Did Nick Varner Gamble well or high?

Matt_24

Matt_24

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Anyone have any stories of seeing Nick Varner match up?

When I was maybe 18, the Camel Pro tour was going through JOBs. The tournament action was over for the night in the big room, but there was of course action on the front diamond table and stuff going on in the bar table room. The big room with all of the 9 footers was fairly desolate. I swear, all night long when Nick wasn't playing he was practicing on a table somewhere - and people where crowded around just watching him. The man hardly ever missed.

Anyhow, it was quiet with not many folks around. Nick asked another good player (but not world class player like Nick) if he wanted to practice some one pocket for $40 a game. The guy was another pro - who I can't remember to save my life. The guy said yeah,...and Nick just dominated this guy. This guy never had a chance, but just kept playing - obviously enjoying the lessons. There was no one in the big room except us three and it was like 2 or 3 in the morning. They played, and I sat there quietly watching. Trying to learn something. When Nick wasn't shooting he would come sit down by me and just focus on his opponent. The guy definitely had discipline. He was "always" hitting balls. On a bar table or big table or in a match of some sort.

I heard that Hubert Cokes (Daddy Warbucks) took Nick around in the 60's and staked him. Did anyone ever see any games from back then? Did Nick ever go on the road on his own ---- or did he always just play the tournament circuit, with maybe some cheap/easy action on the side? I'm just curious about this great player - because I've never heard of him becoming involved in any notible gambling exploits.

I do know one stake horse who tried to put in his horse against Nick. All Nick said was, "I'm not very good at handicapping." - which of course was a polite way to decline the game for whatever reason.

Anyhow, just trying to get a few more road warrior/gambling story threads going. I always enjoy these.
 
Nick Varner

I saw Nick win $20,000.00 off of Louie Roberts one night during the River City Open in San Antonio, so I'd say he gambled high enough. He was in the pool hall last week hawking his cue line and talked about Hubert taking him to Johnson City and making him bet. He came home ahead a few thousand. He said Hubert helped him learn to match up. He also said he had had a Gina cue of Hubert's that he sold that he'd love to get back for sentimental reasons. I believe it was engraved with Daddy Warbucks Cokes. He then reminisced about playing one pocket in NC, before he was known, all day for $100 a game with another $400 in side bets. When the player finally gave up and quit, one of the side bettors said, "You can't quit. I'm down." He showed me his personal 1/100 cue that he designed. It's a great looking cue. He's a true southern gentleman.
 
Who wants him anyway?

Nicky, while a good gamemaker, would certainly bet high. He spent a couple months in my joint, North Shore Billiards and played high every day.

the Beard
 
Matt_24 said:
Anyone have any stories of seeing Nick Varner match up?

When I was maybe 18, the Camel Pro tour was going through JOBs. The tournament action was over for the night in the big room, but there was of course action on the front diamond table and stuff going on in the bar table room. The big room with all of the 9 footers was fairly desolate. I swear, all night long when Nick wasn't playing he was practicing on a table somewhere - and people where crowded around just watching him. The man hardly ever missed.

Anyhow, it was quiet with not many folks around. Nick asked another good player (but not world class player like Nick) if he wanted to practice some one pocket for $40 a game. The guy was another pro - who I can't remember to save my life. The guy said yeah,...and Nick just dominated this guy. This guy never had a chance, but just kept playing - obviously enjoying the lessons. There was no one in the big room except us three and it was like 2 or 3 in the morning. They played, and I sat there quietly watching. Trying to learn something. When Nick wasn't shooting he would come sit down by me and just focus on his opponent. The guy definitely had discipline. He was "always" hitting balls. On a bar table or big table or in a match of some sort.

I heard that Hubert Cokes (Daddy Warbucks) took Nick around in the 60's and staked him. Did anyone ever see any games from back then? Did Nick ever go on the road on his own ---- or did he always just play the tournament circuit, with maybe some cheap/easy action on the side? I'm just curious about this great player - because I've never heard of him becoming involved in any notible gambling exploits.

I do know one stake horse who tried to put in his horse against Nick. All Nick said was, "I'm not very good at handicapping." - which of course was a polite way to decline the game for whatever reason.

Anyhow, just trying to get a few more road warrior/gambling story threads going. I always enjoy these.
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Nick was never afraid of any action. He would play almost anyone and they could bet what they liked. This guy is one of the greatest all around players ever. He can play high speed 9-Ball, 14.1, One Pocket and Banks. I can't think of anyone from his era with his all around ability who gambled so good.

Sigel could play as good or better than Nick (at all games), but didn't have his gambling ability. Mizerak the same, except he couldn't bank Nick's speed. Rempe also played all games (except banks) but he did not gamble as high or well as Nick. The only contemporaries for Nick were Buddy, who gambled as well or better than Nick (but rarely played 14.1) and Allen Hopkins who also played all games high speed and would gamble at them and bet high. But Nick was stronger than Allen in Banks also.

So all in all, Nick is without equal at playing ALL games and gambling at all of them too. And he would bet his own. Nick never looked for a backer. Of course, neither did Allen.
 
I talked to Nick once or twice and he's been all around the country, traveling alone and betting it up. He even remembered being in Galesburg back in the70's.

Real nice guy to talk to. He didn't know me from Adam but was happy to visit with me. During our conversation he showed himself to be a humble soul.
 
I was told about Nick hustling once. The story was he came in with a toboggan pulled way down over his head. Well guess because his curly hair at the time was like a dead give away of his profile. Anyway he walks in and mike sigel matches up with him. Just like in the movie "color of money" mike keeps coming back to his backer and asking for more money so the backer was like who in the world is this guy? The fella who knew nick just watched and observed. Nick pounded sigel and walked away unknown. Not sure if this story was interesting to you folks but i just thought i would share.=)
 
A guy in my hometown swears that Nick got him for $3K at the local pool hall in the early seventies.

He was on the road & unknown by the locals until after he left town.
 
poolchic said:
I was told about Nick hustling once. The story was he came in with a toboggan pulled way down over his head. Well guess because his curly hair at the time was like a dead give away of his profile. Anyway he walks in and mike sigel matches up with him. Just like in the movie "color of money" mike keeps coming back to his backer and asking for more money so the backer was like who in the world is this guy? The fella who knew nick just watched and observed. Nick pounded sigel and walked away unknown. Not sure if this story was interesting to you folks but i just thought i would share.=)
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I can't imagine Sigel not knowing Nick, but it makes for an interesting story. By the way, how do you pull a toboggan over your head? Aren't they awful big?
 
Bobbi Newbols told me a couple of stories about Nick Varner when Nick was in his early twenties. He and Bobbi had a couple of matches and went on be good friends and to go out on the road together.

Nick had a buddy drop him off at a pool room to play with a guy named John Smith (unsure of the players real name). The guy who was steering Nick told him to try to play Smith or someone else but do not play Bobbi Newbols. So Nick goes in and his partner leaves. Nick goes to the counter and talks to the counter man about wanting to play some with Smith is he around. The counter man says he is right there. So Nick goes over and they set up a game of onepocket. A couple of hours later his partner comes and saw Nick standing there with his pockets pulled out looking for some more money. His partner walks up to him and ask him what are you doing. He said Im playing Smith like you told me, and he is really playing good and im busted. His partner looks at him and says, that isn’t smith that is Bobbi Newbols they got you.
 
Another good story Bobbi Newbols told me about Hubert at the Joston city tourney. Hubert was playing Danny Dilaberto and there was a argument about the ball count. They were playing one pocket. Finally Hubert said we can go into the bathroom and finish this argument. Danny said forget it the ball is yours. There was a guy in the stands telling Danny not to let him mave the ball. Danny said you go in the bathroom with him and work it out tghen. The guy shut up for a short while. Then tghe guy starts back up about the ball. Hubert lays his cue down and picks up a piece of chalk walks over to the guy grabs him and starts grinding the chalk on his nose. Hubert said if you are going to be involved in the game I guess I better chalk you up.
Bobbi said this made him a little nervous because he was task with holding Huberts towel. There was a 357 in the towel.
 
jay helfert said:
I can't imagine Sigel not knowing Nick, but it makes for an interesting story. By the way, how do you pull a toboggan over your head? Aren't they awful big?
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Wow, thats what you call a real spot. Jay your too funny!
 
We ate lunch with Nick and Toni today and I told him about this thread. He told us that he did do a lot of gambling in the past but in the last 30 years the "clientele" percentage has dropped. He did get a kick out of knowing about this thread.
 
Only saw Nick in action once.

Tried giving Rosie 10-7 playin 1p apprx 12-15 yrs ago. IIRC bet was 4 p/gm.

Rosie liked it.
 
When I started playing pool in 85 a friend in Stockton Ca Glen Lapatian(good trick shot artist and yo-yo player) told me about Nick, I never knew who he was back then because there wasnt much video or internet, but he told me stories about nick being a big $$$ player, then I saw him in Reno or something, he didnt miss. I also remember him hitting balls in Hardtimes on the bangers side in the middle of all the bangers with no one watching, i did from a distance and again he never missed.
 
kydartmaster said:
We ate lunch with Nick and Toni today and I told him about this thread. He told us that he did do a lot of gambling in the past but in the last 30 years the "clientele" percentage has dropped. He did get a kick out of knowing about this thread.
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Well, the least you and he could do is provide ONE good Nick gambling story.
JoeyA
 
Well... this is what I get for taking 18 months off from pool.... Nick was in town playing a good friend of mine $100 sets in November 06! I am REAL dissapointed to have missed that. Seems Nick was doing a bit of "traveling".
 
Nick Varner is always one of the players I've admired most. Guys that play ALL games at such a high level as Nick have always been something special in my opinion. Nick Varner is a former World Champion 14.1 player as well as being a champion in 1p and 9 ball. Also, I've never met the man, but I get the feeling he's a truly nice person to be around. This is all despite the fact that he went to that school in West Lafayette, IN which shall remain nameless ;)
 
StraightPoolIU said:
Nick Varner is always one of the players I've admired most. Guys that play ALL games at such a high level as Nick have always been something special in my opinion. Nick Varner is a former World Champion 14.1 player as well as being a champion in 1p and 9 ball. Also, I've never met the man, but I get the feeling he's a truly nice person to be around. This is all despite the fact that he went to that school in West Lafayette, IN which shall remain nameless ;)
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Whats that suppose to mean,,,,lol
 
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