Giving Up The Table

MattPoland · May 3, 2018

Tonight I went to my favorite local bar with karaoke, darts and a side section with two Valley tables. I’m well known in there as a good shot among the bar folk. Usually the tables are occupied in challenge pool (throw your quarters on the rail and stay on until you lose).

Tonight was slower. I walk in with one table occupied by a group an another open. I hop on the open table and I’m banging racks of 9-ball and then tossing up the remaining six balls and shooting them in rotation order until someone challenges me.

I find a strong player and we lock horns for about five racks and then he saunters off. I start banging solo again until I get another challenger. I’m pumping in $1.50 in quarters at a pace that’s draining my two quarter rolls faster than I’d like.

As I’m hitting them, a guy comes up and asks if I’m done playing the other guy. I say sure, do you want to play? He says yeah. I say, cool put some quarters up and we will play. He mentions no he wants to play his girlfriend. I say I’m on the table now but if he beats me he can take over the table. He then just stands there saying nothing with quarters in his hand. So I go back to hitting the balls on the table. I even need to ask him to move out of the way of a shot. Eventually he slinks off.

I find another guy I know to play. I can overhear someone tell my opponent that I’m an a**hole. I know I could have shown more charisma and gave up the table but I did come out to play. I wasn’t rude at all but I wasn’t about to leave the table.

Any advice on how to handle situations like that?

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Mousa · May 3, 2018

Yes! It's a cliche advice but I'll say it anyway! Try to not care!!
So you had an encounter with an unknown asshole who you probably won't see again! So what? Don't be too soft! If you took this as an insult it wasn't my intention! Maybe saying it like, try to make your skin a bit more thick! Assholes will exist no matter what! Don't let them ruin your mood!

stevelomako · May 3, 2018

MattPoland said:
Tonight I went to my favorite local bar with karaoke, darts and a side section with two Valley tables. I’m well known in there as a good shot among the bar folk. Usually the tables are occupied in challenge pool (throw your quarters on the rail and stay on until you lose).

Tonight was slower. I walk in with one table occupied by a group an another open. I hop on the open table and I’m banging racks of 9-ball and then tossing up the remainder g six balls and shooting them in rotation order until someone challenges me.

I find a strong player and we lock horns for about five racks and then he saunters off. I start banging solo again until I get another challenger. I’m pumping in $1.50 in quarters at a pace that’s draining my two quarter rolls faster than I’d like.

As I’m hitting them, a guy comes up and asks if I’m done playing the other guy. I say sure, do you want to play? He says yeah. I say, cool put some quarters up and we will play. He mentions no he wants to play his girlfriend. I say I’m on the table know but if he beats me he can take over the table. He then just stands there saying nothing with quarters in his hand. So I go back to hitting the balls on the table. I even need to ask him to move out of the way of a shot. Eventually he slinks off.

I find another guy I know to play. I can overhear someone tell my opponent that I’m an a**hole. I know I could have shown more charisma and gave up the table but I did come out to play. I wasn’t rude at all but I wasn’t about to leave the table.

Any advice on how to handle situations like that?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

How about just telling him "I've got the table back when you two are done right?"

It was kind of shitty what you did. The guy just wanted to play a game with his girlfriend.

sixpack · May 3, 2018

MattPoland said:
Tonight I went to my favorite local bar with karaoke, darts and a side section with two Valley tables. I’m well known in there as a good shot among the bar folk. Usually the tables are occupied in challenge pool (throw your quarters on the rail and stay on until you lose).

Tonight was slower. I walk in with one table occupied by a group an another open. I hop on the open table and I’m banging racks of 9-ball and then tossing up the remainder g six balls and shooting them in rotation order until someone challenges me.

I find a strong player and we lock horns for about five racks and then he saunters off. I start banging solo again until I get another challenger. I’m pumping in $1.50 in quarters at a pace that’s draining my two quarter rolls faster than I’d like.

As I’m hitting them, a guy comes up and asks if I’m done playing the other guy. I say sure, do you want to play? He says yeah. I say, cool put some quarters up and we will play. He mentions no he wants to play his girlfriend. I say I’m on the table know but if he beats me he can take over the table. He then just stands there saying nothing with quarters in his hand. So I go back to hitting the balls on the table. I even need to ask him to move out of the way of a shot. Eventually he slinks off.

I find another guy I know to play. I can overhear someone tell my opponent that I’m an a**hole. I know I could have shown more charisma and gave up the table but I did come out to play. I wasn’t rude at all but I wasn’t about to leave the table.

Any advice on how to handle situations like that?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

You technically didn't do anything wrong. But I agree with Steve that it was a little crappy what you did.

Think about it like this. The bar puts in pool tables to attract people to come to the bar. If there are always pool sharks on them and a guy can't play a game with his girl...then next time he will take her somewhere else. If that happens too much the owner will take out the tables. I've seen it. A friend of mine is the reason that most of the strip bars in Denver don't have pool tables. He would go in there and hustle to the point where he was walking out with a lot of cash that the house thought should be going either to the girls or to the house. Not the exact same situation but if a bar owner sees $$ walking out the door because of a pool table. You'll be looking for another place to play.

pwd72s · May 3, 2018

stevelomako said:
How about just telling him "I've got the table back when you two are done right?"

It was kind of shitty what you did. The guy just wanted to play a game with his girlfriend.

I agree. Hint: Not everybody plays to get their ego stroked, or to show off superior skill. Some folks really do play for recreation...

jimmyco · May 4, 2018

Monopolizing 50% of the house solo?

Did the couple grab the mic and dedicate Danke Schoen to you?

easy-e · May 4, 2018

stevelomako said:
How about just telling him "I've got the table back when you two are done right?"

It was kind of shitty what you did. The guy just wanted to play a game with his girlfriend.

Same boat. I’d have let them play. It might have helped you slow down your quarter flow.

MattPoland · May 4, 2018

I was only there from 9 PM to 11 PM and had someone to play for 90% of that time. I also walked over to their table and let them know it was free as I left.

To share some of the thoughts I had, I figured I was actively pumping the quarters out and playing with all comers. It felt weird to just give up the table completely just because someone else wanted on it. Isn't it fair to think they'd play me instead of just pushing me off entirely? Would the answer change if he wanted to play his buddy instead of his girlfriend? Does the same thing ever come up on a dart board? What if I was sitting at a small two-top table in the karaoke room drinking beers and watching the singing, should I have to give up that table if two people wanted to sit there instead?

Keep in mind, I'm not trying to assert I'm right. The entire point of this thread is to gain other peoples perspectives and learn and grow. I'm just sharing what was in my head for the sake of the discussion.

Bic D · May 4, 2018

MattPoland said:
I was only there from 9 PM to 11 PM and had someone to play for 90% of that time. I also walked over to their table and let them know it was free as I left.

To share some of the thoughts I had, I figured I was actively pumping the quarters out and playing with all comers. It felt weird to just give up the table completely just because someone else wanted on it. Isn't it fair to think they'd play me instead of just pushing me off entirely? Would the answer change if he wanted to play his buddy instead of his girlfriend? Does the same thing ever come up on a dart board? What if I was sitting at a small two-top table in the karaoke room drinking beers and watching the singing, should I have to give up that table if two people wanted to sit there instead?

Keep in mind, I'm not trying to assert I'm right. The entire point of this thread is to gain other peoples perspectives and learn and grow. I'm just sharing what was in my head for the sake of the discussion.

I guess I would look at it like this.....What if the guy said ok, I'll try and beat you and take the table so I can play my girl, and you beat him once, twice maybe three times. Are you going to continue to beat him until they leave or are you going to let him play his GF at some point??

If you choose the latter, then go ahead and give up the table and when it opens up, beat whoever is on it and take it back.

ChrisinNC · May 4, 2018

MattPoland said:
I was only there from 9 PM to 11 PM and had someone to play for 90% of that time. I also walked over to their table and let them know it was free as I left.

To share some of the thoughts I had, I figured I was actively pumping the quarters out and playing with all comers. It felt weird to just give up the table completely just because someone else wanted on it. Isn't it fair to think they'd play me instead of just pushing me off entirely? Would the answer change if he wanted to play his buddy instead of his girlfriend? Does the same thing ever come up on a dart board? What if I was sitting at a small two-top table in the karaoke room drinking beers and watching the singing, should I have to give up that table if two people wanted to sit there instead?

Keep in mind, I'm not trying to assert I'm right. The entire point of this thread is to gain other peoples perspectives and learn and grow. I'm just sharing what was in my head for the sake of the discussion.

Perhaps you could have asked him how many games they planned to be playing? If he responded that it was just a few games, the nice thing to do would have been to give up the table to them, knowing you'd get it back when they finished. Yeah, 2 games may have taken them 45 minutes, who knows. Most likely the guy wasn't in your league and didn't want to get beat badly by you in front of his girlfriend. Was there any way you could have put your quarter up on the other table while the couple was playing and you were waiting?

MattPoland · May 4, 2018

ChrisinNC said:
Perhaps you could have asked him how many games they planned to be playing? If he responded that it was just a few games, the nice thing to do would have been to give up the table to them, knowing you'd get it back when they finished. Yeah, 2 games may have taken them 45 minutes, who knows. Most likely the guy wasn't in your league and didn't want to get beat badly by you in front of his girlfriend. Was there any way you could have put your quarter up on the other table while the couple was playing and you were waiting?

I knew I wasn’t taking the high road. I didn’t feel like I was taking the low road either, I thought I was just on the middle road. It sounds like the consensus is that there is no middle road here.

I probably should have given up the table and headed home then. I just wanted to get 2 or 3 more games in before packing up. The thought of them taking 45 minutes to play two games was definitely in my mind because that’s happened to me before when I have given up the table in the past.

The other table was a bit of a pet peeve of mine. They had about 4 close friends playing with more quarters on the rail than they had people playing. Going over there wasn’t much of an option.

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Swighey · May 4, 2018

If the bar replaced that coin op table with a table that doesn't require coins and put a winner stays board then you wouldnt have been banging around waiting for an opponent and the guy would have had an army saying no two of you can't jump in and play a game. Not rocket science but then maybe it is.

GoldCrown · May 4, 2018

What are the unofficial rules of etiquette in a bar?
As for how to handle the situation??? Whatever it takes to keep the peace, avoid conflicts and keep the fun ongoing. We don't know who we are dealing with...some people go off for the slightest reason. And yes maybe let the guy play his girl for a game or 2...or play captain against them. Winner stays. Anyway use it as a learning experience.

WoodyMPW · May 4, 2018

You're supposed to suggest the three of you play cut-throat. Then eliminate and embarrass the shit out of him first in front of his girl. Finally let her win and take her home.

MattPoland · May 4, 2018

Swighey said:
If the bar replaced that coin op table with a table that doesn't require coins and put a winner stays board then you wouldnt have been banging around waiting for an opponent and the guy would have had an army saying no two of you can't jump in and play a game. Not rocket science but then maybe it is.

Interesting enough, they do have a winner stays chalk board for writing your name down to play next. Nobody ever uses it but every busy night the players create the same process with quarters on the rail.

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Swighey · May 4, 2018

MattPoland said:
Interesting enough, they do have a winner stays chalk board for writing your name down to play next. Nobody ever uses it but every busy night the players create the same process with quarters on the rail.

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Buy a table, maintain it, replace the cloth when the beer stains cover more than half the table, get it seen to once a year by a freelance table mechanic and make the table free to play - versus - rent a table, pay to play, have nobody play, have the table sitting there half the time.....

hang-the-9 · May 4, 2018

MattPoland said:
Tonight I went to my favorite local bar with karaoke, darts and a side section with two Valley tables. I’m well known in there as a good shot among the bar folk. Usually the tables are occupied in challenge pool (throw your quarters on the rail and stay on until you lose).

Tonight was slower. I walk in with one table occupied by a group an another open. I hop on the open table and I’m banging racks of 9-ball and then tossing up the remainder g six balls and shooting them in rotation order until someone challenges me.

I find a strong player and we lock horns for about five racks and then he saunters off. I start banging solo again until I get another challenger. I’m pumping in $1.50 in quarters at a pace that’s draining my two quarter rolls faster than I’d like.

As I’m hitting them, a guy comes up and asks if I’m done playing the other guy. I say sure, do you want to play? He says yeah. I say, cool put some quarters up and we will play. He mentions no he wants to play his girlfriend. I say I’m on the table know but if he beats me he can take over the table. He then just stands there saying nothing with quarters in his hand. So I go back to hitting the balls on the table. I even need to ask him to move out of the way of a shot. Eventually he slinks off.

I find another guy I know to play. I can overhear someone tell my opponent that I’m an a**hole. I know I could have shown more charisma and gave up the table but I did come out to play. I wasn’t rude at all but I wasn’t about to leave the table.

Any advice on how to handle situations like that?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I would actually stop playing after a while if I knew no-one there could beat me if someone wanted to play, or work out something where we'd play a few games and then they could take over, sit out a few rounds of play before going back. Did not seem like there was a big wait anyway if you let them play and then went back to the table.

I avoid coin op tables anyway, go through too much $ that way playing at a decent pace.

TEAM SLO · May 4, 2018

Not everyone understands the challenge table idea.... I can only imagine the conversation with this guy and his lady:

Lady: I feel like playing a game of pool
Guy: Lemme go ask the fella
Guy:

to the lady, he is being an *ss (im not saying you are)
Me: you may have just prevented a future noble peace prize winner from being created LOL

For me, I been in this situation before and given up the table to the other party knowing I will get the table back when they are done. There were also times when I hit the head, come back and realize they were gone and others started playing.

I just end up putting my name back on the list to play, no biggie.

ChrisinNC · May 4, 2018

MattPoland said:
Interesting enough, they do have a winner stays chalk board for writing your name down to play next. Nobody ever uses it but every busy night the players create the same process with quarters on the rail.

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Seems like maybe if playing by yourself, you might seek out a poolroom, that generally would have more tables, in which you could play by yourself or play with someone of a higher skill level than you're likely to find in a bar room with 2 coin-ops. I'm guessing maybe there's not one in close proximity to you.

A local pub with 2 coin-ops will have predominantly social / recreational players who are drinking, and likely not of a higher skill level as far as their pool game. In that case, playing them is not much of a challenge for you, or much fun for them either, as it sounds like you're a considerably higher skill level than that. Just my guess.

MattPoland · May 4, 2018

ChrisinNC said:
Seems like maybe if playing by yourself, you might seek out a poolroom, that generally would have more tables, in which you could play by yourself or play with someone of a higher skill level than you're likely to find in a bar room with 2 coin-ops. I'm guessing maybe there's not one in close proximity to you.

A local pub with 2 coin-ops will have predominantly social / recreational players who are drinking, and likely not of a higher skill level as far as their pool game. In that case, playing them is not much of a challenge for you, or much fun for them either, as it sounds like you're a considerably higher skill level than that. Just my guess.

The nearest real pool hall is about an hour away. I love that place.

On a real busy night at the bar some strong bar players emerge. I do tend to dominate but not ridiculously so. I’m anywhere from a strong C to low B. I can move the cueball at will, make tough shots and get through easy outs but I generally make a mistake once or twice a rack. I’m not breaking and running more than once or twice a night. The guy I played before this incident won 3 out of 5 against me.

It’s enough the locals typically line up quarters to see who can beat me for the sake of bragging rights and we all get along and have a good time. I get out there occasionally because it’s closest to my house, good beer, more than one table, etc. I try to commit a lot of time to my family and mostly build my skills in evenings at home alone. I don’t get to compete too often so I like getting to the bar every now and then to have just anyone to play against within the windows of time convenient for me to get out.

A few of them are really only a couple balls behind me. But yeah, the rest of the crowd are pretty much bangers.

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Giving Up The Table

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Try and jack this bitch.

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recreational banger

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