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Some pool players seem to have never learned that celebratory behavior around a pool table should be understated or otherwise subdued. These individuals demonstrate excessive enthusiastic happiness for any success – minor or major. For those individuals, this can be their natural enthusiasm and reaction to success – maybe because of a lack of happy events away from the table. In all pool halls, there always seems to be one or two groups of players who get loud and noisy at various times. Continue reading →

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A practical joke is a humorous prank played on a victim (you), designed to be funny to an audience (the hustling trickster and everyone around you). Your appreciation of the joke is not required and is immaterial to the joke’s success. The more public embarrassment, discomfort, or indignity you are exposed to; the more enjoyable it is to the instigator. The experience is usually shocking (sometimes literally) and always surprising. At the very least, the subsequent laughter by the audience over your ridicule is a test of your self-control. Continue reading →

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Generally, the “volume” of verbosity and threat-level used by a person implementing this method is pretty much social class-dependent. For example, members of the upper class maintain more control over their temper in social situations, but can still manage a glowering intensity. Continue reading →

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All players have situations where a shot or scoring attempt was missed, or the layout of the table is less than ideal for the next attempt. This is part of the ups and downs of competitive play. Continue reading →

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This is a shark that requires practice to ensure its presentation is smooth and easy to implement without any rough edges. It needs some sort of video recording device (video camera or a smart phone) to ensure that this trick is performed well. Continue reading →

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This tactic uses your own appreciation of humor to prevent you from playing with all due intelligence and intention. You have an adversary who is a wanna-be comedy club regular. He is accustomed to being the center of attention of any group that he joins. To him, the game is just another venue for his funny presentations. You are another of his many audiences – only one person, to be sure – but to his viewpoint, still a qualified (and captive) public spectator. Continue reading →

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There are players, who when they first picked up a cue stick, developed bad habits and poor fundamentals. Some of them have become so enthusiastic about pool, they they’ve learned to shoot and play well anyway. But most players, when observed with poor fundamentals, are categorized as beginners and bar bangers. A pool hustler can often use this as a tool to win. Continue reading →

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This is a very common shark. In fact, many players don’t consider this to be a shark – just part of the normal competition environment. It is used so often, that this tactic seems to be embedded into normal pool playing culture in barrooms and pool halls across the world. Most players use this routinely. When informed that it is a sharking trick, they would deny this vehemently. You might even be asked if you aren’t defining sportsmanship too narrowly. Continue reading →

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Have you ever gone out with someone who was constantly and consistently late in getting ready to go or meeting you someplace? Remember that sense of frustration as you waited impatiently with nothing to do but count seconds to keep busy? That is just a feeling your opponent wants you to experience with this distractive effort. Continue reading →

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In many pool halls, the tables are spaced away from the wall so there is just enough distance for a person to shoot normal shots. But often times, chairs and stools are aligned along the wall for railbirds and players to sit in. When a shooter plays from that side of the table, courtesy usually requires the seated person to move without being asked. Continue reading →