tips on dealing with haters?

I go to the bar, put up some quarters, and eventually win one game, maybe even my first try. After that I don't really play BCA rules because BCA 8-ball rules specify alternate breaking. I play winner gets all the breaks. Take that, BCA.

So as winner I also don't pay my fair share - in real competition with rules the cost of the table is shared game by game, but I get free play every game after my first win. The bangers line up their quarters to pay my table time, hey it's only fair I paid at first myself, at least once.

Since I can break halfway decent, I make a ball on the break darn near every time, maybe two. Yea for me!. Now my advantage is the break, and a ball or balls.

I get choice of stripes of solids, since I made something on the break. I can even pick the opposite of the ball I sunk, if that is the best choice for me. That's a BCA rule I like, so I stick with it. Now my advantage is the break, a ball or balls, and choice of stripes/solids. Ooorah, this is getting better all the time.

But Wait! There's More!.
I also get to shoot again, since I made a ball or balls on the break. And, if I make the 8 on the break, I win, Yea! Please never mention those pesky BCA rules, which specify "If the 8-ball is pocketed on the break, the breaker may ask for a re-rack or have the 8-ball spotted and continue shooting."

Yes, life is good way up here at the semi-pro level.

Now my advantages are legion:
1. Free Play - no losing my focus between games chasing down change for a fiver, no need to carry a heavy pocketful of change.

2. The Break - and every break as I continue winning. Nice, right? None of that unfair BCA alternate-break rule for me. Also, 8 on the break Wins, none of that BCA rule nonsense where you re-rack, or spot the 8.

3. A Ball (or more) Sunk. Maybe the sunk ball(s) are my type, and if so, it's like getting a spot of one or more balls. That's a pretty hefty spot in 8-ball played on a little-bitty bar table.

4. Choice of Stripes or Solids. I choose the type advantageous to me, and disadvantageous for my opponent. He'll just about always have a couple of his balls jammed together on a rail somewhere. Poor sod.

5. Free Shot After the Break - just because I made a ball or two on the break, which is not so hard to do on a little bitty bar table with its giant pockets. That Free Shot makes Ball Choice pretty important, just like I'm Pretty and Important.

I get these advantages before my opponent ever gets near the table. Well, except he has to pony up and poke *his* quarters in the slot, then kneel and rack for me. The poor schmuck might never get within five feet of my table, once I get all my advantages cooking, except to pump quarters and rack.

Life is good up here at the Semi-Pro level. It's no wonder I never lose against those ugly hater girls.

But, because I am Special, I still like to climb on the Internet and troll for sympathy when those meanie ugly girls start hating me and my balls. They don't understand the intricacies of the game; like that loser Mosconi they always hit center ball; and they choke if they ever get a shot because of the great pressure of playing a champion like me. Oh well, it's not easy being a Semi-Pro.

But, those Haters, I still hate them. Don't you?

ShortBusRuss said:

... SO, to analyze it within terms of barbox 8 ball, which is what I would assume you are playing... A "pro" would be expected to run 8 or 9 out of 10 racks. This performance level is pretty much born out by observing the last couple of rounds of the U.S. bar table 8 ball championships.. So, a "semi-pro" would maybe be expected to perform slightly below this.. Maybe at an average of 7 or 8 out of 10 racks run. ...

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A pro may occasionally break and run 8 or 9 out of 10 racks on a 7-footer, but that is not the norm, at least not on a Diamond 7-footer.

Here are the B&R percentages for 6 7-foot 8-Ball events I tracked, all played on Diamonds:

1. July 2016, Bergman vs. Deuel OB Challenge -- 59% (22 of 37)
2. July 2016, SVB vs. Hohmann Poison Challenge -- 54% (22 of 41)
3. July 2016, US Open (13 streamed matches) -- 53% (104 of 197)
4. Aug. 2015, US Open (17 streamed matches) --52% (120 of 233)
5. July 2015, Shaw vs. Deuel Kamui Challenge -- 46% (19 of 41)
6. Feb. 2015, US Bar Table Championship (19 streamed matches) -- 44% (64 of 144)

These 6 events combined -- 51% (351 of 693)

How much the percentages would go up for more lenient bar boxes, I don't know.

Your problem is you.

What does your wife/girlfriend think of this issue?

Sent from my SM-C710F using Tapatalk

On the off chance this is not a troll post, here's a solution that I'm surprised no one has proposed yet: play doubles with a partner well below your skill level. You can still try hard but you'll hog the table less.

He's not interested in making things more interesting or competitive...he just wants them to like him.

He's not gonna look for better competition. He wants to be the big fish in his small pond. He just needs the minnows to cooperate better, and not dislike him.

So you keep beating people in a bar so no one else ever gets to play, and people are pissed off? Damn, I’m shocked as hell!

GTFO of there and rent your own table somewhere. If someone wants to play you they can. Then if they hate you it’s their own fault.

The best way to deal with haters is to prepare a sous vide filet mignon, rare of course, paired with asparagus and mashed kennebec potatoes accompanied with a bottle of a nice dry red. Follow that with a tawny port for desert. After this, one couldn't possibly be troubled by the fiendish haters.

jalapus logan said:

The best way to deal with haters is to prepare a sous vide filet mignon, rare of course, paired with asparagus and mashed kennebec potatoes accompanied with a bottle of a nice dry red. Follow that with a tawny port for desert. After this, one couldn't possibly be troubled by the fiendish haters.

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Damn you are beautiful

You started this thread off as a semi-pro and then you dropped to a not that good player, lol.

Bob Jewett said:

The OP hasn't been back for the last month, according to his profile. I guess he didn't like the suggestions.

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Too busy holding the table...

I have a similar setup, here’s my situation & solution. I adjust my scenario based on how I feel.

If I feel aggressive and want to satisfy my competitive side and/or gamble, I go to the poolhall in town. Plenty of takers there who are delighted to give me a piece and are also good enough that I have to play well to win.

It's a long ways from my house though, playing in my basement alone is entertaining, but sometimes I just want to play with other people regardless of competitive level.. so I hit up the local watering hole which is set up like your scenario.

So you play doubles. Obviously you are better than all the other bar folk, give yourself a challenge, pick a partner who everyone there knows isn’t very good. You won’t win every time, but you will still run some racks and pick up some W’s. In the meantime it is fun for everyone, and now your skills are more pallatable for the other players. Don’t be surprised if instead of being mad at you, you will have people asking you for tips and buying you rounds.

Bob Jewett said:

The OP hasn't been back for the last month, according to his profile. I guess he didn't like the suggestions.

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Just noticed that, lol.

Mustardeer said:

Just curious how you guys deal with this.

My speed: semi-pro on a good day if I get a lucky roll here and there. Won lots of tiny tourneys.. No issues at tourneys but they take too long so stopped doing them.

Mostly play at this pool bar, mostly bar and league players. All ages, sexes, etc. Mostly hipsters, millennials and radical feminists. One barbox, winner gets to keep the table. Bca rules. Always a really long line to play but everyone waits and everyone wants to run the table.

There have been many nights where I run the table from opening to closing. If I lose, people literally celebrate and make a scene. ( A lot of railbirds at this bar ). I'm not talking about action we play for nothing.

I try to shake everyone's hand, no ego, I smile after each game, basically I try to be as cool as possible with everyone. Some are really respectful, lots of compliments. But. Some regulars straight up hate me. Mostly girls who play center ball and shoot at everything. People who barely know me or don't know me at all would come up to me and say really disturbing disrespectful things. Many regulars don't shake my hand after. Usually female players but men too. These are people who waited an hour and a half to play, took 1 shot and got off the table. Then waited another hour to play and I broke and ran out on them. ( it's always a race to 1 winner breaks ). I've had people flip me off, refuse to shake my hand etc. I've seen it all. The worst is when they don't say much but I can feel the hate. It's definitely real, not in my head. I used to care to figure out why they hate me but try not to even think about it.

Is this normal and is there anything I can do to convert haters into regular people?

Or do I just ignore this? I tried everything. I used to give up the table to the biggest haters but that didn't solve anything. Tried kissing their ass, that didn't work either. Tried talking it out, that didn't work either. I refuse to lose on purpose to make someone feel great. Any tips? People generally like me outside of the pool scene. Also some of the regulars who are really cool with me are turning on me because a lot of haters talk a lot of trash behind my back, who knows what rumors they are spreading... Fyi I have a big heart and those in my life who know me well love me.

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Stop being THAT GUY. These folks are there for a good time, and you coming in and beating up on everyone all night might be good for that ego you claim not to have but it is is just sucking the fun out of it for everyone else. A semi-pro level guy beating up on recreational players is just weird, to me.

Bob Jewett said:

The OP hasn't been back for the last month, according to his profile. I guess he didn't like the suggestions.

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Maybe he made inappropriate remarks to the wrong guy's lady this time.

Dealing with haters

Try open carry .