Tournament pet peeve

[ridewiththewind]

To be honest I hate when an opponent is so strict about things in a very cheap tournament. Its only 20 bucks stop checking the rack. You made 2 last time.

Huh? I don't care whether is a .50 cent game or a major tournament.....I'm checking the rack! I get more mud racks to break than I care to think about. I have no issue with someone checking my racks...be my guest. I guess that if you have an issue with me checking the rack...it's a good thing I'm checking the rack!

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[oneballeddie]

The Old "Handicap -" Trick

One thing that bothers me the most is the handicap systems. It seems to favor the weaker players so often. I think the handicap should not be set to keep the weaker players in the money all the time. It punishes those who paid the dues to get good by making it to where their skills cannot win for them very often. Then you have the sandbaggers who play the rules just right to keep their handicap down. At least justice prevails once in a while on that one as a team got second place and then got disqualified at the Super Billiards Expo. They had a very strong player playing as a five.

I'm okay with handicapped tournaments. And I'm okay with handicaps that give 100% of the difference in skill level as a spot. Everybody has to play just a little bit better than their average to get in the money. But I am not okay with the old "handicap minus" trick that seems to be sweeping all the tourneys in town.

Maybe it's a recent trend or maybe I just figured it out but it is remarkably unfair to the better players. It totally tilts the tournament in favor or the weak players. Example: 6 rated player against 8 rated player in a race to handicap -2. 6 goes to 4, 8 goes to 6. To win, 8 has to beat 6 by a score of 6 to 3 or better. 8 has to play 100% better than 6 to win, when the handicap by definition says 8 is 33% better than 6. On the other hand, 6 has to beat 8 by score of 4 to 5 or better to win. 6 has to play only at 80% level to win, or just slightly better than his 75% skill rating compared to the 8. Note also that if both players just play to their rating 6 always wins. No matter who gets the first point. Another example: two 8's playing two 6's in scotch doubles handicap -8. Even worse. Here the 8's have to win 8-3 or better. This is completely ridiculous! I'm surprised these tournaments get any 8's or 9's to come out at all. If they do we should pay tribute to the donations they are making to these lower-ratings charity events.

 

[MapleMan]

Huh? I don't care whether is a .50 cent game or a major tournament.....I'm checking the rack! I get more mud racks to break than I care to think about. I have no issue with someone checking my racks...be my guest. I guess that if you have an issue with me checking the rack...it's a good thing I'm checking the rack!

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I don't cheat nor have I ever. I just hate the nit picking crap that people will do to get ahead.It is not just the break. I played a 9 ball game against a kid that slopped the 9 ball in the 3rd rack and than proceeded to tell me that I had to call a pocket for my bank shot for the win at the end of the match. I am an avg player but I don't focus on crap like my opponents racking ability. I can break. I will lose because of my weak position play.

 

[ridewiththewind]

I don't cheat nor have I ever. I just hate the nit picking crap that people will do to get ahead.It is not just the break. I played a 9 ball game against a kid that slopped the 9 ball in the 3rd rack and than proceeded to tell me that I had to call a pocket for my bank shot for the win at the end of the match. I am an avg player but I don't focus on crap like my opponents racking ability. I can break. I will lose because of my weak position play.

I never implied that you cheat. I was addressing, in general, people who complain about others checking their racks. I have never had an issue with people wanting to check mine. It's not like it's a long, drawn out process that eats up time.

I have found that generally the people who take the most offense about it, are the same ones who give me the mud racks....in which case, it doesn't bother me a bit.

I am confused as to how checking a rack is a tactic to get ahead? Is it not perfectly reasonable for one to expect to receive a tight rack to begin with, without the general shenanigans of mudding the rack? It would seem to me that the mud racker is the one trying to get ahead.

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[armoworrior]

Pretty much that. Last year VNEA Vegas tourney, one of guys on a team that we were playing at the time had his girlfriend out. She and another pulled up a table and chairs close to the short rail.

Whenever we do play league on this table, one of the first things we do is move the tables and chairs away from this particular table.

So, obviously they were constantly in our way. She was more interested in playing UTube videos and music on her phone full volume than she was in watching the game.

She would call on one of the other players to come over and watch a video or a new movie trailer.

I was playing this womens boyfriend and I sat down at our table and didn't shoot. The guy asked me if there was something wrong.

I said, "yes, did we come here to play in a tournament or to watch movie videos."

They got the hint as I am half deaf and tend to talk louder than needed most times so everyone heard me.

So yes, if you're genuinely interested in watching the game, by all means, but if all you're doing is killing an afternoon and want to kill the game, leave the old lady at home.

I never implied that you cheat. I was addressing, in general, people who complain about others checking their racks. I have never had an issue with people wanting to check mine. It's not like it's a long, drawn out process that eats up time.

I have found that generally the people who take the most offense about it, are the same ones who give me the mud racks....in which case, it doesn't bother me a bit.

I am confused as to how checking a rack is a tactic to get ahead? Is it not perfectly reasonable for one to expect to receive a tight rack to begin with, without the general shenanigans of mudding the rack? It would seem to me that the mud racker is the one trying to get ahead.

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me personally I don't think it matters how the rack. yes I would prefer a tight rack but if they think it gives them an advantage. I'll just beat them regardless of how they think they can get one over I'm still going to be the better man.

 

[ridewiththewind]

me personally I don't think it matters how the rack. yes I would prefer a tight rack but if they think it gives them an advantage. I'll just beat them regardless of how they think they can get one over I'm still going to be the better man.

It's long been held that the break is the most important shot in the game...so it would stand to reason that a tight rack would optimize that all important break.

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[lorider]

It's long been held that the break is the most important shot in the game...so it would stand to reason that a tight rack would optimize that all important break.

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i tend to agree with this statement but too much nit picking is just too much.

i try to give every opponent the best rack possible and very seldom do i have anyone who checks the rack complain.

a while back i was playing in a tourny and one opponent i just could not satisfy with my racking, finally i told him to rack his own and while he was at it he could rack when i broke also.

i did not win the tournament but i had the satisfaction of knocking him out of it.

 

[ridewiththewind]

i tend to agree with this statement but too much nit picking is just too much.

i try to give every opponent the best rack possible and very seldom do i have anyone who checks the rack complain.

a while back i was playing in a tourny and one opponent i just could not satisfy with my racking, finally i told him to rack his own and while he was at it he could rack when i broke also.

i did not win the tournament but i had the satisfaction of knocking him out of it.

I'm not nit-picky...and most of the time my opponent doesn't even know I'm checking the rack....I use that opportunity to get the chalk. Even rarer when I actually ask for a re-rack. Just don't get why people get offended when I do. However, when they do, I ask them to view the rack and then ask them if they would break it....which usually results in them re-racking without another word.

PS - I usually play in non-handicapped tournies...so yeah, I expect a tight rack.


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[Island Drive]

Picky/Pool/Player/Pet/Peeves/Poolroom

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I am playing in a tournament, and my opponent has his wife or girlfriend pull up a chair close to the table to watch then decide to have a conversation with each other when its my turn. What are yours?

PPPPPP....

Too many to list, so I block it all out and no more Pets in my Head.:thumbup:
If you want to reverse it, walk up to the players gal and start hitting on her, peeve location may change. Be safe....

 

[cueman]

I'm okay with handicapped tournaments. And I'm okay with handicaps that give 100% of the difference in skill level as a spot. Everybody has to play just a little bit better than their average to get in the money. But I am not okay with the old "handicap minus" trick that seems to be sweeping all the tourneys in town.

Maybe it's a recent trend or maybe I just figured it out but it is remarkably unfair to the better players. It totally tilts the tournament in favor or the weak players. Example: 6 rated player against 8 rated player in a race to handicap -2. 6 goes to 4, 8 goes to 6. To win, 8 has to beat 6 by a score of 6 to 3 or better. 8 has to play 100% better than 6 to win, when the handicap by definition says 8 is 33% better than 6. On the other hand, 6 has to beat 8 by score of 4 to 5 or better to win. 6 has to play only at 80% level to win, or just slightly better than his 75% skill rating compared to the 8. Note also that if both players just play to their rating 6 always wins. No matter who gets the first point. Another example: two 8's playing two 6's in scotch doubles handicap -8. Even worse. Here the 8's have to win 8-3 or better. This is completely ridiculous! I'm surprised these tournaments get any 8's or 9's to come out at all. If they do we should pay tribute to the donations they are making to these lower-ratings charity events.

They are doing Six minus One and Six minus two around here. Then they drop one from each persons handicap in losers bracket. Five minus two is pretty steep when a normal five can run out and now abd the Six Minus Two is playing him five to two in the losers bracket.

 

[the kidd]

Delete handicaps!! Period

Exactly "they" are leveling the playing fields everywhere. School: No grade..No failures. Sports: No winners. Trophies to all. Politics ? well what can I say!. Religion: Forget it.

One thing that bothers me the most is the handicap systems. It seems to favor the weaker players so often. I think the handicap should not be set to keep the weaker players in the money all the time. It punishes those who paid the dues to get good by making it to where their skills cannot win for them very often. Then you have the sandbaggers who play the rules just right to keep their handicap down. At least justice prevails once in a while on that one as a team got second place and then got disqualified at the Super Billiards Expo. They had a very strong player playing as a five.

 

[Island Drive]

Exactly "they" are leveling the playing fields everywhere. School: No grade..No failures. Sports: No winners. Trophies to all. Politics ? well what can I say!. Religion: Forget it.

Yeah, but the PPPPPP whiners will NEVER go away, be EASISER getting politicians to agree on something than to change poolplayers thinking :thumbup:

 

[Banks]

Exactly "they" are leveling the playing fields everywhere. School: No grade..No failures. Sports: No winners. Trophies to all. Politics ? well what can I say!. Religion: Forget it.

People can try to twist it around any way they want, but it doesn't change the fact that AAA players aren't going to keep a pool hall open, nor are they going to fill up a tournament. I'd market all day long to the people that pay my bills, too. To do otherwise is suicidal. Would you feel better if I gave you a trophy for a tournament that you couldn't fill?

 

[the kidd]

What you mean? Have tournaments and matches by "Rankings" not give away weight.
Group like 6's through 8's play and 1's through5's and they just play even....what's wrong with that you might get more action in your room that way.

 

[hang-the-9]

Something I don't like too much, is having someone say "nice shot" when I make a nice shot hehe.

It seems to disturb my focus on the next shot because you are obliged to stop and look at him and say "thanks".

Having players talk to me while they are playing is also annoying, I don't really need to know that you meant to hit that 3 inches further or that you could have played it in 2-3 other ways. Tell me after the set, or at least after the game. When I play weaker players, if there is a shot I see that cost them a game or was obviously bad, I keep it in mind to show them after the set is over, not point it out right after their turn is over in that game, or even when that game is over.

 

[fasted71465]

waiting all night till my match

 

[allanpsand]

Something I don't like too much, is having someone say "nice shot" when I make a nice shot hehe.

It seems to disturb my focus on the next shot because you are obliged to stop and look at him and say "thanks".

:smile: That's in my Gamesmanship book, under "compliments". Here is the text, including the recommended response:

Compliments
This is an insidious effort, and one of the easiest to implement. Clothed in good sportsmanship, its deadly effects develop over the length of a match. In the beginning, if you are partial to being flattered, you can be easily pushed into over-confidence. Achieving any kind of smug assumption of competence has proven over and over to lead to false pride.

To quote the King James Version, Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." By stepping into the trap of prideful fantasy, you carelessly attempt shots that deserve thoughtful consideration and caution. By the time your ego balloon is deflated and you descend back into harsh reality, you have given him several free chances to win.

If you are not an easy victim of flattery, then your opponent's compliments become irritants. The more you hear, the less you want to hear - a reaction desired by your opponent. It starts out with the standard "Good shot." Then he includes additional commentary such as, "You must have worked pretty hard to master that type of shot." This is followed by other compliments, like, "You're a pretty good shooter." and "That was excellent control." and "I've seen a lot of shooters. You're on your way to becoming one of the better players."

He watches closely to determine your reactions. If he sees you smile and act slightly embarrassed, it is working. When you include a "Thank you", he has the go ahead to continue with more of the same.

If you are not responding to his flattery, the same words can be turned into an annoyance. To do this, he begins to compliment you on shots that do not deserve even the most minor recognition. Even on the simplest efforts, he expresses praise with "Pretty good shooting." He continues saying admiring statements for any shot, however awful.

To this false idolization, he begins saying "Good try." on misses. Sometimes he mixes it up with an "Almost." This just adds insult to injury. Not only are you relinquishing your turn, he is making a point of telling you the obvious.

Response

If you have full control of your mental faculties, you can easily ignore his efforts. Continue to focus on your analysis, routines, and proper execution to ensure that none of this affects you. It helps to be able to develop a deaf ear.

If you are "sensitive" to actions and sounds around you, then your only chance to stave off his efforts is to immediately become pro-active. Return the shark back at him. Use slightly more enthusiasm and add an additional adjective or adverb to the complimentary statements. Feel free to ramble. If this starts affecting him, continue.

After some period of time, you might want to offer a truce. Negotiate a deal to cease and desist, and get on with the game. That should end it. Keep in mind that one agreement doesn't mean he is prevented from pulling something else out of his bag of tricks. There are many tactics that do not depend on verbal communication.

 

[Banks]

Nice post.

:smile: That's in my Gamesmanship book, under "compliments". Here is the text, including the recommended response:

Compliments
This is an insidious effort, and one of the easiest to implement. Clothed in good sportsmanship, its deadly effects develop over the length of a match. In the beginning, if you are partial to being flattered, you can be easily pushed into over-confidence. Achieving any kind of smug assumption of competence has proven over and over to lead to false pride.

To quote the King James Version, Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." By stepping into the trap of prideful fantasy, you carelessly attempt shots that deserve thoughtful consideration and caution. By the time your ego balloon is deflated and you descend back into harsh reality, you have given him several free chances to win.

If you are not an easy victim of flattery, then your opponent's compliments become irritants. The more you hear, the less you want to hear - a reaction desired by your opponent. It starts out with the standard "Good shot." Then he includes additional commentary such as, "You must have worked pretty hard to master that type of shot." This is followed by other compliments, like, "You're a pretty good shooter." and "That was excellent control." and "I've seen a lot of shooters. You're on your way to becoming one of the better players."

He watches closely to determine your reactions. If he sees you smile and act slightly embarrassed, it is working. When you include a "Thank you", he has the go ahead to continue with more of the same.

If you are not responding to his flattery, the same words can be turned into an annoyance. To do this, he begins to compliment you on shots that do not deserve even the most minor recognition. Even on the simplest efforts, he expresses praise with "Pretty good shooting." He continues saying admiring statements for any shot, however awful.

To this false idolization, he begins saying "Good try." on misses. Sometimes he mixes it up with an "Almost." This just adds insult to injury. Not only are you relinquishing your turn, he is making a point of telling you the obvious.

Response

If you have full control of your mental faculties, you can easily ignore his efforts. Continue to focus on your analysis, routines, and proper execution to ensure that none of this affects you. It helps to be able to develop a deaf ear.

If you are "sensitive" to actions and sounds around you, then your only chance to stave off his efforts is to immediately become pro-active. Return the shark back at him. Use slightly more enthusiasm and add an additional adjective or adverb to the complimentary statements. Feel free to ramble. If this starts affecting him, continue.

After some period of time, you might want to offer a truce. Negotiate a deal to cease and desist, and get on with the game. That should end it. Keep in mind that one agreement doesn't mean he is prevented from pulling something else out of his bag of tricks. There are many tactics that do not depend on verbal communication.

 

[Island Drive]

Rule of Thumb

When issues seem to be magnified during match play, the problem is in the mirror.