The Matching Up Thread I promised

[Temp Hutter]

I picked up the book "Playing Off the Rail" after reading this thread a while back. The book was entertaining and a fun read. I recommend it for some good pool stories.

Jimbo - when is your book coming out? Write it and I'll buy it.

[Knockwurst]

Sorry, if this has been asked but don't they say "All World" Hennigan was a top pool player. If so, how would you rate agaisnt him?

Also, more stories about sandbagging would be cool.

PS -- Someone mentioned hustling chess, and it would seem as though there are similarities, both games being based almost entirely on skill and requiring a spot for the weaker player.

My friend, who is said to be the strongest non-titled chess player in the US, pretty much earns his living playing speed chess. However, he never sandbags nor misrepresents his strength in that he will say he's a strong master if asked (not that I'm making a value judgment on either). As good as he is, he doesn't seem to hurt for opponents. I guess his strength is giving a time spot that seems fair but allows him to win the majority of the games, he's a really nice guy, and he rarely goes on tilt.

[Georgia Avenue]

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This is the most awesome non-poker thread on 2+2 thanks Jimbo.

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Only this one comes close...

[Big Poppa Smurf]

For those of you who like these kind of stories, there are a lot of good gambling/pool hustling stories by TJ Cloutier and Cowboy Wolford in the Cardplayer Archives. I will try to dig up some links now.

Edit: Here is the link for the stories Cowboy Wolford wrote for Cardplayer. Lots of good pool, poker, and rodeo gambling stories!

[Harris]

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Sorry, if this has been asked but don't they say "All World" Hennigan was a top pool player. If so, how would you rate agaisnt him?

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John Hennigan was a very strong player back in the early 90's. He played out of Philadelphia and was known as "Cornflakes" or just "Flakes." His best games were one-pocket and back-pocket 9-ball. He beat top players playing back-pocket and was just below them playing one-pocket. He bet as high as anyone and had a ton of heart.

Probably his most well-known matchup was back in 91 or 92 when a young (between 16-18) Shannon Daulton came through Philly, right before he won the Legends of One Pocket event. Shannon was giving him 9-7 in one-pocket, race to 4 for 10 dimes. I think Flakes should have been a small favorite in this game. Hennigan jumos out to a 3-0 lead, basically outmoving Daulton and making everything he's supposed to. Daulton was a little erratic and he was paying for it. Flakes has him down 6-(-2) in the 4th game, and out of nowhere, Shannon hits top gear. Next thing you know, it's 3-3. Shannon is making every bank he shoots at, hitting them 100 miles an hour, moving when he has to, but mostly firing away. Case game, I think Hennigan had the break (which is about a 1.5-2 ball advantage) and they went back and forth, both players playing very well. Both these guys have hearts as big as their heads.

It gets down to the last ball, which is great for John, because he maneuvers as well as anyone out there with the last ball (one of the advantages of being a top back-pocket 9-ball player). He leaves Shannon super-tough. Imagine this: The cue ball is just about frozen to the side rail, about 1 diamond from the bottom corner on John's side of the table. The last ball is in a similar position, frozen the the side rail as well, but it's less than a diamond from John's pocket. This is a horrible, horrible spot to be in. Shannon gets up there, thinks for about 30 seconds, loads up the cue ball with right hand spin, and banks the ball into his pocket at warp speed. The whole room just stopped completely, as if what just transpired couldn't have possibly happened. Shannon came back from being about as huge an underdog as one could be, with Hennigan only needing one ball to close the set, while Shannon was down 3-0, to taking down 10 grand. Afterward, Flakes was about as stoic as you'll ever see a pool player be after suffering such a tough loss.

[Knockwurst]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, if this has been asked but don't they say "All World" Hennigan was a top pool player. If so, how would you rate agaisnt him?

[/ QUOTE ]

John Hennigan was a very strong player back in the early 90's. He played out of Philadelphia and was known as "Cornflakes" or just "Flakes." His best games were one-pocket and back-pocket 9-ball. He beat top players playing back-pocket and was just below them playing one-pocket. He bet as high as anyone and had a ton of heart.

Probably his most well-known matchup was back in 91 or 92 when a young (between 16-18) Shannon Daulton came through Philly, right before he won the Legends of One Pocket event. Shannon was giving him 9-7 in one-pocket, race to 4 for 10 dimes. I think Flakes should have been a small favorite in this game. Hennigan jumos out to a 3-0 lead, basically outmoving Daulton and making everything he's supposed to. Daulton was a little erratic and he was paying for it. Flakes has him down 6-(-2) in the 4th game, and out of nowhere, Shannon hits top gear. Next thing you know, it's 3-3. Shannon is making every bank he shoots at, hitting them 100 miles an hour, moving when he has to, but mostly firing away. Case game, I think Hennigan had the break (which is about a 1.5-2 ball advantage) and they went back and forth, both players playing very well. Both these guys have hearts as big as their heads.

It gets down to the last ball, which is great for John, because he maneuvers as well as anyone out there with the last ball (one of the advantages of being a top back-pocket 9-ball player). He leaves Shannon super-tough. Imagine this: The cue ball is just about frozen to the side rail, about 1 diamond from the bottom corner on John's side of the table. The last ball is in a similar position, frozen the the side rail as well, but it's less than a diamond from John's pocket. This is a horrible, horrible spot to be in. Shannon gets up there, thinks for about 30 seconds, loads up the cue ball with right hand spin, and banks the ball into his pocket at warp speed. The whole room just stopped completely, as if what just transpired couldn't have possibly happened. Shannon came back from being about as huge an underdog as one could be, with Hennigan only needing one ball to close the set, while Shannon was down 3-0, to taking down 10 grand. Afterward, Flakes was about as stoic as you'll ever see a pool player be after suffering such a tough loss.

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Very nice story. Were you there for this or is this from a written account somewhere? Also, do you think Shannon was sandbagging to get Hennigan to bet more? Wish I could have seen that shot and Hennigan's reaction to it. Seems like a pretty good guy at the poker table. Thanks again.

[whiskeytown]

Jimbo -

did you ever play with Jimmy "the Kid" Wetch ? I used to play at his hall all the time when I lived 5 blocks away -

rb