Why do people in the pool hall come up to you and want to play you but want weight?

If running were your 'thing', are you going to race Ussain Bolt even up?

Will you golf against Tiger even up?

Box with Pacquiao(sp?)?

It makes no sense to be exceptionally good at something and demand that people donat..err.. 'test themselves' when gambling.

I have a friend that I play real small with. We play APA point races. I spot him extra on top of the already adjusted race. Why? Because he knows he doesn't stand much of a chance otherwise. Also, he knows that he can ask for it. Edit: Almost forgot.. offering more weight makes me have to work harder. It's like a pool workout.

That's the thing with 'matching up'. Both parties have to be able to accept the terms. You can ask for whatever you want, but if I don't like it I don't have to play. In 8, I'll usually handicap money-wise. $1/rack until I'm up 5, then $2:1. If he keeps at it, it may go to $3:1 at 10. He quit me the other day after losing 2 to 9. I scratched on an 8 at the end of my break turn and he broke n ran one. He figured it didn't matter if we went 5:1, it wasn't looking good. ;)

<-- Kinda wondering the motive for the question after "How would you play so-and-so?" threads.
 
I have had players do that to me before and laughed at them because I had no clue how they played in the first place. A better course would probably be to counteroffer with less weight as they probably think they are stealing getting what they just asked for. If it was someone I had played in a tournament or gambled with before, then I view it differently because some sort of weight can be gauged when they ask.

I knew a guy who always said I will play anybody I don't know even to get a game started. He said I am a big boy and if I run into a better player then maybe I will ask to adjust or I pull up. I remember Jay Helfert posting something similar before.
 
One interesting thing to note, I've won a lot more money from people I've given weight to than from people I've played even (I suspect this is true for a lot of players).
 
I think if someone has seen you play, or has heard how you play from a trusted source, they're not out of line to expect a spot right away. The way I see it... if they know they've got no shot, they shouldn't have to waste money playing you even just to prove to you they needed that spot.

I guess you might feel suspicious, but if you've gambled before with some well-known players, you're probably at level where 99% of the time, if someone asks for a spot, they need it.
 
Banks said:
If running were your 'thing', are you going to race Ussain Bolt even up?

Will you golf against Tiger even up?

Box with Pacquiao(sp?)?

It makes no sense to be exceptionally good at something and demand that people donat..err.. 'test themselves' when gambling.

I have a friend that I play real small with. We play APA point races. I spot him extra on top of the already adjusted race. Why? Because he knows he doesn't stand much of a chance otherwise. Also, he knows that he can ask for it. Edit: Almost forgot.. offering more weight makes me have to work harder. It's like a pool workout.

That's the thing with 'matching up'. Both parties have to be able to accept the terms. You can ask for whatever you want, but if I don't like it I don't have to play. In 8, I'll usually handicap money-wise. $1/rack until I'm up 5, then $2:1. If he keeps at it, it may go to $3:1 at 10. He quit me the other day after losing 2 to 9. I scratched on an 8 at the end of my break turn and he broke n ran one. He figured it didn't matter if we went 5:1, it wasn't looking good. ;)

<-- Kinda wondering the motive for the question after "How would you play so-and-so?" threads.
Click to expand...

Hello Banks,
I do match if possible to do so. My point was and still is if a guy is looking for you all over the place and leaving messages for you, that he wants to play you and then when you see him the first thing out of his mouth is I will take the 5 and the break! Is that nice or not? He had people thinking I was ducking him and scared to play him. I would not give him the weight he asked for so we did not play. Next thing out of his mouth is that I am scared to play him. I offered him the 7 and out no break and he did not want it.

Now about the threads about how you would play somebody, I wanted to know how people would like to match up playing the players in the thread that I am talking about them matching up with. After Scott Frost gave up 17/4 anything is possible. Just finding out how people like to match up with people that play great pool is all.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
CreeDo said:
I think if someone has seen you play, or has heard how you play from a trusted source, they're not out of line to expect a spot right away. The way I see it... if they know they've got no shot, they shouldn't have to waste money playing you even just to prove to you they needed that spot.

I guess you might feel suspicious, but if you've gambled before with some well-known players, you're probably at level where 99% of the time, if someone asks for a spot, they need it.
Click to expand...

Hello Creedo,
I do give up weight to players. But I am not giving up what they want to ask for. well maybe sometime I will. I have turned down weight from top players to play them even. I figure that if I paid my dues to get to the point I am in my pool game, they should at least try to get their game up to par! If this is wrong let me know?

Creedo, I work for a living everyday until the week end. And every time I go into the pool hall I see certain people in the pool hall playing pool. Now if I could practice like that, man then I could give the weight they ask for.
I like this post by you, Creedo.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
Lock N Load said:
Hello Banks,
I do match if possible to do so. My point was and still is if a guy is looking for you all over the place and leaving messages for you, that he wants to play you and then when you see him the first thing out of his mouth is I will take the 5 and the break! Is that nice or not? He had people thinking I was ducking him and scared to play him. I would not give him the weight he asked for so we did not play. Next thing out of his mouth is that I am scared to play him. I offered him the 7 and out no break and he did not want it.

Now about the threads about how you would play somebody, I wanted to know how people would like to match up playing the players in the thread that I am talking about them matching up with. After Scott Frost gave up 17/4 anything is possible. Just finding out how people like to match up with people that play great pool is all.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

I knew there was more to it, you sly dog.

If he's hounding you, chasing you around and acting big.. he should pull up his big boy pants.

You can tell him that I want the 5 and the breaks from him! I'm just a league player. :embarrassed2:

Smile wide and shoot well!
 
If someone that's knows me and my game, and I know them and theirs, I am not offended by them approaching me with a reasonable starting offer to gamble. I'm actually grateful for the opportunity to make a game.

Now, what might get under my skin - as appears happened to you Lock? Gosh... I can't think of any offer that would, even from a stranger. I'd just negotiate or shrug it off. Nits and jerks abound. Truth be told, I don't make games with a lot of people, because too many are ... nits and jerks.
 
Banks said:
I knew there was more to it, you sly dog.

If he's hounding you, chasing you around and acting big.. he should pull up his big boy pants.

You can tell him that I want the 5 and the breaks from him! I'm just a league player. :embarrassed2:

Smile wide and shoot well!
Click to expand...

Thank you very much, Mr. Banks,
I will try to do just that.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
Lock N Load said:
Meaning, you are in the pool hall and someone walks up to you and says I want to play you, but I need the 7 and out, playing 9 ball. Or walk up to you and say I want to play you some One Pocket, but I need 13/5? If I ask for a game from a pool player I do not ask for weight! Now on the other hand if I ask you to play me then I can understand you asking for weight. You did not come to me to ask to play me. My point here is if I ask you to play me, I don't think I need or want any weight. What happen to playing even? At least until you find out how the match goes! Then perhaps you can adjust the game.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

What if no one else to play with other than the beggars for balls!!
 
I don't see why this is even a question.

A guy comes up to you and asks for weight because he wants to gamble, but knows he needs the help.

Simple as that.
 
Its obvious, they are trying to set a trap for you. Usually, they ask for WAY more than they need. Best of Luck !
 
Hey, I didn't know Jimmy Reid was on here. How's it going?

Lock, it sounds like you're ready to play any reasonable match, or even take the worst of it a little. So, if they seek you out, maybe it's because they know that it will be a fair game... well, fair for one of you :p

If I ever visit Buffalo Billiards I will play you even, for a Shirley Temple.
 
CreeDo said:
Hey, I didn't know Jimmy Reid was on here. How's it going?

Lock, it sounds like you're ready to play any reasonable match, or even take the worst of it a little. So, if they seek you out, maybe it's because they know that it will be a fair game... well, fair for one of you :p

If I ever visit Buffalo Billiards I will play you even, for a Shirley Temple.
Click to expand...

Creedo,
You are the man!!!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
Jimmy Reid said:
Its obvious, they are trying to set a trap for you. Usually, they ask for WAY more than they need. Best of Luck !
Click to expand...

Hello Jimmy,
How are you doing? Glad to hear from you. I hope all is well for you and the family! Thanks for the good luck wishes. Best of luck to you.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
PoolBum said:
One interesting thing to note, I've won a lot more money from people I've given weight to than from people I've played even (I suspect this is true for a lot of players).
Click to expand...

THERE ya go! Giving "weight"...big weight...to much less skilled players is one of the oldest 9 ball hustles on the planet. Just play winner breaks...races to 9... and play safe if you know you can't get out and let the banger bust up the trouble for you or leave you with BIH.

One champion used to give "any legal shot after the break" as weight and go home with the cash almost all the time against "B" players.

Why? Because you can't make a legal shot if you don't get to the table or are left stone safe if you do get to the table.

On the other hand, the speedster is likely to put a 4-6 pack on the other guy in any given set in which case the banger might just as well hand the money over.

(-:
 
go ahead and give it to them, they probably need it

Lock N Load said:
Meaning, you are in the pool hall and someone walks up to you and says I want to play you, but I need the 7 and out, playing 9 ball. Or walk up to you and say I want to play you some One Pocket, but I need 13/5? If I ask for a game from a pool player I do not ask for weight! Now on the other hand if I ask you to play me then I can understand you asking for weight. You did not come to me to ask to play me. My point here is if I ask you to play me, I don't think I need or want any weight. What happen to playing even? At least until you find out how the match goes! Then perhaps you can adjust the game.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

Just go ahead and give it to them, they probably need it (is there no "heart" these days?). ;) The Filipinos believe if you think you need weight you're a sucker and end up needing more than "weight"......they have been usually right from what I've seen. :eek:
 
I'm so confused.

If I ask for weight, I'm a nit.
So I don't ask for weight, but then I go broke.
So I have to bet less to not go broke.
But playing cheap means I have no gamble.

I'm beginning to think that the only way to not be a nit is to be the best player around.
 
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