bar tourney etiquette

desertshark

Racks on racks on racks
Silver Member
I'm brushing the rust off and headed to a bar tourney tonight.

First should I bring my play and break cue? never stepped foot in this place before.

Just looking for a few good games.

Second, should I be doing well enough to take the pot, should I since I've never played here? I don't want to piss anybody off. Just looking for a few good games.
 
I bring my Schon, but then again, at least half of the people in the bar tournaments around here have their own cues with them.

Win if you have the opportunity, split if it gets hostile.

Good luck!
 
Bring everything you need, dont worry about what other think. And hell yea, you win if you can, why else would you play ?
 
Yeah I don't know what I'm really worried about. $5 buy in isn't much and the pot isn't going to be huge. I guess I just don't want to upset anybody in their bar since I've never been there.

I just want to play some pool and get my head back into it before the league starts. It's been a long time for me to play and I've never played in a tournament before.
 
Last bar tournament I played in there was no bar tourney etiquette, it may as well have been monkeys having a shit fight at the zoo. So after I won my first match I got the distinct feeling that I should have laid down, so I sat at the bar and pretended not to hear them call my name for the next match. I drank my beer, bought one for the lady next to me and quietly left, teeth in tact. Discretion is the better part of valor....
 
Around here if your above a two speed you carry at least two cues and a huge case. I sort of like it, I blend in for once. Back in the olden days you walked in with a nice case and everyone stared like you just rolled in from mars.
 
I've never been to a bar tourney where people didn't have their own cues. A lot of em have their own break cues or use house cues to break. Doesn't really matter, I would just be nice to the tournament director, and don't be super serious as if you're just there to win it all, without saying a word. :) Have some fun and talk between matches and such (unless you seem to be annoying the other players).
 
The group of guys there were really cool, explained a lot when I had questions and great competition. Played a few warm up games with the fiance, a few with some regulars then got in to the playing. I learned so much and even had a blast watching the strategy of the other players. There was a few who used house cues, a few with single cues and a few guys who had 2 or more. All in all I felt right at home. They do 8-ball tourneys twice a week and 9-ball once a week. It was cheap entertainment. I'm definitely going back for both 8 & 9 ball next week.

And as far as my game, made it to the 3rd round of the first match and choked. The loser single elimination I lost but the guy I was playing told me I was better than that.

Totally worth the $5 for the pot and $20 for the tab including tip. ;)
 
Bar tourney?

Only one goal: get out with the money and more of their blood splilled than yours and without a broken cue and without too many people hating you.
 
Around here if your above a two speed you carry at least two cues and a huge case. I sort of like it, I blend in for once. Back in the olden days you walked in with a nice case and everyone stared like you just rolled in from mars.

You can thank leagues for that, imho.

Jeff Livingston
 
If you like to use your break cue than you should bring it. Who cares what other people think about that? I remember some kid was *****ing at me for using the mechanical bridge in a $5 tourny. I smiled and let him know that pro players use the granny stick and if the best players in the world need to use it than it made sense for me to use it as well. He couldn't really argue with that.
 
You walk in there LIKE a boss, you kick everyones @$$ then you walk out a BOSS. I dont think aynthing else needs to be said.......
 
A good rule of thumb to follow.

Let your game be what people notice about you... not your equipment.
 
Hey Dave, I agree. There were some guys in there that were great players. I found myself watching their game rather than scoping out their equipment. I also noticed when I was shooting, nobody cared what I was using but were impressed with my game. If I wasn't so nervous, I could have done better. I'll go back next week and play again. I'm not too concerned with playing to win money, but playing to win against guys I've never shot with before. It's a different rush rather than playing your friends that I had forgotten years ago. I found a good close place to play, the tables are decent and the people are pretty cool too. I'm glad I went, just gotta bring my game with me next time lol
 
After you go there for a few tournaments, the nerves will probably go away. I would make an apperance in there on days other than the tournament. That will go a long way with the natives and the owner, and get you used to the tables and environment. Glad to hear you found a new place to compete.
 
Back
Top