32. Pool Hall Scams
class: closers | impressiveness: 2/5 - 4/5 | factors: wide variety, varying utility | requires: a pool table | watch full episodes (1, 2)
I’ll be honest, I’m not the best pool player. Hell, I’m not even what most would call “acceptable.” But I have learned a couple of cool tricks and sucker bets to use at the pool table.
You’ve Got Nothing!
While halfway through playing a standard game of 8 ball, start calling out your opponent. Tell him he stinks. Tell him he’s got nothin’. In fact, claim that you’re so much better than him, he won’t sink another ball for the rest of the entire game.
Once he accepts your bet, take your turn… and immediately sink the 8-ball. You’ll lose the game, but you’ll win the side bet.
Spot-On
The Setup: Place a ball on the table’s spot (or set on top of any bill), then place a dime on top of the ball. Fire the cue ball forward, knock the ball off, and watch as the dime lands right on the spot (or in the circle frame of the bill’s portrait).
After showing you can pull it off every time, challenge them to get it right just 2 out of 3 times. They won’t have a chance.
The Reveal: When you set the dime up for yourself, place it squarely on the center-top of the ball. When you set it up for them, tilt it to the slightly to the back of the ball. This way, when the ball is struck, the dime will be launched backwards and away from the target spot.
Clean Slate
Start playing a simple game of 8-ball with your friends… about halfway through the game, offer an alternative face-off: if your friend can clear every ball off the table without scratching once, you’ll buy him a beer. He gets unlimited turns, and doesn’t have to sink a ball each time, but If he scratches, he owes you a beer.
Fair enough?
Let him play through the whole table, eventually getting down to just the cue ball… at which point you remind him of your bargain: if your friend can clear every ball off the table without scratching once, you’ll buy him a beer… and there’s no way to clear off the cue ball without scratching.
Side Bet
Set up one ball (we’ll say the six) on the bumper of the table, supported by two other balls (if the bumper edge of your table is too steep, just keep adding balls in line as you see in this photo).
Bet your friend he can’t hit the six without touching the other two balls… after several attempts, tell him you can do it. When it’s your turn, gently hit the six forward, and during its slow journey across the table, use your hip to bump the table. This will jostle the balls just enough to drop the six-ball down off the bumper, so it’s the only one hit.
In a Pinch
Start playing a super-simple nonsense game on the pool table: each of you put a ball next to the bumper and use a single index finger to pinch downward on the back-top of the ball. After enough pressure, the ball will “squirt” out and forward. After a few practice rounds, each of you should have a feel for how it works. Now, challenge him to a face off for a beer: whoever gets their ball to roll the farthest wins. In fact, each of you can have 3 attempts to make it more fair.
For the first couple of attempts, do the squeeze move exactly as he does. But on the third attempt, lick your index finger. This time, instead of the downward pressure creating backspin, your slick finger will slide effortlessly down the back of the ball, launching it with nothing but forward momentum. It’ll make it all the way across the table, and you’ll win the game.