Hustlin' a Hustler

L

LoGiC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
First, a little background:
College kids do stupid things, theres no lie about that. I shoot pool generally in the game's room at my school. I don't have a problem boasting that I'm the best at the school. I've consistently beaten all the top shooters here already(I'm a freshman, so the first semester was a shock to these guys!). I don't know if they can tell how good I really am. I don't try to hustle any college kid shooting down there. I've never challenged anyone for money/ stakes of any kind because I know it won't be a fair match.

Now for my story:
So the other day I was down in the games room practicing, and Alex, one of the kids I shoot against often, comes up and challenges me.

When I first met him- I knew he had a pretty good stroke and a real eye for position play. But he misses shots, so he was either blind- or trying to set me up. I've seen him shoot against the other guys (even though I'm physically tall and muscular, a dark corner hides anyone in black.) when he thinks none of his new found marks are around. He doesn't make the mistakes he regularly makes against me. I do shoot with a lot of freshman, and all of them have lost something to Alex, from a couple bucks or a sandwich, but never anything large. I've heard stories of him taking 100$ from some of the upper-class men in races to 11, but I haven't seen it...yet.

"Hey, you up for a couple?" he asks. "Of course, you know me- rack 'em so I can put 'em down." I responded. Alex racked 9-ball, our usual game. I break and shoot with his breaker and playing cue, due to recent accidents- I have been left cue-less(although one is on the way!). I sink 2 on the break, shoot in the 1, and combo in the 3-9 to end the rack. "Nicely done bro." says Alex as he racks again. "Care to make this interesting?" he asks. "How so?" I respond. "Race to 5 racks, loser buys dinner?" He says with a grin. "Sure, why not?" I say with a grin. I think to myself about how Rob told me Alex beat him with the same bet. A sub costs about 8$ for those of you wondering, so it's a really small deal. I just grin and get set to break, time for some payback for my friends.

I switched breaking sides this time, I usually break from the left rail, but not when I'm playing with reason. 1 Diamond out from the right rail usually does it for me. I crush the rack, pop the cue ball at least 24 inches into the air, and send 3 balls into the pockets, including the coveted 9. 1-0. Alex looks stunned as he gathers the balls- he's never seen me break from the right- always from the left. He racks again, thinking a certain order in the rack will stop someone like me. I crack it again with a break who's sound resembles thunder. 2 balls are sunk, I continue to run out the rack, making it look easy and casual. 2-0 LoGiC. Alex now looks pissed. "Damn bro- had I known, I woulda broken first." he says. "Beginners luck I guess." I reply, trying real hard not to smile from ear to ear. Yeah, OK I think to myself, 'beginner's luck.' The 3rd rack starts and ends the same way. I crush it, 2 balls drop on the break. I run it, ending it with a 6-9 combo. 3-0 LoGiC. Alex racks the forth rack, and Rob enters the games room. He sees Alex looking real pissed off. He asks whats up, and Alex replies "I'm getting my ass kicked right now." "Not shooting well?" asks Rob. "More like not shooting at all." I chirped in. Rob notices I'm breaking from the right side, steps back and watches me crush the 4th rack. Only the 8 drops on the break, and I'm left without a shot on the one. I had to call a push, and I banked the cue ball off the 7, leaving him with a seemingly tough bank, one I can do in my sleep, or passing up his first shot opportunity. I don't know if I can make a table diagram to show the shot, but the only shot on the one was a 2 rail bank, the 1 rail bank was blocked and he was at too much an angle to cut it. Alex tried the bank, but missed, leaving me to shoot again. "C'mon bro, this is bullshit. my only shot is friggin impossible one." growls Alex.

At this point I was under his skin and in his head. It was clear, and obvious. I decided to continue to push him, playing safety after safety until I was positive I could end the rack. "Shit man, give me a shot." cried Alex. I was relentless though, this 8$ sub was his lesson to never challenge me again. The 1 ball never dropped. I just kept playing it to where he would have a garbage shot to hit it, let alone sink it. After I got ball in hand, a convenient 1-9 combo was possible, so I took it, and dropped the 9 into the side pocket. 4-0 LoGiC. One more rack and I was gonna be eating a gourmet sub for dinner.

The 5th rack was a taste of dejavu. The 9 was dropped on the break, ending the series with a sweep. 5-0 LoGiC. Game over Alex, who was so pissed off he didn't eat dinner with me. Alex paid off his debt, but in the sore loser way. Traditionally the loser buys 2 subs, and eats with the victor. Alex stormed off into the night, to not be seen again. Rob bought dinner and joined me. He asked about the match, which lasted all of about 30 minutes, and Alex only shot 8 times total, all in the 4th rack. Rob was surprised at how well I shot. He knew I was good, but he still hasn't seen my best performance. But that's my secret. :cool: I hustled a hustler. Why? Because I feel its unfair to try and take advantage of someone who is just starting in the game. While I'm sure many of the players here are better than me, how many of them use it to their advantage against people who just started shooting pool?
 
that was not a hustle

You clearly played extremely well and crushed him, but that's
not what hustling is.
 
Great shooting, but don't you like money? There is nothing better on earth than taking money from those who think they are "hustlers". Here is a guy who preys on all the small fish in the room, sometimes winning upwards of a $100 (which I know is not insignificant money for a young college kid). Therefore, there's no need to give him such a cheap lesson. Why destroy him for an $8.00 sub when you could have strung him along for hundreds at least. THAT would have been justice!
 
LoGiC said:
First, a little background:
I don't have a problem boasting that I'm the best at the school. I've consistently beaten all the top shooters here already(I'm a freshman, so the first semester was a shock to these guys!). I don't know if they can tell how good I really am. I don't try to hustle any college kid shooting down there. I've never challenged anyone for money/ stakes of any kind because I know it won't be a fair match......... While I'm sure many of the players here are better than me, how many of them use it to their advantage against people who just started shooting pool?
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So which is it? Are you the best, or are there better players? You sound like you need to get out more.
 
belmicah said:
So which is it? Are you the best, or are there better players? You sound like you need to get out more.
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I believe he said he was the best at school. The "here" he referenced was meant as this forum.

BTW, When we were upperclassmen, me and a few buddies took BP (batting practice) from the opposite side - lefty for me, and would swing away. I could occasionally hit one out left handed, but I had to really catch one to do it. We'd bet some of the Freshman $5 a ball for 5 pitches...homeruns vs. non-homeruns. They'd jump at the deal....then I'd stand in as a righty :) LOL! Ahhh, the college days.
 
that isn't hustling

I agree with those that are telling you that what you did wasn't hustling. You uncorked on him. The only time I did that even as a kid was when I was just passing through. Foolish of me even then since I almost always passed through at least one more time and then the well was dry.

You should have beaten him, but made it look like a mighty struggle and some slop on your part to win. Had you done that for a few weeks or months eventually lightening his pocket a few hundreds, that would have been a hustle. If you wanted to rub his face in it uncork after the hustle is over. However, a gambler never let's his horse out a half inch more than he has to to win. You never know what the future holds.

Hu

LoGiC said:
Game over Alex, who was so pissed off he didn't eat dinner with me. Alex paid off his debt, but in the sore loser way. Traditionally the loser buys 2 subs, and eats with the victor. Alex stormed off into the night, to not be seen again. Rob bought dinner and joined me. He asked about the match, which lasted all of about 30 minutes, and Alex only shot 8 times total, all in the 4th rack. Rob was surprised at how well I shot. He knew I was good, but he still hasn't seen my best performance. But that's my secret. :cool: I hustled a hustler. Why? Because I feel its unfair to try and take advantage of someone who is just starting in the game. While I'm sure many of the players here are better than me, how many of them use it to their advantage against people who just started shooting pool?
Click to expand...
 
ShootingArts said:
I agree with those that are telling you that what you did wasn't hustling. You uncorked on him. The only time I did that even as a kid was when I was just passing through. Foolish of me even then since I almost always passed through at least one more time and then the well was dry.

You should have beaten him, but made it look like a mighty struggle and some slop on your part to win. Had you done that for a few weeks or months eventually lightening his pocket a few hundreds, that would have been a hustle. If you wanted to rub his face in it uncork after the hustle is over. However, a gambler never let's his horse out a half inch more than he has to to win. You never know what the future holds.

Hu
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I totally agree. To beat someone 5-0 is not even close to hustling. Especially when they only shoot in one out of five games. You did not hustle this guy, you beat him. Hustlers are not necessarily the best players around, but they are masters of matching up, or making a game in which they are the heavy favorites. Playing good pool, and making money at pool are two completely different skills. I know great players who can't make hardly any money, and mediocre players who always cash in. If your goal is just to play your best game and not try to make money, that is fine. Don't knock someone else because they want to make a little money. You guys are in college probably with more time than money. It is only natural that someone would try to capitalize on their skills to make a little extra cash. Just for the record I have hustled and been hustled. Although playing for money is not the same as hustling. Two players can gamble all day with no hustle taking place.

Hustling has been around as long as pool has. So I really do not feel sorry for someone who gets hustled. I mean that is the image that first comes to mind when the game of pool is mentioned even to those who don't play. Also realize this: the classic hustle is that you make your mark feel like they are the superior player and that they have found "easy money". As things progress the hustler keeps "getting lucky" and just squeaking by to victory. Then the mark gets upset when he realizes that the hustler was playing down all along and in fact was the "easy money" to the hustler. Well, here is my point : the mark could not get hustled UNLESS he was trying to hustle himself! So, if you are not greedy and trying to take advantage of a "weaker" player, you WILL NOT get hustled. It is kinda like instant karma! I guarantee that if you are not looking to make any money in a pool room, you will not lose any money!

I have had many people attempt to hustle me throughout the years ( a few of them successful). I don't have any bad feelings about it at all. I paid my dues, and have made back all that money and then some. I sure don't win all the time, but I win more than I lose, so I don't mind when it is not my turn to win. Though nowadays, I prefer to just play straight up for something of interest, there are sometimes when I just can't resist ( you know, when someone who can't run three balls is talking like they are god, and challenge you to a game for$). I take my wins and my losses, and really don't mind it either way. You gotta lose sometimes to better appreiciate the good days.
 
When you get drilled, and humbled, will you post a story about that too?
 
Scottster said:
When you get drilled, and humbled, will you post a story about that too?
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I see your point....I'd better admit, I did go 2 for 5 once in my scenario above. :) He's a young kid. He'll get whipped a couple of times, and will learn not to brag...LOL
 
Be careful he doesn't bring a local hitter in on you just to get revenge.

Swallowing humiliation doesn't go down as easy as an $8 sandwich. That taste will stay with you a lot longer.
 
I dont really think that winning one set means you hustled anyone out of anything. A true hustler would have won ALOT more from this guy. Sounds like you shoot pretty decent, but you are talking about playing college kids. Try going into a real poolroom and see how long it takes you to realize who the hustlers are. Save a little cash for gas home though :D

Southpaw
 
I know you don't go to Mizzou...lol. For future reference, as others have said, if you are trying to hustle it's not a good idea to open with a 3-pack! :D
 
Boy! OH! Boy

You sure do write a great story but if I could play like that I'd quit school
an turn pro. I believe your ready!
Pinocchio
 
I don't care if it was a hustle or not. It was a good story. Until I see it, it is just that. A story. Lets see some video. :)
 
You were right by in what I meant by 'here' as in AZbilliards.com. I guess the name doesn't fit, because it wasn't really a hustle, just a beat down. I really don't care if he never plays me for money again. While it would be cool to play pool and just beat people out of their money, it just doesn't work for me. I love to shoot pool, its the only hobby I've stuck through for longer than a couple years. All the other things I've done, I quit for one reason or another. Like Magic: The Gathering. I used to be a JSS Champion, then out of the blue, I just quit. I love to play people, and I said I was the best at college. I've gotten my ass run hard back home. VERY VERY badly. But every loss is a learning opportunity. If someone plays better with a couple bucks on the table, then so be it. I'll play them a couple times, give or take depending on the stakes. If I lose, at least I better have learned something for my money. If not, well then I'm just retarded.

EDIT: I'm a couple years young for bar leagues right now, so I know I'm a fish(large fish!) in a tiny sea- but I still shoot vs some more seasoned players. Some that knew my grandfather back when he played a lot. I learn what I can. Guess I'm lucky to have people who shoot at high levels to show me how to do things right!
 
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