Marking your pocket

Check with your opponent on calling pockets every time you are on the eight ball. Its better off to just mark it and then shoot.

I would be quite pissed if that had happened to me as well.

When playing with strangers, drunks, and idiots, it's easiest to just follow the easy rules and leave the arguments for stuff like the ever-popular "double-hit".

If you play someone like that, Make sure to put the pocket marker by the pocket, along with all the chalk, and maybe two house cues propped up against the table if it is a corner pocket. If the rack will stand on end, that could be placed by the pocket too, or maybe some empty beer bottles.

There will be no doubt of your called pocket.

moneytalks said:

During a match on Monday, during my FIRST game, my opponent was on a hanging eight ball searching for his pocket marker... I said, "Just call your pocket man, I'm cool with it". He said ok, called the obvious pocket and won.

On the NEXT game, my opponent left the eight hanging. I then made a tough shot on my last ball and left my self a 6 inch tap in on the eight. My opponent called me for not marking the pocket! Fortunately, I got hot and won the next four racks in a row. (while extremely pissed off)

Is there a rule pertaining to this, or is it up to each player to hold up a verbal agreement? Was it not officially established? I would take no pleasure in "rule whippin" somebody, but I've seen too many shady situations in my league.

Any thoughts?

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Based upon your post, I could see either of the following as reasonable inferences:

1) You agreed to allow your opponent to verbally call the 8 for that SHOT only (based upon his inability to find a marker), but agreeing to physically mark all future 8 ball shots per APA rules.

2) You and your opponent agreed to allow each other to verbally call the 8 for the entire MATCH.


However, it seems you inferred the following:

3) You and your opponent agreed to not having to call obvious 8 balls for the entire MATCH.


I would have probably inferred (1), and maybe (2) - if I knew the opponent. However, in no circumstances would I ever assume (3) in APA.

What's all this pocket marker business? is this why when I stop in at the bar on league night there is all kinds of stuff animals and shit all over the place?

It does fire you up when something like that happens. I was playing league one night and my opponent was about to shoot at the wrong ball, I stopped him and told him. He thanked me, and in the very next game he let me shoot the wrong ball and told me immediately and took ball in hand. Fired me up, I won the next 5 in a row.

Like the others said, just mark your pockets for league nites/tourney events.

I wouldn't get upset over the ordeal... I'd either feel sorry or disappointed at the opponnent using such mind games. Besides, I have a STAPLES "That was Easy" Button/Marker to smooth over the opponnent; just to make a statement of humor.

Has it ever happened to me? No. But I have definitely made a ball in the wrong marked pocket!

Never heard of marking a pocket for a call shot. A verbal call while pointing to it with the cue has always worked for me. I have had to ask opponent's occasionally to call theirs.

Once in a very frank discussion with our LO, the LO used the term "established a precedent". For instance, if you give your opponent the 8 ball in the first game it could be reasonable to assume that you're giving the 8 ball in all subsequent games. Fortunately, I've never ran across one person that tried to do that.
During that discussion the subject of what would be an acceptable marker came up. According to the LO and the rule - anything would be an acceptable marker, and when we use the term anything, we mean anything. Even pointing "should be" an acceptable marker. After all, what is the purpose of a marker? It is to identify where you intend to put the 8 ball. The APA book (I assume we're talking about the APA) "recommends" not using chalk as a pocket marker, but it doesn't forbid it. As well, the book offers several suggestions as to what you might use as a marker, but it makes no requirement as to what a marker must be. It always surprises me some of the arguments I get when I'm told I must not use money, or I have to use an "approved" marker. Sometimes I'm feeling feisty and I hand them a team manual and ask them to show me that rule, but that's only they've been ass-hats and are on my bad side. Generally I'll just comply, it's so much easier than giving them something to get fired up about, I'd rather just win and have my beer and let them sulk. It's not real important how I get there, I just want the last laugh.
If my opponent doesn't do me the courtesy of of consenting to the same courtesy I've extended to them, such as calling my pocket instead of marking, I'll ask "is call OK, or do you want me to mark it?" If they'd like me to mark it, I'll ask them to do the same for the remainder of the games.

CaptainHook said:

What's all this pocket marker business? is this why when I stop in at the bar on league night there is all kinds of stuff animals and shit all over the place?

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Yes, that's it. The opponent in question was apparently searching for some such piece of shit, instead of something generic and readily available like a wallet, keys, coin, etc. One of my pet peeves was waiting on some middle aged cat-lady to prop up her freaking troll doll or whatever on the rail by a pocket. It always fell over 3-4 times, and she rarely made the shot anyway. Plenty of people shark themselves giggling about how cute or clever their pocket marker is.

My 1st year in our local league we were 5 guys in our 20's lookn to drink beer hang out and play some pool for fun. About the 3rd week in we played a team of guys that had been in the league 20 years. Well we had a good round going were we had won the first 3 games and wins were scored as a 10. When the 4th guy on our team was shooting we were giving him so crap saying something like " nothing but 10's buddy" the other team not liking losing called us for a team foul because our shooter was stripes and the ten ball was on the table. We didnt know what the hell they were talking about but they persisted the coaching foul and we gave in not really caring either way. That day those old biys taught me one thing about pool "the rules are the rules" and to this day i will not give in to anyone sportmanship or not playing level or not

DallasHopps said:

Yes, that's it. The opponent in question was apparently searching for some such piece of shit, instead of something generic and readily available like a wallet, keys, coin, etc. One of my pet peeves was waiting on some middle aged cat-lady to prop up her freaking troll doll or whatever on the rail by a pocket. It always fell over 3-4 times, and she rarely made the shot anyway. Plenty of people shark themselves giggling about how cute or clever their pocket marker is.

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Yeah, I love the people that won't shoot until they find their lucky pocket marker and some of the ridiculous crap they use. It's always good for a laugh

Huzz said:

My 1st year in our local league we were 5 guys in our 20's lookn to drink beer hang out and play some pool for fun. About the 3rd week in we played a team of guys that had been in the league 20 years. Well we had a good round going were we had won the first 3 games and wins were scored as a 10. When the 4th guy on our team was shooting we were giving him so crap saying something like " nothing but 10's buddy" the other team not liking losing called us for a team foul because our shooter was stripes and the ten ball was on the table. We didnt know what the hell they were talking about but they persisted the coaching foul and we gave in not really caring either way. That day those old biys taught me one thing about pool "the rules are the rules" and to this day i will not give in to anyone sportmanship or not playing level or not

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Fouls like that are subjective and a pretty good indicator that you're handing someone their head. Before I'd allow someone to call any such foul like that I'd make them get the division rep or the LO on the phone to make the call. Beyond that I'd explain the protest rule to them and I'd be prepared to send in my own protest when they ignore me and take BIH anyway.

flyrv9 said:

Never heard of marking a pocket for a call shot. A verbal call while pointing to it with the cue has always worked for me. I have had to ask opponent's occasionally to call theirs.

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There are leagues that have a rule you have to mark the 8 ball pocket even if it's .3 inches from the hole and anyone with one eye and 1/4 of a brain can see that it's the only pocket anyone would shoot for.

The rule was probably put there because of the same idiots that need a "Caution HOT!" sign on their cups when they order coffee.

moneytalks said:

During a match on Monday, during my FIRST game, my opponent was on a hanging eight ball searching for his pocket marker... I said, "Just call your pocket man, I'm cool with it". He said ok, called the obvious pocket and won.

On the NEXT game, my opponent left the eight hanging. I then made a tough shot on my last ball and left my self a 6 inch tap in on the eight. My opponent called me for not marking the pocket! Fortunately, I got hot and won the next four racks in a row. (while extremely pissed off)

Is there a rule pertaining to this, or is it up to each player to hold up a verbal agreement? Was it not officially established? I would take no pleasure in "rule whippin" somebody, but I've seen too many shady situations in my league.

Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

Thoughts? Yeah, that was bovine excrement.

I know the reasons for the rule, and I know how silly it is at times, but to screw you with it after you had already let him call it.....that's brutal.

Here, its always asked before the first 8-ball attempted "call'em or mark'em?"

I used to mark mine every time, just so I didn't encounter any craziness. I still do at bigger tournaments, but fortunately our weekly league is calm enough that I don't have to worry about it.

We had the 8 marker in our league for many years and i had always taken great pride in being one of the very few people who could lay claim to never forgetting to patch the 8 ball well needless to say the final night of that league season i found one more way to lose a game and didnt patch. To make matters worse the next season they did away with the patch for sportsmanship reasons. Dang

Do any of these animals ever mark their pocket by urinating on it like their wilder counterparts do when marking territories?

I get the feeling some leagues would strongly encourage such protocol.

Such a stupid, stupid rule. What gets me about it is that all balls are supposed to be called. So why make a big deal only about the 8-ball? Why not mark every pocket you shoot? Because it would be stupid, just like marking the 8-ball's pocket is stupid.

DallasHopps said:

Yes, that's it. The opponent in question was apparently searching for some such piece of shit, instead of something generic and readily available like a wallet, keys, coin, etc. One of my pet peeves was waiting on some middle aged cat-lady to prop up her freaking troll doll or whatever on the rail by a pocket. It always fell over 3-4 times, and she rarely made the shot anyway. Plenty of people shark themselves giggling about how cute or clever their pocket marker is.

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Holy crap, thanks for letting me know.:thumbup: