Working Pool Tables

Pool halls have a certain feeling that hangs in the air, alcohol primarily, but also a desire to make money.  If you are someone who is good at billiards you can make a killing at these places.  However, skills on the table aren't all that makes you money; this article will show you the proper way to make money through persuasion and the common desire for money all people have.

Whenever I go to a pool hall I have a similar tact which I employ in order to be most effective and ensure I rarely if ever leave with less money than I arrived with.  First, you have to find the right person or persons to play against, the best being those who are most influenced by the harder drinks being sold at the hall because they are the most confident but the easiest to persuade.  Once you have found your mark(s), approach them and start a mild conversation (I usually ask a question rather than make a comment because it instantly gives your mark the impression that they are superior to you because their knowlege has been asked of).  Many people would say that a humorous comment would be most effective, but humor is risky and the response to it depends too much on the kind of person.  First impressions are important so make sure you come accross as kind, easygoing, and somewhat foolish.

After you've met your target buy a drink (only one), get confortable for five to ten minutes and talk to other people at the hall, make bad jokes, and make an impression that your already somewhat drunk from your one drink (this is so you come off as childish or immature).  Basically what your trying to do is make yourself a seemingly easy target to others.  After maybe twenty minutes you should begin playing billiards, your first game is just as important as your first impression so make sure you appear skilled yet vaulnurable.

If you make sure of one thing, be it that you make sure you don't appear unskilled at pool because then people won't bet much money or any at all.  You have to play your first game so that you appear to have inconsistency in your game, for example, miss cut shots and hit a few straight shot so it bumpers out of the pocket.  However, dont put any money on this game if you can, and if you have to, place the smallest wager you can.

After you've played your first game ask your mark over for a game, a friendly one without any money involved.  Whether you win or lose this game rarely matters so focus on making your mark feel at ease and keep a bit of humor in the air.  Now that you've finished your first game with your mark, move on to betting.  Place a small wager on the first game if you can to keep competition and hard feelings off the table.  Winning your first game for money depends on the person: if they're a confident, stable person you should try to win in order to place your opponent in debt, if they are somewhat insecure or a little tipsy you should lose.  Here is the reasoning: when you win the first game against confident person you put them in debt not only in money but in confidence, that person is going to want to win both back and because they are confident, should try at length to come out of debt.  When you lose your first game to an inscure person they will be inclined to think, no matter how many time you beat them, "I beat him once, right, I can do it again can't I?"; if the target is drunk or even a little tipsy losing the first game is very effective and makes them into confident people who are especially confident with their money.

This is really all there is to it, make sure you pick someone who has a skill set lower than yours and present yourself so that the opposite seems true your target.  After your first few games you should have pretty good control and be able to persuade your opponent quite easily.  Remember never let ill feelings pervade into the air at first, but inspiring some "healthy competition" never hurts.