Passion for pool adds atmosphere at Las Vegas Cue Club

24/7 venue draws 'money players,' includes league tournaments

Photos by Jim Miller/ViewAbove, Rex DeCarlo participates in a game at the Las Vegas Cue Club, 953 E. Sahara Ave. Below, Carmen Coleman lines up a shot at the club. Photos by Jim Miller/ViewAbove, Rex DeCarlo participates in a game at the Las Vegas Cue Club, 953 E. Sahara Ave. Below, Carmen Coleman lines up a shot at the club. Advertisement

In the 1961 film "The Hustler," the dialogue is gritty and the pool halls are smoke-filled dens. The smack of the cue stick on the first-break is the only real sound allowed. The rest is silent plotting, and sometimes, heavy drinking.

"It's a game that will punish you," said Darrell Taylor, a sales representative from Ohio.

When he's in town, he heads to the Las Vegas Cue Club, known, Taylor said, for skilled players and worthwhile action.

"This is where the money players come," he said. "It's an underground network. Everybody that plays and gambles, they know where all the action is in every city. We all know where to go. It takes nothing but a phone call and one tip to get to a good place."

Taylor looked toward the back of the club, bidding his time before deciding to pick up a game.

"You watch the pool hall," he said. "You can just about tell who are the action guys. Who the guys are who are going to knock the balls around. It's not hard to make a game."

At 8 p.m. on a recent Friday, the historic spot, which is open 24/7 and offers a full cocktail bar, was filling up with serious and recreational players.

There were older men at the far back, waiting on the rails, custom-made cue sticks in leather pouches at their sides, hats pulled down close.

"This is all about skill more so than luck," said John Adams as he watched his friend Rocky Lee make a shot at one of the 39 tables at the Las Vegas Cue Club, 953 E. Sahara Ave.

Seated alone at one of the counters in the 15,000-square-foot space was a patron on a laptop. Adams, a card dealer at a Strip casino, pointed his way.

"Now, that guy, Bill," he said, "he'll tell you everything you ever think you want to know about the game."

When asked, Bill declined to comment.

As the evening progressed, rumors floated around that Bill was a serious backer. He can look at a player and tell who's hustling and who can really handle the wood.

Las Vegas Cue Club manager Walter Lee said side action may or may not be a part of the game. What's more apparent, said Lee, is the dedication of the players coming into the club, with some regulars coming in five to six days per week.

"Since I moved here, I found that there's a whole new level of pool playing that I didn't know existed," Lee said. "I used to play just for fun in bars at night when I lived in Jersey, and I was an OK player there. Then, I started working here and watching some of these guys play and they take it seriously. They pretty much make a lifestyle out of it."

League play is a part of the culture at the club. Billiard Congress of America league players gather at the tables every day of the week, except Friday and Saturday, with weekly tournaments every Tuesday and Wednesday.

"One of our league players out of here," said Lee, "he's a champion. He won $25,000. Those tournaments you see on ESPN, many of those guys come here."

Though this is where the action is, assistant manager April Butler said patrons can find all kinds and all levels of players coming in.

As she talked, a group of what appeared to be college students walked in. Not too many steps behind them, a family arrived. The dad held a cue set. The mom bustled her toddler in.

"We have the most diverse crowd I think you would see in any one building in Las Vegas," Lee said.

"Daytime is mostly older gentleman. We run a senior citizen rate. From five o'clock to maybe nine o'clock at night, we have a big after-work crowd. They come in to have a few drinks and play a little bit of pool. Then, I would say, from 10 o'clock on is a younger crowd -- anywhere from 18 to 30. We never close."

The club is one of the few places in town that is all ages until curfew.

A mix of old rock and new played from state-of-the-art speakers.

A daring foray into the back areas of the club yielded philosophical musings from a gentleman carrying his stick in a handsomely tooled leather case.

"This is not a sport," said Joe Rodriguez. "This is more artistic."

By ERICA VITAL

VIEW STAFF WRITER

In the 1961 film "The Hustler," the dialogue is gritty and the pool halls are smoke-filled dens. The smack of the cue stick on the first-break is the only real sound allowed. The rest is silent plotting, and sometimes, heavy drinking .

"It's a game that will punish you," said Darrell Taylor, a sales representative from Ohio.

When he's in town, he heads to the Las Vegas Cue Club, known, Taylor said, for skilled players and worthwhile action.

"This is where the money players come," he said. "It's an underground network. Everybody that plays and gambles, they know where all the action is in every city. We all know where to go. It takes nothing but a phone call and one tip to get to a good place."

Taylor looked toward the back of the club, bidding his time before deciding to pick up a game.

"You watch the pool hall," he said. "You can just about tell who are the action guys. Who the guys are who are going to knock the balls around. It's not hard to make a game."

At 8 p.m. on a recent Friday, the historic spot, which is open 24/7 and offers a fullcocktail bar, was filling up with serious and recreational players.

There were older men at the far back, waiting on the rails, custom-made cue sticks in leather pouches at their sides, hats pulled down close.

"This is all about skill more so than luck," said John Adams as he watched his friend Rocky Lee make a shot at one of the 39 tables at the Las Vegas Cue Club, 953 E. Sahara Ave.

Seated alone at one of the counters in the 15,000-square-foot space was a patron on a laptop. Adams, a card dealer at a Strip casino, pointed his way.

"Now, that guy, Bill," he said, "he'll tell you everything you ever think you want to know about the game."

When asked, Bill declined to comment.

As the evening progressed, rumors floated around that Bill was a serious backer. He can look at a player and tell who's hustling and who can really handle the wood.

Las Vegas Cue Club manager Walter Lee said side action may or may not be a part of the game. What's more apparent, said Lee, is the dedication of the players coming into the club, with some regulars coming in five to six days per week.

"Since I moved here, I found that there's a whole new level of pool playing that I didn't know existed," Lee said. "I used to play just for fun in bars at night when I lived in Jersey, and I was an OK player there. Then, I started working here and watching some of these guys play and they take it seriously. They pretty much make a lifestyle out of it."

League play is a part of the culture at the club. Billiard Congress of America league players gather at the tables every day of the week, except Friday and Saturday, with weekly tournaments every Tuesday and Wednesday.

"One of our league players out of here," said Lee, "he's a champion. He won $25,000. Those tournaments you see on ESPN, many of those guys come here."

Though this is where the action is, assistant manager April Butler said patrons can find all kinds and all levels of players coming in. As she talked, a group of what appeared to be college students walked in. Not too many steps behind them, a family arrived. The dad held a cue set. The mom bustled her toddler in.

"We have the most diverse crowd I think you would see in any one building in Las Vegas," Lee said. "Daytime is mostly older gentleman. We run a senior citizen rate. From five o'clock to maybe nine o'clock at night, we have a big after-work crowd. They come in to have a few drinks and play a little bit of pool. Then, I would say, from 10 o'clock on is a younger crowd -- anywhere from 18 to 30. We never close."

The club is one of the few places in town that is all ages until curfew.

A mix of old rock and new played from state-of-the-art speakers.

A daring foray into the back areas of the club yielded philosophical musings from a gentleman carrying his stick in a handsomely tooled leather case.

"This is not a sport," said Joe Rodriguez. "This is more artistic."

For more information on the Las Vegas Cue Club, call 735-2884, or visit www.lvcueclub.com.for fun in bars at night when I lived in Jersey, and I was an OK player there. Then, I started working here and watching some of these guys play and they take it seriously. They pretty much make a lifestyle out of it."

League play is a part of the culture at the club. Billiard Congress of America league players gather at the tables every day of the week, except Friday and Saturday, with weekly tournaments every Tuesday and Wednesday.

"One of our league players out of here," said Lee, "he's a champion. He won $25,000. Those tournaments you see on ESPN, many of those guys come here."

Though this is where the action is, assistant manager April Butler said patrons can find all kinds and all levels of players coming in. As she talked, a group of what appeared to be college students walked in. Not too many steps behind them, a family arrived. The dad held a cue set. The mom bustled her toddler in.

"We have the most diverse crowd I think you would see in any one building in Las Vegas," Lee said. "Daytime is mostly older gentleman. We run a senior citizen rate. From five o'clock to maybe nine o'clock at night, we have a big after-work crowd. They come in to have a few drinks and play a little bit of pool. Then, I would say, from 10 o'clock on is a younger crowd -- anywhere from 18 to 30. We never close."

The club is one of the few places in town that is all ages until curfew.

A mix of old rock and new played from state-of-the-art speakers.

A daring foray into the back areas of the club yielded philosophical musings from a gentleman carrying his stick in a handsomely tooled leather case.

"This is not a sport," said Joe Rodriguez. "This is more artistic."

For more information on the Las Vegas Cue Club, call 735-2884, or visit www.lvcueclub.com.