When did you know you were ready to gamble?

[deanoc]

to be honest the only reason i started playing was to gamble

i still have those feelings,even though action is rare,
but if i walk in a pool room,i am there for action
i appreciate the offer to play and i will play anyone who can afford to play
Approach me,i am never offended

i never improved much,but i take weight (handicap ) and no body is barred
from playing.

On the other hand,i don't play kids or working men who are not serious players

My advice after some 55 years is

DON"T GAMBLE AT POOL or anything else.very very few people get away
without losing,many lose everything

Don't think it is glamorous,most of the people who brag about playing
or gambling are so broke they need a stakehorse therefore:

It is my bet that if after all these years they still don't have $5,000 then they are not
that good, they are failures at their profession.

So anyone with a stakehorse is always welcome,

But again if you don't already gamble,don't start
it can be hazardous to your health

 

[thintowin]

first you must gamble with someone near your speed, then after a few weeks of gambling small (small is defined by if you lose it stings) and after those Few weeks most likely you will get drummed by someone near your speed. the next time you gamble play the same guy and if you lose again, then maybe gambling is not for you.

playing guys you know that you can beat is not gambling. there is nothing wrong with picking low hanging fruit but it is not gambling. don't confuse the two.

some people can't gamble and others can. there is no shame being the player that can gamble or the player that can't gamble; but it is a shame to not know which one you are.

 

[scttybee]

do you gamble now at other things?if the answer is yes than feel free to get in action if youre just doing it to learn pressure...youre not ready.tournaments are way more pressure as there is no flip it again once you are eliminated.
those of us who have been gambling for long periods of time can tell you that once you become an action player anything less will be boring.
its not that big of a decision but i can tell you i barely hit a ball for free anymore

 

[lfigueroa]

NO!!! I'm not looking for people go gamble with right this minute. All the hustlers take one step back from your private message option.

I keep hearing that gambling is a good way to really put yourself in a pressure situation in pool and work on performing under that pressure. However, I seem to have some major aversion to it that I really can't explain.

I'm guessing a lot of it has to do with confidence.

When did you know you were ready to start playing for money? Did you start with just playing for drinks with friends or go all in? Did you try to find players close to your level, play better players and ask for a spot or just take your beatings for awhile?

I'm curious how other players got into it and what their initial experiences were like as well as any advice on what not to do.

Thanks in advance.

Right about the time I saw this poster for the first time. (Is it already a year ago?!) Ready or not, ya gotta go.

Lou Figueroa

 

[measureman]

When I realized at 16 that I could beat just about every adult that played.
At 16 I ran 101 balls playing straight pool. I was pretty good.
And what full grown man would not play a chubby 16 year old kid with pimples?
And keep coming back for more because "How could that kid beat me?"
I had to stall so much with some of them if I was car on the street I would have had to call a tow truck every day.
I had guy come in every Wednesday night to play straight pool. I had to stall a little to keep it close and he would have fun.
Usually I let him win 1 out of 3 each session. I was happy to walk away with the one game winnings.I considered him a customer and treated him as such.
Those were fun days.

 

[BmoreMoney]

If you're in Northern California, you're always welcome to come to the Broken Rack for a few games. I should be in Sacramento soon for the big Jointed Cue tournament at the end of the month. I'd be happy to play you some cheap sets. Shoot me a PM if you're around.

As someone else said, you can pick how many games you play when gambling. In a tournament you need to come out with your best game on the spot, or your entry fee is wasted. It's always funny to me that some players will absolutely not gamble, but they will pay 50 to buy into a tournament... It's pretty much the same thing.

I get what your trying to say but I disagree. The people that play in tournies but won't gamble do so because its "safe". What I mean by that is they know upfront all they can lose is the $50 and dont have to worry about people making fun of them. Now they also know if they play a set for $50 and lose and quit everyone will be publicly ragged on and will get a bad reputation as a NIT. And if they do the same thing once or twice more ain't no one even gonna wanna play them at all.

 

[rookie]

Macguy some of the best lessons I have learned were while I was playing someone with more game than me. You will never know just how good your game is and how you handle getting your ass handed to you until it happens. I would think that would be pretty easy to understand.

 

[PaulieB]

If you can beat the guy so decisively, why not play for what ever he wants, he can't win anyway

Because that defies the definition of a nit and it also allows me to be up 400 bucks and have him post a 1k bet and have my nose opened up. You think nobody has done the "I'm so drunk I can't even stand up" scam before?

 

[BmoreMoney]

Because that defies the definition of a nit and it also allows me to be up 400 bucks and have him post a 1k bet and have my nose opened up. You think nobody has done the "I'm so drunk I can't even stand up" scam before?

Back in the day down at Jack & Jills Ricky Cager used to do an awesome one! He used to take a Jack Daniels bottle and fill it with iced tea and work it real good. He made sure he took a couple swigs of the real stuff before hand and dash a little on his clothes to get him smelling good & drunk.

 

[philly]

If I remember your previous posts, It looks like you are already playing in some serious tournaments and they were somewhat gut wrenching for you. That is a good thing. The butterflys will leave. If you have to ask is it time to gamble, then it is. Bet what is affordable to you. Sets to 7 or 9 in 8 or 9 ball for $10 a set perhaps. After a while other players will get to know your speed and you will get to know theirs and you will be able to make a game accordingly. For me having skin in the game and playing a better player is far better than taking a lesson and usually is the same price. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose money. I know what I can afford. It will take your game up, improve your concentration, and get you to know yourself better. I believe everything stored in your subconscious can be retrieved.

 

[FranCrimi]

Some people are not cut out for gambling. Other people are loving playing for money before they can run three balls in a row.

It's a personality thing and I think it has little or nothing to do with pool.

If the idea of gambling makes you cringe, then don't gamble. Lots of players don't. Play in tournaments instead. Put up your entry fee and leave it at that.

 

[336Robin]

Some people are not cut out for gambling. Other people are loving playing for money before they can run three balls in a row.

It's a personality thing and I think it has little or nothing to do with pool.

If the idea of gambling makes you cringe, then don't gamble. Lots of players don't. Play in tournaments instead. Put up your entry fee and leave it at that.

Youre exactly right there. I have a saying concerning gambling.

Gambling is leased money.

The least money you have the more you are willing to gamble.

The more money and responsibilities you have the least you need to gamble.

When someone tries to get another to fight their own inclinations not to gamble, thats a good indication that someone has a bit of a problem and its not playing pool.

 

[tim913]

Most afternoons at the local hall a bunch of guys would be playing 3 ball. The ante would be 2 or 3 bucks, and the winner took the pot. If there was a tie everyone would ante up again. Sometimes the pot would get pretty big, at least it was big to me back then

 

[Kevin Lindstrom]

I knew when I got up this morning.

Kevin

 

[DAVE_M]

When you train attack dogs the secret is they always win. You never destroy the dogs confidence. Entering a big tournament and being over matched and beat on is not too good in my opinion. Better off stay on the side lines and watch, you will learn a thing or two. Not sure what you learn getting pounded.

This is the dumbest attitude I've ever seen on AzB. Even the action players, here, know you won't get better unless you play someone better. It doesn't matter if it's in a tournament or gambling.

If you're telling me you only get better by losing money, then you have a gambling problem.

Edit -

By the way, I've been playing for fun since I started. Money or no money, I enjoy playing pool. If you don't enjoy playing the game, you should quit. Pool isn't exactly the best place to make a living and neither is gambling.

 

[galipeau]

I get what your trying to say but I disagree. The people that play in tournies but won't gamble do so because its "safe". What I mean by that is they know upfront all they can lose is the $50 and dont have to worry about people making fun of them. Now they also know if they play a set for $50 and lose and quit everyone will be publicly ragged on and will get a bad reputation as a NIT. And if they do the same thing once or twice more ain't no one even gonna wanna play them at all.

This is a good point, and I agree that tournaments are good for many players. However, if you're worried about others calling you a "nit", then that's on you.

In tournaments you have to wait around for your matches to start and you have to go by whatever format is in place. When gambling, you can dictate how long of a set you play.

For me, I know my place in most pool halls around where I live. I'm a tadpole among sharks. It helps to have a realistic grasp on your speed, compared to others around you. Winning's great, and losing sucks, but whether you're gambling or in a tournament, or putting balls around with your buddies, it's enjoyment of the game that counts. If you're not having fun, why bother?

 

[Mr. Bond]

Question:
Does one prepare for war by going to war ?

Or:
Does one prepare for war by studying strategies, the enemy, weapons, and rigorous training, first?

 

[macguy]

This is the dumbest attitude I've ever seen on AzB. Even the action players, here, know you won't get better unless you play someone better. It doesn't matter if it's in a tournament or gambling.

If you're telling me you only get better by losing money, then you have a gambling problem.

Edit -

By the way, I've been playing for fun since I started. Money or no money, I enjoy playing pool. If you don't enjoy playing the game, you should quit. Pool isn't exactly the best place to make a living and neither is gambling.

Yes, the way I expressed it sounded dumb. What I was saying is, I have put on dozens of tournaments.

There are always a few guys who get talked into playing who really have no chance of winning hardly a game on the premiss of "It will be good experience". It usually is not. It is just a demoralizing defeat. They have not learned anything other then to confirm how bad they play.

I don't know, a guy blowing like $150.00 playing in a tournament he is certain to go 2 and out in, is that really worth it?

 

[TATE]

When did you know you were ready to start playing for money?

When playing for fun wasn't fun anymore.

My advice would be to always play for something, even if it's just time or dinner. Get or give weight as needed. It helps condition your nerves because you get accustomed to it.

 

[pt109]

Question:
Does one prepare for war by going to war ?

Or:
Does one prepare for war by studying strategies, the enemy, weapons, and rigorous training, first?

Good post.
Boxers are made in the gym, not the ring.
Golfers are made on the practice field, not the course.

Of course, I didn't always know that.
First day in a pool hall as a teenager....
...the guy couldn't beat me at golf, chess, or cards...
..what could go wrong?
I lost a week and a half's pay....:angry: