Where did the action go? (Opinions wanted)

[1 Pocket Ghost]

there are two pool halls that i go to that no doubt about it used to have quite a bit of small time action. then, these guys started playing cards.... no more pool action after that.

imo, gambling is almost 100% about peoples egos. it is so easy to lose money in a card game and tell everyone "i didn't get the cards." but to get in the pit playing pool and take giant craps all over yourself, there is just no getting out of that one. people just can't live with that, they would rather lose 1000 to a casino or in a card game than lose 50 playing another player, i swear. i hate it, really can't stand it.

Hey enzo, Everything that's been posted on this thread has been on the mark, but I especially like/agree with what you said.

Yeah, by playing cards instead of pool, they're so relieved to not have to get on the pool table where their skills and heart will get tested.

 

[freddy the beard]

Hubert Cokes was definitely not a sucker

Yea, The "rainmaker" theory. I just read about Johnson City in a book and how the big money guys like Hubert Cokes fuel the fire by losing big sums, then it rains down thru the ranks to feed the gambling frenzy....

Gerry

Gerry,
Hubert "Daddy Warbucks" Cokes, was definitely not a big money loser. He would put guys like me in action by staking us for a hundred or two a game, but that was because he liked action. He would play for big money himself, 500 or 1000 a game, but he made sure he had a little edge and if he did lose he wouldnt lose a batch of games. Two or three barrels was about his limit. He was a turned out hustler and knew every move. He had a raft of proposition games that he would unveil at different times. I watched him play real weak players 8 or no count Onepocket! (He must run eight balls in order to win) He was just having a little fun down there and I would have hated to have to win money off him in order to eat if he was really trying.
the Beard
Bank on, brother!