Do you need to play down to other's level so they will play with you?

JCurry

JCurry

can I use my mulligan?
Silver Member
I'm going to preface this story by stating that I am an SL5 in APA, so I'm pretty average.

This literally happened 5 minutes ago. I'm at work and it's the end of the day. Sometimes, I like to go next door to the cafe where we have a pool table and a ping table. I've been here for about 15 minutes just shooting drills and 6 other guys show up that I work with. We are all friends and hang out, so there's nothing weird between us. 4 of them start playing ping pong and the other 2 just sit. I ask if someone wants to just in and play a rack with me, they all refuse "no, no, we know how serious you are, we don't want to interrput you." Whatever...

So, I pack up and leave because I can't practice with all the jumping around, yelling, balls flying across the room, etc... I walk through not even 5 minutes later and the 2 dudes who were sitting are now playing pool. So I say to them "Oh, I see how it is!" jokingly and continue on my way.

I'm kinda pissed off. Do these guys not want to play me because they know I am going to win? Do I need to chill out when I play other non-pool players and let them win sometimes, intentionally? My wife refuses to play with me at home, probably for the same reason. Does anyone else deal with this? What do you do about it?

Thanks.
 
I usually just don't play with bangers...

JCurry said:
I'm going to preface this story by stating that I am an SL5 in APA, so I'm pretty average.

This literally happened 5 minutes ago. I'm at work and it's the end of the day. Sometimes, I like to go next door to the cafe where we have a pool table and a ping table. I've been here for about 15 minutes just shooting drills and 6 other guys show up that I work with. We are all friends and hang out, so there's nothing weird between us. 4 of them start playing ping pong and the other 2 just sit. I ask if someone wants to just in and play a rack with me, they all refuse "no, no, we know how serious you are, we don't want to interrput you." Whatever...

So, I pack up and leave because I can't practice with all the jumping around, yelling, balls flying across the room, etc... I walk through not even 5 minutes later and the 2 dudes who were sitting are now playing pool. So I say to them "Oh, I see how it is!" jokingly and continue on my way.

I'm kinda pissed off. Do these guys not want to play me because they know I am going to win? Do I need to chill out when I play other non-pool players and let them win sometimes, intentionally? My wife refuses to play with me at home, probably for the same reason. Does anyone else deal with this? What do you do about it?

Thanks.
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If friends want to play, I'll play, but most of the people that I play with are players themselves. With people at work, the few times I've played, I'll just jack around and still stomp on em. I sit out and let them play each other most of the time. It just works out better in the end.

Jaden
 
That's hilarious Josh, you didn't tell that you were going to play. I'll play down if you want.
 
when playing people who are not "pool players" i usually shoot one handed or if i feel they will get upset at that, i'll play offhanded. i find both to be good practice for my overall game.
 
I'm at the other end of that spectrum. My best bud is a SL7 and I'm an SL3. I am no competition for him, and that's cool. I learn a lot from him, and other better players. If it weren't forhim, I wouldn't be enjoying this great game of ours at all, he's responsible! ;)

What my friend does to make it a litlle more evenly balanced, and still good practice for him, is he tries the most difficult shots on the table for much of the game. Banks, kicks, combinations, long cross table shots, masses.... Gives him practice on the more difficult aspects of the game, and gives me a chance if I actually get my "stuff" together and run a few balls at a time. He inevitably wins most of the games, since after a while most of the balls are gone, and there's only so many ways to play the last shots. But we have a good time, and we both get to practice, and compete a little, too.
 
Why not play lower level players with a fair spot? In fact, give up the nuts and try to chase it down. Talk about helping your game.

Steven
 
It may have been what you thought, but it may also have been that they didn't want to disturb you. They also may have just wanted to play a game between the two of them.

I would never drop down to so someone would play me and I certainly wouldn't want someone to drop down to play me. I remember a notorious local hustler asking to play a game. I said sure and he dropped big time even though I knew how well he could play. I told him that if he wasn't going to play his game that he needed to get the hell off my table.

To me it's insulting to have someone drop down for you. When someone does that a win is not a win.
 
If it's a coin-op table, your friends might just be thinking to themselves, "We don't want to pay for this guy's practice time."

If you want to socialize, consider either playing off-handed or enjoy watching them play.

Or, let the two of them gang up on you in a 3-way game of cut-throat (you pay for the first game and make sure they win the first couple of games and their fair share after that so they can have a good time).
 
It's lonely at the top. Most bangers think a 5 is a really good player.
They would just be uncomfortable. Don't take offense. Go down with them tomorrow and play ping-pong.:thumbup:
 
I played with a student and his girlfriend today after work. Both are new to the game. I let each shoot till they miss then I take my turn.

I still win most of the games but they get two turns at the table to my 1 turn. If they scratch I get ball in hand.

They have fun and are starting to work together by herding balls towards pockets when they don't have a good shot, and setting up their partner. It helps them develop some strategy and cue ball positioning in a social game setting. Which they seem to enjoy more than doing drills.
 
My girlfriend doesn't really like playing pool with me anymore... kinda sucks but every now and then we go on double dates with her friends... and sometimes I get lucky and her friends bf wants to play pool and then warns me he is good.... always have fun with that. Like most on here I only really play with pool players now.
 
If there are three of us we play cut throat. That is often fun as they usually double team me.

If I am playing one other person they usually do not want a spot. They want my best game but they get sick of losing so here is my strategy. I watch how many balls they usually can make. I set my game to make as many as they make and then I have to play tough position shot on the next ball. Sometimes I get position some times I don't. If I make it, it is another tough position shot for me.

I do not tell my friend that I am playing this way and they think they are getting my best game. They are not. I am getting good practice and we can play until they are tired. Some of my friends are quite sure they can win on a good day -- and they do win often so everyone is happy.

As a back up, wheneer I win two games in a row I move to the tough position shot rule. You gotta remember, the other fellow wants to know that he can win and keep his self respect. Seems to be the way life is.
 
I usually don't play with friends who aren't into the game seriously. It's just not fun for them. Not that I'm so good, but casual players usually suck pond water from the bottom. If I have to, I play left-handed so I get a challenge and they get a chance to play too.

The only time where I really lay down on purpose and pretend I'm doing my best is when I try to convert a 8- or 9-ball'er to straight pool. I usually (discreetly) play to help them get perfect position on the break ball and successfully bust the rack afterward. That's the point where they realize straight pool isn't just a bunch of 8-ball games strung together, and usually they get that sparkle in the eyes. When the fish is hooked, then I raise the bar a little, but not too high so as to not disgust them.

I do that because it's so damn hard to find straight pool players around here. Most players in my area won't touch it with a 10 ft pole for some psychological reasons. So I'm trying to increase the number of amateurs that way. So far I've converted 2 persons to the point where they themselves ask around specifically for some straight pool action, and I'm still working on a third who almost plays more straight pool than 9-ball now. It's funny when my new straight pool buddies say "wow I feel I really progressed in 14.1, and incidentally, so have you it seems" :)
 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I think I'll try a few different things like shooting left handed or only playing banks and kicks. It's good practice for me and my opponent still stands a chance of winning.
 
Hey Josh, why aren't you here at the awards ceramony?

I agree with the off-handed suggestion... I did that with my son when he was younger (he's a threat to run out now so I can't do that anymore)

you could also allow them two innings to your one. Or give them balls.

Another thing I should point out is when just recreationally playing with lower skilled players, try to make it fun for them. I have two sl2s on my 9-ball team. They don't mind losing a match, but they often say "so-and-so" is fun (or not fun) to play. I try to match them up with people they have fun playing because at their level, they need to have fun so they stick with playing

don't be too serious when recreationally playing with low skill level players ... Make i fun fir them ... B.S. With them and goof off a little
 
I occasionally play down to some people. Most of my friends suck big time and they know I'm a fairly good player(SL6 in APA) so I'll try to prolong the game by not breaking well or taking obvious scratch shots. But I rarely play anyone except other league players anymore. I can't even hand out spots to far inferior players without them turning me down.
If I'm playing with a cute girl who doesn't know me or who doesn't shoot in any leagues or tournaments,I'll really play down to their level. I don't want to make a bad first impression on them by beating them senseless on the table. Some girls like a little competition while some will complain about you beating them,so I try to find a nice balance.
It's hard sometimes to play down to people when your muscle memory is well developed and pocketing balls comes naturally easy to you. Most beginners have certain tendencies in their stroke,stance,and bridges that automatically let you know they don't play seriously. It's hard for me to mimic that stroke when my muscles are trained to my specific stroke. I could always learn to play left handed without fear of getting spanked by better players. :grin:
 
I normally work on some technical aspect of my stroke. That way, instead of concentrating on what I am doing, I am concentrating on how I am doing it. That usually brings my performance down a few balls (hopefully while at the same time helping my game in the long run)

JoeW said:
I set my game to make as many as they make and then I have to play tough position shot on the next ball. Sometimes I get position some times I don't.
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Joe - what do you mean by having to make a tough posiional shot? Do you deliberately get bad shape on the nex ball? Or do you play to get on the next ball by a difficult route?
 
I play a friend in a weekly game of 8 ball. It got to the point where it wasn't fun for him anymore because he rarely got the opportunity to shoot, so now he plays standard 8 ball and I play mine in rotation. That has evened up the playing field.
 
JustinHayes said:
Hey Josh, why aren't you here at the awards ceramony?

I agree with the off-handed suggestion... I did that with my son when he was younger (he's a threat to run out now so I can't do that anymore)

you could also allow them two innings to your one. Or give them balls.

Another thing I should point out is when just recreationally playing with lower skilled players, try to make it fun for them. I have two sl2s on my 9-ball team. They don't mind losing a match, but they often say "so-and-so" is fun (or not fun) to play. I try to match them up with people they have fun playing because at their level, they need to have fun so they stick with playing

don't be too serious when recreationally playing with low skill level players ... Make i fun fir them ... B.S. With them and goof off a little
Click to expand...

I was sitting right behind you. You didn't see me?! Sorry I didn't say 'Hi', I had the wife and kid with me and she didn't want to be there in the first place. She practically dragged us out after I got my trophy.
 
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