Thoughts on breaking down your stick?

ShootingHank said:
I see players and leagues have different views on this. If your break you cue down then it is a forfeit but what if a player is breaking down his stick to change shafts?

Some say it is a shark tactic....breaking your stick and your opponent misses but the players proceeds to screw on another shaft different than the one he took off.

So when is the appropriate time to change your shaft or is it an automatic forfeit.

Another scenario....playing a ring game with others.....if anyone stands up while I'm on the 10 ball.....I immediately pick the ball out of the pocket and rack them and collect my money. I take it as a sign they expect me to make it. They're waiting to pay me.
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It’s just common sense as to when it is a concession. If a player is on the hill and in the process of running out and their opponent starts breaking down their cue, that’s concession, and it doesn’t matter if their back is turned away from the table/opponent, it is still a concession.

The only exception to this is when a player has broken the balls and is on the hill, meaning he will not possibly be breaking again in this match, then obviously at that point he can break down his break cue and put it back in his case. Obviously that is completely different than a concession.

I was in a weekly tournament match recently against one of our younger regulars, I was on the hill, running out, and shooting an easy shot on the 9 ball and at that point before I was down on the shot he commented “One of these days I’m going to beat you”. Strangely for whatever reason, I missed the shot and he managed to come back and win the match.

I politely but firmly informed him, after shaking his hand, that I could’ve easily called a concession on him and walked away from the table as soon as he said that. I made it clear to him I was not using that as an excuse as to why I missed the shot, but that it was extremely poor etiquette and he really shouldn’t ever do it again. I could tell he felt bad and somewhat guilty about winning that match. It wasn’t a big deal to me, but I hope it was a valuable learning experience for him.
 
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i concede when he makes the last ball or i personally tell him he won. not when he thinks i moved a little or coughed or sneezed.
yea grow up in a pool room and see all the herky jerky things people and your opponent do. whether intentional or not. you had better just get use to them and concentrate on your shot. if it bothers you stop and wait or ask him to quit what he is doing.
 
Biloxi Boy said:
How about no concessions in formal play. All games played through last ball. We have all seen things happen which were not supposed to.
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That doesn’t stop someone from pulling a move.

A move and concessions are mutually exclusive things.

Best
Fatboy🤓
 
Biloxi Boy said:
How about no concessions in formal play. All games played through last ball. We have all seen things happen which were not supposed to.
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Our friend group's house rules are you have to shoot the 9 (or money ball) unless you're given BIH on the money ball. No "giving" them the 9 because the rules say you have to shoot it. It's actually more fun this way. If you're winning, you get to pocket the ball and keep in stroke. If you're losing sometimes strange stuff can happen. Also a few people can get sharked just by watching their opponent shoot the money ball in. They would rather concede it than see it happen.
 
I don’t know here. Last time I took my cue apart during a match I did it politely. Waited for opponent to finish his shot. Then said. “Hang on a second. I have to take care of this.” Unscrewed my cue broke over knee. Then picked up my breaker to shoot.

If someone broke apart their cue while I was playing them, I just figure they want to use a different cue. No harm no foul, because chances are if that happens I’m probably winning and not worried about their sharks/tantrums.
 
I remember the time when I used to be concerned about such things. Whether or not some gesture from my opponent would free me up from having to finish the table off. These days I treat cue screwing and/or sharking attempts on the last few balls no differently then I would on the first few balls of the match. Reset, torture them with a few deliberate laps around the table, and continue on. I'll also make it a point to stretch out money ball shots moving forward.

I do on occassion make an example of them. By standing up and asking with extra volume if they're conceding, because their actions are those of someone giving up, (put not as nicely). However I never release my mind from the fact that I need to drop those last shots. To do so, and/or engage in an actual argument over concession is a sharking win for them.
 
The_JV said:
I remember the time when I used to be concerned about such things. Whether or not some gesture from my opponent would free me up from having to finish the table off. These days I treat cue screwing and/or sharking attempts on the last few balls no differently then I would on the first few balls of the match. Reset, torture them with a few deliberate laps around the table, and continue on. I'll also make it a point to stretch out money ball shots moving forward.

I do on occassion make an example of them. By standing up and asking with extra volume if they're conceding, because their actions are those of someone giving up, (put not as nicely). However I never release my mind from the fact that I need to drop those last shots. To do so, and/or engage in an actual argument over concession is a sharking win for them.
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:love: Watch em squirm!

Many people would rather concede the last few balls than watch their opponent shoot them in. There's no giving up in pool. Watching the horrible scene of an opponent shooting the remaining balls in with ease should be used to get your head back into "never give up" mode. Even when losing, you gotta use that situation to build your game. Lean into terrible feeling and make it a goal to never experience that again. Use it as an opportunity to quickly overcome negative thoughts and get back into the game. Master stoicism.

That's something to practice, digging down deep and not giving up. Gotta play the game out, it's 9 ball so you gotta get all 9 balls off the table. Give the game enough respect to let it play to it's conclusion.
 
ShootingHank said:
I see players and leagues have different views on this. If your break you cue down then it is a forfeit but what if a player is breaking down his stick to change shafts?

Some say it is a shark tactic....breaking your stick and your opponent misses but the players proceeds to screw on another shaft different than the one he took off.

So when is the appropriate time to change your shaft or is it an automatic forfeit.

Another scenario....playing a ring game with others.....if anyone stands up while I'm on the 10 ball.....I immediately pick the ball out of the pocket and rack them and collect my money. I take it as a sign they expect me to make it. They're waiting to pay me.
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No actual "player" should have a different view other than "if you act like you are conceding, you are". I don't care what the player does with the cue as long as it's on his turn. However some leagues and tournaments have a rule in place about changing shafts that is a bit harsh to prevent sharking like this. There should never be a rule where you need to ask if it's OK to change shafts, just need to do it on your turn and let your opponent know you are changing shafts and not conceding, you are informing of the action not asking permission to do so.
 
Never really held that rule in high regard, mind you, Ive never broke down my cue during a game, but if my opponent does so, I dont stress it.
I look at it like this, unless its a verbal submission, its play through til the game ball is sunk.
 
I don’t know why this stuff should even matter. People have to perform all kinds of tasks while the world exists around them. Not to mention most professional athletes deal with distractions from crowds and opposing players. Hell driving is as about as life and death as it gets and we don’t think twice about screaming kids or blaring stereos. Yet to pot a ball we need zero distractions? 😂

I don’t see anything inherently special about billiards that should require such strict decorum.

Shark away, doesn’t bother me.
 
boogieman said:
:love: Watch em squirm!

Many people would rather concede the last few balls than watch their opponent shoot them in. There's no giving up in pool. Watching the horrible scene of an opponent shooting the remaining balls in with ease should be used to get your head back into "never give up" mode. Even when losing, you gotta use that situation to build your game. Lean into terrible feeling and make it a goal to never experience that again. Use it as an opportunity to quickly overcome negative thoughts and get back into the game. Master stoicism.

That's something to practice, digging down deep and not giving up. Gotta play the game out, it's 9 ball so you gotta get all 9 balls off the table. Give the game enough respect to let it play to it's conclusion.
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The other night in pool league, both me and my opponent were down to the 8 ball. I watched him miss a slight cut 2-footer. Many people choke on the money ball. Make 'em shoot it!
 
I only change shafts if the tip pops off.
Only unscrew when the last ball is in.
What opponents do on that subject makes no difference to me.
If they are up and walking when I go to shoot the game ball, I turn and head for my break cue.
 
If I change shafts or cues, it is usually between games. Other times, its during my turn at the table. If my opponent is shooting, I'm intently watching them and paying attention to what's going on at the table.
 
Grimper said:
The other night in pool league, both me and my opponent were down to the 8 ball. I watched him miss a slight cut 2-footer. Many people choke on the money ball. Make 'em shoot it!
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I make my opponent's shoot every eight ball... no matter how easy the shot is. Not because there is a chance they might choke and miss, but because I wont deny them the feeling of sinking the 8 for the win. I expect no less from them.
 
Bishop said:
I don’t know why this stuff should even matter. People have to perform all kinds of tasks while the world exists around them. Not to mention most professional athletes deal with distractions from crowds and opposing players. Hell driving is as about as life and death as it gets and we don’t think twice about screaming kids or blaring stereos. Yet to pot a ball we need zero distractions? 😂

I don’t see anything inherently special about billiards that should require such strict decorum.

Shark away, doesn’t bother me
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Yeah I’m old school. we had all kinds of heck breaking out around us at the old pool rooms, and can’t remember anyone screaming foul because some one is unscrewing a cue.
 
Lawnboy77 said:
Yeah I’m old school. we had all kinds of heck breaking out around us at the old pool rooms, and can’t remember anyone screaming foul because some one is unscrewing a cue.
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You know what Lawnboy you just got me thinking. Old school people had a lot better table manners. Even the people out on a date. Now some of these APA players just shoot their next shot without any regard for the shooters next to them.

And you kind of bring up another funny thought from the past. The guy unscrewing his cue was the guy who you knew was gonna be on tilt to start with! Everyone in the hall knew it before it happened.
 
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