I don't always play Bangers.
But when I do, I make up the rules.
But when I do, I make up the rules.
AZB, how do you deal with bangers?
- Thread starter evanlockhart
- Start date
"Yup, and it'll teach ya how to be a gentleman. Afterall, we here at Banger's Pub & Grub play gentleman's pool -- which means honorable pool, which means call everything, which means no slop. And we gentleman will put a stick over your head if you try to pull any of that BIH / slop business on us!"
All funnin' aside though, Banks has the right message -- you are in "their" haunt, not yours, so either learn to play by their rules, or don't play. You ain't goin' to teach them something by showing them league or WPA standardized rules.
I find that when I'm in a bar, I change my mentality, like a switch on the back of my head. Now in this place, if I play a safety, it will sure look like an offensive shot -- where the object ball I called is heading for the pocket I called -- but what the cue ball is doing is a different story. The object ball may "just miss" (it probably was a nearly impossible shot) but I bumped my opponent's object balls together in a cluster with the cue ball, and he thinks my shot was an "all out offensive" shot. He didn't know that my main focus, out of the corner of my eye, is that I was adjusting my touch for the cue ball only -- the object ball heading in the general direction of the pocket was a decoy. Playing other games, like straight pool and one pocket, has its advantages when playing 8-ball in venues like this.
Just learn to use the rules to your advantage, 's all.
-Sean
Responding to thread title only;
No different than I how I've dealt with idiots at work or in life, it's all the same just different locations + toss in alcohol and the cocktail factor arrives.
No different than I how I've dealt with idiots at work or in life, it's all the same just different locations + toss in alcohol and the cocktail factor arrives.
Last edited:
You just have to recognize that you're playing a different version of pool. Get the "rules" out in the open while the game's being racked, and just take the game for what it is. I love playing on my near-perfect GC3 with Simonis 860 and a matching set of Aramiths, and shooting with a well-made custom cue. If I find myself in a bar with only 7 foot Valleys covered in beer stained Championship cloth with rails that can't be counted on to do any more than keep balls on the table, I grab a chewed-up looking house cue with the most decent tip I can find and bang balls around according to whatever it is that passes for "rules" in that place. The stakes are sometimes as high as a round of drinks, and it's liberating to get back to the basic, everyman game that I originally enjoyed.
Hahaha, I only did that one time because this guy actually said to me that ball-in-hand isn't used in "tournament rules." I asked what tournament he was talking about and he looked away and shut up. Apparently it was a tournament he made up in his mind. This is the kind of stuff that gets me after a while.
Last time I was in a bar playing pool with bangers was many years ago. It was called the Time Out Lounge. We all called it the Knock Out. I'm sure everyone knows of a place like it. I grew up in that bar. I was winning on the only table in the bar and it was getting ugly. Some female yelled "Get that guy off the table! " I walked over and handed her my Wallabushka and said "You play." Then I walked out of there with all of my legs and arms still attached, and said to myself "that was really stupid" and never played in a bar with bangers again. If you're interested, I can tell you where the place is and how to get there?
Banks
Banned
People seem to disregard that second part quite a bit. That's how I see APA rules, BCA rules, podunk tournament rules, etc.. the faster you can figure out how to use the rules on the table, the better off you are. So many people are stuck in their view of the games, instead of being able to quickly adapt.
Most of the time, a run-out looks no different than it would with any other set of rules.
I want to know how everyone on AZB deals with the majority of players you meet in bars. I ask this as a serious question because, I frankly can't stand some of the ignorance, disrespect and lack of pool etiquette i've encountered with some people. Is it ridiculous to want a decent rack if you're breaking? Why is the ball-in-hand rule such a big deal to people if it's your table in 8-ball?
I'm not much of a drinker, but I go to bars due to the relatively cheap cost of pool, light atmosphere, good tables, etc. I love to gamble and play even better when there's money on the line, but i'm almost to the point of where I don't want to play any schmoe joe for a free game because he'd rather argue with me about, "well this is the way i've played it for fifty years" or, "this isn't how this bar plays 8-ball" or, "how about we get a neutral racker since you're racking your own rack and you could be cheating" crap. I know patience is a virtue, but i'm on the edge and have been verbal with some of these players lately, simply because I feel like i've seen enough of it and would rather not even waste my time. On the other hand, I know not every person is the same, you should invite a new experience, and give someone the benefit of the doubt. Maybe my odds with strangers have been against me for too long and it always screams a bad game before it begins. AZB, how have you dealt with these types of situations? I'll even pull up Wiki pages on games like Eight-ball so my opponent can't argue with reality.
Edit: I just want to go out and say that I don't go asking for games, these are people that ask me for a game.
Edit #2: It seems that the most common advice is to not have such high expectations. I didn't know wanting a decent rack was one- I may be in a lot of trouble
Do the words "prima donna" mean anything to you??
Are you still eating cookies..if so what kind.
Kolbeys in Salem has 8 nice Diamond tables..there
7fters..But they do have one 9fter an its only 7hr to play
To Op..if your ever this way,drop in..we all now the rules.
Well, at some of the bars I frequent, I never have a problem. At other places, it's quite the opposite. Sometimes its random.
I play pool in bars sometimes, **** me right?
Banks
Banned
As soon as I get my car alarm fixed, I'll head on down. Is that the one with the decent player's pool for the tournament with a handicap? I've had a few people tell me to hit it up, but I can be a lazy SoB, especially when I don't have much funds. That's turning around, though, so I can finally afford to play for a little. You going to the coast in October?
I got the pillsbury real chocolate chip kind, the ones that come in the white rectangular packaging. They had a deal on em, got one for the home to keep the g/f happy and one at work to make my coworkers jealous(amazing what you can do with a toaster oven). No special cookies or anything at work, I'm as sober as I was when I woke up.
:shrug:
I really don't know what a banger is. Aren't all bar room shooters a banger?
When I play in a bar, there is no need for ball in hand or playing safe. I go for every shot no matter what. I'm not afraid of my opponent running out on me. Doesn't happen too often in a bar. Even if you do play ball in hand...how often does it really come into play? Not much when I play.
I guess I'm a banger.:thumbup:
I really don't know what a banger is. Aren't all bar room shooters a banger?
When I play in a bar, there is no need for ball in hand or playing safe. I go for every shot no matter what. I'm not afraid of my opponent running out on me. Doesn't happen too often in a bar. Even if you do play ball in hand...how often does it really come into play? Not much when I play.
I guess I'm a banger.:thumbup:
Yeah, and it's usually used in a negative connotation. What did I say that came off as egotistical and vain? I'm wanting to know how to handle uncivil people in recurring situations when i'm trying to enjoy the game and have fun. Sorry if I came off as someone i'm not..
This thread reminded me of a situation that came up at the bar once. I was playing with my friends on a table. I had won 3 games in a row. The next guy who was up racked the balls and I asked if it would be ok for me to have a smoke before we played. He says "sure", I layed my cue on the table and he joins me outside for a smoke.
Not more than a couple minutes later I heard somebody breaking the balls. I look inside and see some younger guys playing on the table with my cue.
I put out my smoke and go inside. I tell the guy he is more than welcome to play but it wasn't his turn and he should put up quarters if he wanted to get in line. I also told him he shouldn't be using other peoples property without permission.
He looks at me and says "We started playing because you had left". I calmly explained that I hadn't left but was having a smoke between games. He replies and says "if you went outside to smoke then you left the building and if you left the building than the table is open for anybody to play".
At this point my blood is starting to boil. I didn't want to get in a fight or anything. I told the guy to take the table but that he should know that his actions were complete bullshit and he should learn some manners. His girlfriend then comes over and gives me a earfull. Unbelievable!
I think the moral of the story is that Redmond WA is full of a bunch of young spoiled brats.
Not more than a couple minutes later I heard somebody breaking the balls. I look inside and see some younger guys playing on the table with my cue.
I put out my smoke and go inside. I tell the guy he is more than welcome to play but it wasn't his turn and he should put up quarters if he wanted to get in line. I also told him he shouldn't be using other peoples property without permission.
He looks at me and says "We started playing because you had left". I calmly explained that I hadn't left but was having a smoke between games. He replies and says "if you went outside to smoke then you left the building and if you left the building than the table is open for anybody to play".
At this point my blood is starting to boil. I didn't want to get in a fight or anything. I told the guy to take the table but that he should know that his actions were complete bullshit and he should learn some manners. His girlfriend then comes over and gives me a earfull. Unbelievable!
I think the moral of the story is that Redmond WA is full of a bunch of young spoiled brats.
Last edited:
I think pretty much everyone is on the same page here. Playing in the bars is probably how the majority of us started. You put your quarters up and challenged the table for whatever the price was. Little by little you tried to get passed the playing for a beer to $5 or $10 a game. Eventually someone would come along who wants to close the table and play you all night long. Jackpot! Up to this point you had to look and act like one of the regulars having a good time and "getting lucky" on the table. You had to ADAPT. If you can't adapt or at least tolerate, don't go! If you feel you must go, then just play alone or bring a friend and turn down the easy action that comes to you. With all due respect, I believe the problem is either with your inability/refusal to adapt or with your untolerating attitude. Maybe both. I completely understand how difficult it can be to tolerate, especially once we become spoiled by playing on and with good equipment, but I have found adaptation leads to toleration. You say you don't drink much. I don't either, but having a couple beers makes the barpool much easier to tolerate and will not have much of an effect on my 7 footer game. I'd guess it probably wouldn't hurt yours much either...
LOL, great story. I have several similar ones-where do you usually play?
You're right, I can be thick-headed about some things, especially if i've been on the table for a while or things are good and then a curve ball is thrown. Thanks for the response,
I play league out of the Mustard Seed Too in Bellevue. That place is fine for the most part. The players know proper etiquette.
the way I combat this is, when going out for a smoke just take the cue ball with you.
the way I combat this is, when going out for a smoke just take the cue ball with you.
I do the same thing... But there are some people that get all pissed at me for doing it. I'm a regular, most everyone know I shoot pool all night, and I know there can be a bunch of idiots in there at times. I have come in to see somebody shooting the game I paid for and racked and he's using my custom cue that I "X"ed up the table with.
So, I do this because I believe I behave properly...
Am I correct in thinking so :scratchhead: