Is it just me.........It seems that, no matter when/where, the available chalk on the table always ends up being situated in a cluster on the table ledges. I constantly attempt to spread it around when shooting but to no apparent effect. All the chalk always ends up in the same place after a seemingly short period of table time. I have relegated this to another one of those weird, unexplained phenomena, sorta of like dog/wife behavior. Anyone have any empirical data??
Chalk Clusters - WTF
- Thread starter clovis
- Start date
Confucius say ,,A single chalk can never form a cluster".
What an amazing coincidence. The same thing has been happening to me.
Every Monday I play One Pocket with this guy and every time I reach for a cube of chalk I find they are all at the other end of the table. Not only that, they are sitting on the same sight and all facing the same direction with an equal amount of space between each one.
The other day I said. "What's up with the chalk?"
He said. "What chalk?"
Every Monday I play One Pocket with this guy and every time I reach for a cube of chalk I find they are all at the other end of the table. Not only that, they are sitting on the same sight and all facing the same direction with an equal amount of space between each one.
The other day I said. "What's up with the chalk?"
He said. "What chalk?"
I have seen this unusuall phenomenon, in fact during the stream of the 10 Ball matches this weekend I have seen clusters of 3 chalks all over the place.
Another odd thing, I observed that if you scratch by missing a ball, the cue ball way more than not, ends up falling into a pocket afterwards. This has happened so many times that this theory of mine has almost been proven a fact. One time I have seen 3 fouls on one stroke. Cue ball missed the object ball, hit another ball so hard it bounced it off the table, and then proceded to find it's way into a pocket.
Another odd thing, I observed that if you scratch by missing a ball, the cue ball way more than not, ends up falling into a pocket afterwards. This has happened so many times that this theory of mine has almost been proven a fact. One time I have seen 3 fouls on one stroke. Cue ball missed the object ball, hit another ball so hard it bounced it off the table, and then proceded to find it's way into a pocket.
I wonder if it was subconscious avoidance of this statistic that I decided to grab but a single piece of chalk when I practiced at Golden Fleece a few days ago...!
Absolutely - one cube is okay but two is more convenient, three is a pain in the ass.
If there are more than two on a table I remove the extras.
And please learn that the blue side always points up.
Smart dude, that Confucius.
Upon finding a cluster of chalk this Dave will remove them all to a side table.
Dave <-- carries his own chalk and leaves the table with it :thumbup:
watch the BigTruck video from The Big Easy
Match after match there were three pieces of chalk on the TV table.(barbox) Match after match they were tightly clustered in one place regardless of who was playing. Why this happens is one of life's little mysteries.
I do like two pieces of chalk on a bar table, two or three on a big table. More and I spend too much time moving chalk, less and I spend too much time walking to grab chalk. I am one that constantly spreads the chalk out myself. I have to admit that even playing by myself I have found that chalk exerts a strong pull on other chalk and it often winds up close together.
Hu
Match after match there were three pieces of chalk on the TV table.(barbox) Match after match they were tightly clustered in one place regardless of who was playing. Why this happens is one of life's little mysteries.
I do like two pieces of chalk on a bar table, two or three on a big table. More and I spend too much time moving chalk, less and I spend too much time walking to grab chalk. I am one that constantly spreads the chalk out myself. I have to admit that even playing by myself I have found that chalk exerts a strong pull on other chalk and it often winds up close together.
Hu
Had the same thing happen last night playing in a tournament. What drives me nuts more is the person who likes to take the chalk back to their chair and set it next to themselves on the table. Of course they forget and next thing you know...chalk clusters on the drink table and none on the playing table.
i like 3-4 pices on my box and about 2-3 by my chair. I dont care if they are upside down or on their side on the rail, I'm playing pool not house keeping and making sure the rails are clean-its more important to stay in the moment than sweat the chalk, I just dont like to have to look around for it or walk around the box.
I have never figured out the cluster thing but it is real and is a pain.
I have never figured out the cluster thing but it is real and is a pain.
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I think it has more to do with not getting chalk all over your shirt when you're bending over rail *AND* respecting your opponent enough to not get his clothes dirty by leaving chalk dust all over the rails. Drives me nuts when people put chalk on the rail upside down.
As for the clustering, it's a world wide phenomenon. For some reason when I go to rack there is always a piece of chalk on the end rail. I don't know why I think like this but I always have this image in my head that that piece of chalk sitting on the end rail will be in the line of sight of the person breaking. So, when I rack, I rack the balls and then when I'm walking back to my seat I pick up that piece of chalk and set it on the side rail. Strange little quirk of mine.
MULLY
I've noticed the same phenomenon and move the chalk from the short rail before I rack.
Earl, is that you???
In all seriousness, I keep one cube of chalk on the table for myself, and I take it with me after each shot. It was an easy habit to get into, and now I'm never without chalk.
Something else I noticed... our local hall for no reason gives anywhere from 5-10 pieces of chalk with each tray of balls. I place only two on the table, more and you're constantly playing dodgedick with them trying to find a place to shoot.
No matter where I put the excess chalk, somehow at least 2 more end up on the table. My buddy usually packs a few to take home with him. It's like the towels at the hotel.
No matter where I put the excess chalk, somehow at least 2 more end up on the table. My buddy usually packs a few to take home with him. It's like the towels at the hotel.
I find this "chalk cluster" happens when you are playing those fine folk that like to pick up chalk and wander around the table while grinding it over and over into their tip, while never looking at their tip while chalking. They finally end up on the end of the table(with a nicely blue ferrule) to take their shot, right next to the OTHER piece of chalk on the table, at which point they move both pieces of chalk aside to take their shot.
I just wish they would look at the table first, figure out which end they were shooting from, then pick up the chalk and actually chalk properly, then take their shot. But heck, I'm talking about people that squat down on the other side of your shot, looking at your line from their side, and thinking nothing of bobbing up and down while you are shooting. I guess clustering the chalk isn't so bad after all.
I just wish they would look at the table first, figure out which end they were shooting from, then pick up the chalk and actually chalk properly, then take their shot. But heck, I'm talking about people that squat down on the other side of your shot, looking at your line from their side, and thinking nothing of bobbing up and down while you are shooting. I guess clustering the chalk isn't so bad after all.