Do you concede games?

mattman said:

I started a poll/thread on the related subject, but I would like to see what the majority is here. By this I mean when your opponent has an obvious close straight in or slight angle shot. I think it's obvious that you would not concede a game to a player that you felt was weaker than you, so I didn't include that in the poll.

Thanks,
Matt

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I love dragging it down to the wire. Hill/hill sometimes intentionally. Maybe thats why my apa team left me off this half.

Tournament Play

Most of the time in larger tournaments, it may not be illegal, but it is definitely frowned upon for conceding a ball. In some events I have played, conceding a 9-ball is loss of that game and one additional game. Most local tourneys don't care one way or another, so if the player has a fairly easy shot and has made a decent out, I will concede the game. Pretty much the only time I wouldn't (regardless of tourney, gambling, playing for fun) would be if the player is really out of line or they can't run more than one ball.

if they have a really easy shot or even two with the eight and nine hanging over both corner pockets for example, i always concede. if i lose the match, then it's not because i conceded a few hangers, it's because i didn't play well enough.

I don,t think theres anything wrong with conceding a game or match if its all there for the picking,infact I think its a sign of respect and hopefully they would do the same.

I've seen the 8 ball in the jaws and the player still misses... not make the 8 and then scratch. not completely miss the 8. Make a perfectly legal hit, but the ball doesn't drop.
Pressure does amazing things to some people... best part is when I benefit from it.

I don't concede unless it's for funsies.

All the time.

Never concede

I never concede or do I accept one. I don't allow gimme on the golf course and won't accept those either. IMO Just me. It might be a bad habit.

I concede unless its the game is at double cheese. Otherwise, its my way of respecting their ability at the table. Most don't do it back, must tell me something about my game....lol

I do, i just try and make sure i learn from the mistakes i made in the rack.

I voted yes, but not in all situations.

If I'm playing a 1 on 1 money match and I respect my opponent ability and character, then yes I will. If my opponent doesn't do the same, then I would readjust. This is usually not the case.

If I'm playing some a**hole, then no I won't. No matter how good or bad of a shot he is. You usually get a good idea even before the match begins.

When playing a team match, I usually won't. The reason is because I have a personal responsibility to my teammates to uphold. Im not saying I never have or my teammates never have, but this is just a general rule of mine. I would normally defer to the team captain if there was ever a complaint. Generally, it is not spoken about and it wouldn't matter either way with my teammates.

The bottom line is if you cant concede a game or two, your probably out matched and will lose anyway.

Be a good sport and offer the olive branch when the situation is right. Besides, if it really matters, it is probably about money and you want to get away with the money without a confrontation. This will go along way for your karma.

I dont believe in being petty about things like this.

I used to concede easy shots and then i played in the florida tour finally last year and i played ronnie wiseman 1st round. Its race to 7 10 ball. He plays a good set and has me 6-4 with a 10 ball in jaws of the side pocket and the cue ball on the spot, all he has to do is roll it in. He makes it with a little speed and some outside and scratches in the other side. I break and run the next rack and its hill-hill when he shoulda won 7-4........ never concede a ball

I do if we're just playing. No way in a tournament or if betting.
MULLY
so I chose "No way"..........but I do all the time if it's just friendly games

I "give the out" often, but don't understand the as good or better than I am qualifier. I don't base the decision on if the player is better or not, but other factors. Sometimes it's because the shot is sooo easy, sometimes it out of respect, sometimes it's gamesmanship.

While I understand that even SVB can miscue some percentage (even 1 in 1,000,000) on a hanger I don't need the 1 millionth of a percent edge.

On the flip side if I give an opponent a few out balls I am fairly certain he will make and then he gets a little off angle or on the rail and I make him shoot it I think it can add additional pressure since he has avoided that pressure of shooting previous outs.

Wait Till The Fat Lady Sings

Although I wasn't shooting, I learned a very important lesson. It was the final match, final game of the league session. It was Hill Hill and a 7 (hi handicap in the league) in 8 Ball was shooting on the 8 for the game, match, and 1st place for his team. If he made the ball his team won 1st place and automatically went to the regional playoff. If he missed, and the other player made it, that team (my team which was tied with the other team) won, we would go to the playoffs.

OK, picture this. 8 Ball is in the center of the table just a foot from the pocket. Q ball in center of the table 1 foot from the 8. Perfectly straight in. Extremely easy shot. This top player wanted to show off a little and really wackes the Q ball. He hit low to make a fantastic draw. Well, he miscued and scooped the Q which flew off the table. He LOST on a straight in shot on the 8 ball, just 1 foot from the pocket. I bet he felt like a real jerk.

Taught me a lesson, never conceed. Wait till the fat lady sings. As old Yogi Berra said, "IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER."

For one reason or another, even the best or worst player can miss a shot, no matter how easy it is. To this day, I have never conceeded a shot, and once it worked when the other player hit an easy shot on the 8 a little too soft and it hung right on the lip. I won.

Charlie

I heard it said that you should always concede. Never let the enemy make the game ball. It fuels optimism and confidence.

mattman said:

I started a poll/thread on the related subject, but I would like to see what the majority is here. By this I mean when your opponent has an obvious close straight in or slight angle shot. I think it's obvious that you would not concede a game to a player that you felt was weaker than you, so I didn't include that in the poll.

Thanks,
Matt

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I never concede games as my oponent could die on the last shot of the match from a Heart Attack.

I used to, but not anymore. You never know when someone is going to jar the pocket. LOLz. Even top shelf players.

the perfect explanation...

jason said:

I voted yes, but not in all situations.

If I'm playing a 1 on 1 money match and I respect my opponent ability and character, then yes I will. If my opponent doesn't do the same, then I would readjust. This is usually not the case.

If I'm playing some a**hole, then no I won't. No matter how good or bad of a shot he is. You usually get a good idea even before the match begins.

When playing a team match, I usually won't. The reason is because I have a personal responsibility to my teammates to uphold. I not saying I never have or my teammates never have, but this is just a general rule of mine. I would normally defer to the team captain if there was ever a complaint. Generally, it is not spoken about and it wouldn't matter either way with my teammates.


The bottom line is if you cant concede a game or two, your probably out matched and will lose anyway.

Be a good sport and offer the olive branch when the situation is right. Besides, if it really matters, it is probably about money and you want to get away with the money without a confrontation. This will go along way for your karma.

I dont believe in being petty about things like this.

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I believe this is the way most, if not all, high level players approach this situation. Well put.

The people that have stated that they NEVER concede a ball... Dreamers and schemers...

I don't concede games often, but the situation that really cracks me up is when my opponent concedes all games (many times because of lack of patience and other personal issues mind you), and then I'm EXPECTED to concede his 9 balls. That just makes me laugh every time. People really need to get a clue and think about stuff.

Edit: also, many people think conceding a game is a "favor" every time. We'll I'll tell you, dont do me any favors especially when you're conceding every one and then it's like 7-7 in a race to nine and you approach the table and then step back on my 9ball shot. This the the "im a good guy who concedes...... but really im a cheating a--hole" routine. This is probably far more common than true altruistic motives, which are rare to nonexistent im sure. THE POINT I'D REALLY LIKE TO DRIVE HOME THOUGH IS THAT MANY TIMES PEOPLE CONCEDE GAMES BECAUSE THEY ARE RAMPANTLY IMPATIENT AND CAN'T STAND TO LOSE AND WATCH THEIR OPPONENT POCKET EVERY BALL, they just can't hack it, so they wait until the last possible moment that they figure the guy can't possibly mess this up..... gee, some "favor", thanks a lot. Get some self control and certainly don't complain when I patiently sit in my chair as you shoot your nine balls. It is really laughable if you can truly read what's happening.

Mind you, i have NOTHING against conceding games, just people that expect it to be reciprocated due to their own inadequacies (which isn't always the case for their conceding of course).

ps, the poll should have more options such as "i concede games at times to gentlemen i respect but usually not to crack heads that run around the table and can't sit still"