You Don't Have To Be a Champion

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
I wonder how many D to B players think they can?t make a profit gambling on this game without having to be a champion? How many on here have seen a C player win a lot more games than they lose year after year gambling?

Most of the ones that make money rarely play for more than $10-$20 a game, match up well, and don?t play A players or pros that give up large spots that don?t mean a thing. The only game that you can really get a fair spot in IMO is one-hole if you know the other ones speed.

I played the game for over 50 years and made money on it. (I know everyone says that.) The only time I?d play a pro giving me a spot was when I made a big score at the horse or dog track or came into a lot of cash (probably illegal). Most of the time I won that money on inside info so figured it was expendable cash to have fun with. The other reason I?d play someone much better than me is when I was toasted and had a pocket full of money. When I drank a lot I thought my game was at a much higher level.

Call me a nit but I can?t see why C & B players try to beat A a and better players. You don?t have to have the nuts all the time but you do need an even chance. Johnnyt from Nitsville
 
There's a guy, in Raleigh, we call Foxy Willie. A cab driver and hustler extraordinaire. He got his name from hustling a strip club named the Foxy Lady. The guy told me that for almost twenty years, he made around five hundred a week in the joint at five and ten a game. He never played tough action and booked quite a few thousand plus scores. Makes sense, most guys that go into a strip club are there to blow cash one way or another. I actually went there to let him hustle me, once. I watched this guy take down almost three hundred before putting my quarters up. And I mean he was playing some HELPLESS people. After about fifty at five a game, six ball, he quit me. The guy is smart and tight. He doesn't play to shabby either. Most scufflers, that are smart, hang onto their money longer than a loose "pro." People like Cliff Joyner can and will blow money. They just go get some more tomorrow.
 
Agreed, from 16-23 yrs of age, was in school and a cocky, arrogant azz....used to play bar bangers for $2-5 a game, with only $20 in my pocket....many a night, I'd drink all night and leave with $40+, and back then, that was a huge success.....I never really gambled - I always played people that were there for a little thrill, had real jobs, and didn't mind losing a few dollars....if I didn't have the nuts and lost the first couple of games, I'd quit, make sure I had enough money for a few beers, and chase skirts the rest of the night....

These days, that's reversed....I'm now wanting to get back into the game, have cash, and would be willing to donate a few dollars here and there to a pro.....I'd easily donate $50 straight-up for a decent set with a pro, knowing that I'm taking some knowledge away from the game...besides, I'm still a little arrogant enough to think I might win.....now, to just an A or B player, there would have to be a spot and I'd limit my losses....I ain't no charity :D
 
Yes Crawfish this is the type of player I'm talking about, but like I said you don't always need the Brazilian Nuts ...just an even match up. If I wasn't sure if someone played better than me I would try them for a few games. If I saw he was much better than me or was holding back I'd pay him, shake his hand and tell him I couldn't beat him. How many times have you seen someone in a bar or a poolroom lose game after game because they were to stubron to quit? Everyone in the place knew the guy didn't have a chance. They would keep playing and complain how they were getting bad rolls and the other guy was getting good rolls and was lucky. Johnnyt
 
it depends on where your at in life too, when i was flat i had to lock smith-i hated it and i hated being broke, when i've had $$ i've taken the worst of it and stepped up, i never improved my game being a lock smith-i did improve how good I could stall. I did improve my game by taking the worst of it, not getting robbed(that happenede a few times too).
 
All I'm saying is that you don't have to be a pro or a road player, or even a shortstop to gamble and feel good about the rewards of winning money playing pool. Just play guys your own speed. Too many people...especially the ones that have to work 5 days a week are obsessed with becoming the A player or pro. In 1 out of a 1000 they might make it to A, but the odds of making pro are out of site. Johnnyt
 
I think I was the guy you are talking about. I started playing seriously about a year and a half ago. There is this guy in my pool room that I always wanted to gamble. He was better than me then, and always beat me. My friends got to the point that they would come up to my and say "Just give me your money, I'll do something good with it." They knew I was going to lose. This guy always played just good enough to beat me. After a year of playing non-stop, I had the nuts playing him. He hasn't beat me in over 4 months. I think losing all that money to him really paid off. It made me a better player.
 
The key to winning money playing pool, no matter what your speed is, is being able to match up well. If you can match up well, you do not have to be a champion to win the $$$. JMO.

Southpaw
 
I have not found much in my area

I have not found much in my area. I'm speaking of the
low but frequent action that used to take place in bars.

I've popped in to many bars this summer in MA, and it
is rare to see anyone even *using* the pool table, never
mind gambling for $5 or even $2 per game.

I do remember the mid-80s, where there was always a
line of quarters to wait through, sometimes on 3 tables,
and I miss those days. Sometimes if I (or we) lost, we
would just drive up the road to check out the next bar.

I can't see anything happening that will bring times like
that back. I think the $1 per game has some influence also.
 
Move...

whitey2 said:
I have not found much in my area. I'm speaking of the
low but frequent action that used to take place in bars.

I've popped in to many bars this summer in MA, and it
is rare to see anyone even *using* the pool table, never
mind gambling for $5 or even $2 per game.

I do remember the mid-80s, where there was always a
line of quarters to wait through, sometimes on 3 tables,
and I miss those days. Sometimes if I (or we) lost, we
would just drive up the road to check out the next bar.

I can't see anything happening that will bring times like
that back. I think the $1 per game has some influence also.
Click to expand...

Move to Texas W2!

Ray
 
challenge tables

Back in the seventies and eighties gas was cheap and I knew where every challenge table was within fifty miles. I never hit one place too hard or too often but I supplemented my income nicely and when one of the common construction work job shortages was happening I paid two mortgages often without ever betting over twenty a game and mostly a lot less.

One funny thing, my hair was comparatively short and I had a full beard. That and my tendency to just pass through, drink a beer, and move on if there wasn't anything happening at the pool tables created the rumor that I was a narc. I rarely told anyone any different and the rumor persisted for many years! :D :D :D

Hu


Neil said:
Back in the early 80's I knew a guy that won 20,000 in 6 months. All he did was hit the bars every night. He never played for more than 5 or 10 a game. He would win 3 or 4 games, then move on to another bar. Thereby staying unknown.

I used to nicely supplement my income in the bars. Nowadays, it seems like noone wants to play anymore. I may be wrong, but I blame the loss of action on the leagues. They are taught not to gamble, and they have to have a spot to play for fun. Now, I'm not talking about name players or big action. I'm talking about small action , period.
Click to expand...
 
No doubt.

Neil said:
Back in the early 80's I knew a guy that won 20,000 in 6 months. All he did was hit the bars every night. He never played for more than 5 or 10 a game. He would win 3 or 4 games, then move on to another bar. Thereby staying unknown.

I used to nicely supplement my income in the bars. Nowadays, it seems like noone wants to play anymore. I may be wrong, but I blame the loss of action on the leagues. They are taught not to gamble, and they have to have a spot to play for fun. Now, I'm not talking about name players or big action. I'm talking about small action , period.
Click to expand...
In the 80's and early 90's you could always find $5 dollar action in bars. The leagues have educated even the worst hacker. I used to $50-100 them to death in bars. Poolrooms are the worst, nowadays, for asking for weight even for $20 dollar sets. I just can't see myself giving up the six and the break for $10 race to five, unless I am just in the mood. What was funny was when two "players" who didn't know eachother happened to the same joint. Fire in the hole!
 
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