While I'm doing a lot of direct opening these days, there are still situations where I think/feel that indirect and a "slow game" approach is better.

Was in the pool hall where I hang a fair amount. A hot middle age black gal comes in mid-day. I say hello as we pass as she's headed to the table to break ice. I generally do NOT like to run game in this hall because it's my own "social environment". But this gal, while I've seen her once before, is a rare visitor, so I'm thinking some kind of approach is warranted here.

I let her shoot alone for perhaps 45 minutes, get in a game myself at another table (now she sees me not just as "lone wolf" but as a bit more social person in the hall), and then my competitors asks to quit so he can play a new arrival for some $$ (we aren't gambling). I immediately walk over to HB and open with "hey I just lost my game over there, would you like to play a few?". And I'm in.

She shoots quite well. After one game I say "you look really good...". And then "you've got great stroke and it looks like you've have some professional instruction at some point". We talk about her learning pool, for some reason she pops off about her age, "I'm 47...". Nice (I'm 60). She's looks awesome for 47.

We finish and I tell her how much I enjoy her game and please look me up next time you come in. We shake hands...and 30 seconds later, she's coming in for ANOTHER handshake touch as we talk, nice IOI! But I pass on attempting a # close, as I truly never got a hook (a true question from her), yet we've had a great vibe and I'm sent soft signals of interest, and I figure if she's remotely interested...she'll be back. Whereas if I attempt a # close, she might feel spooked. Don't know if that was the right call but it was the one I made at the time.