Why do they take their cue when racking for opponent?

B

bdorman

Dead money
Silver Member
I see this all the time in professional tournaments...but for the life of me, don't understand it. Maybe the AZ-experts will be able to 'splain it to me.

When playing Winner breaks, Loser racks:
Player A is in the chair. Player B runs out. Player A comes to the table to rack and brings his cue with him and lays it on the table. When he's done racking, he picks up his cue and goes back to the chair.

Why the heck does he bring his cue with him? Does he think Player B might say "That's okay, you can break."? Is security at major tournaments so bad that someone will steal his cue while he's racking the balls? What am I missing?
 
I guess they are sending a message to the opponent: "I am ready to start shooting!"
 
I do this also, my reasoning is if I lay my cue diagonally across the table. My opponent can't break until I'm ready for him to. This eliminates the possibility of getting my hands smashed or hit in the face with a cueball from my over anxious opponent!!!!
 
^^^^ My thoughts exactly ^^^^

Also, it's just a force of habit. When racking 14.1, I use my cue to separate the CB and break ball from the rack. Not really a faux pas IMO.
 
"THIS IS MY RIFEL THIS IS MY GUN, Many people have one but THIS ONE IS MINE, When you eat you will bring it, when you Sh#t you will bring it, WHEN YOU RACK you will bring it..."

This post reminded me of the ownership of my cue. You ever had someone pick your cue up and take it without your permission and start shooting with it? I don't know about you but I feel violated.

It probably their subconscious that makes them do it.
 
Bingo

JoeyInCali said:
You've never had someone break as soon as you lift the triangle?
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Many years ago a much respected player would break as soon as I lifted the rack. Rude as hell but others told me it was his way of sharking. I would leave my cue in front of the rack and also take extra long to make silly adjustments. Asshole behavior begets asshole behavior! The table is also the safest place to leave your cue. Never gets knocked over or borrowed. Now I do it out of habit, not to be a jerk. Bothers no one. The safest place for your case is under the table. Much harder to steal from there.
 
ProZack said:
"THIS IS MY RIFEL THIS IS MY GUN, Many people have one but THIS ONE IS MINE, When you eat you will bring it, when you Sh#t you will bring it, WHEN YOU RACK you will bring it..."

This post reminded me of the ownership of my cue. You ever had someone pick your cue up and take it without your permission and start shooting with it? I don't know about you but I feel violated.

It probably their subconscious that makes them do it.
Click to expand...

Ohhhhh, that's grounds for an ass kickin'. One time I made the mistake of leaving my cue together after my match on league night. I got up and went to the bar, when I came back our player (who was relatively inexperienced) had my player at the table with a bridge on it, I about shit right there. When she was done I explained that under no circumstances was she ever to that again. Later that week I purchased for her a nice, new bridge all her own and showed her how it worked with a HOUSE CUE. It hasn't happened since.
 
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Mr. Wiggles said:
Many years ago a much respected player would break as soon as I lifted the rack. Rude as hell but others told me it was his way of sharking. I would leave my cue in front of the rack and also take extra long to make silly adjustments. Asshole behavior begets asshole behavior! The table is also the safest place to leave your cue. Never gets knocked over or borrowed. Now I do it out of habit, not to be a jerk. Bothers no one. The safest place for your case is under the table. Much harder to steal from there.
Click to expand...

I used to think its the safest place. I was running a rack, made it o the 8, made the 8 but scratched. I was up 3 to 1 at that point. Whrn I put my stick on the table, and started collecting balls out of the return, my opponent walked up to table and started hitting balls right into my cue! His team mates practically tackled me before I could make it around the table! I heard later this guy does it to piss off opponents and get them out of their game. I turned him in to LO and he didn't even get suspended. Just a warning. He didn't hit them hard enough to do damage, it was a sharking technique. He ended up quitting apa the next session. Good riddance!

As for keeping opponent from speed breaking, if it happens once, from then on I get the cue ball and put it in my pocket. Ill roll it to him after I'm done racking.
 
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JoeyInCali said:
You've never had someone break as soon as you lift the triangle?
Click to expand...

I go a step farther then that. I lift my cue with the tip still down on the table as I step out of the way before removing it completely. I have seen many times (Over 50 years in pool rooms) people hit by a cue ball on the break. I saw a guy get hit right in the face with a cue ball as he bent down to put the rack away and the guy didn't wait and broke.
 
Why does it bother you?? I've done this all the time I've played, since the 1960s, for the reasons already explained. I've never even really thought about it in years.
 
macguy said:
I go a step farther then that. I lift my cue with the tip still down on the table as I step out of the way before removing it completely. I have seen many times (Over 50 years in pool rooms) people hit by a cue ball on the break. I saw a guy get hit right in the face with a cue ball as he bent down to put the rack away and the guy didn't wait and broke.
Click to expand...

One guy broke on me as soon as I lifted the triangle once.
The next time I racked, I placed a chalk in front of the 1-ball.
And he still broke. :eek:
He had no clue and I was just a little short of calling him stupid.
 
Hers one…

I do this also. It's to keep from getting hit in the face. But here's something. I noticed a few pros (SVB comes to mind) that do this set the cue with the butt on the rail but the tip on the playing surface. Why do you think that is?
 
There were 3 to 5 good reasons already listed for putting your cue on the table. I didn't see any good reasons listed for leaving it elsewhere. My two priorities for putting my cue on the table are (1) Being able to get out of the way before the opponent breaks; and (2) Not leaving the cue somewhere it can easily be stolen or knocked over and damaged.
 
I am guessing SVB and others do it for the same reason that I do. I don't want my shaft actually on the table collecting all kinds of chalk and grease and oils from hands or powder.
 
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