Who's More Interesting Pool Or Poker Players?

[NicksDad1970 0]

I was really into pool about 15-20 years ago and think pool and poker players are very similar.I was going to respond to the SNG thread with this but maybe it needs a thread of its own.A damn good pool player about 20 years ago named Jimmy "pretty boy floyd" Mataya (his ex-wife is Ewa) had a funny sotry.This was in the 70's in Detroit. There were some HUGE games and always action up there. He said he went broke many times and he liked to do it a certain way. When he was down to his last 100 he'd go to a nice place to eat. Order the most expensive steak and nice bottle of wine. He said whatever was left over he'd overtip the server.Someone asked him why and he said he played better completely broke than low on money.I'm not suggesting anything except that pool players generally have some flair to em.

[LewFather 0]

I was really into pool about 15-20 years ago and think pool and poker players are very similar.I was going to respond to the SNG thread with this but maybe it needs a thread of its own.A damn good pool player about 20 years ago named Jimmy "pretty boy floyd" Mataya (his ex-wife is Ewa) had a funny sotry.This was in the 70's in Detroit. There were some HUGE games and always action up there. He said he went broke many times and he liked to do it a certain way. When he was down to his last 100 he'd go to a nice place to eat. Order the most expensive steak and nice bottle of wine. He said whatever was left over he'd overtip the server.Someone asked him why and he said he played better completely broke than low on money.I'm not suggesting anything except that pool players generally have some flair to em.

-EV

[FatBurger 0]

I'd say there are absolutely some similarities between professional poker players and any other professional game players (discounting athlets, simply because of the culture of pro sports). IIRC, Daniel and Evelyn Ng were both pro pool players before turning to poker, Gus Hansen was a professional backgammon player, David Williams was a competitive Magic: The Gathering player, and of course Stu Ungar played Gin professionally before switching over to poker.Playing strategic games professionally can carry over from one to the next, and if you're good then you may as well go where the money is. Any similar game would also attract the same personality type. Why do you think top poker players are generally so willing to gamble on absolutely anything. Never played golf before? Why not play for $10,000 a hole for the first time?

[Outlaw_IA 0]

Being an avid pool player i must say, pool players generate a differant kind of action than poker players do. While i love playing poker and make alot more money at it than pool. There is nothing like seeing two guys play one pocket for $10,000 in the early hours of the morning.

[Butcho22 0]

So you like pool? And you also like pool players?Maybe you should make you sig say... "Pool is Cool!"

[NicksDad1970 0]

Being an avid pool player i must say, pool players generate a differant kind of action than poker players do. While i love playing poker and make alot more money at it than pool. There is nothing like seeing two guys play one pocket for $10,000 in the early hours of the morning.

I know what you mean. I'm in Memphis and before the casinos came around (early 90's) there was a lot of action. It has since almost completely dried up. There was a local guy that owned a crappy pool room who subsidized by dealing coke. He loved to gambooooool it up. I would watch him play 10K games of one pocket for hours and hours.He said he loved the rush of gambling. For a bigger rush he would burglarize homes. Someone asked him why he would do that when he was loaded. His response was something like this "You have no idea what a rush it is when you're in someones house not knowing if you're about to get your head blown off or not".He later went to jail for about 15 years for the dealing.

[Gibbo 0]

Ahhhh good times.

[DDiabolical 0]

It's just an addiction to felt.Most people can live out their entire lives without even realising that they suffer from said addiction.Sadly, organisations set up to deal with this addiction receive little to no government funding, despite frequently lobbying attempts from various addiction organisations in the past few years.

[NicksDad1970 0]

The first decent sized tournament I played in was at The Wagon Wheel in College Park Georgia. I think Keith McCready came in 2nd.My friend and I drove all night from Memphis, signed up and there were 256 people in the tourney and we drew each other in the first round!!

[neblon 0]

I know what you mean. I'm in Memphis and before the casinos came around (early 90's) there was a lot of action. It has since almost completely dried up. There was a local guy that owned a crappy pool room who subsidized by dealing coke. He loved to gambooooool it up. I would watch him play 10K games of one pocket for hours and hours.He said he loved the rush of gambling. For a bigger rush he would burglarize homes. Someone asked him why he would do that when he was loaded. His response was something like this "You have no idea what a rush it is when you're in someones house not knowing if you're about to get your head blown off or not".He later went to jail for about 15 years for the dealing.

I spent alot of the late 80's and early 90's coming to Memphis and playin alot of late night sessions at the Rack. Is it still there? Right around the same time "splash" casino opened up (the first casino). Are you familiar with ally oop? It's a wonder Keith is still alive if you know what I mean.

[gilbertology 0]

I think a lot of poker players also play pool. We already know how good Daniel and Josh Arieh are. I've been playing pool wayyy before I even knew what poker was, and it is just a fun and social game that you can be pretty competetive at, just like poker. I've been saying for awhile now televised pool is due for a blow up, especially the WPBA. If they just had some more interesting mixed game tournaments, like HORSE in poker, where opponents played 5 games of 9 ball, 8 ball, one pocket, snooker, straight pool, etc., it would be a little more entertaining to watch. I feel like they can also jazz up the set like the WPT did with the final table in poker. Maybe some flashing lights, player intro, and money on the table would bring in more ratings. If you have the chance, watch some WPBA on espn.

[NicksDad1970 0]

I spent alot of the late 80's and early 90's coming to Memphis and playin alot of late night sessions at the Rack. Is it still there? Right around the same time "splash" casino opened up (the first casino). Are you familiar with ally oop? It's a wonder Keith is still alive if you know what I mean.

Yes, The Rack is still there although I havn't walked in the doors there in years. There were some awesome games to sweat back then. The owner (Don Samples) was so cool. He kind of took me under his wing (as well as another guy) I learned so much from them. Don is in a wheelchair now... he kicked a guy out and the guy came back and shot him 4 times. (before my time)There were some awesome players that basically lived there. James Christopher, Al Orear, Phillip Powers and Danny Cook. If you watch the very end of the 2003 WSOP ME you see Danny saying congrats to C Moneymaker.

I think a lot of poker players also play pool. We already know how good Daniel and Josh Arieh are. I've been playing pool wayyy before I even knew what poker was, and it is just a fun and social game that you can be pretty competetive at, just like poker. I've been saying for awhile now televised pool is due for a blow up, especially the WPBA. If they just had some more interesting mixed game tournaments, like HORSE in poker, where opponents played 5 games of 9 ball, 8 ball, one pocket, snooker, straight pool, etc., it would be a little more entertaining to watch. I feel like they can also jazz up the set like the WPT did with the final table in poker. Maybe some flashing lights, player intro, and money on the table would bring in more ratings. If you have the chance, watch some WPBA on espn.

The guy that ran all the womens tournaments was Steve Tipton. We were on the same Busch League here in Memphis. Fella is funny as anyone. Anyway as far as pool blowing up I dunno...they need higher prize money. I emailed Josh Arieh and told him that IMHO Bodog should sponser some big pool tourneys. There's a lot of side betting on tourneys and it would be great exposure for cheap for Bodog. Josh apparently didn't like the idea cause he didn't respond.

[thrillsoft 0]

I played pool for a living about 10 years ago. I did that for a couple of years. Pool players are fun and colorful characters, however I like poker players just a little bit better. Poker is a little bit more social game than pool is. There is often a lot of resentment at the pool table whereas that's not as often the case at poker when a player is losing. He doesn't get as pissed at the other player as he does in pool (except online).

[runthemover 39]

dont forget about John Hennigan. used to be professional pool player

[ol'number7 0]

great thread OP, brings back a lot of good memories for me. Used to hustle about 6-8 years ago when I lived in S Lake Tahoe, met some pros (Bustamante, Strickland, Reyes, a few others) -- lots of characters in the big-time pool world. The side games at big tournaments were nuts, I remember watching guys pitch quarters on the table for $500 a throw -- crazy stuff.

[NicksDad1970 0]

great thread OP, brings back a lot of good memories for me. Used to hustle about 6-8 years ago when I lived in S Lake Tahoe, met some pros (Bustamante, Strickland, Reyes, a few others) -- lots of characters in the big-time pool world. The side games at big tournaments were nuts, I remember watching guys pitch quarters on the table for $500 a throw -- crazy stuff.

First time I met Bustamante was at The Rio in 94He just sat down and shot the breeze with me for an hour. Truly an awesome guy.Earl on the other hand is not very useful to me...quite an a$$.

[ol'number7 0]

First time I met Bustamante was at The Rio in 94He just sat down and shot the breeze with me for an hour. Truly an awesome guy.Earl on the other hand is not very useful to me...quite an a$$.

No doubt -- Earl is a huge a$$hole, giant ego -- never seen an ego that big before or since. Bustamante was very laid back and easy to talk to, met him in Reno in '99

[beliblis 0]

This is what we poolplayers call hopehttp://www.internationalpooltour.com/default.asp check it out its the future of pool

[ol'number7 0]

This is what we poolplayers call hopehttp://www.internationalpooltour.com/default.asp check it out its the future of pool

wow pool has changed in the last few years, a lot more $$ to shoot for -- thanks for the link

[XX44466XX 0]

The movie Poolhall Junkies is great I gotta say! Just like Rounders but with pool. The scene where Christopher Walken puts Chazz Palmintieri "all-in" essentially, is one of the best scenes ever in my book.

[bobbywithani 0]

The Hustler is one of my favorite movies. I suck at pool though, can't hold my hands steady.