Do you concede games?

Do you concede games when you're playing opponents equal to or better than yourself?

  • Never, the game isn't over until all balls are down.

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Yes, it doesn't bother me to concede a game.

    Votes: 100 64.5%

  • Total voters
    155
If the match or game matters,then so does every ball.
Everybody dogs an easy one once in a while...

As mentioned,when at the practice table or just playing for the next rack sure...it just moves things along quicker.I'll give up two and three balls at times if I see the out is hard to screw up depending on the OP's speed of course.
 
jason said:
I voted yes, but not in all situations.


If I'm playing some a**hole, then no I won't. No matter how good or bad of a shot he is. You usually get a good idea even before the match begins.

When playing a team match, I (snip) won't. The reason is because I have a personal responsibility to my teammates to uphold. I not saying I never have or my teammates never have, but this is just a general rule of mine. I would normally defer to the team captain if there was ever a complaint. Generally, it is not spoken about and it wouldn't matter either way with my teammates.


Be a good sport and offer the olive branch when the situation is right. Besides, if it really matters, it is probably about money and you want to get away with the money without a confrontation. This will go along way for your karma.

I dont believe in being petty about things like this.

That about sums it up. I rarely do it. I have had guys say stuff to me like "You're going to make me shoot that in!?" like I don't respect them. I always say "You don't have to shoot it in if you don't want to. You can always let me shoot it in" The only time I can recall doing it was during a friendly practice session where not even bragging rights are on the line. I think it is as much about expedience as it is about respecting your opponents ability not to dog an easy one.

Banger
 
i dont mind conceding a game. i usually do so when i have just thrown away the game-give my opponent bih when he is on the 8 or miss and leave the 8 hanging in the pocket etc (usually play 8 ball).

what really frosts my frump is when an opponent wont take a conceded game. i mean come on. if i say "thats good" and shake hands whats the point of getting down and shooting when you have already won? if your opponent respects you enough to concede, have enough respect to take the game.

brian
 
I don't play many tourneys anymore, but when gambling I'll concede an up table 1 pocket game if I'm playing weaker players a $ per rack game. My odds of winning should be better and if I'm going to win in the long run I need to keep the games as short as possible, and play as many as possible.

You might say....well then the weaker player will just push all the balls up table every game!....maybe, but it's my job not to let them do that! :D
 
good point

jason said:
I voted yes, but not in all situations.

If I'm playing a 1 on 1 money match and I respect my opponent ability and character, then yes I will. If my opponent doesn't do the same, then I would readjust. This is usually not the case.

If I'm playing some a**hole, then no I won't. No matter how good or bad of a shot he is. You usually get a good idea even before the match begins.

When playing a team match, I usually won't. The reason is because I have a personal responsibility to my teammates to uphold. I not saying I never have or my teammates never have, but this is just a general rule of mine. I would normally defer to the team captain if there was ever a complaint. Generally, it is not spoken about and it wouldn't matter either way with my teammates.

The bottom line is if you cant concede a game or two, your probably out matched and will lose anyway.

Be a good sport and offer the olive branch when the situation is right. Besides, if it really matters, it is probably about money and you want to get away with the money without a confrontation. This will go along way for your karma.

I dont believe in being petty about things like this.

I don't like gimmies in team play either, anything can happen, and marking the pocket seems to be a big deal. When i am gambling, practicing, whatever, it's a little awkward sometimes to make the guy shoot certain shots. i will concede the game rather than wait for a slow player to walk around the table 5-times looking at the shot, or wait for my opponent to get a bridge. Sometimes it is just a way to speed things up a little.

There are also those shots that look easy, that some people struggle with. I've even conceded games, just becasue I was afraid they were going to miss , and I wanted him (or her) to win.
 
If they are on the last ball, it is my last chance for them to miss. If I miss a ball to let them in, I don't really feel like giving the game ball with it.

The best I have seen though... I was playing a guy race to 9 for 20$ and at 5-5 he ran the 1-5 after my dry break. the 6, 7, 8 and 9 where all really close to pockets. When the 5 dropped he raked the balls. He gave himself the 6-9. I think that was the funniest thing I have seen during a match. Didn't ask, look or say anything... Scoop..rack'em!!!
 
concede

jgpool said:
I never concede or do I accept one. I don't allow gimme on the golf course and won't accept those either. IMO Just me. It might be a bad habit. :confused:
some of the golf as in match play, to concede to me is a gentelman thing to do as golf is a gentmans game. as in pool if it is a gimmie, i will give it !!!!:D :D :D :D
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
I never concede games as my oponent could die on the last shot of the match from a Heart Attack. :p
I dont want to win that way! The game isn't that important to me, but I have wanted to kill a few! lol :D :D :D
 
Karma

Here is a short story within the spirit of conceding, sportsmanship, & karma:

I was playing the late WaterDog in a monthly bar tournament. He attempted to play a safety. The two ball were close to the rail and it was a soft, finesse shot with the cue to barely hitting the rail. I was sitting down and didn't have the best angle, but I could clearly tell that the cue ball didn't make it to the rail. I was 95% sure. There wasn't a change of angle or a rebound off the cushion. Another person was in a great position to see shot and agreed with me that it clearly was a foul. I called a foul on him, and he disputed it. He had to call it on himself. So, what was I to do?

I was hooked, fouled, and he ran out. Then he forgot to mark the eight-ball pocket. Folks, I dislike this rule because it is not in the spirit of game and wouldn't have called it on him or anyone else, but in this case I did. He stuck it to me and I had the opportunity to return the favor. Karma, just pure karma.

Now to everyone who never concedes a shot, just remember, chalk up! You too may miss cue!
 
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I was playing one really good female player in a local tournament and I conceded the eight ball. She got all mad and told me "it's a confidence thing." I just consider it respect and I don't mind one bit when someone does it to me.

Now I always concede if she's out because I know it pisses her off :D
 
I try not to and dont like my opponnet to do so either especially when practicing.

It seems that since moving to SoCal 5 years ago I have developed more of a tendency to give the last ball more often than I would like. Here it seems to be very common.

Gambling or in a tournament EVERYONE that I play will shoot them all.
Nothing against the opponent but the game isnt over until all of them are made. It can keep disagreements and issues down as well.
 
One other thing...I'm always prepared mentally to make everyshot and expect nothing for free.
 
Match play.

stick8 said:
some of the golf as in match play, to concede to me is a gentelman thing to do as golf is a gentmans game. as in pool if it is a gimmie, i will give it !!!!:D :D :D :D

I have to give you that match play gentlemen stuff. That is part of the game. But if you would see me putt from hole to 3 feet you would be remiss in giving me anything. Now in pool that is probably a different story. I just like closure for me and my oppponent. IMO :)
 
ironman said:
I only concede balls in ring games.

I'm confused...a ring game is the only time I would NEVER give an out because I am not the only opponent involved and would be making the decision for others.
 
I was in a tournament down 6-3 going to 7. My girlfriend said she would never go to watch me play again if I gave any balls to the opponent. SO that tournament I didnt give up any shots to him. He was on the 9 ball. Very easy shot for him to make and he miscues. I win that game and the next 3 to win the match.

I never give a ball away in a tournament / gambling ever since.
 
Conceding a game is shark move and not allowed in major tournaments.

I've seen players concede a game at the US Open 9 ball Championship, they lose that game and the next one as a penalty.

Think about it, you have run to the 8 from the break and the opponent concedes the the 9 ball, it has broken your rhythm and not allowed you to sink the cheese. If you watch enough 9 ball you will see the one and the nine are the most frequently missed balls.
 
I dont play in tournments much, if I did I would play by the tournment directors rules.


when i'm playing a friend for free I usually like to shoot all the balls thats what i'm there for and let them shoot them unless its gonna slow the game down and its a hanger we shoot them all.

in gambling I will give up a ball or 2 perhaps 3 depending on the situation and how the $$$ stands and the momentium my opponent has, I give up balls as a tactic sometimes, who is gonna get mad for giving them a ball or 2?


Something I noticed when I came back to the "Scene" I dropped out in 94 and only played at home for the most part, when I came back in late 06 I noticed that people are less generous about giving up the last shot or 2. I remember watching Kim Davenport playing ?????, for $2000/set race to 11, 9-ball at Great American Billiards in Sacramento. He was spotting who ever he was playing only the 8 so the other guy could play this was in around 88-89 when Kim was beating the world-well the west coast and shortly there after he was Player Of The Year :). The pockets were big and take balls rather easy they were Rebco tables, they would wipe the table sometimes if one of them scratched on the 5 ball for example, just to get to the next rack. Lots of 4 and 5 packs. They hardly ever shot the 9 so it wasnt like they were giving up much IMO. Once in a while they would make the guy shooting shoot them all but not often. Kim and I were talking about this game a couple months ago and we both remembered he won $6,000 but neither of us could remember who he played, it wasnt Tall Paul, or Chris MacDonald, man we were banging our heads to remember, But my point is times have changed and now people make their opponent shoot everything it seems and the rack your own. its all good with me. just sharing an observation of how things change over time, man I feel old like Jay Helfert IS. :p ;)
 
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Conceding balls

If I concede, it is only the 9 ball, and it depends. For a good friend, and an easy shot I will, otherwise usually no.

There are many psychological implications from conceding balls, How it is done, to who, and why? Which could be a very long discussion. I usually decide during the match, but I never concede balls in a serious tournament, meaning 32 players and up.

There are times though, particularly with friends, when it is a sign of respect for them perhaps on the final easy 9 ball. I never concede nothing in a hill-hill match though under any circumstances.

And I do not play for free, so that is not a factor for me. I gamble or I play tournaments 100% of the time.
 
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