Finding a match at the pool hall

J

Jonathan01

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Hey, I am new at going to the pool hall to play pool. I have been going one or twice a week and practicing. I have one team mate from my apa team that comes with me, but he plays for 1 or 2 hours max and is ready to go. I will stay and practice by myself for 1 or 2 more hours. What I am wondering is, what is the normal way to find a match in the pool hall. I am not looking for any money games, just normal play.

Thanks for any help
 
Jonathan01 said:
Hey, I am new at going to the pool hall to play pool. I have been going one or twice a week and practicing. I have one team mate from my apa team that comes with me, but he plays for 1 or 2 hours max and is ready to go. I will stay and practice by myself for 1 or 2 more hours. What I am wondering is, what is the normal way to find a match in the pool hall. I am not looking for any money games, just normal play.

Thanks for any help
Click to expand...

Ask the counter man to match you up.....
...and explain the conditions you wish to play under.
..it's part of his job.
 
I usually just go up and ask a guy.

"Hey, you want to play some sets for fun?"

"Want to practice"

"It's no fun playing by yourself and takes two to tango. Want to do some tango-ing?"
 
pt109 said:
Ask the counter man to match you up.....
...and explain the conditions you wish to play under.
..it's part of his job.
Click to expand...

Ok, never thought of that. I was just thinking that the people playing just found someone willing to play with them and made matches.

I would be willing to play for like $1 or $2 a game, but i am more just looking for some more table time to improve my game.

The place has a bartender that is there all them time, that i think would be able to do that somewhat. The owner of the place was there about half the times that I went there, and he runs around all night, moving people around to put league matches on certain tables, and such things. It seems like he know every person that goes in there regularly, and what skill level they are, what they normally play, etc. I will make sure to ask him the next time i go. I hope to go there this weekend. I was thinking about going tonight, but i think i will wait till saturday or sunday.

On the nights that they have in house league matches there, they are pretty full, but other nights, they are about half full.

Thanks
 
dom_poppa said:
I usually just go up and ask a guy.

"Hey, you want to play some sets for fun?"

"Want to practice"

"It's no fun playing by yourself and takes two to tango. Want to do some tango-ing?"
Click to expand...

Yea, even if the guy just did drills with me. Like set the shots up while i shoot, than i set them up for him.
 
I just ask, "Ya wanna bang some balls around?" that starts the conversation if one is gonna get started, then ya just go from there, whaddya wanna play, gamble? cheap set, etc.
Just introduce yourself to the regulars, most won't bite:grin:
 
Jonathan01 said:
Hey, I am new at going to the pool hall to play pool. I have been going one or twice a week and practicing. I have one team mate from my apa team that comes with me, but he plays for 1 or 2 hours max and is ready to go. I will stay and practice by myself for 1 or 2 more hours. What I am wondering is, what is the normal way to find a match in the pool hall. I am not looking for any money games, just normal play.

Thanks for any help
Click to expand...


Go into the room of your choice and determine which table is "the money" or "action table." It'll usually be near the counter or in a corner. There may be a really good player knocking them around on it by hisself.

Then, wait till the room is crowded, usually later at night, with lots guys sitting along the wall AND THEN throw a fistful of $100's onto the table and say something couth like, "Which one of you maggots wants a piece of this."

That should do it.

Lou Figueroa
 
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lfigueroa said:
Go into the room of your choice and determine which table is "the money" or "action table." It'll usually be near the counter or in a corner. There may be a really good player knocking them around on it by himsself.

Then, wait till the room is crowded, usually later at night, with lots guys sitting along the wall AND THEN throw a fistful of $100's onto the table and say something couth like, "Which one of you maggots wants a piece of this."

That should do it.

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...

Yea, that would do it, but i might as well just give them the money and not even play. I hope to be that good one day though.
 
Jonathan01 said:
Yea, that would do it, but i might as well just give them the money and not even play. I hope to be that good one day though.
Click to expand...


Ok, fair enough.

So what you do is go up to the counterman and tell him exactly what you're looking for: friendly, knock em around; cheap $10-$20 stuff ; maybe some $40-$50; or maybe more. Tell him your speed (be semi-honest) and he should be able to point you to someone in the room to spar with.

Lou Figueroa
 
lfigueroa said:
Ok, fair enough.

So what you do is go up to the counterman and tell him exactly what you're looking for: friendly, knock em around; cheap $10-$20 stuff ; maybe some $40-$50; or maybe more. Tell him your speed (be semi-honest) and he should be able to point you to someone in the room to spar with.

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...

Bad idea.

Don't trust the counter guy unless you are a regular.

I, and many others, have tipped out the counter man for lining us up with guys like the OP.
 
lfigueroa said:
Ok, fair enough.

So what you do is go up to the counterman and tell him exactly what you're looking for: friendly, knock em around; cheap $10-$20 stuff ; maybe some $40-$50; or maybe more. Tell him your speed (be semi-honest) and he should be able to point you to someone in the room to spar with.

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...

Ok, i think the owner of the place would be the guy to match me up. He seems really friendly, he is just always running around when he is there and not playing.
 
dom_poppa said:
Bad idea.

Don't trust the counter guy unless you are a regular.

I, and many others, have tipped out the counter man for lining us up with guys like the OP.
Click to expand...


Of course this happens, but that should be factored in if you have to ask in the first place, no?

Lou Figueroa
BTW, there are some honest
counter guys out here
 
dom_poppa said:
Bad idea.

Don't trust the counter guy unless you are a regular.

I, and many others, have tipped out the counter man for lining us up with guys like the OP.
Click to expand...

Yea, i don't know about just any counter man matching me up for money games, but for just free friendly games i don't really care if i get beat everytime. Although it would be nice to actually find someone willing to actually teach me some stuff, instead of just running out on me every game.
 
Jonathan01 said:
Yea, i don't know about just any counter man matching me up for money games, but for just free friendly games i don't really care if i get beat everytime. Although it would be nice to actually find someone willing to actually teach me some stuff, instead of just running out on me every game.
Click to expand...


That would be called "paying for lessons."

If you're astute, you can pick up a lot by just playing/watching almost anyone who is better than you, but have you have to watch *real* close. Udderwise, you can look for the guy in the room that impresses you most and offer him $20-$50 to play for a few hours and will answer all your questions. The better players are usually happy to help.

Lou Figueroa
mostly because they know
you are a million hours of play
from becoming a threat
from whatever they show you :-)
 
lfigueroa said:
Of course this happens, but that should be factored in if you have to ask in the first place, no?

Lou Figueroa
BTW, there are some honest
counter guys out here
Click to expand...

They have a pretty nice bartender there that handles both the tables and the bar when the owner is not there. She is probably late 20s early 30s, and i think she plays on some pool teams too, would think i could trust her to match me up. I think she recognizes me now, because normally takes my driver license for the table time, but last night she never took my id, and just gave me the balls. I am planing to go there about 2-3 times a week now.
 
Most guys who are willing to play for cheap are more than willing to give you some pointers.
You can always ask, "Any Lock Society members here?":grin::grin::grin::grin:

(Yeah, I crack me up:grin:)

seriously though, you've gotten some good info, and nobody says you can't say, "Thanks for the game, I need to find someone closer to my speed."
 
I must look like a real easy mark or easily approachable. I usually just roll the balls out on the table, screw my stuff together, put on the glove, ankle weight, wrist support for carpal tunnel, bicep weight, yellow tint shooting glasses, throw a hygrometer on the rail, and start playing the 9 or 10 ball ghost. Has never taken more than 15 mins or so (max) for someone to approach with a potential game. Sometimes I play them, sometimes I don't... :grin-square:

Peace and good luck...

~Razor
 
lfigueroa said:
That would be called "paying for lessons."

If you're astute, you can pick up a lot by just playing/watching almost anyone who is better than you, but have you have to watch *real* close. Udderwise, you can look for the guy in the room that impresses you most and offer him $20-$50 to play for a few hours and will answer all your questions. The better players are usually happy to help.

Lou Figueroa
mostly because they know
you are a million hours of play
from becoming a threat
from whatever they show you :-)
Click to expand...

yea, i am millions of hours from becoming a threat. I might get luckey in 1 out of 50 games, but thats about it.
 
Jonathan01 said:
yea, i am millions of hours from becoming a threat. I might get luckey in 1 out of 50 games, but thats about it.
Click to expand...


I was, of course, being facetious, But you know, "the journey of a thousand miles..." and all that: ASK!! -- you'll get some pointers. And after awhile you'll learn which guys know what they're talking about and which don't.

Free knowledge. You just have to ask.

Lou Figueroa
 
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