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
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
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
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
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
These are easy sharks for a pool hustler to use against you. These types of questions have the sole purpose of forcing you to stop thinking about the competition and consider an answer to the question. It is used primarily as a distraction when it appears that you have advanced a bit more than your opponent feels comfortable about managing. Continue reading
There are some hustlers who specialize in seemingly friendly insults – usually observed between two good friends. A player using this does not disguise his efforts with any subtleties. Continue reading
The idea of using noise to distract an opponent during an important shot is an old, old concept. In any critical shot that requires focused attention, any kind of noise distraction can be highly effective in destroying concentration to cause a miss. Continue reading
There are a few pool hustlers who use this shark very effectively. The use of clothing and accessories can be very distractive. The variety of choices and options is extensive. The cost to outfit for this distraction does not have to be expensive. Many second-hand stores, thrift shops, charity outlets, etc. can provide a wide variety of unusual wearable articles. Continue reading
Sharking is designed to bend or break an opponent's concentration and ability to focus on the game. These and thousands of other tricks have been around a long time. It is so pervasive in the world that Sun Tzu incorporated it in his "The Art of War", and that was written 2,500 years ago.
If you do a close study of newspaper accounts of the great billiards and pool championship that were played in the 1800’s, there were plenty of accusations and counter-accusations of distractive tricks. Continue reading
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