What's your take on people that won't gamble?

I think the biggest reason you see so many responses is the attitude that the OP continues to have in each of his posts, most of which revolve around the fact that if a person isn't willing to put money on his game, then he isn't serious about it, and will never improve. The OP seems to believe that someone who doesn't gamble on pool couldn't possibly be as good a player who does gamble on his game. It is a recurring theme to every post. Many of us disagree with that assumption.

It's the attitude of his posts, rather than the issue of gambling itself.

I also get the feeling that everything revolves around money for the OP, at least from what I read in his posts. If there isn't money riding on it, it doesn't seem to be fun, or worthy of his time. And that is a damn shame. It's gonna be a long, miserable life if he allows that to dictate how he lives and spends his time.

(Again with the disclaimer that I am not against gambling, on pool or anything else. I wager a few dollars now and then on various things, just not on pool. I simply don't feel that one NEEDS to gamble in order to be the best player he can be. There are many things that drive and motivate people, tho the OP doesn't believe that to be possible in the game of pool. IMHO, of course.)
 
According to what I'm reading from the pro-gambling camp posts, gambling (or playing for money, whatever you want to call it) will increase your focus, improve your play, and make you mentally tougher, etc. Well then, if the person getting staked has little or nothing to lose, how would being staked help his game? I mean, HE'S (or she) not gambling, the stakehorse is. If the player is losing NOTHING, then the player is NOT gambling, therefore rendering his chances of improving his/her game unlikely.

Keep in mind, these are MY OPINIONS. I have one just like everybody else. I won't say you're wrong, but please offer me the same respect.

Maniac

if they're getting staked then they're trying to win money and nothing else. believe it or not people don't only gamble to help them improve. every now and again people do it just for the money.

do you really think that alex and svb were playing for 25k to improve? nope they were just trying to win the dough
 
The person being staked DOES have something to lose. (unless he dumps, which does happen now and then) He loses what he could have won! He either focuses and comes out with some money, or he doesn't and comes out with no more than he started with, just a lot of time wasted. So, he IS gambling. Not as much financially as the backer, but gambling just the same.

Don't you have to have something before you can lose something??? The person being staked is not losing anything, just not winning anything. No real risk to the player, only the stakehorse, imo. The player will surely get another chance at success (i.e. winning money), and probably sooner than later. A LOT of time wasted??? Aren't we talking about an hour or less (most of the time, with the exception of ahead-sets) out of a persons life?

I'll say one thing about you gamblers, y'all fervently stand by the practice.

Maniac
 
when I add things up . . .

When I add things up I have bet hundreds of thousands of dollars on pool over the years. Damned little of it was gambling! :D :D :D

Hu
 
I'm with Poolplayer. . . I think there is value in putting some cash on the line. It is a good chance to focus.

I also think he is right. . .WTH, I played several small tournaments and couldn't get a side bet or a small bet in the practice round. Seriously, I would be like, "c'mon lit's put like $5 on a race to 3. . . ." Is that really too much?

Regarding gambling, is it really gambling? C'mon you know your speed. If there is any gamble, it is how you will match up to the other guy, but often you have some idea who you are playing.

FWIW, put me with thee group who likes to match up and likes to drop a few bucks doing it.

For those of you who say thiss is killing the sport, look into it. This rep is our best rep. Rigging championships, not playing because the man pros are whining or led astray. 100's of low buck tours. Guys on drugs to keep up with the schedule. . .that is killing men's pool.

Sponsers are weak because we don't have a solid format. Hmm, I would like to see a format like boxing where you play a guy 10 sets of straight pool to 150 for $1,000,000 in 5 cities over a 5 week period. . . .like Mosconi did. That was pool.

BTW. . .Can I get the 6?
 
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do you really think that alex and svb were playing for 25k to improve? nope they were just trying to win the dough

I truly feel sorry for anybody that has $25,000 in their pocket that is dumb enough to lose it or sorry enough to take it from someone else. This is a sickening, slovenly way to play with currency in light of all the needy charities in this country. Just my opinion.

Maniac
 
Don't you have to have something before you can lose something??? The person being staked is not losing anything, just not winning anything. No real risk to the player, only the stakehorse, imo. The player will surely get another chance at success (i.e. winning money), and probably sooner than later. A LOT of time wasted??? Aren't we talking about an hour or less (most of the time, with the exception of ahead-sets) out of a persons life?

I'll say one thing about you gamblers, y'all fervently stand by the practice.

Maniac

sometimes players throw their own money in with the stake horse. i think i heard svb had 3-4k of his own thrown in the pot.
 
I truly feel sorry for anybody that has $25,000 in their pocket that is dumb enough to lose it or sorry enough to take it from someone else. This is a sickening, slovenly way to play with currency in light of all the needy charities in this country. Just my opinion.

Maniac

i watched a horse race the other day and someone bet 100k on a horse. he got like 20:1 or something like that and won.

i really doubt there was any 1 person that put up the rest of the 25k. people do things corporation style all the time. you really don't gamble at all do you? i've seen an entire pool room put their dough together for a $100 set and i've seen 1 guy put up 1500.

there're any number of ways that that cash could have been put together
 
Don't you have to have something before you can lose something??? The person being staked is not losing anything, just not winning anything. No real risk to the player, only the stakehorse, imo. The player will surely get another chance at success (i.e. winning money), and probably sooner than later. A LOT of time wasted??? Aren't we talking about an hour or less (most of the time, with the exception of ahead-sets) out of a persons life?

I'll say one thing about you gamblers, y'all fervently stand by the practice.

Maniac

i truly feel sorry for anyone that has more than 300 dollars worth of equipment and won't play a set for $20.
 
i truly feel sorry for anyone that has more than 300 dollars worth of equipment and won't play a set for $20.

That $300 cue is probably something that is appreciated every time it comes out of it's case. And it may very well have been something that was saved for over time. The $20 pissed away would be difficult to remember that fondly in a week or two, much less years down the road.
 
That $300 cue is probably something that is appreciated every time it comes out of it's case. And it may very well have been something that was saved for over time. The $20 pissed away would be difficult to remember that fondly in a week or two, much less years down the road.

that's assuming you'd lose. i actually won enough to buy my old petree j/b back because of gambling.
 
I pay for my table time so its my time and no one else's. What I do with it is no ones business.

I can just sit there and do nothing cause I'm paying the table time and no one else.

I feel sorry for those that just can't play without gambling.

I feel sorry for those gamblers I see every week crying about how they lost for such and such reason.

I feel sorry for the gamblers that have to ask for weight in order to have a chance at winning.

I feel sorry for those gamblers that never win and never learn but think that by gambling they are playing real pool.
 
I pay for my table time so its my time and no one else's. What I do with it is no ones business.

I can just sit there and do nothing cause I'm paying the table time and no one else.

I feel sorry for those that just can't play without gambling.

I feel sorry for those gamblers I see every week crying about how they lost for such and such reason.

I feel sorry for the gamblers that have to ask for weight in order to have a chance at winning.

I feel sorry for those gamblers that never win and never learn but think that by gambling they are playing real pool.


i said it before and i'll say it again. i'm mostly talking about bums that sit around and do nothing. don't pay table time don't buy food or drinks etc.....

i know guys that lose and never whine about how they've lost. what's up with the guys where you live i never hear anyone whining about how they lost.

no gambler "never" wins.

if you're getting a spot that means you're playing a stronger player. playing someone better than you who's dead set on winning is either going to make you play better or break you.

there's nothing wrong with playing with a spot if you need it. all the greats in this sport that i look up to gamble. danny d, grady mathews, freddy the beard, cisero murphy, john shmidt, svb, alex p. the list goes on and on. you wanna get better you gotta lean to do what the better players do.
 
I pay for my table time so its my time and no one else's. What I do with it is no ones business.

I can just sit there and do nothing cause I'm paying the table time and no one else.

I feel sorry for those that just can't play without gambling.

I feel sorry for those gamblers I see every week crying about how they lost for such and such reason.

I feel sorry for the gamblers that have to ask for weight in order to have a chance at winning.

I feel sorry for those gamblers that never win and never learn but think that by gambling they are playing real pool.

yo man i just read that you're in milpitas. you ever go down to edgies? all the strong players that i've seen there are gamblers.
 
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