The slow play

WinnerBreaks

Registered
I'm not the fastest player in the world but I'd guess I average 20 seconds on obvious shots (when pattern play from ball to ball is elementary) and maybe 45 seconds on tough calls (questioning "should play safe?" versus "can I run out here?" / lengthy shots / thin cuts.

I know different areas have different 'strength of fields' but I'm an APA 6 in 8 Ball, an APA 7 in 9 ball, and have a Fargo of 480 (but I'm 6-3 this season so I think I'm a little low).

Anyway in my USAPL pool league a few weeks ago I got matched up with a 390 player. Now by no means am I trying to be disrespectful here but this match took us over 2.5 hours to complete. I've seen this player play before and I know this player intentionally slowed their play in order to irritate me - which it did. It took everything I had not to completely loose it and just forfeit the match. Our race was something like 70/45 I'd guess and I won on the hill.

I've seen this player play before and they are not this slow. I'm not exaggerating here but often times this player would take well over 90 seconds to shoot a straight in shot or the easiest of cuts. I did make some comments that were overheard by this player as I was complaining to some of my teammates about the slow play and in between racks this player eluded to "there isn't a time limit, that if they missed or left me easy I'd probably run out". I didn't acknowledge them because of how irritated I was.

We have the option of racking our own so after an 8 ball I racked. The CB was still close to the head spot so I used my cue to move whitey down towards the foot spot for the break and this player called foul. They went on to say I cannot touch CB with my cue and that I lost the break. I don't think they liked that while the 8 ball was still rolling in to the pocket I was already down on a knee grabbing balls and the rack - trying to get the show on the road.

My team captain stopped the match and a huge argument broke out between super 390 and my captain. Ultimately there was no foul and I broke. I knew there was no foul so I wasn't listening (pretending to ignore this silly argument and broke with my Z shaft instead of grabbing my boom stick. Ultimately there was no foul so I just kept shooting and ended up winning that rack in 1 or 2 innings.

This is a little bit of a rant...but what should I push in order to instill some kind of time limit in between shots in a USAPL league? 2.5 hours and 90 seconds between shots is ridiculous. Also. What do some of you do when playing slow players. I do not drink nor eat while playing pool. I do not like to look at my phone while playing pool. My eyes rarely if ever leave the table so this sort of slow play drives me crazy.

Super 390 is not a C player. This player has been around and knows exactly what they are doing on a pool table and what they did that night. Didn't get them the win though....
 
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skip100

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Unfortunately without some kind of shot clock rule, there is no accountability for these horrible people.
 

SamShaddey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Next time you play him and it's your shot spend 3 min per shot. Set a timer fire on the timer. When he complains tell him, it a new program you found after the last time you played and it's been working great for you! I'll bet he will shut up and play at a resonal speed.
 

skip100

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Next time you play him and it's your shot spend 3 min per shot. Set a timer fire on the timer. When he complains tell him, it a new program you found after the last time you played and it's been working great for you! I'll bet he will shut up and play at a resonal speed.
Yeah, that won't work at all. It just means you'll be there for even longer. These slow players don't place any value on their own time. That's why their strategy is so effective - you can't fight fire with fire.
 

jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
Quit! That's one of the many reasons I dont play league pool. I played a masters league a few years back and that was great because everybody was pretty much a 7 in 8 ball and no slow players.
Jason
 

ribdoner

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Silver Member
fight fire with fire

if he/she plays slooooow, play slooooooooooooower

will bring things to a head, one way or another
 

WinnerBreaks

Registered
Quit! That's one of the many reasons I dont play league pool. I played a masters league a few years back and that was great because everybody was pretty much a 7 in 8 ball and no slow players.
Jason

Yup. Our pool hall owner set up a masters league starting on 1/10/2018. Can't wait to drop USAPL and join that.

36 players signed up. Most are APA 6s or APA 7s. Like 80% of us. The rest are strong APA 5s that want to improve. All of our top players are super excited to get this thing started!
 

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
you play way too slow. sounds like he was just putting on you what you do to others even if its your style of play.

the tournament director should tell both of you to speed up play tremendously or you are not to enter. that is how you stop slow play. no clock needed, just a t.d. with balls.
 

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Learn to deal with it.

I always give special attention to not let slow playing A55hats even get a win on the wire if it's in my ability. To me, that's the BEST TIME to get into YOUR zone and play YOUR game and either run out or stick them every single time you can't.

Do not slow play with them: show them you can overcome that weak chit!!!!!!!!!
 

Mkindsv

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm not the fastest player in the world but I'd guess I average 20 seconds on obvious shots (when pattern play from ball to ball is elementary) and maybe 45 seconds on tough calls (questioning "should play safe?" versus "can I run out here?" / lengthy shots / thin cuts.

I know different areas have different 'strength of fields' but I'm an APA 6 in 8 Ball, an APA 7 in 9 ball, and have a Fargo of 480 (but I'm 6-3 this season so I think I'm a little low).

Anyway in my USAPL pool league a few weeks ago I got matched up with a 390 player. Now by no means am I trying to be disrespectful here but this match took us over 2.5 hours to complete. I've seen this player play before and I know this player intentionally slowed their play in order to irritate me - which it did. It took everything I had not to completely loose it and just forfeit the match. Our race was something like 70/45 I'd guess and I won on the hill.

I've seen this player play before and they are not this slow. I'm not exaggerating here but often times this player would take well over 90 seconds to shoot a straight in shot or the easiest of cuts. I did make some comments that were overheard by this player as I was complaining to some of my teammates about the slow play and in between racks this player eluded to "there isn't a time limit, that if they missed or left me easy I'd probably run out". I didn't acknowledge them because of how irritated I was.

We have the option of racking our own so after an 8 ball I racked. The CB was still close to the head spot so I used my cue to move whitey down towards the foot spot for the break and this player called foul. They went on to say I cannot touch CB with my cue and that I lost the break. I don't think they liked that while the 8 ball was still rolling in to the pocket I was already down on a knee grabbing balls and the rack - trying to get the show on the road.

My team captain stopped the match and a huge argument broke out between super 390 and my captain. Ultimately there was no foul and I broke. I knew there was no foul so I wasn't listening (pretending to ignore this silly argument and broke with my Z shaft instead of grabbing my boom stick. Ultimately there was no foul so I just kept shooting and ended up winning that rack in 1 or 2 innings.

This is a little bit of a rant...but what should I push in order to instill some kind of time limit in between shots in a USAPL league? 2.5 hours and 90 seconds between shots is ridiculous. Also. What do some of you do when playing slow players. I do not drink nor eat while playing pool. I do not like to look at my phone while playing pool. My eyes rarely if ever leave the table so this sort of slow play drives me crazy.

Super 390 is not a C player. This player has been around and knows exactly what they are doing on a pool table and what they did that night. Didn't get them the win though....

Here's the deal. People are going to do things that annoy you or shark you in some manner in league. Slow play is an efficient way to throw you off your game, especially if you are a rhythm shooter. Next time you play this guy, he shouldn't see a shot after you win the first time. If he doesn't get to shoot, you can go at your own pace. If you leave him hooked or impossible every time you leave the table, then you can resume your tempo rather quickly.

Play safeties that get the object ball close to the 9 ball. This way when he leaves you ball in hand you can end the game quickly...I know you are going for points, but sometimes if you start putting a real beating on someone they just want to be done.

Another thing you can do is read the rulebook, cover to cover, maybe there is a rule in there about the speed of play that your particular league is just not being strict about...if there is bring it up with the league operator, even TAP has a basic time requirement of 45 seconds, I would assume USAPL has something similar though I could be wrong.

Missing less always ends a match quicker as well.

Good luck next time you have to play this fool. I say just be happy with the win, they are hard enough to come by as it is...but tell your captain next time this guy comes up to burn him with a low player and save you for their top dog.
 

BassMasterK

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think your first mistake was actually saying something loud enough for this guy to hear. If he is a lesser ranked player than you and isn't above abusing the clock in an attempt to get you upset and playing worse, then letting him know it was bothering you was your first mistake.

I don't think I have ever seen anyone play faster because they heard their opponent complain about the speed of play under their breath or to the rail. Your best bet would have been to just make a direct appeal to the guy politely and if that didn't work just do what you can on the table to shorten the match.

Just my $0.02. It isn't worth much. I feel your pain.
 

skip100

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here's the deal. People are going to do things that annoy you or shark you in some manner in league. Slow play is an efficient way to throw you off your game, especially if you are a rhythm shooter. Next time you play this guy, he shouldn't see a shot after you win the first time. If he doesn't get to shoot, you can go at your own pace. If you leave him hooked or impossible every time you leave the table, then you can resume your tempo rather quickly.
This is unrealistic advice for the vast majority of league players. Normal people miss shots.

Hell, this is unrealistic advice for professional pool players.
 

WinnerBreaks

Registered
Lots of good points here.

I've come to accept that I could have handled it differently - I was very frustrated after a particular sequence of shots by super 390 and probably appeared visually frustrated by body language alone even before I said anything out loud.

I've only been playing pool at this level (not that amateur APA/USAPL is anything all that special) for 2 maybe 3 years now. I guess what I'm trying to say is I still probably show too much emotion at times which isn't good. I've latched on to a few super 7's/super 9's and strong 660+ Fargo players and my game kind of took off. I shoot with them a lot. They were in my corner as all this unfolded so I took solace in that.

I'm a young guy - just 28 so I hope I can avoid letting people get at me like this as I keep on shooting. Best thing to do is chalk that whole experience up as a lesson. Miss less. And try harder to not let it eat me up inside. It still stinks slow play sharking is a thing. Ruins the game in my opinion.
 
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doubletrouble

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
slow players never learned how to play a game. like the kid who kid can't hit, stands at the plate hoping to get a walk.
 

Cron

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
LI played with a friend who is notorious at starting trouble who always plays safe with slow players... until the last ball. I grew up with him so he's not to me what he is to other people, but it's still cringing to see him play safe when there is only 4 balls on the table and he has a straight shot. I've seen him lose because of this, but he doesn't care as it seems to work 95% of the time. Again I've seen him lose, but I've never seen him do this without his opponent getting pissed off (100% there).

If you like to fight, just play safe even when it doesn't at all make sense... I mean none. Not the first few times, but after enough times people eventually become irritated that you're ****ing with them.
 

Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
Some people may find my point of view on this a little bit extreme, but I think slow players should be dragged out back and unceremoniously shot. "Ok, "Father Time", come with us, you know what you did". And then two to temple and into the ditch, next to "Loud Cellphone Charlie" and "Kamui Chalk Christopher". Ideally they should be shot at the table, but it would take too long before people realised they were dead. With their slow processing speed and all, it may take a dozen or so times before the rest of the glacial geezers realised what was happening, but one way or the other the problem would eventually sort itself out. I know these views may not be popular.
 
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