Etiquette while in your chair: When is it too late to get the shooter's attention?

F

Flip_dat_Quarta

Banned
Of course, when you're in your chair you should be quiet and still unless:

1. You need to call someone over to watch a hit
2. You need to declare a ball frozen

or maybe a few other similar examples.

Is there a point when it's too late to get the shooter's attention?

What if they are already down on their shot and you need to stop them?

What happens if you try to stop them and they stroke through the ball but was obviously sharked?
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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Flip_dat_Quarta said:
Of course, when you're in your chair you should be quiet and still unless:

1. You need to call someone over to watch a hit
2. You need to declare a ball frozen

or maybe a few other similar examples.

Is there a point when it's too late to get the shooter's attention?

What if they are already down on their shot and you need to stop them?

What happens if you try to stop them and they stroke through the ball but was obviously sharked?
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I don't think there is any common way to handle this. I think after they are completely down in position is too late.

You should take care of the frozen ball as early as possible.

The shooter can avoid late interruptions by checking maybe-frozen balls himself and calling someone over to watch the hit. That way he has control of the flow of the game. For watching the hit, he knows what he is going to shoot so he knows when the shot is likely to be problematic.

As for how to interrupt, how about saying "Time out."?
 
S

Skippy27

AzB Silver Member
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I would say if you see them looking at something you think would be questionable, ie close hit, you tell them in advance if you are going to shoot at X ball, I want someone to watch. If you see them going for a ball that is close to the rail, get up and check it as you see them looking at it, not when they get down.

If you can't tell and they get down you should IMMEDIATELY say something if you then see it. If you allow them to get down and they do practice strokes or get their aim set then you have lost all rights to say anything to them.
 
G

Gorramjayne

AzB Silver Member
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Bob Jewett said:
how about saying "Time out."
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Only issue is if you're playing in a format where you do have recorded 'time outs' it may cause some confusion especially since you can't call one unless you're at the table.

If I'm the one at the table I'd prefer you just be as bold as possible about it as soon as possible, tell me loudly and unmistakably to 'hold up' and that the shot needs to be watched, before I've taken more than one warmup stroke. That will annoy me less than a timid 'excuse me?' trying to decide if you should say anything because I'm focused and it may not register that you're talking to me and not the waitress or someone else, and if you don't have the huevos to say it loudly until I'm a half second away from pulling the trigger I'm going to hate you.
 
fastone371

fastone371

Certifiable
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When I am in a situation where I am going to play safe I let my opponent know right away if the ball I am shooting is frozen or off the rail. When a shot is close I will tell my opponent exactly what I am doing, for example I will let him know I am going to spin the cue ball to throw my ball in and avoid hitting his ball and I let them decide if they want someone to watch. I have had cases where my opponent shot at my group and did not call a shot, they often got mad, how am supposed to know what they are shooting at if they dont call anything especially when I am sitting in my chair?
 
BRussell

BRussell

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The BCA pool league rules have extensive discussion of what it means to be "down on the shot" - not just leaning over even having your hand on the table, but really about to shoot with practice strokes either happening or about to happen. Those rules say it is a foul to interrupt someone who is down on the shot.

On the other hand, the rules also say that you can't quickly get down on the shot, or act like you're playing one shot and then shoot another quickly. I've seen that rule come up.
 
GeoEnvi

GeoEnvi

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Had this happen last week. Opponent was considering two shots, and ultimately decided on one where he'd have to stroke through the CB and OB within 1/2" of each other, with the CB within a few inches of the rail- possible and likely double hit.

The opponent previously selected a similar shot and I warned of the possible double hit. He made and attempt to avoid it (jacked up) but still fouled. I let it go.

This time, I waited until I was sure he was going to take the shot and when he was practice aiming through the CB I said "Hold up, I want to warn you of a possible foul. You need to attempt to avoid the double hit or it will be a foul" Player got mad at me for interrupting his play. "Who are you to stop me from shooting while I am at the table? Who are you to tell me what is or isn't a foul?" The usual.
 
Tramp Steamer

Tramp Steamer

One Pocket enthusiast.
Silver Member
Lot's of good advice here. Just be aware of what's going on and ready to say something.
Frozen balls, number of consecutive fouls, and potential double hits on whitey are some things to look out for. :smile:
 
cleary

cleary

Honestly, I'm a liar.
Silver Member
Just throw something at them. Throw your cue at them, you'll get their attention quick.
 
Skratch

Skratch

AzB Silver Member
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Flip_dat_Quarta said:
Of course, when you're in your chair you should be quiet and still unless:

1. You need to call someone over to watch a hit
2. You need to declare a ball frozen

or maybe a few other similar examples.

Is there a point when it's too late to get the shooter's attention?

What if they are already down on their shot and you need to stop them?

What happens if you try to stop them and they stroke through the ball but was obviously sharked?
Click to expand...

Good question! Its really a grey area, but generally before they take their practice strokes. Many players have a rythm when they do their practice stroke. You can notice a good time to interupt them. The more "honorable" players, Im sure you can give some leaway to, but there are others you have to be more mindful in the game and his shooting situation. Those people you tell them before they even look to aim. Some people are never going to be comfortable with you intereupting nicely at all, but they are usually someone you have to be on top of because they'll try to get away with everything! No one really likes to be interupted, but you can tell them to take all the time they need once you do stop play.
 
mjantti

mjantti

Enjoying life
Silver Member
Just say "stop", even if he's already aiming. This is common in the European Championships and Eurotour when there is an area referee present. Many times even the shooter asks for the ref, just to make things more open and sportsmanlike and to avoid the fuss. You can't go luch lower if you shoot anyway after being called "stop" to get away from a possible foul.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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GeoEnvi said:
Had this happen last week. Opponent was considering two shots, and ultimately decided on one where he'd have to stroke through the CB and OB within 1/2" of each other, with the CB within a few inches of the rail- possible and likely double hit.

The opponent previously selected a similar shot and I warned of the possible double hit. He made and attempt to avoid it (jacked up) but still fouled. I let it go.

This time, I waited until I was sure he was going to take the shot and when he was practice aiming through the CB I said "Hold up, I want to warn you of a possible foul. You need to attempt to avoid the double hit or it will be a foul" Player got mad at me for interrupting his play. "Who are you to stop me from shooting while I am at the table? Who are you to tell me what is or isn't a foul?" The usual.
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Why not say, "Let's have someone watch the hit." If he is not willing to let you call fouls he must be willing to let someone else call the shot. If not I'd find a different game or just give him all his foul hits.
 
M

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
you dont know for sure what someone is going to shoot until he gets down or close to it.
i think its his responsibility to inform you of his intention to shoot a controversial shot. if he doesnt and gets down jump all over him for it.

dont forget he is your opponent.
 
alstl

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
GeoEnvi said:
Had this happen last week. Opponent was considering two shots, and ultimately decided on one where he'd have to stroke through the CB and OB within 1/2" of each other, with the CB within a few inches of the rail- possible and likely double hit.

The opponent previously selected a similar shot and I warned of the possible double hit. He made and attempt to avoid it (jacked up) but still fouled. I let it go.

This time, I waited until I was sure he was going to take the shot and when he was practice aiming through the CB I said "Hold up, I want to warn you of a possible foul. You need to attempt to avoid the double hit or it will be a foul" Player got mad at me for interrupting his play. "Who are you to stop me from shooting while I am at the table? Who are you to tell me what is or isn't a foul?" The usual.
Click to expand...

Was this a tournament or league? If so why not call a referee?
 
BRussell

BRussell

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
GeoEnvi said:
Had this happen last week. Opponent was considering two shots, and ultimately decided on one where he'd have to stroke through the CB and OB within 1/2" of each other, with the CB within a few inches of the rail- possible and likely double hit.

The opponent previously selected a similar shot and I warned of the possible double hit. He made and attempt to avoid it (jacked up) but still fouled. I let it go.

This time, I waited until I was sure he was going to take the shot and when he was practice aiming through the CB I said "Hold up, I want to warn you of a possible foul. You need to attempt to avoid the double hit or it will be a foul" Player got mad at me for interrupting his play. "Who are you to stop me from shooting while I am at the table? Who are you to tell me what is or isn't a foul?" The usual.
Click to expand...

According to BCA league rules that would be a foul on you, ball in hand for him.
 
fastone371

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
GeoEnvi said:
Had this happen last week. Opponent was considering two shots, and ultimately decided on one where he'd have to stroke through the CB and OB within 1/2" of each other, with the CB within a few inches of the rail- possible and likely double hit.

The opponent previously selected a similar shot and I warned of the possible double hit. He made and attempt to avoid it (jacked up) but still fouled. I let it go.

This time, I waited until I was sure he was going to take the shot and when he was practice aiming through the CB I said "Hold up, I want to warn you of a possible foul. You need to attempt to avoid the double hit or it will be a foul" Player got mad at me for interrupting his play. "Who are you to stop me from shooting while I am at the table? Who are you to tell me what is or isn't a foul?" The usual.
Click to expand...

I went thru one of these deals too. A husband and wife were on the same team and the only ball she could hit directly was lined up with the pocket but the cue ball and object ball were only separated by about a 1/4". I stopped the girl when I saw what she was going to shoot and explained to her that if she was going to shoot it "normally" she would more than likely foul. I explained the rule to her and showed her how she could try to hit it to avoid the foul. She thanked me and so did her husband after the game for enlightening her about a likely foul and for explaining how to possibly avoid the foul.
 
Tin Man

Tin Man

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9 ball out of place

What if you're playing rack your own 9 ball where the 9 counts on the break anywhere...only to see that they accidentally racked the 9 ball on the wing.

If I notice when they're about to pull the trigger I'm screaming at them to get their attention even no matter how late in the process it is...
 
J

justaplayer

Banned
fastone371 said:
When I am in a situation where I am going to play safe I let my opponent know right away if the ball I am shooting is frozen or off the rail. When a shot is close I will tell my opponent exactly what I am doing, for example I will let him know I am going to spin the cue ball to throw my ball in and avoid hitting his ball and I let them decide if they want someone to watch. I have had cases where my opponent shot at my group and did not call a shot, they often got mad, how am supposed to know what they are shooting at if they dont call anything especially when I am sitting in my chair?
Click to expand...

These are all the right answers.

If you are shooting and you know it's close , just describe how you are gonna shot it....let your opponent look down the line of the shot. Often other experienced players will let you shoot without anyone calling it. Just a lot less headaches.

Guys I regularly gamble with, we call most fouls on ourselves anyway. If it's too close to call we might rarely rerack. Anything to avoid conflicts.

Waiting until an opponent is just about to shoot and then calling someone in to watch the hit is just rude. I see a lot of pros use it as a move too....silly really. Let's strive to keep it a gentlemen ' s game.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

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KissedOut said:
LOL at "keeping" (pool a gentlemen's game) when it never has been.
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Related to which, here is a post I made in the last millennium (18 years ago) when we still used chisels to carve posts into computer screens:

The following is from page 14 of William Hendricks' "History of Billiards"
in the section titled "The Eighteenth Century: Billiards for Everyman."

[billiards still expensive ...] Even when the affluent did not wish
to mingle, the less-wealthy colonists could be obstreperously
democratic when it came to billiards. A horrified British officer
describes a 1780 dispute at colonial billiards between a gentleman
and "a low fellow" at a public table.

I shall relate the way the accident happened, to shew the
ferociousness of the lower class in this country; this gentleman
was at play in the billiard-room, where there were a number of
gentlemen and several of our officers: a low fellow, who
pretends to gentility came in, and in the course of play, some
words arose, in which he first wantonly abused [the gentleman]
and afterward ... flew at him, and in an instant turned his eye
out of the socket, and while it hung upon his cheek, the fellow
was barbarous enough to endeavor to pluck it entirely out, but
was prevented.(*)

(*) From Jane Carson's "Colonial Virginians at Play," University
Press of Virginia, 1964, p. 85.​
 
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