Benefits of playing opponents with less skill

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I just like to play. I'd have to travel to play someone better than me.

Playing a lesser playing can give you confidence.

If you are playing eight ball you can start banking the eight every time.

I used to play straight pool and used to give one guy 75 balls to a race to 100.

Gives you good practice with your break shot with someone racking for you.

A lot of people just want to rack 'em just to watch me play.

Playing a lesser player gives you a fun time to hot dog it and just have fun.

Hit 'em hard and hope.






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gives you a chance to win
its hard to win when the other guy plays better

Rather play a stronger player. I learn more. I’m not suppose to win against a stronger so winning is a big plus when I do. Also realize my faults / weaknesses and see what has to be worked on. I see no benefit playing a weaker unless they are learning also and appreciate the game.

I hope you guys never get to play Pro-Am with Tiger Woods or hit a few with Venus Williams or hit the hoops with any NBA players!

Be a Sport, when playing a Sport!

Black-Balled said:

Typical reply.

Would it not also be true that playing poorly against the same prison would be insulting?

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Texas Carom Club said:

Cool story.

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couldnthinkof01 said:

What??
As long as the person knows you play good I see
it as disrespectful to that person to let up on them in
any way. Most of the time they want to play with you
because you play good. They want to learn and
are excited to see good pool first hand.
In my experience if you dont play well against them
for whatever reason, they think you are letting up
on them(sometimes we all miss balls or play poorly).
They want you to beat them into dust not the other
way around.

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pt109 said:

To me, pool is a war game...ignore your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses at your own peril.
Can you imagine a boxer or a chess player not wanting to know anything about his opponent?

But I agree with playing your best, regardless of your opponent...
...he’s probably playing you to learn...showing him what’s possible is good for his game.

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DecentShot said:

Whatever it takes to impress the ladies. Pool is thriving in the United States, however, So. Cal. pool hall culture is dead.

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Everything in SoCal is dead.
And I am a Native!

poolguy4u said:

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I just like to play. I'd have to travel to play someone better than me.

Playing a lesser playing can give you confidence.

If you are playing eight ball you can start banking the eight every time.

I used to play straight pool and used to give one guy 75 balls to a race to 100.

Gives you good practice with your break shot with someone racking for you.

A lot of people just want to rack 'em just to watch me play.

Playing a lesser player gives you a fun time to hot dog it and just have fun.

Hit 'em hard and hope.






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Maybe Ryan McCreesh can learn something from you.

mchnhed said:

Everything in SoCal is dead.
And I am a Native!

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Born and raised! The billiard scene is just scattered making it harder to see, but its there.

What million dollar billiards isnt a hot spot?

Black-Balled said:

Typical reply.

Would it not also be true that playing poorly against the same prison would be insulting?

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Play your best, but...
Why not tell him what you are shooting at and why?
Help him with their shots and strategy.
Help him with the etiquette and rules.
Welcome him/her instead of grinding them into the dust and humiliating them.

All depends on what you are playing for!

Maniac said:

Some really nice opinions/advice given so far.

My wife is several levels below me and when we play (which is often), she gets a big spot. I have to work my a$$ off to overcome the weight. As competitive as my wife is coupled with the fact that I don't really want her beating me, I have to focus and shoot good pool to beat her.

So I would have to say YES to the OP's question. There can be benefits....but it's got to be done right.

FWIW, my wife beats me about two out of every three matches we play against one another. I think it's about time to change the spot, eh?

Maniac

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It all depends on what you are playing for! I consider it very bad juju to embarrass or humiliate the one that is doing the cooking or that I am sharing my bed with!


I always had at least three gears after I got to playing reasonably well. Friends and dates, low-level hustlers, road players. Once a friend got a little carried away with himself, I gave him a very huge spot, and crushed him. He grumbled about that for months!

There wasn't a spot in the world I could give my wife and her win. Once there is too much gap between people it gets that way. She was pleased to watch me win against tough competition, would not have been nearly as pleased for me to break out the same game against her!

Hu

DecentShot said:

Born and raised! The billiard scene is just scattered making it harder to see, but its there.

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Where?
Please.

mchnhed said:

Play your best, but...
Why not tell him what you are shooting at and why?
Help him with their shots and strategy.
Help him with the etiquette and rules.
Welcome him/her instead of grinding them into the dust and humiliating them.

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You are all over the place. Your mixing situations and skill levels. The thread isn't about absolute beginners just people you are better than.

mchnhed said:

Where?
Please.

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OOOk...lol. There are pool halls and leagues and shooter's bars ALL over San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara and Riverside. I mean if you want Johnston city style there is still Hard Times (hell TWO of them) around. Is it non-stop action like the PI or Mid-West? No. I guess I would have to know where you lived and what your definition of dead is.

You only live so many minutes in your lifetime and have so much time for pool within it.

Against a weaker player you can play for 4 hours, 3 and a half of which you were at the table.

Case closed, let's play.

Unless you are a bad player who also plays slow in which case you can go buck a fuffalo cuz I aint wasting my precious time watching your inept indecision.

mchnhed said:

I hope you guys never get to play Pro-Am with Tiger Woods or hit a few with Venus Williams or hit the hoops with any NBA players!

Be a Sport, when playing a Sport!

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To me thats the whole point of playing with them.
Why would I want to hang and play with a pro
if they are just going to play like Joe Shmuck
from down the road?
And the time for questions is after a rack or set
and I'm always happy to help anyone that asks.
Just because your playing somebody tough
doesn't mean you act like an asshole while you
do it.
You play your best out of respect for yourself and
the person your playing.
I don't think I understand your side of this.

No one that you are better than thinks that you are better than they are. They never have and never will. Even after you beat them 100 times in a row convincingly they are never convinced. Especially beginners and enthusiasts who don't play. If you tell anyone that you play and they say me too that means they think they are superior, especially if they have a table, a cue, "used to play," or has an uncle Hustlebuck.

justnum said:

When selecting opponents of less skill is it worth it to play them?

How can a strong player develop their game while playing against a weaker player?

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As Jay Helfert has often pointed out, learning to outrun the nuts is a part of the package in being a great player, and many of the biggest scores come from doing just that.

Weaker players shouldn't play you even, and you should only play them even if there's a big score to be had, unless it's a purely social game. Cheap sets with the right spots will, on the other hand, make you really bear down to win.

In the miid-1990's I used to play in the weekly handicap tournament at Chelsea Billiards in Manhattan, NY. It was so popular that they easily filled the field of 64 every week and had to turn some away. Among the pros playing every week were George "Ginky" San Souci, Tony Robles, Neptune Joe Frady, Al Lapena, Chuck Altomare, Frankie Hernandez, Teddy Garrahan and Larry Lisciotti. There were also plenty of "A" players and plenty of "B" players, but less skilled players tended not to enter.

It was scary how big a spot someone like SanSouci had to give from time to time. He sometimes gave as much as four on the wire to nine AND the wild five. He even had to spot Lisciotti in that event.

Within a couple of years of that weekly handicap, SanSouci was playing the best pool of his life, and he confided in me that his weekly exercise of trying to outrun the nuts at Chelsea Billiards really toughened him and had figured in his success. He went on to win a gold and a silver at the BCA Open in 1999 and 2000.

Trying to outrun the nuts will definitely help your game.

DecentShot said:

OOOk...lol. There are pool halls and leagues and shooter's bars ALL over San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara and Riverside. I mean if you want Johnston city style there is still Hard Times (hell TWO of them) around. Is it non-stop action like the PI or Mid-West? No. I guess I would have to know where you lived and what your definition of dead is.

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I get what you are saying.
Yes, there are places to play in LA LA Land.
It’s just that they are 30 to 45 miles away.

Real Pool Rooms
Hard Times in Bellflower (SoCal), about 70 miles round trip. The other is in NoCal, 775 Miles RT....a little too far.
Mr. Lucky’s In Torrence 66 Miles RT
House of Billiards, Santa Monica 45 miles RT
Butera’s Billiards, Moorpark 68 miles RT
Jerry’s Family Billiards, South Pasadena 44 miles RT
Plush Pocket, 30 Miles RT (the closest one)


I go to Fantasia in Burbank because it’s close and decent for practice. 8 miles RT

couldnthinkof01 said:

Just because your playing somebody tough
doesn't mean you act like an asshole while you
do it.

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The other side of that coin is my point.....

Just because you can be a tough player and grind them into the dust,
doesn’t mean you should act like an asshole while doing it.

mchnhed said:

The other side of that coin is my point.....

Just because you can be a tough player and grind them into the dust,
doesn’t mean you should act like an asshole while doing it.

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Well that I definitely agree with.