Why I love Poolplayers

GideonF

GideonF

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I'm wandering around Seoul on vacation by myself feeling somewhat out of place when I see four people walk by with cue cases.

I follow them, and they go down a back alley and up a flight of stairs, and go into a small bar with one pool table as well as darts.

Turns out it's league night. League night in Korea is exactly the same as league night Toronto. They are playing BCA style rules (with BIH behind the headstring on a scratch on the break). Everyone has their own cue and case. Table is a GC knock off with worsted wool cloth in good shape. Table is level. House cues not great. Players are a mix of locals and ex-pats.

I immediately feel at home. And I am made to feel at home, with my name being put on the challenge table board for after league (only the locals stay).

I win a few, lose a few, including losing to the young lady pictured. Wish I brought my cue from the hotel. I almost ran out my last game, missing my last ball trying to use inside English for shape on the 8. Everyone says I'm a great player. I'm not, but with my cue I think I beat most of them. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1455757666.744220.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1455757684.776562.jpg

Sadly I'm leaving tonight, or I would have come back with my cue.

One of the many reasons I love pool. And pool players.
 
Chopdoc said:
Why was I thinking this would turn out different? :rolleyes::grin:



Glad you had a good time! :thumbup:







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Yeah, sounds a bit sketchier than it was. My comfort for following them was helped by the fact that there was a mix of men and women in the group and I got a good vibe.

Besides, walking around with cue cases to catch a pool player in Seoul is probably a pretty low rate of return! I would have been more worried if I'd followed one of the women asking me if I wanted a "massagie".

Final note, they call pool "pocket pool", presumably to differentiate from billiards, which is the main game. I didn't explain the other meaning of "pocket pool".

Gideon
 
GideonF said:
Yeah, sounds a bit sketchier than it was. My comfort for following them was helped by the fact that there was a mix of men and women in the group and I got a good vibe.

Besides, walking around with cue cases to catch a pool player in Seoul is probably a pretty low rate of return! I would have been more worried if I'd followed one of the women asking me if I wanted a "massagie".

Final note, they call pool "pocket pool", presumably to differentiate from billiards, which is the main game. I didn't explain the other meaning of "pocket pool".

Gideon
Click to expand...

Did you say "PocketPool?"

At your service...
 
GideonF said:
Yeah, sounds a bit sketchier than it was. My comfort for following them was helped by the fact that there was a mix of men and women in the group and I got a good vibe.

Besides, walking around with cue cases to catch a pool player in Seoul is probably a pretty low rate of return! I would have been more worried if I'd followed one of the women asking me if I wanted a "massagie".

Final note, they call pool "pocket pool", presumably to differentiate from billiards, which is the main game. I didn't explain the other meaning of "pocket pool".

Gideon
Click to expand...

I believe I may know the reason why. It's because Carom pool is very popular in South Korea and as we all know, Carom tables have no pockets.
 
GideonF said:
So I'm wandering around Seoul on vacation by myself feeling somewhat out of place when I see four people walk by with cue cases.

I follow them, and they go down a back alley and up a flight of stairs, and go into a small bar with one pool table as well as darts.

Turns out it's league night. League night in Korea is exactly the same as league night Toronto. They are playing BCA style rules (with BIH behind the headstring on a scratch on the break). Everyone has their own cue and case. Table is a GC knock off with worsted wool cloth in good shape. Table is level. House cues not great. Players are a mix of locals and ex-pats.

I immediately feel at home. And I am made to feel at home, with my name being put on the challenge table board for after league (only the locals stay).

I win a few, lose a few, including losing to the young lady pictured. Wish I brought my cue from the hotel. I almost ran out my last game, missing my last ball trying to use inside English for shape on the 8. Everyone says I'm a great player. I'm not, but with my cue I think I beat most of them. View attachment 412800View attachment 412801

Sadly I'm leaving tonight, or I would have come back with my cue.

One of the many reasons I love pool. And pool players.
Click to expand...


Great post!!!!
 
Yes, I think every pool player can relate to this. The hospitality in the pool world is unparalleled. Save for the minority of sketchy characters who are immediately recognized.
 
Earlier in my life I spent a lot of time traveling playing this game & no matter where I went I always enjoyed the diversity of people who love this game.
 
I have played a few times in Korea and pool is a great ice breaker.

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I was in Seoul for some weeks on business. The local guys on the team out there and I were becoming friendly, and we stated having some fun. After lunch one day, they brought me to a pool hall, and that was my introduction to 3 cushion.

They bet on EVERYTHNIG, it turns out, but it was small friendly bets. Before we did anything at all, though, they tried to hustle me. They setup the shot where three balls are setup in a row, and then you remove the center ball and the goal is to shoot the center ball between the other two without disturbing them. "Bet! Bet! Bet!". Time to teach them a lesson.

I knew I had some US money in my jacket pocket to use when I go back home. I reached in and said,. "Gee, I spent the last of my money on lunch. All I have on me is this US $100 bill, which is about 100,000 Won. Will that be ok?" Yeah, of course that was OK!

I got down and very carefully aimed through the two balls, stumbling around a bit to make a good show. Then I casually elevated the cue and jumped the gap, grabbed the money on the table and smiled. They had a good laugh that the dumb American hustled them instead. From then on, we spent most of our free time playing 3 cushion in the evenings. Seoul was a lot of fun!
 
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I agree wholeheartedly with the OP. I think I could walk into any poolroom and feel comfortable. The vibe I get with the poolroom atmosphere just works for me.
 
Update on the pool travel experience - Hong Kong edition.

So am staying in Tsim Sha Tsui and realize that there is a pool hall about 200 feet from my hotel. Joe's billiards. I go in on Thursday night. It is more sports bar than traditional pool hall, with electronic dart terminals, but also 3 Gold Crowns. Welsh Open snooker is on tv. I'm told I can rent a table or if I buy a drink every hour, I can play for free on the challenge table. Good deal.

Norwegian ex-pat on the challenge table practicing alone. He says his game is straight pool, and I tell him I suck at straight pool. We play nine ball. I am missing way too many shots, and my speed control is way off. I don't give Hendrick much of a game, and he leaves after eight or 10 games.

After he leaves, I'm still hitting balls trying to understand why my game is worse than usual, when I decide to measure the cue ball – it is way smaller than the object balls. I check the cue ball on the neighbouring table, and it is normal size. Both appeared to be measles balls. I switched cue balls, and my game is back to normal. Wish Hendrick were still here. I tell the staff as I'm leaving but I switched cue balls because one was smaller, and I'm told " oh yeah, one of them is smaller, we know". I should've asked him why.

Go back the next day, but the place is packed and no challenge table. I decide to check out another place recommended to me, which is a cab ride away.

The photos are of that place - Sung Mong Snooker club. They have three classes of table you can rent, with different prices. I go for the middle range. The tables are heated – like a carom table. All of their pool tables, and some of their snooker tables, are heated, an aftermarket solution they install themselves. The tables are in great condition. The first picture of two balls in a pocket is from the medium table (although the pockets are the same on the best tables) and the second photo of two balls in a pocket is of the easy table. The pockets are not shimmed, the rails are extended.

Each table comes with magic racks, built in cue holders or cue holders on the side tables nearby, as well as a damp cloth and a dry cloth. This is clearly a players club, but sadly there are only snooker players playing (I got there quite late). I hit some balls for an hour anyway, and the tables play great. Definitely a great "players" room.

Saturday night I ended up with friends in the same building as another branch of Joe's. After my friends left, I went into this location. Another challenge table is in use, with two Filipinos, a brit and a Canadian born Chinese woman. Big surprise – the Filipinos are the best players, and I really really wish I brought my cue from the hotel. I would've lost anyway, but it would've been less embarrassing.

Good experience in all of them. To be honest, the only downside was the fact that smoking is permitted inside, and I've been spoiled in our smoke-free Onterio facilities for so many years.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1455994689.554396.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1455994709.868605.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1455994729.385167.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1455994746.034303.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1455994762.567623.jpg
 
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