Hypothetical Question - What would you do?

[BC21]

I have a friend who is colorblind to a certain extent. When playing with the pale tv-colored cyclop balls, he usually shoots at least one or two balls out of order. I tell him to look at the damn numbers but he doesn't take the time on every shot. I watched him during a tournament last year where he got beat 7-4 because he shot the wrong ball 3 or 4 times throughout the match, giving his opponent (a weaker player) ball in hand too often. It was ridiculous that he just wouldn't take the time to check the ball numbers. I told him anyone who commits the same foul over and over again deserves to lose.

 

[pt109]

I have a friend who is colorblind to a certain extent. When playing with the pale tv-colored cyclop balls, he usually shoots at least one or two balls out of order. I tell him to look at the damn numbers but he doesn't take the time on every shot. I watched him during a tournament last year where he got beat 7-4 because he shot the wrong ball 3 or 4 times throughout the match, giving his opponent (a weaker player) ball in hand too often. It was ridiculous that he just wouldn't take the time to check the ball numbers. I told him anyone who commits the same foul over and over again deserves to lose.

Now THIS is one of the few times I would warn my opponent.
Snooker thought of the color blind scenario....if a player informs the ref that he is color
blind, the ref will warn him that he is shooting the wrong ball...most common..a player
who can’t tell the brown ball from a red.

 

[pt109]

Anyone able to explain how this thread drew out every poster in existence with less than 10 posts?

I just had a thought when I saw you have entered the thread, David.
Would you tell your opponent he was shooting the wrong ball?
...and if you wouldn’t, would you be angry if one of your parrots did?

 

[postaltwo]

I would let him know for sure . But not in a tourney or money game

 

[Bob Jewett]

I just had a thought when I saw you have entered the thread, David.
Would you tell your opponent he was shooting the wrong ball?
...and if you wouldn’t, would you be angry if one of your parrots did?

Mr. W keeping a close watch for a foul of any sort ....

 

[TX Poolnut]

Things that make you go Hmmmmm.

Somebody is warming up their multiple accounts. One of them is a first post on an account that is 8 years old. LOL

 

[Swighey]

If I know my opponent is shooting the wrong ball I tell him. Whether or not he tells me is up to him. It happens so rarely that any advantage gained over time by my combined opponents is trivial if it's a brainfart, or they have no chance if they do it more often than most. Friendly. tourney, money to give it an edge, money cos it's money don't matter. If it were purely about me winning and them losing then I might as well just smash a bottle on their head and steal their money.

 

[Mr. Wilson]

I just had a thought when I saw you have entered the thread, David.
Would you tell your opponent he was shooting the wrong ball?
...and if you wouldn’t, would you be angry if one of your parrots did?

Imma teach the bird how to shark an opponent.

"why's he gonna shoot it that way?"
"LOL...look at that stroke!"


"Walk the plank!!"

 

[Low500]

----------------

 

[randyaz]

No Mercy!

Heck NO I would not tell him (or her) If they aren't watching the game tough turkey! BUT I usually play "pea pool" with 4 or 5 other guys and one of them Wangers will say something.

 

[ChrisinNC]

I would never just stand there and let my opponent shoot the wrong ball and I'm about as hard nosed as it comes when gambling for money.
My 'customers' are valuable to me....I want them to keep liking me and playing me for years to come. I call this just good 'customer service' and they will never forget it.
I know someone is going to say..."what if the guy is acting like a jerk..etc. etc.?"
My response to that one is that I don't get involved with jerks in the first place so with me that is a non-issue.
I like to add to my quality customer base with people who are civilized and just like to gamble a little on pool games...not have a "mine is bigger than yours" deal with some two bit pool room bum.
Just my opinions.

I agree - my integrity is worth more than a few $$. I guess there might be some point at which if the $$ value was great enough, it would present a tougher dilemma to tempt me to stay silent.

 

[pt109]

Heck NO I would not tell him (or her) If they aren't watching the game tough turkey! BUT I usually play "pea pool" with 4 or 5 other guys and one of them Wangers will say something.

I agree - my integrity is worth more than a few $$. I guess there might be some point at which if the $$ value was great enough, it would present a tougher dilemma to tempt me to stay silent.

I’m a bit of a mongrel....but my family name is straight out of Yorkshire....
...so maybe it’s in my genes to compete hard...but within the rules.
..seems like you guys are a bit lukewarm on this...

So from Yorkshire comes the knight’s code....
..”No quarter asked for or given.”

 

[Bob Jewett]

I’m a bit of a mongrel....but my family name is straight out of Yorkshire....
...so maybe it’s in my genes to compete hard...but within the rules.
..seems like you guys are a bit lukewarm on this...

So from Yorkshire comes the knight’s code....
..”No quarter asked for or given.”

View attachment 486333

Clearly, sometimes it is the arrow. If not the sword. Or being trampled.

You Yorkies play tough.

 

[KRJ]

I agree - my integrity is worth more than a few $$. I guess there might be some point at which if the $$ value was great enough, it would present a tougher dilemma to tempt me to stay silent.

Except, it's not an integrity issue. It's a rules issues. When you opponent is shooting they should not be disturbed. Fran explained it quite clearly and professionally.

I don't question what shots my opponents take. Many of games I intentionally hit my opponents ball first to put it in a bad spot. I hand him the cue ball and say BIH. I don't really want folks interrupting me during my strategic shot. But if we play by these unwritten "integrity" issues, every time I do this I'd be getting an earful that I don't want, nor need, correct? And I do this more than most folks......

 

[ChrisinNC]

Except, it's not an integrity issue. It's a rules issues. When you opponent is shooting they should not be disturbed. Fran explained it quite clearly and professionally.

I don't question what shots my opponents take. Many of games I intentionally hit my opponents ball first to put it in a bad spot. I hand him the cue ball and say BIH. I don't really want folks interrupting me during my strategic shot. But if we play by these unwritten "integrity" issues, every time I do this I'd be getting an earful that I don't want, nor need, correct? And I do this more than most folks......

So I guess if I inform my opponent he's shooting at the wrong ball, he'll show his appreciation by calling a foul on me for interrupting him while he's shooting and then take ball-in-hand?

Some rules make no sense and are made to be broken. In my opinion, there is no right or wrong answer here as to what a player may choose to do or should do in this situation, but it's just an interesting situation that has happened to all of us - as the shooter and as the observing opponent.

 

[ratdaddy]

If it's a friendly/casual game, I'd say something.

If it's a money game or a tournament, I wouldn't. Would it be considered good sportsmanship if something was said? Sure. But I don't consider it to be poor sportsmanship if nothing is said.

Being mentally focused is part of the game. Maybe the guy was choking under pressure, or maybe it was a simple brain fart...either way each player is responsible for themselves. Players do bonehead things in other sports all the time...a football team with too many players on the field, or a guy showboating as he's about to score, then gets leveled by a hard-charging defensive player he didn't see coming up behind him. When your opponent loses focus, it's your job to step on his throat and twist the knife. There is plenty of time to be friendly after the match.

I don't believe in rooting against your opponent or pulling sleazy tactics to try to win, but in a situation where he's shooting at the wrong ball, one of two things is going to happen...either he's handing you the advantage (if nothing is said) or you are handing him the advantage (by pointing out he's about to make a mistake). If you feel like it's the right thing to do and speak up, what happens next time when you see him about to shoot a ball in the side pocket, but it's obvious that he will scratch, but if he plays it in the corner pocket he'll avoid the scratch and it will be much easier for him to get position on the next ball? I don't think anyone would consider telling an opponent that before he shoots, right? And we wouldn't feel bad if we kept our mouth shut and he did scratch. We would take advantage of the opportunity and put the nail in the coffin. It's the same thing in my view.

 

[jsp]

When you opponent is shooting they should not be disturbed. Fran explained it quite clearly and professionally.

By this logic, you should never ever concede a rack to your opponent, no matter how much of a 'gimme' the money ball is.

 

[easy-e]

By this logic, you should never ever concede a rack to your opponent, no matter how much of a 'gimme' the money ball is.

Only if you’re waiting until he’s down on the ball to concede. Who does that?

 

[Bob Jewett]

By this logic, you should never ever concede a rack to your opponent, no matter how much of a 'gimme' the money ball is.

That's true especially in tournaments which penalize such behavior by the forfeit of a second game. I like the "no concessions" rule -- it prevents problems.

 

[jsp]

Only if you’re waiting until he’s down on the ball to concede. Who does that?

A lot of people. I certainly don't mind if that happens to me.

And whether you're down on the shot is irrelevant to this discussion. The question is whether you should let your opponent know at any time if he is shooting the wrong ball. If it breaks etiquette to disrupt your opponent's turn for such an action, then it follows it also breaks etiquette to concede a rack, provided it's still your opponent's turn at the table.

That's true especially in tournaments which penalize such behavior by the forfeit of a second game. I like the "no concessions" rule -- it prevents problems.

I actually agree about the no concession rules for tournaments.