How to deal effectively with the Knocker

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It might be helpful to some of you not acquainted with the terminology and etiquette of the gambling culture to define terms and customs .
When you are not involved in a game it is customary to keep your advice and comments to yourself,but alas we know how difficult that can be,

A certain personality finds that he lacks the skills courage and wherewithal to actually enter the arena of high dollar play and he finds a subtle intellectual satisfaction in displaying his knowledge and understanding of the game to anyone who is willing and often to many who are totally unwilling to listen.

This procedure has been around since time began and is never more cancerous than when the knocker takes on an investigative nature.He fancies himself a paragon of virtue serving the entire pool room with information about any and everyone's relative skill level and seems to smell out collusion,conspiracy and suspicion any time two people match up
For example if he has no information he loves to talk of the prevalence and frequency of one player to actually lose the stake horses money on purpose for the opportunity of splitting the money with his co heart.The effect of this talk is particularly insidious as it reduces the confidence level of anyone to bet on anything. It also tends to cast aspersions upon the integrity of anyone who is playing,whether or not he is or ever has been accused much less convicted of throwing the game.

This little fella tries to cloak his all too nasty knocking habit under the guise of helpful
information as if the right of full disclosure was everyone's right as an American citizen
The knocker might hold court and point out the decline and fall of the great game of pool in general and action pool in particular while he is actually the one guilty of killing the game for everyone

The knocker is often referred to as a pool detective,So Ronnie Allen comes in the front door and asks someone to play.the knocker tells B,'that is RA who beat player B in St Paul,and player c in Torrence and is a friend of our own DC who can't be trusted anyway after winning a few thousand last week before I got here to help you guys

As you can see this despicable knocker never plays without the nuts and then starts cheap but imagines that he is part of the in crowd of player and smarts.So he appears to be protecting player a from player B,next he protects player B from player A .All the time he is protecting his fragile ego or self image from coming face to face that he either has no talent or lacks the courage to risk his own money playing while maintaining the image of himself and hopefully others in his own eyes

The knocker might play $5 pool but he will bet say $100 on someone else and should they lose he will inform one and all that he is a dog,the player

This is the sad picture of the plague of the pool scene public enemy number one.the knocker.Samson slew 1000 philistines with the jaw bone of an ass,but this self appointed pool pontificate has slain many more with the same instrument Samson used

So now that we have given the general description of this character I have spent too much time to tell you the story of how to deal with this character that plagues every pool room in the USA

If a few of you are interested or find this idea of a thread interesting post up and I will continue,if not i will drop the whole idea
 
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readImage
 
Continue, Dean.

I have been around pool and the characters who gather at pool halls since the late 50's and this type person has always been on the scene.

Today there are so any tournament videos and action videos that disguising one's speed or find a room where one is not recognized is much more difficult. The knocker thinks he does the room a favor by pointing out the "big gun". Instead, if you have gambled, it won't take you too long to smell a rat. I always looked at playing a better player as a form of college. You have to pay to be educated!

I never wanted to get too smart, though. That is expensive.
 
Very apt description Dean. All pool rooms seem to have at least one of these action killers around. Always thought these so-called smartest guys in the room did more harm than good.

Please continue.
 
Windsor Bowling and Billiards..Montreal....late 50s....it was THE action room at that time.

An old time French player told me how he handled a pool room detective...
...he was playing a collector for the Mob...guy was good action....
....but everybody knew you better not screw him around.

So, my buddy is playing him snooker...giving weight...but has the best of it.
The 'detective' is sitting on the bench...making his usual mental notes.

So my buddy makes a red ball.....and goes the the toilet...comes back to the table...
...and lines up on another RED...looks up at the 'detective' and says "Oh, thanks."...
...lines up on the color that he had played position for.

The collector turns his gaze on the 'detective'...and the guy hits the door...:eek:

...nobody saw him for like six months....:(
 
Windsor Bowling and Billiards..Montreal....late 50s....it was THE action room at that time.

An old time French player told me how he handled a pool room detective...
...he was playing a collector for the Mob...guy was good action....
....but everybody knew you better not screw him around.

So, my buddy is playing him snooker...giving weight...but has the best of it.
The 'detective' is sitting on the bench...making his usual mental notes.

So my buddy makes a red ball.....and goes the the toilet...comes back to the table...
...and lines up on another RED...looks up at the 'detective' and says "Oh, thanks."...
...lines up on the color that he had played position for.

The collector turns his gaze on the 'detective'...and the guy hits the door...:eek:

...nobody saw him for like six months....:(



Perfect. That's how it's done.


.
 
keep it coming

Love all your posts. I'd gladly be your chauffeur on a road trip just to listen to the stories
Tommy.
 
What the knocker has not realized in his quest to impart knowledge, is that action creates more action......good game, bad game....let the slaughter or match ups take place.

Steering someone off of a game....means there will be no game....get the money flowing and all sorts of things start to happen. Once a match gets underway, the rail gets involved, people that don't want to watch get to woofing and create their own games.

I have seen Dean in action, he will mix it up for sure.

One of the first things I do when going to a new spot, is not to get a pecking order report, but to get a knocker report....seems to make life a bit easier when they are present and you can play to their .............wait a sec....I am knocking the knockers.

nevermind.....Please continue Mr. Cambell....it is great reading..thanks.
 
I have been around a guy that if he even offered to bet on a side people would call the game off altogether. That's how strong he was with the knocking. I never seen him lose a bet, played people even that needed the 6 ball and if someone was in a good spot he would always find a way to ruin that game indirectly. The shadiest kind of asshole possible. You're basis is right though, they just want to seem like they know so much.
 
perfectly fine to tell a friend in the room when a stranger is there to take him off. i would hope he would tell me.

but where i came from if a person knocked you personally that costs you money he would get some flat tires to cost him money.

no way to stop people from griping about pool or the players but it is a big no no to knock a persons particular game between local players.
 
perfectly fine to tell a friend in the room when a stranger is there to take him off. i would hope he would tell me.

but where i came from if a person knocked you personally that costs you money he would get some flat tires to cost him money.

no way to stop people from griping about pool or the players but it is a big no no to knock a persons particular game between local players.

Exactly!!!!! Let the locals learn about themselves! I can see an outsider,,,, but let the players that know each other figure it out themselves!
 
Windsor Bowling and Billiards..Montreal....late 50s....it was THE action room at that time.

An old time French player told me how he handled a pool room detective...
...he was playing a collector for the Mob...guy was good action....
....but everybody knew you better not screw him around.

So, my buddy is playing him snooker...giving weight...but has the best of it.
The 'detective' is sitting on the bench...making his usual mental notes.

So my buddy makes a red ball.....and goes the the toilet...comes back to the table...
...and lines up on another RED...looks up at the 'detective' and says "Oh, thanks."...
...lines up on the color that he had played position for.

The collector turns his gaze on the 'detective'...and the guy hits the door...:eek:

...nobody saw him for like six months....:(

Drop the mic! :)
 
Very apt description Dean. All pool rooms seem to have at least one of these action killers around. Always thought these so-called smartest guys in the room did more harm than good.

Please continue.

When I was in the pool room business I really did know how everybody played and could almost always tell you who would win. As a result I never got involved, not even betting on the side. The worst is when a guy thinks he knows people speeds and doesn't. They will scare a guy away from a game the guy may win at just because they would themselves not play such a tough game. Cowards like company.
 
these methods mentioned so far are not anything like
i was thinking of

the methods i have in mind are to get the knocker involved,leaving,playing
or unknowingly to tell the crowd exactly what i want them to believe
 
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As Freddy the Beard said.... The best way to deal with a knocker is to slip them a shit mickey.

I believe he preferred horse laxative.
 
Let me give you a glimpse into the way Titanic handled this situation in Las Vegas
years ago

there was a very weathy drug king pin from Texas who used to play poker for millions
in a private area away from the public eye in one of the casinos on the qt

One of the dealers called Ty and told him the exact details.This player also liked to play pool
and would stake or even play Johnny Ervolino at the pool room.
Now you who don't know jJohnny,he was an experienced hustler and top quality player,
Johnny was not your normal knocker but if anyone came close to playing or being staked by
our well known drug dealer,johnny would knock the game some clever quiet discreet way in order to hog the gambling attention of our King Pin

so you see the problem,johnny was protecting his own interest and watched the king pin like a hawk
this was especially insidious because Johnny was an expert player and judge of talent
everyone in the room took his word as gospel

Titanic took all this into consideration and devised a plan to take advantage of all these factors

So we took advantage of Titanic's contact at the casino to get advance knowledge of the king pins schedule

Titanic then called Johnny and ask him if he could be available in a moments notice for a huge score in Dallas, with Titanic paying all the expenses air fair,meals lodging transportation and all the cash for 60%
of the winnings

Johnny couldn't say yes quick enough,titanic said when is the busiest action at the pool room?
11 PM says johnny,so i will be here then for sure if you need to talk to me

Two days later Titainc calls to confirm johnny is there"I am sending a kid with cash and a plane trip to Dallas Love Field ,have your bag packed and plan on being my guest for 2 weeks,all the expenses are mine ,"you know how these things work or don't work,no guarantees

So our hero of this story pulls up front of the pool room in a limo about 11pm when the place is filled with action players as is the custom.Our hero comes in with shiney shoes and combed hair,and beautiful expensive golf attire and a big diamond Rolex

As our hero comes thru the front door which the Gentleman's man opens for our 18 year old baby face
hero accompanied by two,not one
but two flashy young tomatoes of the movie star looks and show girl shape,as if everyone in the room isn't watching the Gentleman's man announces in a loud voice( kinda like the old radio voice ,call for Philip Marrow) but he announces Package for Johnny Ervlolino.Mr Ervolino PLEASE

So Johnny timidly raises his hand like he is being served a legal document... CONTINUED if Interested


Sorry fellas the spouse says it is time to eat

if this post is interesting please send me a pm and i will try to get back to finish it
 
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