Return to my Billiard/Pool Pages
Go to my home page
© Copyright 2003, Jim Loy
The title of this essay is "Hustling, Gambling, and Playing for Money." Many people think that these are all synonymous ("mean the same thing," for you pool players).
Hustling has given pool a bad image. Hustling is a con game. It is when you disguise your skills in order to beat the other person. If you have lost at pool, you have not necessarily been hustled; it's hard to tell. Hustlers often look unskilled, and demand a spot (often an advantage of a certain number of balls). Money is almost always involved in hustling, but that is not necessary. Hustlers also employ "sharking" which is any kind of unethical method to put the opponent off of his/her game, like distracting or being a jerk or blatant cheating.
Gambling is playing a game of chance, or betting on someone else. There is sometimes plenty of gambling going on in a pool hall, but playing pool for money is not gambling (by most accepted definitions). Playing for money may be wise or foolish, but there are two very positive things about it: (1) it tests your ability to perform under real pressure (and is recommended by some pool teachers), and (2) it settles the arguments. People brag that they are the best, or that they can beat you, or they say that you're no good. But playing for money settles it for real, once and for all. And when they keep bragging, it will settle it again, once and for all.
In general, you're not going to get rich playing for money, no matter how good you are. Working for a living is probably easier.