what are some spots that are easier than they sound?

scottycoyote

scottycoyote

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
so its getting to the point in my room where im always getting hit up for these outlandish spots to play. The other night i was giving a decent player the called 7 wild 8, and i was having a hard time with it (i wasnt at my best that night but I should have won, ended up down a few bucks). So last night this guy (different guy) wants the last 4.......i counter with the last 3.......he sticks to the last 4 and i say give me the breaks then. He does and i just barbecue him 5-1 5-1.
A pretty good local player (goes by the name of chewbacca or chewing bacca, i aint sure which).......came into our room not to long ago and offered up the breaks and the 5ball in a game of 6ball to a friend of mine. They ended up even but my friend was playing at top form, and he told me later that it was actually a pretty smart spot for the giver after he thought about it.......usually nothing went on the break and this guy could almost always run 6 balls......so it wasnt as easy as it sounded.
Another one ive seen is kind of a modified version of the 9ball ghost......the guy giving the spot gets the break and ball in hand after......all you have to do is make any ball and you win. Of course this is better than the ghost, because you cant shoot the ghost defense like you can the guy taking the spot.
So to help further my gambling career here, whats some of you guys opinions or spots that youve seen that are easier to pull off than they sound. What and why would be helpful. Not looking to rob anybody, but i dont have a problem with outsmarting them lol
 
A guy at our hall has been giving up this spot. He gets the breaks, and if you make a ball you win. It's basically like the ghost except he doesn't get ball in hand. He beat me with it 5-4 in a short race and beat another guy in a race. Then he gave it to a friend of mine who plays my speed and they played by the game. My friend bbq'ed him. That spot was easier for him to outrun for 9 games than to try to outrun it for 5 hours playing by the game. Sometimes whatever spot your giving/getting really depends on whether your playing races vs. by the game. Bigger spots are easier to outrun for shorter periods of time.
 
Scotty,

I feel your pain. I get hit up all the time by guys wanting outrageous weight. Expecially when these same guys want to play on kiddie tables ( 7ft ) and we play even. I counter it by giving them weight on a 9ft and they get all scared and give some excuse as to why they cant play on a 9ft, IE it hurts my back or i cant see that far down the table, or I dont know how to play on a 9ft, or I've never played on a 9ft.

Depending on how someone shoots sometimes giving up a ball like the 5 or 6 is easier than it sounds, because if they can break and run 4 or 5 balls they take away the wild ball.

And same goes with giving up the breaks, or giving weight and askin for the breaks.
 
StormHotRod300 said:
[...]

outrageous weight. [...]
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(Noun phrase)

used by better pool players to indicate a handicap they dislike giving because it causes them to win more slowly than they prefer.
 
Well, I know one that is easier than it sounds in 8 ball, and that is letting them remove 2-3 balls of their group after the break. Of course, this makes it easier for you to run out.

One that sounds easy but is actually tougher, is one I heard from Bill Cress. He made a game with a guy that he couldn't get the 9 ball past the side pocket during the game. Harder than it sounds!

He also tried to wager with Dan Louie that he had to get his shot off within 3 strokes. Danny never took him up on it. :p
 
I have always hated asking to get a spot. My theory always was, If I can't beat you, I'm gonna go practice til I can. I think my hard headed not taking weight ways caused great jumps in my speed. When I started playing high level tourneys it didn't bother me to play better players even. Also I felt if I won with weight, somehow I didn't win.

Now to the point. When guys ask me for weight now, I learned to give out no more than 1 ball needed to win. Meaning, If I know I can "maybe" beat a guy giving the 7, I'm not going to give out more than the 8. I think the biggest mistake made in making a game is giving yourself too much credit. Remember, we don't ALWAYS play top speed, and getting into a game where you MUST play top speed, then realize your not playing up to par,.......sucks!....give yourself a little breathing room.

Also, during negotiations, don't be the first to offer ANYTHING, make them come to you with an offer. You never know, they might just offer more than you expected. Another thing is, don't get known as the guy that gives in just to play some. It's better to be known as a tough game maker, lock artist, locksmith, whatever, than being known as the guy that gives out too much and loses. Don't be afraid to just tell them NO, and stand on your offer.

I'm sure you will get a ton of good ideas here on spots. I was commenting more on theory I guess?.....

Gerry
 
i never liked spots. can you imagine playing "holdem" at a casino with top money players and asking them " start my hands at two pair and i'll play". i think if you wan't to gamble then practice enough to play straight-up and "gamble".
 
Heard about a B+/A- player who gave a C-/C player this spot: C player gets every ball on the table wild; B player get's break, bih after break, and 2:1 on the money. At the time it sounded like a pretty tough spot for the B player, but he took down the cheese quite easily. Have since given that spot myself, and, while it's not easy, it's not as hard as it sounds if you have whitey on a pretty short leash. It's sometimes useful for making a good game when there's a significant skill-gap. It may also be used by a hustler who's trying to get his mark to see dollar signs and start betting recklessly, or so I've heard.
 
well let me first say we are playing on 9' tables.....i dont play on anything smaller unless its a tourney and I have no choice.

Yeah Ive learnt over the past year to let them call the spot, problem is they ask for the world first lol.....so then we end up haggling.

Uping the amount of races is a good idea though, ill have to start doing that, because I have had some close calls where if Id had a few more games ( we usually race to 5), i probably could have gotten back on top.

I guess im just looking for some new ideas.......these guys have my speed clocked down pretty good......they come in and railbird when I play.....then they hit me up for these games. Sometimes I'll take the game just to see if i can do it......or to help me learn how to deal with it, since its starting to become the norm for me. Just wanted some new twists to throw at them.
 
Gerry said:
Also, during negotiations, don't be the first to offer ANYTHING, make them come to you with an offer. You never know, they might just offer more than you expected.
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Yes, this is also the golden rule from the other side. I tried to never make an offer when giving weight; I always asked them what they thought they needed. I don't know if it's pride or what, but a lot of guys will ask for two balls less than they really need. The smart ones will ask for two more, though. I only play for pennies these days, however, and, while I still ask them what they think they need, if they fall two balls short, then I teach them how to ask for weight. Unless they're cocky and arrogant, of course, and then I just bbq 'em and offer them a ball more the next time. They can have their lesson with or without the lumps, lol.
 
scottycoyote said:
I guess im just looking for some new ideas.......these guys have my speed clocked down pretty good......they come in and railbird when I play.....then they hit me up for these games. Sometimes I'll take the game just to see if i can do it......or to help me learn how to deal with it, since its starting to become the norm for me. Just wanted some new twists to throw at them.
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When playing by the game, I have given weight before where one of the smaller balls was worth something for them but not for me. For instance, the six may be worth 1/3 or 1/2 of the nine's value for them, but nothing for me. That way they're still getting a ball, but it's only for partial credit. I have also given weight this way in ring games. Playing on the 5 & 9 or 3, 6 & 9, and one of the balls is not worth anything for me. I guess you could also do this while playing sets; set up some individual ball values to change the dynamic of the game a little bit.
 
rackmsuckr said:
Well, I know one that is easier than it sounds in 8 ball, and that is letting them remove 2-3 balls of their group after the break. Of course, this makes it easier for you to run out.
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:D My son still falls for that one!
 
Really, it sounds like you need to find a new room, with players of your own calibre. Giving spots is just holding you back on the Four-Bank Path to Enlightenment and Correct Thinking. You need to move forward and up if you hope to ever achieve satori.
 
scottycoyote said:
so its getting to the point in my room where im always getting hit up for these outlandish spots to play. The other night i was giving a decent player the called 7 wild 8, and i was having a hard time with it (i wasnt at my best that night but I should have won, ended up down a few bucks). So last night this guy (different guy) wants the last 4.......i counter with the last 3.......he sticks to the last 4 and i say give me the breaks then. He does and i just barbecue him 5-1 5-1.
A pretty good local player (goes by the name of chewbacca or chewing bacca, i aint sure which).......came into our room not to long ago and offered up the breaks and the 5ball in a game of 6ball to a friend of mine. They ended up even but my friend was playing at top form, and he told me later that it was actually a pretty smart spot for the giver after he thought about it.......usually nothing went on the break and this guy could almost always run 6 balls......so it wasnt as easy as it sounded.
Another one ive seen is kind of a modified version of the 9ball ghost......the guy giving the spot gets the break and ball in hand after......all you have to do is make any ball and you win. Of course this is better than the ghost, because you cant shoot the ghost defense like you can the guy taking the spot.
So to help further my gambling career here, whats some of you guys opinions or spots that youve seen that are easier to pull off than they sound. What and why would be helpful. Not looking to rob anybody, but i dont have a problem with outsmarting them lol
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another version of this spot is saying that if the person makes a good hit then they win. Its basically the ghost but the spotter can shoot defense and it sounds like a great game for the unknowing player in a pool hall. I've seen Stevie Moore and Bruce Berrong give this spot and roast people pretty good before they wise up. The guy in question is probably "Chew tobacca" or Derek Leonard. I wouldn't play him again though because he likes to shoot air barrels. He owes me $1400. If its not him, then its pretty funny if someone goes by "chewbacca". I would also be leary if thats the case too, because wookies generally shoot a mean stick.
 
scottycoyote said:
A pretty good local player (goes by the name of chewbacca or chewing bacca, i aint sure which).......came into our room not to long ago and offered up the breaks and the 5ball in a game of 6ball to a friend of mine.
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I think I ran into this guy a month or so ago. Is his name Derrik? And does he run with a cat named JOE?

Pretty freaking strong playa if it is the same dude.
 
lol yeah ive heard him called chewing tobacca, chewin bacca, and chewbacka.....so i dunno which is right. Hes kind of a tall guy, shoots alot in the NC area, kernersville, greensboro etc. Yeah hes a pretty strong player from what ive heard, never matched up with him.

as for finding another poolroom to play in.....this is the only one in my immediate area. During the week I just dont feel like driving an hour both ways to get to roanoke or greensboro to play, so for now im stuck with this.
 
scottycoyote said:
lol yeah ive heard him called chewing tobacca, chewin bacca, and chewbacka.....so i dunno which is right. Hes kind of a tall guy, shoots alot in the NC area, kernersville, greensboro etc. Yeah hes a pretty strong player from what ive heard, never matched up with him.

as for finding another poolroom to play in.....this is the only one in my immediate area. During the week I just dont feel like driving an hour both ways to get to roanoke or greensboro to play, so for now im stuck with this.
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Thats him. Good luck with him. Let me know how it turns out. I don't know how far south he went, but he made it to Vero and played Nathan Rose (even money on them I believe), he definitely got game.
 
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