Considered unsportsmanlike or "dirty" ?

cubc

cubc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In league last night we had to play on one specific table that is known to be just hard for breaking and making a ball. I've got the joe tuckers rack secrets, and know it quite well. I can typically make balls on the break on most tables but not this one. Cut break, side break, top english to throw the 1 ball back in the corner.. nothing.

So the score is 64-13 I need one and I'm breaking. This guy got most of his points off of my dry breaks. So this time instead of breaking to make a ball I break from the left side and hit the 1 ball as if i was breaking from center and put top left on it to make 4 balls hit the rail and spin behind the back of the rack to .. safe break and it went 2 rails and hooked him pretty badly. Their whole team kind of sighed because they knew he couldnt hit the 1. He just picked up the ball and gave it to me and broke his cue down.

Would you all consider that.. dirty? or wrong? or smart? or what?

Thanks.
 
Dirty AND smart. :D

You played within the rules of the game.

This smacks of those situations in bars, playing bar rules - where you're up, and you're expected to "go for it" - no strategy, no playing position, just "go for the shot" - and the only thing you can do if you DON'T play strategically is going to cause a guaranteed loss. And if you do something OTHER than go for the impossible shot and the unavoidable loss, slang terms for female genitalia are then uttered. :/
 
You know that if you are shooting the game winning ball and your opponent breaks down his cue he is forfeiting the game. You do not have to shoot.
 
dirty? or wrong? or smart? or what?
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Out of the above options I'd pick smart without batting an eye.

...and if it were my post I'd add the one word that came to mind as well when I read the intial portion: PERFECT!
 
You played the score and made the smartest tactical move you could think of. You did so within the rules. Seems perfectly acceptable to me.

In fact I would go further and say that you were actually obligated to your team to attempt this shot, since it was within the rules and since you felt it gave you the best chance to win. It is no more dirty or unsportsmanlike than any other safety IMO.
 
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Very smart play.

I had the same situation a few weeks ago. I should have done exactly what you did. Instead I broke the table wide open and had 3 hangers in the holes but none dropped, the guy runs out and they beat us by 1 point for the round. I'll never make that mistake again.
 
I'm guessing you were playing APA 9ball. I know that there 8 ball rule book used to have a rule agaist soft breaking. It was almost useless the way it was worded though. 9ball might have the same kind of rule.

Other than that, I think it was a good move. The other thing to consider is how many the other guy needs. If he isn't very good and needs a lot of balls then I would just break like normal.
 
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Not all of us could have counted on succeeding at that break, but if you have the skill to succeed a high percentage of the time, smart.
 
Well I guess I felt kind of bad because.. other than making balls off of my dry breaks the guy really never got a shot. I locked him up so much he only hit one and then he actually said "I shouldnt even waste time trying to hit 'em and just give it to you" that it just seemed like he was a bit demoralized at the end.

I know league is supposed to be a fun time for players and on one hand I dont want to ruin someone elses night who isnt as serious. The guy needed 25 more balls as I was breaking but on the other hand with the team I'm on, if I dont win big a lot of times we lose so every point really does count.

When I soft broke safe it just looked like he hated the game of pool and I didn't like that.

I have never played this team before and in league I've never seen someone so disheartened. I've seen it gambling but thats different. Not some unsuspecting guy who went from being happy to play an 8 whispering to his team he would get a lot of points since I needed so many balls to then looking like he just wanted to never play again. Kind of made me feel bad to be honest because I dont want anyone to hate the game because of me.
 
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cubc said:
Well I guess I felt kind of bad because.. other than making balls off of my dry breaks the guy really never got a shot. I locked him up so much he only hit one and then he actually said "I shouldnt even waste time trying to hit 'em and just give it to you" that it just seemed like he was a bit demoralized at the end.

I know league is supposed to be a fun time for players and on one hand I dont want to ruin someone elses night who isnt as serious. The guy needed 25 more balls as I was breaking but on the other hand with the team I'm on, if I dont win big a lot of times we lose so every point really does count.

When I soft broke safe it just looked like he hated the game of pool and I didn't like that.

I have never played this team before and in league I've never seen someone so disheartened. I've seen it gambling but thats different. Not some unsuspecting guy who went from being happy to play an 8 thinking he would get a lot of points for the team since I needed so many balls to then looking like he just wanted to never play again. Kind of made me feel bad to be honest because I dont want anyone to hate the game because of me.
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I played a guy one night who was ranked higher than me. We were playing 9 ball and before I played I was in a 10 ball tournament so I was quite warm by the time I played him. It was apa 9 ball so it's just simple rotation. I missed twice the whole match. Got perfect position each shot, even when I missed. I was just in the zone that night. He was po'd at me but I didn't care and I didn't feel sorry for him. It's competition you are there to win.
 
Hope they raise you to a 9?
Did you declare it a defense move as you did not attempt to make a ball.
What was the Sl you were playing against?
I have some 9's that will give you all you want!
 
Okay. Didn't he say he needed just "one more ball."? The guy should've played better up to this point. Just like a kicker missing a fifty yarder. He didn't lose the game, did he? Would he have unscrewed if he was ahead, when you pulled "the move?" Would Johnny have pulled this for a thousand. Bet your arse. Tell him he shoulda played better if the name calling starts.
 
fish on said:
Hope they raise you to a 9?
Did you declare it a defense move as you did not attempt to make a ball.
What was the Sl you were playing against?
I have some 9's that will give you all you want!
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By the way, did you just make the schoolground comment that you have friends that are better. Were you speaking about yourself? Sorry, the old "my friend's better than you." irritates me. Just remember, there is always someone better.
 
Actually he needed 25 more balls. He was a 5 going to 38. I was going to 65.

I was on 64, he was at 13 with me breaking.

And yes.. there is always someone better. I never forget that every single day. I just play the best I can every time. And in terms of the 9's comment.. yea I played norris brady a couple weeks ago in the cities and lost by 7 balls. The entire match was 5 innings including safeties. Probably the most enjoyable match I've played all year. I was just happy I got to play him and did as well as I did because there is no question hes much more experienced and better player than I. Hes also a really nice guy as well.

When I went to Atlanta a little while back I got my ass handed to me. It happens quite often actually. But I try to learn something every time.. and hey I got to meet Mike Templeton while there too which was cool.

I really dont regret what I did on that break after thinking about it. It was all I could think of.. and I play the table not the player every time regardless of skill level. Just.. the guy was so sad is all.
 
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cubc said:
Actually he needed 25 more balls. He was a 5 going to 38. I was going to 65.

I was on 64, he was at 13 with me breaking.
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If he's a 5 he should have no issue with having you play smart. The simple fact he had 13 by the time you had 64 says he was off or scared...
I play a 9 ball tournament where no one takes it easy on me...and it's what I expect. But then...that's me.
 
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