Games - Pool hustling

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	Games - Pool hustling

Pool hustling is generally defined as the art of playing pool for money, often times using deception. A pool hustler will often disguise his or her skill, pretending to be a worse player than he or she actually is. Hustlers may intentionally lose games to lure someone into gambling with them, as a form of confidence trick.

Many of the top players in pool hustled pool at one time or another, but few were ever able to turn pool hustling into a full-time career. Most gave exhibitions, taught lessons, played in tournaments, or even had to get a non-pool related job to survive.

Pool hustling was the subject of the films The Hustler (1961), The Color of Money (1986) (both adapted from novels by Walter Tevis) and Poolhall Junkies (2002).

Spotting a hustler

As mentioned before, hustlers often use deception in order to win cash from inexperienced players. Spotting a hustler can be rather difficult, but there are few pointers that might be helpful (although nobody can guarantee that these are 100% accurate):

A hustler would usually play with a house cue or a cue that looks like one ("Sneaky Pete");
A hustler would play a game or two for "fun" in order to check out the opponent, often losing;
A hustler might pretend to be intoxicated or otherwise impaired (that is, until he begins to run the table);
A hustler would pot difficult and impressive balls, while missing the simple ones, thus making it look as if he's just lucky.

Books on real life hustlers

McGoorty, by Robert Byrne, ISBN 1894963121
Playing off the Rail, David McCumber, ISBN 0380729237
Hustler Days, R.A. Dyer, ISBN 1592286461

Films about hustlers and hustling

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Pool hustling ]

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