An apology

[Jeff Rosen]

OK, what if you're on two fouls and the opponent doesn't realize it? If you then get a third foul do you admit it and take the loss (or lose 15 pts if playing straight pool)? Isn't that the same thing?

 

[KRJ]

Then you are allowing someone else to determine your morals.

It is NOT okay to cheat a cheater....IMO

I like you principle on this one pt......makes a lot of sense, never thought of it that way !!

 

[alstl]

Then you are allowing someone else to determine your morals.

It is NOT okay to cheat a cheater....IMO

I moved constantly when I was a kid, more places than I can remember from Alaska to Texas. I don't like to fight but most of the places I lived there was somebody trying to bully me. I dealt with it by throwing a punch or two. Even if I got my butt kicked the bullying stopped.

The question remains. The guy who said he won't call a foul on himself - when I take the table I start cheating my ass off. What is he going to do? Most likely he is going to stop cheating when he realizes I am willing to take it to the next level.

It is called standing up for yourself. Most people like that will back down when they realize who they are dealing with.

 

[Lynch]

OK, what if you're on two fouls and the opponent doesn't realize it? If you then get a third foul do you admit it and take the loss (or lose 15 pts if playing straight pool)? Isn't that the same thing?

Absolutely! I play in a straight pool league where up until recently, it was all ball fouls. It has since been changed to cue ball fouls only for various reasons, unless both people want to play all ball fouls. I play this way whenever possible. Most fouls happen near the stack and a lot of the time when I barely bump a ball my opponent doesn't notice.....In my opinion, this is the moment of truth. You either continue to shoot like nothing happened or give up the table and take the foul. It's a brutal way to play for amateurs, but it forces one to be honest. Last session, I was playing Melissa Little and on a run of twenty something and barely bumped a ball with a wide open table. I'm not sure if she saw it or not but I did and forfeited the table to her and took my foul. It really sucked to say the least.....But it's the right thing to do. Just like the OP, i've also done the wrong thing in a tourney a while back. I double hit a ball and no one noticed but me and kept on shooting.....Felt so shitty afterwards, I could barely make a ball and lost the match. That's Karma at it's best and I'd like to think I've learned from it.

I do understand the reasoning behind playing cue ball fouls only. It's tough to notice barely brushing a ball with your shirt....

Major props to the OP! We live and we learn or we can hope to anyways....

 

[TCo]

You are wrong about that, when you are playing without a ref it is up to the player to be honest if they foul. The other player should not have to hang over your shoulder or never go to the bathroom for fear you may just rearrange the balls when he is not looking. There is an understanding you will play honestly. Anything less, is cheating.
You say, "this ain't golf" as if honestly is exclusive of golf. Not cheating should be expected of anyone you play. Is that too much to ask?

Agree MG - rules aren't made to help you win, they're used to define the game.
Play the game.

Scott - Integrity even if delayed is still integrity.