So you fancy yourself as bit of a pool shark and want to make some money from hustling poor blokes who don’t know any better do you? Well my morally ambiguous friend, we’ve got the tips you need to hustle every last dollar out of your unsuspecting foe!
It’s worth noting right off the bat that you better actually know how to play pool. You can’t be trying to hustle someone if you can’t even pot simple shots. If the cue ball spends more time in the pocket than out when you play, then perhaps you need to brush up on your basic skills first. Once you can be confident you’re moderately skilled then it’s time to hustle!
How to hustle strangers
Notice that the title said strangers? Don’t hustle your friends. For one thing, they won’t be your friends for long if you rip them off. If that doesn’t bother you, then how about the fact that they probably know how good you are and your strengths and weaknesses so all the dirty, sneaky, underhand tricks that you would normally use against a target will be wasted since they actually know not to bet you.
Okay, so the hustling tips; let’s get to it.
- If you’re a real pro, you might want to consider buying a decent quality pool cue. The hustlers weapon of choice is a top notch cue which looks like the piece of crap house cue. Of course, the cue doesn’t make the man so if you’re terrible at pool it won’t matter how good your cue is. Many a hustler can whip opponents with a standard house cue. It’s always good to play a couple of ‘friendly’ games first to assess your mark to see whether they are hustle material. At this stage it’s essential to get them comfortable by missing easy shots.
- Occasionally you can pot a tough shot and play it up as if it were a fluke, letting your opponent win a few games. Often known as sandbagging, this age-old technique can be used to build up your opponents confidence so you can bleed him dry later
- Many hustlers pretend to be hammered or stupid to lull their target into a false sense of security. Then, when it’s least expected, they’ll run the table and make game-winning shots.
As you can see, the actual hustling is less about actual pool skills and more about picking the right target and staying in your mediocre pool player character. So what else do you need to know?
Advanced hustler skills
Playing with your weaker hand
It will take a lot of time and determination to learn to play pool with your weak hand, but it can be worth the pay off if you’re looking to take some serious cash.
Once you are comfortable playing with your weak hand, put the hustle in motion as usual. Play a few games for fun and lose them, then bring in the money and start running the table. When your opponent has had enough of you taking his money and goes to walk away, offer him a double or nothing if he can beat you while you play with your ‘weak‘ hand. Easy money.
Mastering the hustler shot
As a pool hustler, you don’t want to draw attention to the fact that you could take everyones money without even breaking a sweat. You need to make it appear like you’re getting lucky with your shots. One way to do this is to master the art of almost potting. This is where your shot leaves your ball just short of the pocket, blocking your opponent from potting a shot into it. This, coupled with your character reaction, will make it look like you’re just getting unlucky. Then you can blitz the table and clean up, you unscrupulous S.O.B!
So there you have it. A few hustling tips to rip of unknowing old men down at your local pub and make a bit of money. Of course, if you pick someone who is a really great pool player you’re still screwed. Hustling is all about the mark; it’s not cheating. Oh, and don’t try to hustle a hustler or you’re likely to get burned.
Leave a comment with some of your pool hustling tips and tricks so we can all brush our morals aside in the pursuit of a few easy bucks.
Images by the-o-ster
