To play or not to play.........

tucson9ball

tucson9ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You find yourself in a strange bar and meet another guy that plays pool. Playing for money is brought up and the conversation goes back to years ago and this other guy says "I put myself through college playing pool". In the back of your mind you are thinking, .......should I really play this guy?............What would you do?
I'll call this guy Player A

On another occasion you find yourself talking to a guy about playing $50 sets and he says "I don't know, I haven't played in about 6 months or so". He says he might try some just to see if he is rusty. Would you play this guy? What would you do?
I'll call this guy Player B

Let me know how you would handle either of these situations. I will log in tomorrow and let you know how I would respond to these players.
 
tucson9ball said:
You find yourself in a strange bar and meet another guy that plays pool. Playing for money is brought up and the conversation goes back to years ago and this other guy says "I put myself through college playing pool". In the back of your mind you are thinking, .......should I really play this guy?............What would you do?
I'll call this guy Player A

On another occasion you find yourself talking to a guy about playing $50 sets and he says "I don't know, I haven't played in about 6 months or so". He says he might try some just to see if he is rusty. Would you play this guy? What would you do?
I'll call this guy Player B

Let me know how you would handle either of these situations. I will log in tomorrow and let you know how I would respond to these players.
Click to expand...

The college guy definitely gets a game from me.....just smile and say, "hey, I did too, this should be an even match" :D

I'm weary of the rusty guy....if I got the cash in my pocket, one set to test him out never hurt....I say slow play and see how it works out....
 
I would play 3 games for free and see if they bite!
You might get a lesson, or 5 bucks or so, but to play good pool is to win when u can.
Some of my best games have been for the prestige not the cash!

Thanks to you all.

Rvan.

This is not my pix thanks to who ever ownes it! Its the best!!
 

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If the first guy is a Purdue alumnus, and his first name is Nick you might want to decline the game.

Rusty is a setup for improvement on the fly if needed.
 
Player A is gonna get clubbed like a baby seal.


I'll pass on Player B and see if he can't find his stroke lol against someone else first.

IMHO the humble guy is almost always more dangerous than the braggert unless his name is Harry Sacks:D
 
tucson9ball said:
You find yourself in a strange bar and meet another guy that plays pool. Playing for money is brought up and the conversation goes back to years ago and this other guy says "I put myself through college playing pool". In the back of your mind you are thinking, .......should I really play this guy?............What would you do?
I'll call this guy Player A

On another occasion you find yourself talking to a guy about playing $50 sets and he says "I don't know, I haven't played in about 6 months or so". He says he might try some just to see if he is rusty. Would you play this guy? What would you do?
I'll call this guy Player B

Let me know how you would handle either of these situations. I will log in tomorrow and let you know how I would respond to these players.
Click to expand...


Player A - I play - becuase it he is talking crap.

Player B - I pass - sounds like a hustle. Unless, he lets me break, and I pick up 4 of his balls off the table and give him a 4 ball spot because hes rusty... lol (thats if it's bar box 8 ball)
 
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> I point blank ask them to play,and either they do or they don't. I find that you'll know pretty quick if dude is on the square or not. Tommy D.
 
Make no committment with either player, play one set with both and see how it goes. If you are confident to oplay 50 a game with the second guy, you should have the confidence to know that you can win a game. JMHO than again, I don't gamble...... yet :D
 
In 50 years of hanging around pool halls & playing pool I have heard the "I put myself through college" story I don't know how many times and none of them played better than 6 speed. So they can play some.

The "rusty" guy, he could play some cheap sets & I would slow roll him & stall to see if he would come off of his lemon.
 
I play the odds

I don't really care what they say, I'll play anyone in a bar for a moderate stake. Odds are still in my favor that I can beat any one player in a bar. At my peak the odds were ridiculously heavy my way.

Of course just as food for thought I met Johnny Archer, Danny Medina, and a young and strong playing Mike Massey all in bars. I have met a handful of people that played at the same level in bars that I never knew their real names or they were simply unknowns too.

No guarantees but if I lost every bar room bet I ever made for the rest of my life I would still be money ahead. Like ChinO, I ain't skeered to fire a barrel or two or three at anyone in a bar that I don't know.

Hu
 
either....doesn't matter. If Player C comes up and says he won the US OPEN...I play. I just don't play for anything more than I'm willing to lose. Player D comes up and doesn't no how to hold a cue, and miscues every attempt at a stroke....don't play - won't learn anything from a game with him. Say what you want, but I don't care if a win a single cent from anyone. I do want to win, but money isn't the issue. If I happen to clean someone's clock and take some money in the process; so be it. I may also play someone cleaning my clock for awhile and donate...no biggee. Most "gamblers" are looking for marks that chase their money, and that has never been me.... :cool:
 
If you are looking for excuses NOT to play,,,

you WILL lose..

if you are running from your game...

you will stay behind forever....

Find the things you DON'T do well and make them things you DO well...

that is the only way up....

if you don't reach for the next rung... you will never get there..

if you are scared to play at this level.. you will be scared to play at the next level...

just sayin
 
If you are a gambler in any stretch of the word you play both. Like S-Arts said, I feel I am a big favorite over a random person I don't know.

This isn't poker, who cares about their BS "tells". Play, worst thing that happens is you lose, not like hes going to steal you child. If you can't handle losing, you shouldn't be in the situation in the first place.

nits I say!
 
This depends on how deep your bankroll is and if your game is OK. If those things are dailed in, then assume both guys are suckers until proven otherwise.
 
You'd be lucky if player A even wants to play at all. In my experience they back out long before actually picking up a cue.

I would tell Player B I don't gamble.
 
Player A - compliment him on his playing through college. Play him and ask a few questions. Stroke his ego a bit. Rob him for a little if he looks like he will be back in there. Go for everything possible if you do not think you will see him again.

Player B - be careful play him a cheap set that you can afford and be prepared to quit if you think you are on the bad end of things.

Granted, this is coming from the guy that paid for my beer by playing pool in college.... And I really really like beer.
 
Grady M. once said it is a shame to spend years working on your game and never bet a dime. I agree with Grady. Some times I wish I didn/t.
 
I think the gist of this question isn't really "should I gamble" or "should I gamble in bars" or "do I need more heart".... tuscon is just asking us which of these 2 guys sounds like the bigger fish.

The college guy for sure does. I don't know of anyone who went into college without some kind of plan to pay for it, and nobody sane is going to make "play lots of pool" their plan. If nothing else, even if you have the skills and find the action, you'll have a tough time keeping up with your classes if you're out all night at the pool hall.

If the college guy really can play, and he wants to brag about it, then he probably would choose a different way to brag. Like, "I've done some 10,000 dollar sets" or "I once beat johnny archer in a race to 9" or something.

He probably can shoot a little and figures nobody else in the bar can, so who's gonna be able to catch him in an innocent lie about his skills?

The second line is an olllllldddddddd hustling line. It was used on me not too long ago. He's dying for you to get out your wallet.
 
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