Have you ever been hustled in a game of pool?

I make one to three hundred dollars a week doing this part time. My job is to make you think you can beat me. In doing so, I must be very patient, and let you become somewhat intoxicated by the alcohol you win from me by beating me. In the process, I must make you believe that I am more intoxicated than you are. It’s really fun. After you’ve won $10 or so, I will brazenly challenge you to one game for $20 dollars to get all my money back. You always say OK. As I’m putting the coins in the table, I’ll make an off hand comment that we should go double to $40. You usually say OK, but sometimes say “Why not $60?”.

This game is crucial. At this point, I still cannot let you see me play well. I must make you believe that it was an accidental miracle that I won. And I will win. I might even make you loose (lose) by setting up the 8-ball so that you knock it in by accident. I will never cheat you. Everything I do is perfectly legal.

After you lose, I’ll brazenly suggest “double or nothing”. You usually say yes, but if you don’t, I’m still $20 – $40 ahead. It is this last game that I will suddenly wake up and play you for real. Sometimes after loosing, you’ll ask to go again same way.

If you’re a asshole, I’ll definitely play you again for anything you want to play for. If your cool, I’ll buy you a drink and leave. I’ll definitely leave before you if I sense you’ll be waiting for me in the parking lot.

Gotta keep moving in this game. I can’t frequent the same bar too many nights in a row. So it’s a circuit, so to speak. Another great opportunity is to find the tournaments, let them play it out, and challenge the guys who stick around after wards.

Have you ever been hustled in a game of pool? It doesn’t happen in just one game. It takes a few to be set up for the hustle. Have we met?