Acceptable Times to Take a Restroom Break During a Tournament Match

[ChrisinNC]

This is an issue I have with some players that just don’t seem to understand when the appropriate time to take a restroom break is during the middle of a match. This should be common sense, but clearly isn’t to some players and certainly can (in my opinion) be considered a form of sharking. Here are examples of when it is and is not appropriate to take a restroom break during a match. Just curious as to any opinions from others?

Acceptable:
1) Between games, when you are breaking.
2) In the middle of a game when you have control of the table.
3) Between games, when your opponent is breaking, with the understanding that as long as there is a witness, your opponent may elect to go ahead and rack and break and potentially continue shooting in your absence.

Not acceptable:
1) In the middle of a game, after you have missed or played safe and have given up the table to your opponent.
2) In the middle of a game while your opponent is shooting.

 

[justnum]

As someone with medical conditions and getting older and realizing how much of my body I don't control, let's say

To help other people understand: Imagine I have cat allergies and my opponent is wearing clothes covered in cat dander. I will have clear physical reactions and if long enough I might start having internal issues like tightness of chest or shortness of breath.

Yes I show up to compete and I take it more serious than it should. But if my opponent is a medical trigger, then rule books were not written to respond to medical emergencies.

Its a good topic, but there are several medical reasons for poorly timed breaks. Ask pregnant women if they can decide when the baby is acting up in the womb.

 

[Biloxi Boy]

Fool me once . . . If it happens over and over, it's sharking, and the offender penalized, banned if necessary. I am always amazed at the depths some low minded individuals will sink in attempting to gain undeserved advantage. Please, if you must shark me, do it with a level of some sophistication -- ideally I won't be able to realize I was sharked until hours later. Sharking at such a level deserves appreciation even though eliciting disgust. The point at which the most pernicious sharking begins is when your opponent lives within your head, and you cannot be certain of his intent. All of the rest is simply bush league.

 

[JABSolstice]

Between games when you are the breaker. Any other time can be abused or cause other issues.

 

[ChrisinNC]

Between games when you are the breaker. Any other time can be abused or cause other issues.

Yes, that is unquestionably the best time for a break, but if you are not playing alternate breaks and you are unable to win a game to get the break and you really need to go, I can certainly see whenever your opponent gives up the table after their break as being an acceptable time to take your break.

 

[GoldCrown]

Best time to go is before you piss or shit yourselves….. or out the bathroom window if you are broke and losing

 

[Kid Dynomite]

I notice substance abuse players taking multiple breaks and trying to get the mix right to unleash their best game.

Only problem with that is the opponent is severely inconvenienced....

We playing pool or outside smoking weed???

I quit a guy for arguing with his old lady for too long during the match on his cellphone. I thought it was going to be a short nuisance! two hours later and call number 7 later. I looked at him and said you really going to disrespect the game and me by having me wait some more? I will decide for you! I quit!

I believe in reciprocity! If I am courteous and keep the game disturbances to the bear minimum then I expect my opponents to as well! If they can't or won't show the same respect for me then we don't need to play....

Kd

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[justadub]

I agree with the OP.

My experience is almost exclusively league situations, and in our little world, most folks just give the other player a heads up, and say "go ahead and keep shooting", since their teammates are right there watching. Sometimes the player does keep shooting, sometimes they wait, sometimes they take the opportunity to go as well.

In tournament situations (or I would assume gambling) you'd want to be going along the OP guidelines.

<<<I have a beer drinkers bladder, so I can wait till an opportune time>>>

 

[Tin Man]

In a mainstream tournament breaks are allowed on your break before you break.

In most environments I think it’s ok to take a break as long as it’s your inning, usually at the beginning of an inning.

But not everyone follows etiquette so you have to be prepared for all kinds of crap. Strategies for dealing with this would be a different question and thread.

 

[pt109]

If it’s my table, I’m not taking a break. I ran out after he missed….then I got the tournament director to rack for me.……..
……ran five and out…he was on the B when he got back…he was pissed, but he couldn’t figure out why he was pissed.

 

[Flakeandrun]

Serious matchplay? Never... unless it is literally a matter of 'life or mess'
it's a set to 7, 9 or 11 for the most part... be prepared.
Longer sets, negotiate stoppage points before play.

 

[justnum]

I notice substance abuse players taking multiple breaks and trying to get the mix right to unleash their best game.

Only problem with that is the opponent is severely inconvenienced....

We playing pool or outside smoking weed???

I quit a guy for arguing with his old lady for too long during the match on his cellphone. I thought it was going to be a short nuisance! two hours later and call number 7 later. I looked at him and said you really going to disrespect the game and me by having me wait some more? I will decide for you! I quit!

I believe in reciprocity! If I am courteous and keep the game disturbances to the bear minimum then I expect my opponents to as well! If they can't or won't show the same respect for me then we don't need to play....

Kd

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

Sometimes its easier to fart outside then drop a bomb in the bathroom. I personally feel embarrassed when my body does not function normally.

There are some big pool players, in terms of physical size. If any of them farted during a match and it was a bomb, a break would be required.

Have you ever played through an foul smelling fart or wait for it to pass?

 

[The Old Jaybird]

oh you youngsters....when you get to be my age, 76, with an enlarged prostate, there is NO timing, you just have to go RIGHT NOW. Just wait, you will have "bathroom issues" too, its just another "fun" part of growing old. When I look for a new place to shoot pool, I check out the facilities first, before I ever screw my cue together.

 

[Kid Dynomite]

Sometimes its easier to fart outside then drop a bomb in the bathroom. I personally feel embarrassed when my body does not function normally.

There are some big pool players, in terms of physical size. If any of them farted during a match and it was a bomb, a break would be required.

Have you ever played through an foul smelling fart or wait for it to pass?

You get 2 bathroom breaks every 5 hours!

What I am talking about is guys going 5 times in 5 hours!

Guys on the phone for 10 and 15 minutes at a clip and you stuck waiting!

Once or twice is fine to handle the situation. Beyond that! You need to quit or tell the person on the phone to f off your playing pool and can talk later....

Kd

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[justnum]

You get 2 bathroom breaks every 5 hours!

What I am talking about is guys going 5 times in 5 hours!

Guys on the phone for 10 and 15 minutes at a clip and you stuck waiting!

Once or twice is fine to handle the situation. Beyond that! You need to quit or tell the person on the phone to f off your playing pool and can talk later....

Kd

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

The worse is the player that shows up late and acts like its your fault for not getting a table ready.

During the match antics that are unacceptable. The person that fidgets or can't stop moving only when its your turn and they are in the line of the shot. I know its not a breaking issue but its an courtesy issue. The shooting player should be allowed to say your distracting me in my LOS.

This thread makes more sense. I thought it was a breaking committee for the WPA.

 

[ShootingArts]

I have made the mistake of bending over and stretching when I thought I had gas under control. Sounded like a top fuel dragster firing up! People three or four tables over looked over and anyone closer broke and ran for fresh air!

I try to take care of any business right before starting play both because I like to wash my hands before play and to keep from interrupting play. Ideally if I have to take a pause I do it when it is my break and before I break. I have played the rare two hour one pocket game though. All bets other than the one prompting the game are off!

As several have already noted, things change as we age. Sometimes there just isn't time for laying speeches. I'll call back a quick "excuse me" as I lay my stick across the table to interrupt play and I'm gone.

There is the ideal time to pause which is after a game or even a set when gambling and there is a time that all will be grateful you paused. Sometimes you aren't aware that nature is fixing to play you a dirty trick!

Hu

 

[justadub]

***edit***
*** duped my earlier post for some reason***

 

[Flakeandrun]

oh you youngsters....when you get to be my age, 76, with an enlarged prostate, there is NO timing, you just have to go RIGHT NOW. Just wait, you will have "bathroom issues" too, its just another "fun" part of growing old. When I look for a new place to shoot pool, I check out the facilities first, before I ever screw my cue together.

Obviously some logic and compassion can be applied. I was talking more about more serious tournament play, league play can be at the players discretion, but breaks shouldn't be something that are expected. As I said, there's situations that arise that are literally 'life or mess', also medical conditions that can be taken into account. But frivolous 'bathroom breaks' for a quick cig, phone call or tactical advantage... nah...

 

[Rusty in Montana]

With a daily intake of a handful of prescription drugs and vitamins after getting my throat and thyroid fried with chemo and radiation it's a rare thing to not see me with a large stainless steel tumbler of ice water to keep me feeling as if I really do belong to the human race ha ha

The other fun thing is my voice changes close to 60 times a day which freaks some people out thinking I'm sick .
Normally I do my best to go before the match starts or before I break .

 

[justadub]

Obviously some logic and compassion can be applied. I was talking more about more serious tournament play, league play can be at the players discretion, but breaks shouldn't be something that are expected. As I said, there's situations that arise that are literally 'life or mess', also medical conditions that can be taken into account. But frivolous 'bathroom breaks' for a quick cig, phone call or tactical advantage... nah...

Smokes or phone calls are definitely not cool (tho as a parent and as a business manager, I'm sensitive to having to at least look at your phone upon occasion...it should only be urgent and something that can't wait, and kept to a bare minimum)