Just about every pool hall participates in some sort of amateur league teams program that plays several nights a week. The group might be a local pool hall league, or a part of a national league setup (APA, BCA, ACS, etc.) The rules generally support good sportsmanship, but there is a lot of room for sharks to sneak in beneath the radar. Continue reading
Unlike insults where your opponent makes no bones about pushing your ego into the mud, this sharking effort pretends to have a veneer of good sportsmanship. The distractions are always presented as a two part effort. The first part is a meaningless compliment. The second part is the slanderous statement. If you consider the opinions of others to be reality, this shark is very effective in helping you lose the match. Continue reading
Here is a 8 Ball sharking trick that is often used on beginning players. It is an easy way for the pool hustler to appear to give a very generous handicap. In reality, he is setting up easy wins for himself.
A fantastic handicap is offered. It begins like this. “I really only play pool for money – but you already know I’m a better shooter than you. How about I give you a handicap?” Continue reading
In the real world (the rest of the planet outside of the pool room), consider these examples.
To implement this shark, the hustler uses the pool hall’s powder and chalk as weapons of mass distraction. This is one of the few efforts that stretch the tolerances of even casual bar-bangers. Most people, observing such behavior, would happily sign a petition to demand a declaration of outlawry. Among groups of regular pool players, the penalty for violating pool hall behavioral standards is exclusion from the group (ostracizing). Continue reading
Many people enjoy telling stories about their experiences (real and imagined) to any interested audience. Good storytellers are always entertaining and fun to listen. A well-crafted and presented tale is almost always welcome. Narratives can range from short, quick and humorous anecdotes through to the longer tall stories with mini-adventures that build to an interesting conclusion. Continue reading
If you watch any amount of professional football and basketball, this trick is used very often. One team gets on a roll and just cannot do anything wrong. The other team calls a time out. And, so often (not necessarily always), the scoring momentum dies when play is resumed. Continue reading
If introspective by nature, you are a careful and thoughtful pool player. You understand the importance of setting up properly for each shot and that fundamentals (stance, setup, and stroke) are necessary to playing a good game. As a thinking pool player you probably have a small library of instructional material that has proven to be effective and helpful. The occasional lessons from pool instructors with good reputations have thoroughly established in your mind the important values of constant and consistent routines. You are a “thinking” player. Continue reading
Many people have habits or personal traits that are annoying. The degree of irritation suffered is dependent on the observer. Such irritants are frustrating enough in the normal world of work and family. But in the pool hall, their effective is enhanced by the environment. Nonetheless, these all affect how well you can concentrate on winning. Continue reading
Here is how the pool hustler applies this shark. He only needs an “apparent” excuse. For example, on a break shot that you racked, the balls don’t spread very well. He becomes upset and accuses you of improper racking. What you don’t know is that he took some speed off his break shot. This helps keep the balls clustered so that the table layout validates his accusations of your intentional cheating. Continue reading
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