"Gambling will surely be the downfall of the sport!"

- Actual quote from Earl Strickland, 1994

This is the part of pool that everyone likes too jump to. This part of pool that will not help you unless you learn the rest of it. Work on your skills, get your game fine tuned, THEN slap a few bucks on the rail. As you have probably figured out, I am not a big supporter of gambling - anymore. I believe that it stunts a player's growth. It sure as hell stunted my growth. For every guy who wins a few bucks, there's somebody losing a few bucks, It works that way. I don't care how good you are, you're going to lose some. Now and in the future. Prepare yourself for it. Strange things happen on a pool table and we've all heard the saying "the balls roll funny for everybody". What are the risks? You can lose your cash. Losing your cash can bruise your ego. It can piss you off too. It can jeopardize your financial situation. Especially if your playing is subpar. But I decided to place this section in this book to serve as a guide. A reference for you to know what to do in certain situations. It's not Blackjack's Guide to Playing for Money. Nothing written in this chapter is going to help you win any money. You have to do that on your own. I have outlined things to look out for, and what to avoid. I have elaborated on what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. The examples set down are things that have worked for me. Your experiences and opinions may differ from mine, but I guarantee everyone can learn something new if their mind is open. Through my years of playing the game of pool, I have grown and evolved through many different stages and levels of the game. Though I do not gamble on pool games with any regularity anymore, there was a time when I would rely on my table savvy to survive from one day to the next. I would like to clarify that at the time it was extremely necessary to prey on the less informed. I would like to express my deep, heartfelt gratitude to all of those who greatly contributed to my financial situation over the years. There are too many of you to thank individually, but I pray that there are no hard feelings, as the joke was on you, as well as me.

As I have stated earlier, being a good pool player is one thing. Being a good gambler is something entirely different. Being a good hustler doesn't mean that you are a combination of both. Being a good road player doesn't mean that you have to be a good hustler. Just because you are a good hustler, doesn't automatically make you a good road player either. As you have probably sensed already, this is all quite complicated. This is what makes it so dangerous, but then again, the danger aspect brings about the excitement of it all. Many players who seek my instruction are actually attempting to find ways to enhance their gambling skills. While attempting to keep their minds on learning, as opposed to engaging in destructive behavior, I tell them how naive I had been back in the days before I knew any better. Today, I don't know everything, and back then I knew even less. Over time, I learned. I found different ways to attract money, and believe me, I found some pretty unique ways to lose it as well. The best way to accurately explain this complicated subject is to begin by explaining the difference between a good pool player, a gambler, a hustler, and a road player. Not only will I explain the difference, I will give you pointers on how to identify each, and how to distinguish one from the other.

The Good Pool Player

A good pool player, is merely just that. Good skills, knows his way around the table, and he's a good shot maker. He plays for small money, and believes that his game is as tough as the look in his eyes. His gambling skills are novice at best, sticking to the price and terms that were initially agreed upon. He wouldn't know how to raise the stakes, so he's counting on you to do that. He's never in the driver's seat when putting together a money game. This is one of the ways you'll identify him. Above all else, he's there to show you that he's a good pool player. He's going to play good pool, and dammit, you better recognize it! This is usually the guy who belongs to about thirteen different bar-box leagues and has a cue case filled with every useless contraption ever invented. He's a serious pool player, and dammit, he plays serious pool! Gambling-wise, as well as money-wise, this guy is severely lost. He won't have much to talk to you about, because he's super-intense. He'll use one of his countless contraptions or perform cue maintenance when you are at the table. At the table, he is proficient, but when he's not at the table he seems lost. He gets extremely edgy when he loses a few games. This is the chief identifier for "The Good Pool Player". What do I mean by "lost"? Ever seen a fish out of water? It flip-flops and gasps for air. Win a few games on this guy and he'll do the same thing.

The Gambler

Move up one level and we meet "The Gambler". The Gambler is always looking for a money game, at any cost. Most gamblers fall into the trap of losing money in one game, and finding another game to win it back. All gamblers have one thing in common: They are all greedy. This is the guy who is always willing to up the bet as long as the chances are in his favor. Usually these guys don't have any money in their pocket, and if the stakes are in the higher echelons, you can bet someone's bankrolling him. "The Gambler" HAS NEVER won "The Big One", and keep that in mind, as you will use that against him. His game is usually better than average, relying mostly on his shot making to bail him out of the rough spots. He usually knows everybody in the room, and they know him. He walks around as if he owns the place, yet does very little business away from the confines of the table. The Gambler will approach you, you will not have to approach him. Whether or not you are playing well, he'll approach you, seeing whether or not you were looking for a game. In reality, it's him looking for the game, and he's already labeled you a sucker for easy money, otherwise he wouldn't have asked. You see, if he doesn't know you, he wouldn't approach you unless he thought it was "a sure thing".

Of course he'll seem like a nice enough guy. He'll even treat you with respect. He'll buy you a drink. He'll engage in conversation. Always remember that the real reason he's there is to take your cash. And, he wants all of it. This is the guy who will plead with you to play with him again after he just beat you soundly. If he thinks you still have money, he won't let you leave. Remember this. The chief identifier is that he is always looking for action, and will grab for action with anybody. The "Good Pool Player" doesn't do this, "The Hustler" already knows better, and "The Road Player" stalks his prey much more carefully. If you beat this guy, he'll keep the rest of the room away from you. If he beats you, he'll toss you to the wolves. Just a note.... as a road player, I would hunt for this guy in every room I walked into. I'd dump, tossing a few bucks his way to lure the wolves towards me. Of course the hungry wolves never expected that I was the hunter and they were the prey, but that was the beauty of it. Always know that there is a fine line between the hungry and the hunted.

The Hustler

This is the guy who never lets you see him play at his real "speed". He'll come down to your level to lure you into a game, and just when he senses the kill, he'll turn on the jets and blast the hell out of you. What makes a hustler so dangerous is the fact that he'll let you know that he's a gambler, but he will not let you know that he is a good pool player. How do you spot a hustler? Usually you don't have to, because he'll spot you. He'll approach you like "The Gambler" and that's what you'll figure him for at first. Hustler's are different from gambler's though. Hustlers deflect attention away from their pool skills. They will distract you while they are shooting. The chief identifier is that hustlers TALK more than they PLAY. They engage in idle conversation skipping from topic to topic. This is all designed to lure your mind away from what is going on at the table. Many hustlers will tell you that this is not true, but take it from me, I've never had a hustler "shoot straight" with me - EVER. If anyone should know, it's me. I've played many of the different hustling schemes more than once. I know what's required of me when I'm in control of the situation.... I have to play the role, and to do that, I had to check my morals in at the door. So to all of the moralistic pool hustlers who may read this, you should never be offended by the truth. If you are, find a different line of work before the guilt cripples you.

The Road Player

The Road Player is quite different though. He has been "a Good Pool Player" for quite some time. He has also learned how to gamble. He has also been a "Hustler", but realizes that hustlers and gamblers prey on the weak and timid of the pool hall hierarchy. The Road Player understands that beating a chump brings him chump change. How can we identify this guy from the rest of the guys I've described? This guy understands the room. He watches what is going on around him very carefully. He reads your every move. He won't hide the fact that he's got money, in fact, he'll even buy you a drink to flash a bundling wad of cash to entice you. His ultimate goal is to get as many fish biting on his line as he can. Quite simply put, Hustlers are not necessarily Road Players, and Road Players aren't necessarily Hustlers. Hustlers differ from Gamblers because they slowly move in for the kill, as opposed to the Gambler going for the kill constantly. Road Players differ from Hustlers because the Road Player very rarely conceals his playing ability. The Road Player knows he is a "Good Pool Player", he's also a "Gambler", and he can be a "Hustler" when he needs to be, but he realizes that the pool hall is a giant pond full of fish. You see, all of these guys are basically the same, but the Road player, he's The Fisherman, and the other guys? They're just fish!

There are several kinds of character roles portrayed in the drama of pool hustling, and some can be as advantageous as they can be hazardous. Now that we've identified the main characters let me show you how survival can be achieved by altering your approach to the entire situation. You too, can be The Fisherman. It takes a bit of practice, but if you apply what is learned during this chapter, I can guarantee that you won't be labeled a sucker ever again, unless that's your objective. Along with Good Pool Players, Hustlers, Gamblers, and Road Players, there are other characters that we find at our local billiard establishment that have been given their own separate categories.

When looking at the cast of characters, we'll start with Pond Scum. You know this guy. He's the guy who is always trying to get something for nothing. He's the guy sitting in the corner pretending to be a railbird while you're playing a money game. Usually, he's got a side bet going with someone else and he stands to make more money off of your game than you do. He'll be the mark for the local hot shot, losing to you for no other reason but to falsely boost your confidence. He's setting you up for his buddy, we'll call him The Big Fish. The guy who has somehow ascended to the top of the food chain in the little pond he calls home.

Suckers. They are the smaller fish, or the prey. Don't feel sorry for the suckers of the pool world. Instead of pitying the suckers, and wishing that the other fish should leave them alone, profit from the ageless wisdom which tells you this: The suckers are why the Pond Scum exists in the first place. They are also the reason why the Big Fish stays atop the food chain. You see, the suckers are all aspiring to someday be the Big Fish, which is foolish. Why? All fish get hungry. Every fish in the pond is different, but all will eventually go for the bait at one point or another. This goes for the Suckers, the Pond Scum, and the Big Fish. All of these guys are in the water, below the surface, and hungry. Now we'll draw the line between the hungry hunter, and the hungry prey.

Now let me have you imagine that you are at a lake or a pond standing at the edge of the water. Do I need to tell you that there are fish in the water? Of course not. You know that already. Do I need to tell you that there big fish and little fish in the water? Of course not. You know that already, too. It's the same thing when you enter a pool hall and scan the room. The town I'm from is surrounded by lakes that are filled with big mouth bass. The fisherman know the lakes very well. They know the best time that the fish are biting and they know what the fish like to eat. Drop the right bait in the water and you can catch any fish you want. That is, if you know what you are doing. So in pool, what is "the bait"? Bait is anything that will "lure" a fish to bite the "hook" that is attached to your "line". The bait is anything that attracts a fish to the belief that he's going to get what's dangling from the hook, in this case, MONEY. The hook is what is going to trap him once he takes the bait. The line is what keeps him within your grasp, and the reel is used to pull him in.

The Bait - as explained above, anything that will lure or attract someone to play you.

The Hook - The hook holds the bait. The hook is what is going to trap the fish after he goes for the bait. The hook is connected to the line.

The Line - The line is what connects your pole (cue) to the hook and the bait. It could be a backer, or if you work by yourself (which I don't recommend) your bankroll. I don't recommend working by yourself because some fish are smarter than others, and they'll "test your line" so to speak. Working a room by yourself is also dangerous, whether you know karate or not.

The Reel - The reel is used to pull the line, or the cash. The fish can bite your line all day, but if you can't reel them in, you're in trouble. Never let anyone off the hook if you can help it.

An experienced player knows which fish to keep and which ones to throw back. You don't want to scare away the other fish, so it's real important not to look too dangerous too soon. Remember, The Gamblers make the mistake of playing too intense from the get go. Patience is the key to it all. Many guys sit there looking like cartoon characters with the dollar signs flashing in their eyes. They go for the kill too soon, mainly out of the excitement of the situation. You have to be able to sit in the boat waiting for a tug on the line. Let the fish bite the line. That's the difference between the fish and the fisherman. The fisherman waits for a tug on the line. The fish bites the line. The best way I can explain that to you, is reminding you of that over-zealous idiot that exists at every pool hall I've ever been to. You know the guy. The jack ass who approaches everybody and anybody for "a money game" that is usually tilted in his favor. More times than not, he's usually desperate to win some cash. He's in a category all to himself, spawned by being half Gambler and half Pond-scum. Identifying when that is and is not the case is an art form all in itself, but for the sake of this subject, let's imagine he's desperate. He will approach you. That in itself tells me that he's a fish. Why? I spent many years on the road. I learned slow but I learned good. What I learned best, I learned hard. The biggest thing that I learned was that if I played at a table by myself, minding my own business, eventually somebody would approach me for a game. Many would possibly see this as a passive approach to the objective, but let's not forget what happened to Custer at Little Big Horn. He took the bait and look what happened to him. With this approach, I became a ruthlessly successful road player. It all comes down to selecting the right fishing spot, and choosing your battles carefully. I always followed the rule of allowing the game to find me, as opposed to me finding it. This gives the fish in the pond the idea that they are in charge of the situation, when in actuality, you've been waiting for them all day.

Many seasoned at the art of creating a game know what to look for in a good fishing spot. There must be plenty of fish, big ones and small ones. As a road player, I would usually take the boat out in the water and cast out the line. I would usually catch a small fish, and throw him back in the water, or let him win. This would show the big fish that eating the bait was not as fatal as it looked. The bigger fish would come biting on the line and it was my job to try and reel them in. Some took the bait quicker than others, and some put up a bigger fight than expected, but it was all another day at the office. I'm not saying that I came out of every battle unscathed, but I fared better than most. The life expectancy of a road player or money player who does not understand this concept is extremely short. By the time I was playing on the road and shuffling and hustling from one place to another, I understood the difference between being the fish and the fisherman. You could either be the guy filling the bucket, or you could be what was being tossed in the bucket. It's a classic example of the hunter and the hunted, with the roles reversing themselves at all points in between.

Earlier I explained that the suckers, or the smaller fish all aspire to be the Big Fish. This is what makes them suckers. Point blank, the Big Fish is probably the biggest sucker of them all. That's why they're the fish and you're not (I hope). The Big Fish in the little pond scenario is common in every pool hall I have ever been to. Trust me, the Big Fish usually has a Big Mouth as well. He usually can be overheard bragging about his past adventures. Just stay quiet and wait for him to bite the bait. The key to the whole approach is becoming a patient and quiet observer, as opposed to an aggressive, loud, reckless, opportunistic fool. My first road partner, Dexter Roberts, told me very early in my career that I need not worry about the guy with the big mouth. He told me to watch out for the quiet guy in the corner. Armed with this information, that is who I became, the quiet guy in the corner.

Making it Work for You

So we've adopted this new approach of being the hunter as opposed to being the hunted. In doing so, we have separated ourselves from the masses and climbed out of the pond and into the fishing boat in hopes of reeling in a big one. Easier said than done? Not really. If you fish in the pond long enough, you'll catch a fish. You'll be surprised at this fact as well: You'll only catch the stupid ones. The smart fish will swim right by you. They don't want what you're selling, and in our terms, they ain't biting! Usually, the smart ones will make you work a hell of a lot harder than you expected for your cash. Avoid that situation altogether by following the instructions that I give you. Though most of what I tell you here is designed for the road (or traveling) player, it can be used for every day use at the local pool hall as well. I am of the genre of players who believe that there is no fun in fishing in the same spot every day. I like variety, and, I like the element of surprise. I don't want anyone I play to know my true capabilities, at least not at first. Though I classify myself as a Road Player, I'm an old hustler at heart. There are a variety of different ways to mask and camouflage your true abilities, but nothing is better than having your opponent at a disadvantage due to his unfamiliarity with your abilities. This is the advantage that the traveling player has over the guys that never leave the streets.

Picking Your Spot

Everyone needs a spot every now and then, and in picking your spot, this is very important. Picking your spot to fish in is just as important as knowing what your place is in the situation. This is the key to knowing when to spot balls, and when to get a spot for yourself. How are the two connected? Very easily. Several years ago, a local hot shot from Houston accompanied me and another player on a trip through Illinois and Ohio. Unbeknownst to my friend from Houston, was the fact that many players in the Chicago area are capable of 100+ runs in straight pool. In Houston, (mainly a nine ball and one pocket town) my friend was a straight pool God, but in Chicago where the 100+ runs are a dime a dozen, he was dangerously out of his league. He recklessly sought out a deal with an out-of-his-league opponent for too much money. He fell into the trap of a straight pool player named Bob Stichauf, who was infamous for his slow play. This guy would take twenty minutes to line up a pocket hanger. After an epic run of 85 and out, Stichauf takes the loot, shakes my buddy's hand, unscrews his cue and walks out. My buddy sits there with his ass in his hands and his tail tucked between his legs wondering what just happened. He played somebody he should have left alone, that's what happened - and there's no shame in admitting that someone is a better pool player than you are. I've been playing for years, but I wouldn't dare try to take on Efren Reyes in a money game. I prefer to keep Efren off of my payroll. The above scene should serve as the example of playing the wrong guy. Stichauf took three hours to shoot in 85 balls, not including the stretch of time it took him to pocket the first 20 or so balls at the beginning of the match. Who on earth would have the patience required to sit through another game like that? Not even Christ himself. And Stichauf knew that. A hard lesson learned by my friend through reckless measures. He broke Blackjack's first rule of fishin': Never be the fish!

So what's the right way to do it? Is there the perfect scenario? Every situation is different, but most pool halls are basically the same. Every place I have ever been to has what I call "prime time", or the time of day when the most money can change hands. This time basically stays the same Monday through Friday, changing only slightly on the weekends. This is the time of day when the money players, or "the fish" converge upon the pool hall. Most rooms have what I call "money tables". These are the tables that all of the money games are played upon. The money games are usually played on the money tables (Monday - Friday) from roughly 4 P.M. until 9 P.M. varying slightly from day to day, but this is the usual according to my experience. This is not only when the fish bite, it's when the most fish bite. PRIME TIME. Remember that, it's very important.

SCOUTING is very important. If you're planning on going in to "work the room", it would be wise of you to "learn how the room works". It is wise to sit out of the picture for a night, preferably a busy one, to see how and how much money changes hands. During your scouting, you can get a pretty good picture of the room's pool hierarchy for that particular night. This is where you separate the big fish from the little fish. Pick your prey carefully. There's a difference between a sucker with money, and a sucker with no money at all. This makes Friday your friend. Many people get paid on Friday, many of those people are pool players. Many of those pool players plan on getting blasted on Friday night, and I want to be there when the liquid courage takes over. If you don't plan on leaving the streets, I recommend that you find out when the most money is in your pool hall. Know when the guys get paid. This can be learned through simple observation. Remember, you're the quiet guy in the corner. Also, know when the "hungry suckers" are out. This is the guy who has fifty, but wants to turn it into a hundred and fifty. This guy will be there on Monday, as he ended the weekend low on cash, and the last little bit of it is burning a hole in his pocket. Which, while I'm on the subject, I'll give you Blackjack's second rule of fishin': Take no prisoners, take no credit!

Proper Etiquette

Nothing irritates me more than a guy that plays for money that he doesn't have. Nothing is worse than getting stiffed. I would rather have the guy let me know that he is out of cash when it happens, as opposed to finding it out $200-$400 later. I would rather dismiss the debt than to hunt him down for it. Another thing that irritates me is when someone who can't pay up on Friday, approaches me on Monday wanting to play me so that he can play down his debt. I see many players that do this all of the time. The proper way to handle that situation is to not play the guy until the original debt is paid in full. All cash is due upon the sinking of the money ball. Follow that rule and you'll avoid that problem. Many people don't want to sound like an asshole and figure that the guy will pay them at the end of the session, only to find out that he went bankrupt two sets ago. Players like this can be driven to extinction if the above rules are followed.

Casting Out the Line

We've found our spot, and we've identified our target area and our hopeful prey. It is now time to secure the hook to the end of the line, and attach the bait to the hook. What do we use as bait? This depends upon your personality. Some of us are better BS artists than others. My personal skill was camouflaging my abilities with a deficiency. By this, I mean that I would choose a certain shot to miss consistently when the fish were watching me. I would not run more than four or five balls in a row, and depending on the situation, I would try to look more lucky than skillful. By this, I mean that I would never attempt to look as if I knew what I was doing. I want the little fish to feel as though they not only have a chance, I want them to feel as if they have an excellent chance at getting the bait. The best way to do this without giving yourself away is to miss position as opposed to missing too many shots. Hitting a shot too soft or too hard usually accomplishes this. Do not be over-dramatic about missing a shot or missing position. Subtlety is a must. A simple shrug of the shoulders will suffice. This brings us to Blackjack's third rule of fishin': Never scare away the fish!

You want the fish to believe that you are a helpless piece of bait that they can prey upon. This takes discipline. Showing off for the railbirds can mean the difference of making a lot of money or not making any money at all. The only one who needs to know how good you are is YOU. How good I am is none of their business.

So you're at the table shooting away, hoping somebody takes the bait. All of a sudden a little fish comes along and offers to play a set of nine ball for $20. Small purse, and it's up to you as to whether or not you keep him or throw him back in the water. If the offer is not to your liking, tell him so. Allow the sucker to make the decision to raise the pot. This serves a dual purpose. First, it gives him the illusion that he's in control of the situation. Second, you'll be able to tell whether he's a "Good Pool Player" or a "Gambler". Remember, he hasn't taken the bait just yet, he's just poking around at it. You can play with this part of the set up. Let him be as aggressive as he wants to be. Your job is to reel him in once he's caught on the hook. This brings us to Blackjack's fourth rule of fishin': Never force feed the bait. He's a hungry fish. He's gonna bite. Give him time to feel out the situation before he commits himself to the inevitable. This will make him more comfortable and then easier to reel in.

Let's say that he gets real comfortable and offers to play you a race to seven for fifty bucks, heads up. For shits and giggles tell him it's too steep for you. I guarantee you he'll offer you the eight for your trouble, possibly the seven depending on how bad he wants your money. The spot should be the other way around, but he doesn't know that. Congratulations, you just made fifty bucks. For set two, he wants to play you straight up for a hundred (getting his original $50 back, plus the $50 he planned on winning the last set). Reel him in! Without doing anything fancy, beat him. Chances are, that's all he has in his pocket. Now remember, that you were just minding your own business when HE approached YOU. I'm not going to feel bad about that, and neither should you. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it either.

Now the other guys in the room are watching all of this. The Pond Scum will eventually try to bankroll him to try and get him out of the hole, but that's okay, we want that to happen. More on that later, just concentrate on keeping the sucker in check. You have just won the sucker's money, and the Pond Scum knows that. Now, remember I told you that when scouting the room you need to know "how the room works" so that you can "work the room"? I told you to find out HOW and HOW MUCH money changes hands. This is where that becomes important. That information is going to tell you when to stop with the little fish. There is a magical amount of money that I call the "lure". This "lure" attracts the Big Fish over to your table. Let's say that you've just won $250 off of the sucker who gave you the spot. That's $250 that the Big Fish was hoping to win, but you got to it first. Well, don't kid yourself, he still wants it. This is where you want to wave it under his nose while at the same time keeping him clueless. All we do is repeat the process. Let the Big Fish approach you. More than likely, the Pond Scum is bankrolling him too, so the possibilities are endless. You want the guy to be begging you for a game. If he offers you a spot, by all means take it. If he doesn't offer you the spot, don't press for it. You don't want to sound stupid, but you don't want to sound too smart either.

If you are a visiting player from out of town, he'll be wanting to defend his territory and he'll want to start out big for starters, hoping to scare you away. Whatever he offers you, DON'T BACK DOWN!!! This is the guy you wanted all along. The Pondscum is more likely to bankroll the Big Fish down to their last dime, and if we walk away from this guy we get none of it. That's brings us to Blackjack's fifth rule of fishin': Never forget who is reeling in who.

The terms of what happens next depends on too many factors. First of all, remember the fishin' rules. The rest is up to you. Nobody should have to hold your hand, and if they do, its a sure sign that you're in over your head. How do I know when I'm in over my head? That's easy! Your pockets will be real light and you'll have a pissed off look on your face! Don't read this book and think that you'll never have your ass handed to you. It happens. There are some ruthless people out there, believe me, I was one of them. I wasn't out there to win a popularity contest, I was out there to win. Winning meant spending the night in a motel, losing meant swatting mosquitoes all night as I tried to get comfortable in the back seat of my car. My incentive was my comfort and my stomach. Most of the money I won on the road was not won because I was a better pool player. It was won because I wanted it more, therefore, I made sure that I won. I paid my dues by losing a hell of a lot of money at first. I learned a trick here, another one there, and before long I knew enough to be dangerous.

Playing pool for money is not for the weak at heart. If you don't like handing over the cash, I recommend not gambling. Many guys who hate rolling over the cash do the complete opposite. They pursue their gambling efforts into poverty, thinking that the more gambling experience they acquire, the better pool player they will be. Trouble is, you usually don't end up a better pool player, you end up a broker pool player. These are the guys who walk into the pool hall on Monday afternoon with tales of the elaborate "heartbreaker" that cost them the rent money. Tales like these are a dime a dozen, and all have one thing in common: I don't want to hear them. When I was out there, I wasn't out there to make friends, I wasn't out there to make nice, I was out there to money. I took out anybody or anything that got in the way of that. There are players out there that have absolutely no business laying any cash on the pool table. Nonetheless, they enter the arena with pocket full of cash and lackluster skills. Later on, they exit the arena with no cash and a bad mood for their troubles. You'd think they would learn, but they always come back for more. PLAYING FOR MONEY DOES NOT MAKE YOU A BETTER POOL PLAYER. Read that over and over until it sinks in. You do not pay your dues by filling someone's pockets full of your money. You pay your dues by getting your fingers on the felt and learning ways to improve your game. My practice sessions are legendary in my city. I have been known to practice 8-12 hours straight, leaving the table only for bathroom breaks. I don't recommend going to that extreme, but if you are that sick, be my guest.

Stiffs, Sharks, & Crybabies

I elaborated on stiffs earlier. I hate a stiff. A stiff is worse than the Vermin and the Pond Scum. A stiff is the perfect example of a person who should not have been playing for money in the first place. Why? Because to place a bet, one should at least have the cash to back up that bet. Years back, if a guy didn't have the cash, a MARKER was made by the guy whom the cash was owed. A marker was a slip of paper, kind of like an IOU. If the stiff owed $300, and I saw him winning cash, the marker gave me rights to anything that guy won. It also meant that he couldn't play me again until the original debt was paid in full. Most guys would beg borrow and steal to avoid having a marker in existence. This practice seems to have died with the dinosaurs, but I still believe that it was a fair policy. These days, guys want to "play down" their debt. My personal policy is this: You bet it, you lost it, you pay it, then we'll talk. When I get stiffed, or if I have trouble collecting, you can bet that I'll spread the good word around. The rule to follow here, is don't bet money that you don't have. On the flip side, if you want to avoid being stiffed, follow these rules:

a) If you're playing $5 a rack, collect or pay every rack. No exceptions.

b) If you're playing sets, collect or pay at the end of every set. No exceptions.

c) If you're playing with more than one money ball, collect immediately upon sinking any money ball. No exceptions.

d) Never change the rules or change the outline of the bet after the playing starts. Some guys will try to do this, and they're good at it. Stick to what was agreed upon. No exceptions.

How did I come up with these rules? The hard way. Let me tell you a story of a young, stupid, less-intelligent Blackjack who wandered into a billiard establishment in lovely Passaic, New Jersey. I got into a game of Chicago (a form of rotation) with a young local hot shot known as Chinese Charlie. Charlie was a fast talker and a good player. We agreed on five money balls in the rack. Trouble was, Charlie kept changing the money balls so fast and so frequently, that I didn't which balls were worth something, and which ones weren't. Before I knew it, I was in the hole for about $250. Now, you have to understand. I was Blackjack David Sapolis. Conqueror of the pool world. Ego as big as all outdoors. A seasoned road player. A touring professional. If I was going down, it sure wasn't going to be at the hands of a guy called Chinese Charlie. So about an hour later, I'm up a couple of hundred and Charlie decides he wants to play some nine ball. I ask Charlie to at least pay up what he owed me and then I would play some nine ball. So he hands it over. Two hours later, I'm up another $400. Charlie calls off, and says he has to get the money for me. He ain't got it on him. His friend offers to play me until Charlie returns. Charlie, in a good faith gesture, leaves behind his cue and case, which his friend shot with. It's about 9 PM, I figure he'll be back soon enough so I start rattling off a few racks on his buddy. Eleven o'clock. No Charlie. Twelve-thirty. No Charlie. One-Thirty. I turn to his friend and ask, "Where's my fucking money?" He gives me a stupid look and says, "I don't know. It don't look like he's coming back." No shit. Two o'clock, I ask for the cue. He doesn't want to give it to me. He says that the cue belongs to him and that he paid me my cash. He had a point, but it didn't change the fact that his buddy still owed me four-hundred bucks. I was either taking the cue, or I was going to get my four-hundred bucks. I got the cue. When I went out to my car, I noticed that it was much shorter than I remembered it. That little bastard slashed my tires. To make along story short, I never got my money. I don't remember what happened to the cue. I always look back on that night as a hard lesson that taught me to ask for the money immediately. NO EXCEPTIONS. I don't care how nice they are, how causal they are with you, NO EXCEPTIONS. The nicer somebody is, the easier it will be for him to screw you. All you have to do is let your guard down. I should have never let that little bastard leave the pool hall. I know that now. That wasn't the only time I was stiffed, but I was stiffed by a guy named Chinese Charlie. How bad does that sound?

Sharks

This is the guy who will say anything and everything to distract you from what you are doing. They talk while you're shooting. They crunch ice while you are shooting. They take convenient trips to the bathroom while you are in the middle of a run. They wait for you to get into your stance and then say, "Take your last shot" or something stupid that pisses you off. If you do this, I strongly suggest that you stop. It might be an accepted practice among friends, but if you do this on the road it can jeopardize your safety. One of my road partners was murdered in a pool hall parking lot for blowing his nose while someone else was shooting. He had a reputation for doing things like that and that time it cost him his life. Sometimes this game "ain't no game". The days of fighting out in the parking lot are over. If you piss someone off today they're likely to shoot you. Besides, I always thought people that did that were idiots. I'm probably right.

Crybabies

NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR HOW YOU LOST YOUR MONEY. Furthermore, nobody wants to hear your rampage after you parted with your money. I don't care how you got screwed, pay the man and shut up. If you have a problem with that, don't bet. It's pool. It's not for sissies, and pool is no place for that weak little sister crap either. You either have the stomach for it, or you don't. If you cannot handle the pressure, become a railbird. A quiet railbird is the best kind of railbird. Nobody likes a crybaby.

Earlier I said that the Pond Scum will attempt to bail the sucker out of the hole. I also said that we didn't mind because we want this to happen. It is not because we want all of the Pond Scum's money. What they're doing is keeping an eye on you until the big fish shows up. They want to keep you where you're at, and they want to make it worth your while. In other words, they believe that you are a fish on their hook and that they are reeling you in. Don't take offense to this. This is what's going to get the Big Fish to your table. In actuality, the Pond Scum has now become your bait. Remember our definition of bait? Bait is anything that will attract someone to play you. Right now, it's the Pond Scum and the money they're throwing at you while your playing this bum. By the time the Big Fish gets to your table, they've got too much invested in you. They're hoping for your demise, but don't let your lack of popularity throw you off track. I don't care if they're chanting his name, you get out there and win at all costs.

So when do we call it quits? Do we wait for them to call off, or do we end it? In twenty-five years, I have never let up on anybody. I follow the Fast Eddie Felson rule here, "it's over when Minnesota Fats says its over". I want him to lose money, but I also want him to experience the feeling of knowing that he can't beat me. I want the railbirds to know it, too. Now, arrogance isn't called for here. We're just the quiet guy in the corner, remember? Ask Jimmy Mataya, nobody respects asshole, no matter how good you shoot. Many of the best players I've ever seen were usually the ones who kept their mouth shut and shot pool. Politely take your money and go about your business.

Now lets turn things around. Perhaps things are not going your way. When do you call off? Call of before the amount of money you are losing is significant. It could be twenty bucks or it could be two hundred bucks. The amount that makes YOU uncomfortable. There's no shame in calling off, just reassess and re-evaluate and try again some other day. In fishing terms, you fell out of the boat. You're in the water with the fish. Get back in the boat and go home. The fish aren't going anywhere. Eventually the old fish die and new ones sprout up all over the place. It happens every day. DO NOT keep playing, hoping that you will magically start playing better once you've lost a lot of money. DO NOT use the fear of losing as a motivational tool. We've gone over that. It doesn't work. It wasn't your day. Accept it.

By thoroughly scouting the room. Be aware of the abilities of other players. Know when to ask for a spot and when to give one up. If the feeling in your gut tells you that you are in trouble, you probably are. Base your decisions on your instincts, your knowledge and your good judgment. Never base your decisions on your pride. Pride steps in and good judgment flies out the window. If someone starts talking shit to you, ignore it. Remember, we're the quiet guy in the corner. We let our game speak for itself. We all know when we're outclassed, admitting it is something different. Just because you strive to be invincible, doesn't mean that you are. There is always somebody out there that's ready to take advantage of a weakness you haven't detected yet. There are playing styles that will frustrate you, and believe it or not, there are players out there that can beat you. You just haven't run into them yet. But they are out there, and there are plenty of them. If you learn nothing else from this section of the book, learn this and learn it well:

START OUT SLOW AND WORK YOUR WAY UP THE LADDER

Challenging the local hot shot immediately after reading this chapter isn't going to prove anything. Besides, you'll probably get your ass kicked. Start from the bottom and work your way up to the top. Playing for money isn't so much about playing good pool as it is about knowing your capabilities. Know your limitations as well as you know your capabilities.