So if the conventional sports like kabaddi, football and cricket continue to attract the `dedicated types' of youth in the city, representatives of the new Teflon generation find themselves hanging out at the pool parlours burning the money in smoke, soft drinks and the stick hitting the `Q' ball. No wonder then that pool parlours like `Pool Den' and `Chain Reaction' are the most sought after spots in the evenings and nights.

Admits Satish Pendharkar, who started the first pool parlour `Pool Den' on November 29 last year in Kolhapur. ``Kolhapur has always been a considerably cash rich town. In fact that is why I decided to set up a pool parlour in Tarabai Park area. Pool had already become the `in' thing in Pune and Mumbai, so why not to give it a shot in Kolhapur as well,'' he said. After his `Pool Den' three other pool parlours have started operating in the upmarket Tarabai Park locality of Kolhapur.

Students from Vivekanand College, D Y Patil group educational institutes flock to these four pool joints in Tarabai Park every evening. ``They come in cars, on bikes, flashing their cell-phones and have a gala time here,'' said Rizwan, manager at Chain Reaction pool parlour, while training one of the youths who was struggling with the stick.

``It's just like carrom, only difference is that it is played with the help of balls and stick on a table smaller in size to those used in billiards and snooker,'' Rizwan told the youth gently positioning the stick in his hand. And just a couple of games later the youth was at ease with balls at the table.

``It's a good feeling, but a bit costly too,'' said Ashish Patil, another youth who had booked a table for an hour. ``We shell out Rs 120 for an hour's play,'' he added. Most pool parlours charge Rs 25-30 per game, while charges per half an hour vary between Rs 50 and Rs 70. And it is double that for an hour's play.

So do these pool parlours turn into gambling dens at night, as shown in one of those old Hollywood crime thrillers starring Clarke Gable and William Powel. ``No,'' says Satish emphatically. ``Betting and gambling is strictly out of my rule books,'' he says. However, another operator admits that though the youth do not bet, a practice that `looser to pay' is applicable here too. ``It's all in the game,'' he said, while requesting anonymity.