9 ft tables only for action... what would you do?

twilight

twilight

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi guys I need an ego check or something. This situation has come up a couple times. Every few months, I go visit my parents or some old friends on weekends in another city. I found a small pool hall that has only two 9ft tables, but at a fantastic rate. The tables are well kept despite it being a small pool hall. A while ago I got there when the pool hall opened at 5pm and sought out one of the nines. Throughout the night, 4 or 5 guys ask to play for money. (I don't play for money right now, perhaps in the future, but I don't want to go off on a tangent right now) I politely refuse and give my reason to some, and not to others. The last guy told me that there are only 2 9ft tables here and they usually have money games on them. I thought to myself, well, I'm a paying customer and first come first serve. I did offer every single player who wanted to jump on the table with me to split table time if they wanted. I was usually blown off.

A month or so later this happens again. One of the guys asks if I'm ready to play for money now. I again explain why I don't gamble, and offer him to play on my table if he wants to split the time. I'm practicing drills and straight pool mostly, sometimes I play the ghost, and I'm willing to stop and play with people, but the regulars seem to not like me there. Last week the same happens and one guy who's a bit drunk gets loud and suggests very strongly to either play for cash or let people who are waiting to gamble use the table. My response is that I am a paying customer, I buy drinks, food and tip the establishment. I know this is a privately owned business and if I'm not wanted the owners can ask me to leave. It is thier right, as it's a privately owned business.

Thinking back, I wonder if I'm taking their tables away from them. Is it disrespectful? I could practice on an 8ft, that'd be fine with me. On the other hand I'm a customer, I pay for my time and no one is going to bully me off a table. What would you do?

Lets not talk about getting into fights or gambling. That's a whole new thread. Am I wrong to hog the table when I know others want to gamble? I'm thinking my money's as good as anyones. I actually like this pool hall and the rates are a steal, I'm not going to avoid it just because a few people don't like me on thier tables. Besides I only visit 4-5 times a year. If anyone thinks I'm wrong to take the tables please let me know. Maybe I need an ego check.
 
Next time one of those guys tries to tush-hog you off of a table, just give him one of those flying knee-kicks to the chin.

That'll teach 'im. :)
 
usually a courtesy

Usually purely as a courtesy I will let people who want to gamble for more than pocket change have a table I am on if they want it and I am just practicing. It is a courtesy however unless it is house policy at that particular establishment. That means that people who ask politely get the table, people who demand it are likely to be refused.

Most people do expect to toss something your way when you surrender a table, usually your table time.

Hu
 
Well i can see why they'd be frustrated or annoyed with you. But on the other hand i believe you're in the right. Pool tables go first come first served. You're paying, and offerering anyone who wants to play with you the table so i don't see you in the wrong. Plenty of games for money have been played on 8ft tables and even bar tables. It might not be ideal for them but unfortunatly you've got the table. Don't let them bother you, or maybe have them buy the table off ya :)
 
I don't think its disrespect your talking about, its courtesy. If I could practice my drills on an 8' table, like you said you could, and someone wanted my 9' table to play for money, I would extend the courtesy and let them have the table. Perhaps the extension of the courtesy would come back to you at a later time.
 
Call me old school...but it is indeed polite to give up any table needed for action. I would have no problem doing so & have many times. When I was mgr. of Mother's this was an unwritten rule. Often if a table was needed for gamblers I would ask nonplayers if they'd mind moving into the front room. I learned this lesson from an older one hole player named Patcheye...he was practicing but when he learned we needed that table to match up then he politely asked if we were gambling. Upon saying yes, he paid his time & gave us the table. He later told me if we were not betting then he would of kept his table...and explained this older unwritten rule. Many younger or new players have no idea...but I'm sure most would not have a problem with it. Why keep a table if others can make money...they may very well need it to support their family. I know quite a few that fall into that category.
 
If the owners/staff dont have a problem with it....... dont worry about it. This is a petpeeve of mine. Ive had the same thing happen. Sometimes Id get pissed and ask them if they want to play for bigger money just to shut them up. :D
You werent doing nothing wrong, if the owners wanted their business over yours, they would tell you to hit the road. One place I used to play in, I would dump 100-150 a night in their tills. I would go in at 5pm and be there until 2am, having drinks, playing and eating dinner there. The owners didnt seem to mind if I was keeping the table from a couple guys who wanted to rent it for an hours worth of table time. ;)
Chuck
 
From a room owners point of view....

We have a table that we reserve for action only in our room. But on the occasion that we have people leaving because all of our tables are full and the wait is too long; I will rent the action table to someone else. If I get any lip from the regulars just sitting there I simply inform them that loitering isnt paying my bills tonight...the bangers are. I tell them to back off and let the "nobodys" play so that they can pay for your cable tv you are watching and the air conditioning you are sitting in. Usually when the table opens up again they get a little p!ssed at me and get into cheap action anyways. Most serious players will forfeit a table for a bigger game. Common courtesy. Or they will offer to pay another persons pool time to get them off the table. Well, 99% of them will.

But if the regulars are giving you that much trouble...I am curious why the owner would not put them in their place. You are paying...they are not. Sounds like something else is going on. Like you have a nicer cue than them and they are jealous; or the cute waitress is giving you too much attention. I think there is more to the story.
 
It's obvious you are pissing people off. If you want to continue to have that happen then keep on doing what you are doing. If you want to let people gamble and like you for going along with what appears to be the local way of doing things then move to the 8 ft.

I don't think there are any "shoulds". Accept what the situation clearly is and decide on what outcome you want.

My opinion is that you are in the way and ought to move to another table for your practice and let people have the good table for the money game. The opinions are likely to be split 50/50 so it still comes down to how you want to proceed. You can go along with the way things are done or you can insist on having things your way cut the consequence is that you will have to be ok with people being pissed off while you are trying to practice and you'll have to know that you are being a pain in the ass to others.
 
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I would give up the table, either go to another table and practice, or sweat their game, you might learn something. You might even ask what they are going to play for to see if it is worth you giving up the table. If you can avoid a hassel then thats the way to go, you can play another day. Too many crazies around now.
 
twilight said:
[...] Am I wrong to hog the table when I know others want to gamble? I'm thinking my money's as good as anyones.
I actually like this pool hall and the rates are a steal, I'm not going to avoid it just because a few people don't like me on thier tables. Besides I only visit 4-5 times a year. If anyone thinks I'm wrong to take the tables please let me know. Maybe I need an ego check.
Click to expand...

I think you're wrong to keep the table.

Taking the action tables to do drills by yourself is a little like taking Cliff's or Norm's stool in the Cheers bar.

It's about recognizing and accepting the pool hall can be more than a pool-table-renting operation that might be likened to a locker-cubby rental operation in a bus station.
 
Table

I would have gave up the table. If they started playing for beers or $5 a game then I'd be annoyed and never give it up again. If they were actually playing for something I'd feel I made the right decision and wouldn't want to stand in the way of someone's progress.
 
mikepage said:
Taking the action tables to do drills by yourself is a little like taking Cliff's or Norm's stool in the Cheers bar....
Click to expand...

to buy a coke....

Kelly
 
I agree

with Varney and Mike Page, you should give up the table and just go to an 8 foot. Action Tables are a draw in a Pool room. People watch the Action games all the time. Room owners know the benefit of having Action Players in their place. It's like having a lounge act in the Riveria in Vegas.

This falls in the same category as when a Challenge table has a money game or table stakes going on, and not having some yokel put their quarters up to play for free. That was a no-no in the old days. The winner dictated the terms and if you didn't want to play for what he did, say $10, $20, $50, a game, then you just shut up and watch.

It's all part of not ruining anyone's action. Money takes precedence over Free always in Pool.
 
???????????

Every time in my life i have ever asked someone to give up a table so we could gamble I've either paid or offered to pay their table time. At any time I have been asked to give up table for action I have always done so.
You can practice anytime. In my opinion this is common room courtesy.
Pinocchio
 
there are two ways to view this.....

twilight said:
Hi guys I need an ego check or something. This situation has come up a couple times. Every few months, I go visit my parents or some old friends on weekends in another city. I found a small pool hall that has only two 9ft tables, but at a fantastic rate. The tables are well kept despite it being a small pool hall. A while ago I got there when the pool hall opened at 5pm and sought out one of the nines. Throughout the night, 4 or 5 guys ask to play for money. (I don't play for money right now, perhaps in the future, but I don't want to go off on a tangent right now) I politely refuse and give my reason to some, and not to others. The last guy told me that there are only 2 9ft tables here and they usually have money games on them. I thought to myself, well, I'm a paying customer and first come first serve. I did offer every single player who wanted to jump on the table with me to split table time if they wanted. I was usually blown off.

A month or so later this happens again. One of the guys asks if I'm ready to play for money now. I again explain why I don't gamble, and offer him to play on my table if he wants to split the time. I'm practicing drills and straight pool mostly, sometimes I play the ghost, and I'm willing to stop and play with people, but the regulars seem to not like me there. Last week the same happens and one guy who's a bit drunk gets loud and suggests very strongly to either play for cash or let people who are waiting to gamble use the table. My response is that I am a paying customer, I buy drinks, food and tip the establishment. I know this is a privately owned business and if I'm not wanted the owners can ask me to leave. It is thier right, as it's a privately owned business.

Thinking back, I wonder if I'm taking their tables away from them. Is it disrespectful? I could practice on an 8ft, that'd be fine with me. On the other hand I'm a customer, I pay for my time and no one is going to bully me off a table. What would you do?

Lets not talk about getting into fights or gambling. That's a whole new thread. Am I wrong to hog the table when I know others want to gamble? I'm thinking my money's as good as anyones. I actually like this pool hall and the rates are a steal, I'm not going to avoid it just because a few people don't like me on thier tables. Besides I only visit 4-5 times a year. If anyone thinks I'm wrong to take the tables please let me know. Maybe I need an ego check.
Click to expand...
The right way .... :eek: Which in my opinion is if there are eight footers open and I am only practicing I would take a eight footer and keep the peace if there is a nine footer open only I would take the nine and let the local gamblers wait their turn! as previously stated it would be a courtesy to allow them the table not a given!

The wrong way is to take a nine footer out of spite and let them be damned ! IMO! I try and place myself in the other guys shoes and in that situation I think it would be wrong !:(
 
Maybe if they pay your table time I would say give it up. You're only there 4 or 5 times a year so they can deal with it. Or better yet, play them for it. If they're better than you then it would be worth moving to a different table just to watch them while you're shooting on an 8 footer IMO.
 
Pinocchio said:
Every time in my life i have ever asked someone to give up a table so we could gamble I've either paid or offered to pay their table time.
Pinocchio
Click to expand...
THAT'S the way to do it. A while back I was playing a long session with a guy $20 one-pocket on the tightest table in the house. Lil John and The Mystery Player wanted that table to play some $200 one-pocket. There were other 9' tables available. LJ said he'd be happy to pay our table time. Since we'd been playing 6 hours already, I thought it was a good deal. My opponent agreed, so we moved over one. The key was his offer to pay the time. If he hadn't done that, we wouldn't have moved.

Doc
 
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