"Call'em or mark'em?"

justadub

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
Looking for advice, or perhaps just some reassurance.

Last night in my league match, my opponent asked if I wanted to "call'em or mark'em" on the eight. I'm never one for ceremony, and if it's ok with them it's ok with me, either way. We went with "call'em".

So we're on game three, I'm on the hill, and my opponent is shooting the eight. I honestly didn't see or hear him say or point at anything, so I asked the two players from his team that we're watching and keeping score. They didn't know, and spoke to him and asked. My concern is that he was down on the ball, though he hadn't begun practice stroking yet, just aiming at that point. He stood up, pointed, and then promptly missed his shot. Yeah, I made the eight next shot, end of match. I told him that it sucked to end his match like that, and thanked him for the match. He is generally a pretty quiet kid, so I couldn't tell if he was pissed at me, or himself, both or what.

I know I was within my rights to ask, and it was his teammates that did the asking. I just felt bad, as it appeared that we interrupted his shot preperation. Was I out of line? I always make eye contact with either my opponent or one of his teammates when I "call'em". He didn't do that with me.

I think I'll start suggesting "marking" from now on, just to skip this stuff. Your thought, you who are soooo much more experienced at this that I?
Thanks
 
If it's obvious....I don't even ask. If not, ask away. That's for league play. Between friends.....I trust ya.
 
Most skilled players I play have the integrity to just call it. In APA type matches, mark it, anything less results in stupid arguements.
 
I think this is one where we'd a had to been there to make that judgment call. Most likely you sharked him and should be banished from the game for life. ;) j/k

For a match shot, he really should have made darn well sure you knew where he was going with the 8.
 
javi2 said:
If it's obvious....I don't even ask. QUOTE]

I agree. Was there any doubt in your mind where he was shooting the 8 prior to you asking him? I would guess about 1 in 100 times, you cant tell where someone is shooting the 8 ball by how they line up. Just more League Hoopla IMO.
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In APA I always ask for a mark. You get guys who may have zero integrity, miss the nine on a two wayish shot and it go in another pocket. If no one is paying close attention then its a he said said arguement. Maybe I'm paranoid but this way it avoids all controversy. Between friends, don't even tell me just shoot the ball lol.
 
I should've said earlier, it wasn't completely obvious. It was a cross-table bank on the side, or could've been banked to the opposite corner. The one he took seemed to be what I would would've went with, certainly. If it was gonna be anything straight in or similar of course I wouldn't have said anything.

It wasn't my intent to shark him. And I asked his teamates, rather than trying to interrupt him. I just felt bad afterwards.

The more I think about this, the more convinced I am that marking is the only way to fly with this stuff, if only for my own concience.
 
You shouldnt feel bad on a shot like that. You have the right to know where he is going, especially if he didnt clearly indicate it
 
If you honestly didn't know which pocket he shooting at, then you were absolutely correct to ask. The earlier you ask, the better; you don't want to make him go all the way through his pre-shot routine and THEN interrupt him to have him call the shot if you can avoid it.

On the other hand, if it was obvious which pocket he was shooting at (straight in shot), then you should have just let him shoot, in my opinion.

The trouble here is that if there's a dispute, you can't use the rulebook to resolve it, since you were already operating outside the parameters of the rulebook by agreeing not to mark. If the match means anything, it's safer and easier just to follow the rules to the letter.

-Andrew
 
I play in the APA. I will usually go for call it during regular league play. This last Monday I was playing and the player didn't call it but it was obvious. He won that game. If he were some smart a$$ or someone that was sharking me I would have called him on it. I told him while racking that he has to remember to call the pocket because some players are so desperate to win that they will stick it to him. He agreed and thanked me. We are both 6's, and respect and enjoy playing each other. Don't try to cheat or get away with something. If there is a foul we acknowledge it even if not caught. I usually don't have a problem with any of the other players that are 5 or above because they have enough pride and know that I will give them a good game.

I have seen on TV where Reyes was called out by his opponent for not calling the ball. Reyes just walked away banging his head as he usually does when he messes up.
 
I always mark it during league play... Its a good habit to form if you play a lot of leagues. In most higher level, league sponsored national/regional tournaments it is a foul not to mark it, whether you agreed upon it or not. Kinda stupid but when you have to forfeit a game cuz a referee calls foul, you learn better safe then sorry. :eek:

IMO you definately were not out of line. If youre calling the 8, your opponent should have got your attention to confirm or he is just begging to get asked again...
 
Whenever they went to mark the pocket I always just told em that they didn't have to.
 
If it was obvious there is no need to bother him and ask. If it bothered you enough to come here and post about it asking for forgiveness from the pool masses it would probably have been better simply letting the guy shoot his shot without getting technical with the rules and doing the little mini-shark. If you are calling the balls, and obvious calls are not required for any of the other balls, then it stands to reason that the straight in 8 into the corner does not need a call either. Banks, caroms, 50 yard line shots, kicks, ect... those need a call.
 
I always wait until a member of the opposing team acknowledges the pocket I'm pointing at even if it's straight in.
There have been times when I didn't have a clue what pocket someone was playing and just stood and watched.
Usually after the shot it becomes obvious when it goes 1 rail or straight in but all banks IMO should be called.
So if you sharked him I don't think it was your fault. You agreed to call pocket and according to what you said he neglected to call the pocket he was banking to. You had the right to ask.
 
xianmacx said:
javi2 said:
If it's obvious....I don't even ask. QUOTE]

I agree. Was there any doubt in your mind where he was shooting the 8 prior to you asking him? I would guess about 1 in 100 times, you cant tell where someone is shooting the 8 ball by how they line up. Just more League Hoopla IMO.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree. I have seen guys forget to mark the pocket as well but if I'm playing a guy and it is obvious I don't worry about it. If I was starving to death and playing for food I would call him on it.

But then I don't take leagues as seriously as some people so I won't judge what others do.
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