Around The Table
by Dave (Dutch) Merrill
The Hustle
After looking through
several of my books on pool I found a definition of hustle
or hustler: “A term applied to pool shark who tempts less
skilled players into a game, generally for money.” The term
can be modified to also mean a highly skilled player, often
what we call a road player, looking for a game again for
money against whomever will play them.
Being from an older school
than most, I have seen a lot of hustlers and hustling. There
is not really much wrong with a player looking for a game
with the end result being a little more money in their
pocket. These kinds of situations are generally between
players that know the guideline so to speak. Both players
more or less know what they are getting into before the game
starts, so the guideline would be: let the players beware.
It seems that we have a bit
of a disease taking hold in our pool world. No one has come
up with the perfect formula for handicapping players
throughout all leagues. Up until recently there were holes
in the National Tournaments’ systems for checking on teams
to ensure that their players are qualified for the events
that they are signing up to play in. I have seen players
trying to play in levels that they are far over-qualified
for and then getting mad because they get caught. Other
unqualified players try to join or play with teams that are
going to the National. Then winning money that they are not
entitled to. This comes down to stealing from the system and
the player that they put out of the tournament who was
legitimately participating.
With some of the new systems
in place I hope that the National Organizations are checking
things to prevent these situations continuing to plague our
sport.
If you don’t play in the
right group to go to the Nationals then don’t play. If
you’re in group 7 don’t try and get into group 5. If you’re
supposed to be a master, then play in the Master group until
under the guidelines you are no longer a Master.
With the changes in the BCA
system there will be some changes in an effort to get a
handicap system in place that will be fairer to all
concerned. In the meantime try to be honest with yourself
and others and don’t cheat the system.
Between now and September
all the regular national tournaments take place including
the ACS, BCC, Valley and the APA. It would be nice to see
everyone go to their tournaments and not see any inequities
during their trip and come home with the best, legal, honest
results possible.
Shoot well and have a good
time. Dutch.
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