there, but I am old enough to remember Civic Center Biliards. Anybody remember that one? Can't even imagine a pool hall in that location now. But really amazing how quickly shakespeare's neighborhood changed.
 
Denver pool rooms

CJLOS writes: I am old enough to remember Civic Center Biliards. Anybody remember that one?


Sure, Civic Center Billiards at Colfax and Broadway, just next to Walgreen's and around the corner from Rifle Sport. The Denver Post building and RTD terminal now occupy that site.

Also in those days were the Family Fun Center on West 38th (Andy Hudson, Fat Marty, Tony Ricotta, Bill Barnes, Bill Stroud, Rob Sutherland and many other top sticks played there), York Billiards at Colfax and York, and Varsity Billiards on South University near D.U., and don't forget Celebrity Lanes, with 24-hour action -- Indian Karl would arrive post-midnight, as would Fat Marty and Joe Finesilver and the occassional road player.

Those were days, my friend.
 
9BallPaul said:
CJLOS writes: I am old enough to remember Civic Center Biliards. Anybody remember that one?


Sure, Civic Center Billiards at Colfax and Broadway, just next to Walgreen's and around the corner from Rifle Sport. The Denver Post building and RTD terminal now occupy that site.

Also in those days were the Family Fun Center on West 38th (Andy Hudson, Fat Marty, Tony Ricotta, Bill Barnes, Bill Stroud, Rob Sutherland and many other top sticks played there), York Billiards at Colfax and York, and Varsity Billiards on South University near D.U., and don't forget Celebrity Lanes, with 24-hour action -- Indian Karl would arrive post-midnight, as would Fat Marty and Joe Finesilver and the occassional road player.

Those were days, my friend.
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Old enough to have played at celebrity, although I was too young for action. Played FFC but am too young to know the guys you listed except Hudson was still around. (I didn't play him LOL) Heard a few Fat Marty stories.
 
I have the utmost respect for Shakespeare's owner, Jerry Karsh. Yet it was rudeness on the part of Howard (who was pictured in the article that was cited) along with a couple of snotty waitresses who compelled me to me start playing at Table Steaks which is much cheaper. The head waitress who's no longer there at 'Speare's kinda' brushed off my complaint and I believe you're seeing the end result. Again, I respect and like Mr. Karsh, the owner, very much.
 
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kokopuffs said:
I have the utmost respect for Shakespeare's owner, Jerry Karsh. Yet it was rudeness on the part of Howard (who was pictured in the article that was cited) along with a couple of snotty waitresses who compelled me to me start playing at Table Steaks which is much cheaper. The head waitress who's no longer there at 'Speare's kinda' brushed off my complaint and I believe you're seeing the end result. Again, I respect and like Mr. Karsh, the owner, very much.
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I think Mr. Karsh was Robert Byrne's college roommate at CU. I was at Shakespeare's a few years ago and as luck would have it there was a big 3C tournament with people from all over. Byrne was there along with several European players. Some of the shots I saw were incredible - to this pool player anyway. Some of the better APA teams in South Denver (which includes downtown for some reason) play out of Shakespeares. I rarely go there unless I am skipping out on a crappy Rockies game (every game I attend). I may have to play in their 14.1 league before it closes. Does Table Steaks still have the 3 or 4 AM Tuesday open tournament? I'd play it but I am afraid my wife would hire a private eye to tail me to make sure I'm not out on a date!
 
Salamander said:
I don't think that you will find any action in Shakespears in Denver. It's not really a players room. You're best bet is Table Steaks on Sheridan ave. in Denver (Lakewood location). Paradise Billiards is down the street, but you are maybe less likely to get action there. Generally, action can be found at Table Steaks, but if you are an out of towner they will think you are a road player and will probably not pony up over $100. One pocket is the gambling game of choice there. The best players can be found at Paradise for their Thursday night tournament.

Cheap action can be found if you have nothing better to do. All that said, I would come down and meet you if you give me some advance warning. I'm comfortable with $200 sets in one pocket or nine ball.

If you go down to Colorado Springs you can try either Sticks billiards or Antique billiards. Antique is probably you're best bet for action....generally in the evening.

I know other good players that like to match up. If interested I can arrange meetings.

Regards,

Doug
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Where does ATM Andy play? You've got to seek out anyone nicknamed "ATM".
 
APA9 said:
Where does ATM Andy play? You've got to seek out anyone nicknamed "ATM".
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That makes me chuckle. Andy is quite a character. He can catch a decent gear every so often and hence can be tough to beat. However, put some pressure on him and he's liable to fold. I'm amazed that someone outside of Colorado even knows who he is, but word travels fast i guess.

He got his nickname for having to go to the ATM to withdraw funds to play. Ironically, the ATM rarely, if ever, gave him any money. When playing Andy, you should probably post.

If you would like a game with Andy, me, or just about any one else...give me a heads up and the troops can be roused.

Regards,

Doug
 
Oh...

Andy can be found at Paradise Billiards during the Thurday night tournament. Look for a tall lanky guy, about 24, that appears to be suffering from ADD.
 
ATM Andy is a hilarious name. We referred to one guy as an ATM because for a while he'd come in the pool hall and lose a $20 bill every day. $40 was a huge score off him - he wouldn't lose much. But every day it was a race to match up. He picked the game and always lost. He came into some money and was blowing it, pool was the least of his problems, But he lost that $20 so steady. It was actually almost easier to match up and win the 20 than to get in the car and go to the ATM. :-)
 
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