Found 1947 book on "how to shark": [Gamesmanship - Potter]

Billy_Bob

Billy_Bob

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am posting this information, not so you can learn how to shark, but so you can learn when you are being sharked and certain techniques which may be used to shark you.

This book suggests various psychological tactics (intimidation, psychological warfare) to use to throw off your opponent for a variety of games including billiards, and how to do this in a manner which makes you appear to be a good sport! (Sneaky) It is quite humorous at times.

I've noticed that several "old timers" who shark, seem to use the same tactics. They use subtle sharking tactics and the unsuspecting player might argue that these players are *not* in fact sharking, but just being friendly or helpful. Not so! I now realize that these old timers must have read this book.

Book: The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship - The art of winning games without actually cheating by Stephen Potter, Henry Holt, NY 1947*

*No date on copyright page, but page 116 touts a new edition of the book which will be released in 1948. Also reprints of this book say first printing 1947.

You can find old books at the following link which searches over 20,000 different book sellers worldwide. If there are no copies available, try searching google.com with the title in quotes and the word book - such as:

"The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship" book

Out of print book search...
Search Author: Potter
Search Title: The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship
http://used.addall.com
 
Billy_Bob said:
I am posting this information, not so you can learn how to shark, but so you can learn when you are being sharked and certain techniques which may be used to shark you.

This book suggests various psychological tactics (intimidation, psychological warfare) to use to throw off your opponent for a variety of games including billiards, and how to do this in a manner which makes you appear to be a good sport! (Sneaky) It is quite humorous at times.

I've noticed that several "old timers" who shark, seem to use the same tactics. They use subtle sharking tactics and the unsuspecting player might argue that these players are *not* in fact sharking, but just being friendly or helpful. Not so! I now realize that these old timers must have read this book.

Book: The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship - The art of winning games without actually cheating by Stephen Potter, Henry Holt, NY 1947*

*No date on copyright page, but page 116 touts a new edition of the book which will be released in 1948. Also reprints of this book say first printing 1947.

You can find old books at the following link which searches over 20,000 different book sellers worldwide. If there are no copies available, try searching google.com with the title in quotes and the word book - such as:

"The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship" book

Out of print book search...
Search Author: Potter
Search Title: The Theory and Practice of Gamesmanship
http://used.addall.com
Click to expand...

I have the same book! It's pretty funny, too!

Barbara
 
I Have Always Found..........

I Have Always Found - THAT THE EASIEST PLAYER TO "SHARK" WAS A PLAYER WHO SHARKS.
I don't shark and I don't like to shark - BUT - If I want to, I am one of the best at it. A subtle shark is much more effective than a blatant one.
When a shark sharks, he/she is constantly waiting for a shark to come back and then timing is EVERYTHING. Knowing what shots to shark on is the key and that only comes with knowledge of your opponent’s skills and deficiencies.
One of the BEST sharks is to give your opponent quite a few "gimmy's" on the nine & or even the 8 & 9. When it gets down to the "Nut Cuttin" in a race & or a set, you just sit there and make them shoot. They can't help thinking "WHY" isn't he giving me this. It is a very slight distraction - BUT - sometimes that is all it takes.

TY & GL

Ps - I was born in '46 so I didn't have anything to do with the aforementioned book!
 
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Wow...nice find, Billy Bob. I never knew of this book. Perhaps I'll get one, too.

I found a book a long time ago, called Neocheating. It gives specific techniques and general concepts on safe and invisible maneuvers to overcome opponents. It doesn't advocate cheating, but it demonstrates the techniques so one can better defend oneself from cheaters.

The basics of Neocheating are: 1.) You can't get caught and 2.) the techniques are easy to do. In fact, the victims usually tend to want more of it and if really done properly, the victims will even die for the cheater. Pretty powerful stuff.

Jeff Livingston
 
chefjeff said:
...I found a book a long time ago, called Neocheating...
Click to expand...

This "project" of mine is getting interesting to say the least! Like following a "gold vein"...

-I became interested in old billiard books when I learned that there were certain aiming techniques used before the diamonds were placed on the table.

-Then reading some old billiard books, I learned that there are things discussed which seem to be left out of modern billiard books. But these things are quite valuable in a modern game of billiards.

-In addition to buying old billiard books on the internet, I started going to second hand book stores looking for old books on billiards. I learned that they can be located in the sports *or* games section or both.

-Then in the games section, I stumbled on some books which do not have the word billiards in the title, but contain information relating to billiards. Like handbooks on games, old Hoyle's, and then the Gamesmanship book.

-And now Neocheating!
 
Billy_Bob said:
This "project" of mine is getting interesting to say the least! Like following a "gold vein"...

(snip)
-And now Neocheating!
Click to expand...

Hey, I found the web site for Neocheating.....I thought it had been removed from the internet a few years ago. The whole book isn't there, but a lot of it is reprinted including the table of contents. I think they're not printing it anymore, but maybe it can be found online or at bookstores. Here tiz:

http://www.neo-tech.com/neocheating/intro.html

A warning to anyone who might go there: Like digging in BillyBob's gold mine, there are very real dangers with this site. It is about more than cheating at cards (or pool, ftm) and when I've shared this book with others or used some of the techniques to protect myself from others (especially those who live by these techniques), a few have become very upset and several have even intiated violence against me. Seriously. One guy even threatened to kill me after I won a couple hundred off of him. Another was so upset that he lied to the IRS and stated in an affidavit that I was a criminal tax cheater.

At first they thought they were gettting away with cheating me, but I sensed it and overcame it with what the book calls "white-hat neocheating." The last time I saw the first cheater, he was extrememly civil to me, knowing that I know he can't cheat me anymore. He has even apologized for his dishonest behavior and threats. The IRS quisling avoids me at all cost as I could have had him arrested for filing a false report. I "own" him, now. So, these techniques have far-reaching consequences sometimes and had better be used with caution.


Drivermaker:

Your roses are red,
My violets are blue.
If you beat me,
that's ok, I still like you.

But perhaps violets are red,
And roses are blue.
Will you still like me,
When I beat you?

Jeff Livingston
 
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