Chalk on The Rail

No matter how many pieces of chalk are on the rails, I always end up consolidating them into one group and moving the group around. It defeats the purpose of having multiple pieces of chalk. It might be an OCD thing that I can’t explain. It might drive purposeful chalk people nuts.

Or in carom, I take the one piece of chalk with me when I leave the table.
I find myself putting multiple pieces together now that you mention it. Then I have to walk all the way back around the damn table to get one!!
Makes sense.😂
 
If those are the only two pieces and you’re sharing them with your opponent, that’s acceptable. However, if he has two community pieces and you also have two private pieces, and he must confirm every time he picks up a chalk, that might be considered inadvertent sharking.
If I'm playing that guy, he's already broke.😂
 
The fancy(expensive) chalk has changed things. I play with Master chalk and if there are only crappy pieces of chalk on the table I will put them on a side table and put two pieces of my Master chalk on the table. Naturally, the other player is free to and expected to use this chalk also. I will probably leave it behind when I leave, another thirty-four cents thrown away! What can I say? I am a high roller! If anyone leaves personal chalk on a table, regardless of cost I figure it is free to use.

I try to start off with two decent pieces of Master chalk on either side of the table. In theory that is how I want them to stay and I will often move chalk around while moving around the table. Unfortunately the gravitational pull between chalk pieces is huge and if you have two pieces of chalk on a table or forty they all end up in one pile! If there are more than three pieces of chalk on a pool table or three and one is crap, I take off the chalk down to two pieces. If there are three pieces of chalk on a table and all in good shape I leave all three on the table.

None of this is bible that I attempt to enforce on other people but if the chalk is provided by the house and the other player keeps hauling the only decent piece of chalk off the table I consider it sharking and bitch about it. When I get a tray of balls at a pool hall I expect a decent piece or two of chalk with the balls. If I go to the table and don't see chalk in good shape I'll go back to the counter and get some. I don't expect to have to drill to get chalk on my tip.

Hu
Nice post Hu

Take care
Fatboy 😃
 
It doesn’t bother me unless they leave multiple chalks on the rails. If chalk is in my sight picture, I move the chalk
before shooting. With multiple chalks, it happens too frequently and becomes bothersome. At that point, if it were
to continue, I’ll remove the chalk off the rail every time it’s my inning at the table. I simply place the chalk on the floor
under the table. My opponent can retrieve it when it’s his inning. When that becomes bothersome to him, he can
either stop leaving his chalks on the rails or be prepared to do a lot of bending over while we continue playing pool.
However, a single, solitary piece of chalk left on the table rails “face up” is okay and isn’t a nuisance or distraction.
 
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The fancy(expensive) chalk has changed things. I play with Master chalk and if there are only crappy pieces of chalk on the table I will put them on a side table and put two pieces of my Master chalk on the table. Naturally, the other player is free to and expected to use this chalk also. I will probably leave it behind when I leave, another thirty-four cents thrown away! What can I say? I am a high roller! If anyone leaves personal chalk on a table, regardless of cost I figure it is free to use.

I try to start off with two decent pieces of Master chalk on either side of the table. In theory that is how I want them to stay and I will often move chalk around while moving around the table. Unfortunately the gravitational pull between chalk pieces is huge and if you have two pieces of chalk on a table or forty they all end up in one pile! If there are more than three pieces of chalk on a pool table or three and one is crap, I take off the chalk down to two pieces. If there are three pieces of chalk on a table and all in good shape I leave all three on the table.

None of this is bible that I attempt to enforce on other people but if the chalk is provided by the house and the other player keeps hauling the only decent piece of chalk off the table I consider it sharking and bitch about it. When I get a tray of balls at a pool hall I expect a decent piece or two of chalk with the balls. If I go to the table and don't see chalk in good shape I'll go back to the counter and get some. I don't expect to have to drill to get chalk on my tip.

Hu
I am the opposite. A tray with 6 pieces of chalk.

.. and I use my own. LOL
 
Chalk on the rail never bothered me. This thread is the first time I ever gave it much thot. I like a piece within arms reach, but that's about it. I watched a guy last night put his chalk back in his pocket after every shot!! Big blue stain above the pocket. He's gotta be spending a lot on pants, or a seamstress. Hmmm... Maybe he's on to something...😂
Many years ago I spotted Allison Fisher wearing a leather chalk pouch. It was very inconspicuous and so convenient.
I bought a cheap version that I tossed in my pool sack of miscellaneous items. It was too stiff and the chalk didn’t just
drop in it. Then I spent the money to get what I think was the best version I could find from Peradon in England.

Here’s how I started out and the ringtail lizard chalk pouch was made by Gil Castillo to match the same leather used to
make my 6x12 cue case. The pouch by O’Min Cues is cheaply made, the Masters Cue pouch is fine, the lizard pouch is
classy but the Peradon pouch is the best version I’ve come across and I check all the time if there is anything better.

I am not a fan of chalk sticks carried in your hip pocket or those magnetic holders. I’d much rather use the marsupial approach to playing pool. If it is suitable for a Kangaroo, then a pouch to carry my chalk is equivalently as convenient.
 

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Many years ago I spotted Allison Fisher wearing a leather chalk pouch. It was very inconspicuous and so convenient.
I bought a heap version that I tossed in my pool sack of miscellaneous items. It was too stiff and the chalk didn’t just
drop in it. Then I spent the money to get what I think was the best version I could find from Peradon in England.

Here’s how I started out and the ringtail lizard chalk pouch was made by Gil Castillo to match the same leather used to
make my 6x12 cue case. The pouch by O’Min Cues is cheaply made, the Masters Cue pouch is fine, the lizard pouch is
classy but the Peradon pouch is the best version I’ve come across and I check all the time if there is anything better.
I'm currently using a cheap chalk pouch from Woods Cues, but I do have my eye on a nice burgundy one on Green Baize's web store.

I've always kept my chalk in my pocket, but I've noticed recently that the Taom I keep in the fob watch pocket of my jeans has its label peeling away as a result, so I went down the chalk pouch route. I've always hated those magnetic ones or the ones that have the chalk in a recessed square box.
 
Funny how these ‘unwritten’ issues come up. Traditional things always just assumed.
Two pieces of community (Master) chalk on the table, and players with their own private pieces almost never set them down (I keep mine in a side pants pocket), and would NEVER leave them on the table when their inning is over.
 
the sky is falling,,, chalk on the table. of course if there is too much just take what you don't want on off. don't punish the opponent.

and i put the chalk down however it lands. if you are the chalk police you can set it back how you want it when you get to the table.

and if he leaves special chalk i can but dont, will have the option of using it. as chalk on the table is everyone's to use.
 
Bit extreme but I have seen just as bad from various players with personality ticks. One player I know would place two chalks at exactly the second diamonds every time and would keep moving them to those positions. I would use the chalks on my turn, put them down wherever I was standing. He would go up on his turn, take the chalks, put them on the diamonds before shooting. I use the house chalk 95% of the time, since it's usually Masters which is perfectly fine. Never move it from the table after my turn.
 
If everyone has a personal stash of chalk then all of this would be moot.

People picking up community chalk, leaving their chalk on the table, using other people's chalk....etc...etc.

The expensive stuff basically cut all the crap out.

If you play with a house chalk then take it back to you especially if your opponent(s) are thoughtful enough to do it.
 
Didn’t Mika throw an opponent’s chalk under the table?
Yeah, it was one a hilarious clip.
It doesn’t bother me unless they leave multiple chalks on the rails. If chalk is in my sight picture, I move the chalk
before shooting. With multiple chalks, it happens too frequently and becomes bothersome. At that point, if it were
to continue, I’ll remove the chalk off the rail every time it’s my inning at the table. I simply place the chalk on the floor
under the table. My opponent can retrieve it up when it’s his inning. When that becomes bothersome to him, he can
either stop leaving his chalks on the rails or be prepared to do a lot of bending over while we continue playing pool.
However, a single, solitary piece of chalk left on the table rails “face up” is okay and isn’t a nuisance or distraction.
Chalk doesn't really bother me, except this one time:

I played against a very good opponent in a local tournament. He's really respected and even does instruction. In the area he's one of the best and a very capable player. He had 6 pieces of chalk all over the table.

I watched him determine tangent lines then sit a piece down on the line, but he acted stealthily (I thought) like it was just sat in a random place. He would do this for where he wanted balls to hit a second rail etc, you know planning routes. Most people wouldn't pick up on it as he has the act down really well, picking up chalk, chalking, thinking... it's not obvious.

I would literally have to move a piece of chalk every time I bridged to shoot, or the second shot in a run etc. After about 4 trips to the table I got sick of having to move chalk a dozen times. I sat all of them but two on his side table with him watching me. A game later in the set there were 6 chalks again. I set them back on his table except one. Next turn there are 3 chalks there. I got his attention and sat them on the light.

It's now his turn to shoot. He comes to the table, looks perturbed, walks over to my chair acting really confrontational. Asking "Where is my chalk?" two or three times as he's walking over. I looked at him and said "You saw me get your attention and then I sat them on the light. I've moved a half dozen cubes every turn at the table. I even sat them on your table earlier."

I can see his chest just puff up and he started in on me a bit, I'm thinking he's attempting mainly head games, you know, the "off the table" head games trying to intimidate. I put my hand up and got his attention. I said quietly, with the intention of not calling him out in front of everyone watching, "You know NAME REDACTED, a player with your skill level shouldn't have to aim and mark tangents and CB routes on the table with chalk. I don't mind if you want a couple pieces of chalk on the table but I'm done moving chalk constantly every time I make a bridge."

He didn't say a word, calmed right down and kept only a piece or two on the table. It's illegal pretty much anywhere to aim with chalk and he picked up the unsaid portion of the exchange. 😆

That was the first time I played him or interacted with him much. I thought he was a prick. The next two times we saw each other not a word was spoken. Then later we talked some and he's actually a really good dude. The funny thing is, directly after that tournament he started using magnetic chalk! I don't think he even realized he was doing it! 🤣
 
i find it hard to believe that i am the only one who notices what svb does with his chalk EVERY shot

is there anybody out there? anybody know what brand chalk he uses?
 
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