Hustling stories- who's played the *other* part?

[TannerPruess]

They thought the 10+40+40+10= 1000 when in fact it is only 100.

 

[Andrew Manning]

The answer i got was 4100. How did you get 5000?

It works better if you're totalling the numbers IN THAT ORDER, and sort of saying the total to yourself as you go. It's tempting to say "one thousand, one thousand ten, two thousand ten, two thousand fifty, three thousand fifty, three thousand ninety, four thousand ninety, five thousand." It's sort of a psychological trick, because if you look at it as 10+40+40+10, everyone will see 100 and not 1000, but saying "three thousand ninety, four thousand ninety, " and then adding the 10 more to make it a round number, it's tempting to make it 5000 and not 4100. That's why the guy moved the cover napkin down the column, to make it a "running totals" thing, and not just an addition problem.

I'm still not sure how you could get a whole bar to fall for it, though. I would think over half the people would get the right answer, meaning you'd end up losing money.

-Andrew

 

[catscradle]

... Well, we were much stupider then (1970) ... young & stupid and soon parted with his money )

Hmmm, 1970 I was 24, I think I'd be prefectly willing to be a little stupider to be 24 again (though I did enjoy 25-30 much better).
BTW, if the devil is reading this... No, I will not sell my soul to be 24 again, it wasn't that good.

 

[desert1pocket]

I've been robbed but not hustled.

Let me explain.

There was a guy in my poolroom acting drunk and he came up to me and asked to gamble. He saw I had a nice cue case, and assumed that I was one of the many league players in my room who have nice equipment but can't play a lick.

I asked what he wanted to bet. He said a $200 race to 9. Right off, I knew he was trying to hustle, but I found it entertaining and acted really nervous and shy to play, but said ok. We posted the money on the table beside the pool table under the ash tray. I could see that he could play....but I trounced him 9-4. The whole time I could see he was thinking, "What did I get myself into." After I finished the last rack, he grabbed the entire post (my cash and his) and proceeded to RUN out of the poolroom. Haven't seen him since.

To be honest, I wasn't that mad. I guess this is just the risk we take in this world of ours.

I've always been able to 'read' people really well (except for this robbery occassion). I knew he was up to something....but running out with the post was the LAST thing I would have thought of. I've never seen it happen personally, and it really kind of shocked me.

That sucks. I have always worried about things like that happening. It is tough to figure out where to post the money sometimes. The only similar experience I had was when I was playing $100 a game one hole and posting in one of the side pockets. I was up a few games, and the other player had been paying me while we left the post money where it was. We jacked the bet to $400, and I added 200 to the pocket, and then I watched him stuff a 100 and a bunch of twenties in the side pocket. He must have pulled some slight of hand, because after he lost and left, there was 2 $100's, 2 $20's, and a whole bunch of ones in the pocket. I wasn't really upset because I still ended up winning about 600 from him. I ran into him a couple months later, and he came up and apologized, gave me 200 on the spot, and took my address down. He sent me the balance the next week. I never would have thought it from that first experience, but we ended up friends. I have never seen him do anything suspect with anyone since that happened 3 years ago. When we tell people how we met, nobody believes it becuase he is known for being such a stand up guy. When I ask him why he did it, he just shrugs and says he was in a bad place at the time. I think he still regrets it even though he squared up later.