Constant, deliberate Sharking

A

Adanac67

Predator=Awesome
Silver Member
Sir. How do you handle someone who is constantly sharking you? I am talking about the guys you ignore, ignore, ignore but they jump in your shot every time and then get upset when you finally call them on it. I refuse to drop to their level by sharking them and the day I get in a fight over the game I love will be the day I quit for good. I know how I handle these guys. I just want your input. Thanks.
 
I know what you're talking about. I had a guy who was twice my size this Monday night who kept standing at the pocket every time I tried to shoot and he'd either rock back and forth or swing his stick and talked about how I would miss a shot soon. He won the first two games, then I was able to block it out of my mind and kicked his butt a few times. After he lost 5 games in a row, he started getting much worse. Finally while I was looking over a full table hard cut shot, he stood behind the pocket rocking, shaking his stick, and then coughed when I started to pull the stick back. I stopped the stick, reset, and tried again, same result. So I simply stood up, looked at him and said, "I have been nice to you all night and sat on the stool while you shot. I'll wait to you can give the the same respect." He looked at me like a 5 year old and claimed his innocence. I told him I didn't care if he was doing anything on purpose but he was distracting me from behind the pocket and asked that he kindly move. He finally did and I made the shot. The VERY next shot he was behind the pocket again. I told him that if he was behind another poket I would be finished playing against him. He moved but was behind the pocket on the next shots till I finished on the 8 ball. After sinking the 8, I broke apart my stick, thanked him for playing me, and walked away.

The thing I think that kept me "safe" is that I never accused him of doing it on purpose. He couldn't get too mad at me because the problem was that I got distracted. However, I told him if he kept doing it I was done, and kept my promise. Sure, he could have broken a stick across my head, but I'd rather beat him, walk away, and let him know why. There are plenty of other people to play and plenty of other tables to play on.

On pay tables I have been known to let the guy win and then leave the bar. Again, plenty of other places to play a friendly game. At least tournaments prohibit people from doing this kind of BS.

Just my $0.02,
Chuck
 
Chuck, that was a very mature way to get out of the situation without losing temper. I know a plenty of people who would fell for the shark and lose temper and then start playing badly. Of course there is a difference if the opponent is your friend or a complete stranger. You can tell your friend but start "educating" a stranger about billiard etiquette could/would be a waste of time and a possible source of argument & fight. Also it makes a difference if you play for the table or if you have a considerable amount of jellybeans at stake. I would have also walked away with a polite comment about the opponent's bad behaviour.

As you said, there are other opponents and other opportunities to play a nice friendly game. I prefer my friends over strangers. But then again, not many strangers want to play when they see me practising :-)
 
I'd have quit that match leaving the table to him. Then, I'd have gotten another set of balls and proceed to play ALONE on some other table. The interaction, IMHO, just isn't worth it.
 
I ALMOST broke my stick apart and walked mid game, but was happy to beat him and leave. No money in the game in question, but that also made me wonder why the guy was being such an idiot. To his credit, he's a good player and that's why I wanted to play him. Seems to me that a friendly game should just be friendly, but then again I'm weird that way! Glad I'm not the only one who plays these idiots.
 
I have had it happen to me in tournaments with the tournament director WATCHING it happen and not saying a word!! The guy had sharked me earlier in the match. (Race to 3 8 ball) I just sat in my chair and remembered. He ran out and then broke and ran a few balls and missed. I had made 3 easy balls but then I had a cut in the corner to a break out which was a bit tricky so there he was, standing right in front of me waving his cue. I got up and reset on the shot SIX TIMES before he finally got the hint and sat down. I ran out that rack and the next one. The last game took an hour because he was in front of EVERY shot. Every shot I waited until he was where I wanted him without ever saying a word. He was so angry I thought he was going to swing at me. Why? Because I did not play under his conditions and I embarrassed him without ever saying a word. I see that guy now and he just doesn't bother trying to shark me any more.
 
I worked at a small pool hall, 9 tables, and two guys were playing 8b at a table that was right in fron of my counter. One guy kept sharking the other guy but the other guy didn't even know he was sharking him. The guy that wasn't sharking was shooting the 8 in the corner pocket and the shark grabbed the rack and was dangling it above the pocket the 8 was going to go in. The shooter missed and the shark started to put the rack back. I told him to rack the balls or get the Hell out of my pool hall. I don't like that crap and wouldn't tolerate it as long as I worked there.
 
Me and my buddies shark each other all the time, but it's all in fun. we just try to push each others buttons.

I would never do it to a stranger, not because I'm above it, but because i'm scared of getting my ass kicked lol. j/k

I always play fair and I'm usually pretty quite when playing someone I don't know.
 
Same guy did it to me again tonight. Don't know if I mentioned it, but he's on my pool team. You'd think he wouldn't want to annoy me before I played my match, but....
For some reason I didn't even notice it tonight until I was tired of shooting. I guess I was in some kind of zone. Once I noticed it I said something and then left the table. I think I'm going to make the point obvious at our next league match.
As an aside to the discussion, I lost my match 5-0 (8b) to one of our town's best shooters. Should have had the first 2, boned the 3rd, and he B&R the last 2. Oh well. After Planet Pool this weekend I needed a break.

I still think, if there are other open tables, walk from the game if someone is sharking you. If there are a lot of people waiting to play your table, don't give the guy the satisfaction. Beat him, make him wait, then beat him again! :-)
 
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