Best Inexpensive Social Game to Play

JoeyA

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
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An associate's son (age 28) who is a college gradueate, gifted computer expert, author, entrepreneur (you get the picture), sent me an email recently when he heard that I was doing pool commentary. In his email, he confessed that he didn't know I did commentary on pool but would check me out in the future but his personal thoughts were that pool is THE BEST, INEXPENSIVE SOCIAL GAME TO PLAY. He also confessed that he doesn't work on his technique and that he just loves to play.

Maybe there is hope for pool after all. With our economic world being torn apart and the dollar becoming less valuable by the second, maybe more people will have to rely on the BEST, INEXPENSIVE SOCIAL GAME TO PLAY. :)

JoeyA
 
I can think of a lot of other games other than pool. For starters most card games, dominos, checkers, chess etc. The investment is small and they can be played almost anywhere.
 
I have a membership at the hall I go to where I can play as long or as short as I feel and it is $8.

Where else can I go out for 8 hours for a dollar an hour and have a great time? Every now and then I'll drink some beers too, but mainly I'll drink ice water as I want to remain focused on playing and not getting sloshed.
 
The only thing that would give pool a big boost is a HIT Movie with superstars in it. And if that every happens it will be up to the powers that be in the pool world to expand on it and keep it growing. Room owners, pros, tours, APA, BCA, TAP, regional tours, all need to help grow it and work together...not hooray for me, **** you. Pool has had many chances to become mainstream in my lifetime and each time it was pissed away by greed and infighting.

When I did mail order jewelry years ago I learned one big thing that helped me sell more. If someone is doing good (you can tell if they run the same ad over and over in many medias) copy them and give more for the price, cut the price, faster delivery, on and on. It works.

Do a Battle of the Sexes. That worked for tennis and it will work for pool if promoted right ahead of time. Jeanette Lee or A. Fisher, or Ewa vs Allen Hopkins, Earl, Mike S. or someone else that has a big fan following. Show clips of Eal going off at the Mosconi and other places. This is getting too long. It just pisses me off that pool has blown so many chances to grow over many years. Johnnyt
 
TheBook: haha, go invite a bunch of friends to come hang out and play a chess/checkers party every weekend. See how many takers you get.

In all seriousness, there are people who would argue poker is a cheap alternative for a group of people to hang out n' play on weekends for cheap, but it isn't always cheap... and I can't see it being all that fun for just 2 people. Pool feels like a social thing even when it's just you and a buddy, while going head to head at dominos, chinese checkers, and candyland is more... personal. Even if you really really like those games.

We just need to poach all those dudes who waste time bowling. Why not play a more interesting game without the heavy lifting and fruity shoes?
 
TheBook said:
I can think of a lot of other games other than pool. For starters most card games, dominos, checkers, chess etc. The investment is small and they can be played almost anywhere.
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I think the key word was Social game to play, I do not know of many places where checkers or chess is played..

Cribbage used to be big but it alas has faded as well
 
JoeyA said:
An associate's son (age 28) who is a college gradueate, gifted computer expert, author, entrepreneur (you get the picture), sent me an email recently when he heard that I was doing pool commentary. In his email, he confessed that he didn't know I did commentary on pool but would check me out in the future but his personal thoughts were that pool is THE BEST, INEXPENSIVE SOCIAL GAME TO PLAY. He also confessed that he doesn't work on his technique and that he just loves to play.

Maybe there is hope for pool after all. With our economic world being torn apart and the dollar becoming less valuable by the second, maybe more people will have to rely on the BEST, INEXPENSIVE SOCIAL GAME TO PLAY. :)

JoeyA
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I can't think of a better inexpensive social event than league pool. In the APA, you can pay as little as $6 per match and an annual membership fee for $25 and have a great time for hours. It can be a terrific social event that's very cheap.
 
i dont know about you guys but pool is about 12 bucks an hour on a crappy 8 foot chimpionship cloth here in texas.... well in most places
 
filluptieu said:
i dont know about you guys but pool is about 12 bucks an hour on a crappy 8 foot chimpionship cloth here in texas.... well in most places
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I agree. Pool is NOT cheap anymore in most areas. That's why even in this horrible economy poolrooms are stuggling just like every other business except oil companies and other monopilies. The only hope to grow pool is what I said in my tread above. This ain't the 1920', 1940's, or 1970's. A bad economy no longer helps pool. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
I agree. Pool is NOT cheap anymore in most areas. That's why even in this horrible economy poolrooms are stuggling just like every other business except oil companies and other monopilies. The only hope to grow pool is what I said in my tread above. This ain't the 1920', 1940's, or 1970's. A bad economy no longer helps pool. Johnnyt
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League pool is very cheap.
 
filluptieu said:
i dont know about you guys but pool is about 12 bucks an hour on a crappy 8 foot chimpionship cloth here in texas.... well in most places
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I live in Texas and league pool is very cheap. You even get to play for free in some pool rooms if you're a league member.
 
poolfoole said:
I live in Texas and league pool is very cheap. You even get to play for free in some pool rooms if you're a league member.
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I didn't know that. Thank you both. I think Texas is the or will be soon the top pool state for tournaments, tours and some of the best pros will come out of Texas. Johnnyt
 
cheap!

I dont know where you live in Tx. but I can be at 2 rooms in less then 20 min. and play far 2$ an hour untill 6p.m. thats cheap..Plus there a place if you carry a apa card its free all the time Maybe you need to move to Denton area...:):)
 
While pool has not reached the expense of golf, by any means, I certainly would not call it inexpensive. The prices for pool by the hour in some of the larger cities are prices I would not care to pay these days. And, since I detest putting quarters in pool tables, that's not an option nor is it cheap for people who can play. Glad I have a table at home, wish everyone could.
One of the most inexpensive pastimes after the initial expense, is board games and I'm not talking about the traditional American games of Monopoly, etc. The games known as "Euro" board games are fascinating, challenging, and the "bits" or playing pieces are really neat in some of them.
 
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Disc Golf

Disc golf is pretty cheap... For $20 you can pick up a driver and a putter and 99% of the courses are free to play.

League pool is only cheap if you play with a bar stick and drink water.
 
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JoeyA said:
An associate's son (age 28) who is a college gradueate, gifted computer expert, author, entrepreneur (you get the picture), sent me an email recently when he heard that I was doing pool commentary. In his email, he confessed that he didn't know I did commentary on pool but would check me out in the future but his personal thoughts were that pool is THE BEST, INEXPENSIVE SOCIAL GAME TO PLAY. He also confessed that he doesn't work on his technique and that he just loves to play.

Maybe there is hope for pool after all. With our economic world being torn apart and the dollar becoming less valuable by the second, maybe more people will have to rely on the BEST, INEXPENSIVE SOCIAL GAME TO PLAY. :)

JoeyA
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An uplifting post for sure, Joey. Pool makes for a very affordable evening out, at least relative to other forms of entertainment.

For example, recently:

1) A pair of tickets to the Metropolitan opera cost me $390
2) A pair of tickets to a NY Mets baseball game cost me $300.
3) A pair of tickets to a Broadway play cost me $240.
4) A round of golf for two, including the golf cart, cost me $145.
5) An evening of bowling for two, beer included, cost me about $60.
6) A movie for two, inclusive of drinks and popcorn, cost me $45.

Of these, the movie costs about the same as an evening of pool, so unless you like taking your best girl to a museum or the library, pool is a very good approach to managing your social budget.

In short, the smart money is on pool.
 
Try to get 2 couple together to play pool. It is far easier to have a deck of cards and play Euchre, Hearts, Bridge, Uno, or any other card game than it is to play pool. And a lot cheaper. A deck of cards, a case of beer, coffee, soft drinks a bottle of liquor or whatever and you don't have to go to a PH. In nice weather you can sit outside and play and enjoy the sunshine or a nice cool evening.
 
CreeDo said:
TheBook: haha, go invite a bunch of friends to come hang out and play a chess/checkers party every weekend. See how many takers you get.

In all seriousness, there are people who would argue poker is a cheap alternative for a group of people to hang out n' play on weekends for cheap, but it isn't always cheap... and I can't see it being all that fun for just 2 people. Pool feels like a social thing even when it's just you and a buddy, while going head to head at dominos, chinese checkers, and candyland is more... personal. Even if you really really like those games.

We just need to poach all those dudes who waste time bowling. Why not play a more interesting game without the heavy lifting and fruity shoes?
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What is sociable? Most times it is only 2 people. A bunch of friends hanging out. Not too many of my freinds play pool. But they will all play cards.

How many people can play pool at one time? With card games you can have anywhere from 2 to 8 or more depending on the game and all you need is a deck of cards. Pool is not cheap and it is also personal. There are more people playing some form of cards than pool.
 
I guess our slight disagreement is because I'm stuck on the idea of 'social game' needing more than 2. Like 2 guys by themselves playing cards against doesn't seem social (to me... I'm sure by any dictionary's definition, 2 people getting together to have fun is 'social').

But 2 guys playing cards at the local pool hall surrounded by people (some of whom they know) sounds a lot more social :)

Anyway, it's certainly fair to say cards are cheaper and you can get more than 2 playing, so I can accept pool isn't the #1 cheapest social game. But it my hands-down favorite inexpensive social game, and I definitely know more pool players than cards players if I'm bored on a saturday night.
 
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