wahcheck said:
This thread reminds me of something which happened with me years ago....I was at my local home pool hall, and a pro-level player walked in, looking for action...I knew him from seeing him at Reno Open tournaments, but some in the pool hall did not.....Anyway, one of the gamblers in the place asked me if I knew him, and I said I did, and told what I knew of him.....Well, the guy who was trying to sneak into some action found out I told about him; and came over to me and chastised me for "spoiling his action". I said, "Hey, these people here are friends of mine, and I don't want to see them hustled, especially if they ask me about you, I'll tell them what I know."
The way I see it, the way road players and other money players like to operate, it's about "hustling"...which means deceiving people into a money game where they have little or no chance of winning....Is that really "gambling" or a con game? What do you all think out there? Seems to me if people want to match up and gamble, the negotiations are supposed to be about giving weight to establish a level playing field or as close to a 50/50 proposition as possible....Of course, most people want it to be more like 60/40 or better.....Hustling might put it more in the category of 99/1....So it's not really about a fair gamble...it's more like taking advantage of a "sucker"...
I find this interesting. Having been around it for a couple of generations, it doesn't suprise me. "Pool room detectives" have brought many a good matchup to a complete halt because of their subjective belief in how good other people play. If it stopped with "he plays good" as advertised, it wouldn't be so bad. But it usually keeps on going, "you need the 7" "you can't win" etc. The result is even the players in you own town can't find a game where they might, don't have to, win because the local "pool detectives", aka bangers, have killed the action by opening their mouth.
Any simpleton, that plays for cash, knows that a new face asking for a money game is likely a "good player", nothing else need be said. Let them make their own game, and you may be surprised by the results. But if you want to hang in your own room and handicap every game then enjoy. And BTW, a few years back, if you did such a thing to the wrong person, you might find yourself in quite a quibble. Lesser players are not suckers, they are just not as good, and better players are not hustlers, they are just better. The lesser player may well improve his game and learn something by playing. It might turn out to be the new Reyes, and the "sucker", as you would call him, would be able to tell everyone that he played him. Almost every pro player has had this happen to them. Ask Grady what he thinks about it. Thats why there is so little action in some places now. Everyone wants to be smarter than the other guy, so they rush up and kill any possibility of action.
Sorry guys, I think everyone should mind their own business. Too many people try to make a distinction between playing and hustling, there really isn't one. Just different speeds of players, someone is going to win. Even if they are a heavy favorite, doesn't make it wrong. It seems most people on the forum want to be players, yet distance themselves from the term "hustle". Haven't you ever played a match that you knew you should win? I just don't see a problem with it.
I would like a dime for everytime, in my own town, where I was well known at one time, that I would get a game and then some jerk, aka coat-tail puller, would run up and tell the other player he couldn't win. Which wasn't necessarily the case. People don't just say "he plays good" thats total BS. They handicap the game based on their subjective impression of the game. The obvious next question is "how good" or "do you think I can beat him". Frequently pool dectectives don't really know enough to rate players speed, they just want to show how smart they are.
Try it on a golf course, since we are older now, and someone will wrap a putter around your neck for doing such a thing. The guy told you right, its not up to you to decide anything about the transaction between him and another player. All your post indicates is someone who wants a game needs to come up with some weight, an amount that satisfies you, or you will decide its "hustling or a con", and kill his action.
I think you should apply to local law enforcement to see if you can get an offical "Pool Detective" badge. That way when anyone comes to town you can be there to be sure there are proper and fair negotiations to obtain a fair match, in your opinion, or there will be no game.
Plus i like watching good players play!!!
