Games to play with my wife?

Tommy Tube Sock

Tommy Tube Sock

the last place you look
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I am blessed to have a table at home and a wife who understands my passion for pool. I’ve even convinced her to play with me on league night. The problem is that she is a perfectionist at really hates loosing. She wants to practice all the time. So I end up playing her at home a lot. Did I mention that she hates loosing? I sometimes can get away with playing left handed, but if she catches me, I’m in big trouble. I used to give her ball in hand whenever I missed, but she now considers that condescending.

With APA 9 ball its pretty easy to handicap. I just add one to my “official” skill level and it’s a challenge for both of us. In 8 ball, it doesn’t matter how many games I spot her, she’s just not going to win unless I get careless with the cue or 8.

So I’m wondering about creative games. Maybe we play 8 ball and I have to hit my balls in rotation. Maybe I have to call my ball and the next ball. Any other ideas? Maybe even a different game?
 
My wife shoots pretty well, and we play a short rack game (9balls) where I bank everything, and she gets to play kisses, combos, billiards, banks etc. everything but shoot a ball straight in. I am not the lead at this so far because she has figured out how to leave balls near the pockets that I can't bank, but she can combo in:D

it's really a fun game.....Gerry
 
How about one pocket, give her 6

:o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

Or in 8 ball, you have to shoot your pick in rotation.. and she gets to play the regular APA way. That might make it a bit harder. Plus she doesnt have to call a pocket on the 8. And you have to call every pocket.
 
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be still my fingers . . .

Tommy,

When somebody uses the title "games to play with my wife" it is almost too much temptation! However if you are trying to hide what you are doing the best I can suggest is deliberately pick the toughest runout you can without being obvious.

If she will accept it, let her play plain eight ball while you only shoot kicks, caroms, combinations, and banks. Kissing a rail is legal in addition to whatever else you do but doesn't count as a kick or bank and of course no slop allowed. I found that this made me work pretty hard playing with anyone who shot a bit and it is excellent practice for when the tough shots come up gambling or in competition.

Hu


Tommy Tube Sock said:
I am blessed to have a table at home and a wife who understands my passion for pool. I’ve even convinced her to play with me on league night. The problem is that she is a perfectionist at really hates loosing. She wants to practice all the time. So I end up playing her at home a lot. Did I mention that she hates loosing? I sometimes can get away with playing left handed, but if she catches me, I’m in big trouble. I used to give her ball in hand whenever I missed, but she now considers that condescending.

With APA 9 ball its pretty easy to handicap. I just add one to my “official” skill level and it’s a challenge for both of us. In 8 ball, it doesn’t matter how many games I spot her, she’s just not going to win unless I get careless with the cue or 8.

So I’m wondering about creative games. Maybe we play 8 ball and I have to hit my balls in rotation. Maybe I have to call my ball and the next ball. Any other ideas? Maybe even a different game?
Click to expand...
 
What this enTAILS ....

(subtle hints are contained within this post ...lol)

What she wants is to beat you in what she determines to be a fair competition. The only acceptable way to do that, for both parties, is
to handicap fairly. Either within the game (she get to remove 4 balls
in 8 ball) or by wire (you go to 10, she goes to 4 in a race). It is not
uncommon for people to WANT to win, before THEY KNOW how to win.

And, if you still win, tell her you will offer a return match in Scramble.
At least, in this way, your sex life might not DRY UP completely.
 
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Teach her how to do the Allen Hopkins Q-Skills rating test and she can do this for practice, when you are not available.
http://infohost.nmt.edu/~billiard/qskills_scorecard.html

You can also get her one of the many books with drills, which will improve her game.

BTW, my wife is not really a player, but once in a while she likes to play 9-ball, using the APA scoring and handi cap system. As I'm sure you know, when you adjust the hadicaps, it can be fun for her and very challenging to you too. :D
 
Strip pool. Loser of each game sheds an article of clothing. She might not mind if you aren't playing your best!

My wife always hated if I let up on her or handicapped her, but she's finally started letting me give her games on the wire and we do races. In a race to 10 I usually give her 5. She probably needs 6 or 7 but she won't take it.
 
Maybe try Bowliards. Then your playing to beat your best score rather than competing against each other.
 
As Captain says, you need to play games that you aren't in competition with her. Rather, you are playing against your personal best, record, etc.

My gal and I play 14.1 and that golf game that you set up shots.

Trick shots are fun and can be competitive too. Plus they teach carom angles.

Hope this helps.
 
Playing my Son, I will bank all my shots. Your idea of playing your balls in rotation is pretty fair too.

If you're still beating her, I don't know what you could do to level it further.
 
How about poker pool? And you don't need any new equipment to play this.

The ace equates to the 1-ball, a 10 to the 10 ball, the jack to the 11, queen to the 12, and king to the 13 ball. The 14 and 15 balls are "freebies".

So you deal out 5 cards and you have to"play your hand". That is, you shoot the balls that correspond to your hand and the first person to shoot their hand wins.

But here are the catches. If you scratch you must draw two cards from the deck and opponent gets BIH. After you shoot your next-to-last card/ball, you must declare "shooting for one" or you draw two from the deck. You can shoot at any balls on the table as a bluff but if your opponent gets you to your last card you must declare "shooting for one" or you pick two cards from the deck.

I think that about covers it.

Barbara
 
Teach her how to play safeties and leave you without a shot. There is one such "wife" around here who hates to lose and is not a shot maker.

However after several years of everyone always winning against her, she has learned to leave other players without a shot. She keeps doing this again and again (unless she has a shot) - and slowly makes her balls a few at a time. Then all of a sudden she runs out the last couple of balls and wins!
 
If you are really a good 8 ball player, after you pocket your suite, you need to pocket her balls, then the 8 to win. That way, you had better have a real good pattern in mind or you'l do all her work. And if your a good 9 ball player as well, pocket her balls in order first, you can work both games at the same time.

Or let her start with ball in hand every inning, and maybe every other shot.

Or the handi cap I like. Top or bottom her choice. you get 2-5 of her balls that are yours the top or bottom. And play an offencive game, unless your in deep dodo=)

Pete
 
Being a wife of a pool player, I thought I'd comment on this subject. I also enjoy playing pool, though I'm not that good (only a 2 in APA 9-ball). I also hate losing, however I do not want my husband to let me win because when I do win (and I have beat him) it's that much sweeter. Of course, he usually gives me some weight, but not all the time. Just watching my husband play pool, helps me with my game.

Are you teaching her how to play or just practicing with her? Show her some drills and have her practice them. That way, she'll become better and possibly be able to beat you fairly.

Just my two cents,

RCK

Tommy Tube Sock said:
I am blessed to have a table at home and a wife who understands my passion for pool. I’ve even convinced her to play with me on league night. The problem is that she is a perfectionist at really hates loosing. She wants to practice all the time. So I end up playing her at home a lot. Did I mention that she hates loosing? I sometimes can get away with playing left handed, but if she catches me, I’m in big trouble. I used to give her ball in hand whenever I missed, but she now considers that condescending.

With APA 9 ball its pretty easy to handicap. I just add one to my “official” skill level and it’s a challenge for both of us. In 8 ball, it doesn’t matter how many games I spot her, she’s just not going to win unless I get careless with the cue or 8.

So I’m wondering about creative games. Maybe we play 8 ball and I have to hit my balls in rotation. Maybe I have to call my ball and the next ball. Any other ideas? Maybe even a different game?
Click to expand...
 
See if you can find her a better-suited opponent than yourself... one that is more her speed... perhaps another pool-player's wife/girlfriend.

Watch them play and then after they play a game or two... IF they want feedback... (not be be over-emphasized)... advise them on what they could have done to play a better game... like, going for a safe vs. a run-out at a particular point... or a different pattern play that was more natural, etc.

Pool is best played against an equally-skilled opponent... that's pretty much a given.

Competitive spouses whose skill level is considerably less than that of their spouse is frought with problems IMO... and in some cases, to be avoided like the plague.

Good luck. :)

Here's one that I used to do with my sons when we played 8-ball...

Their spot, so to speak, was I had to alternate back and forth between an odd-numbered ball and an even-numbered ball of mine while I was on a run. When I finished my run (assuming I didn't get out) was where I had to start my next turn at the table. It leveled the table a bit.
 
We practice by just hitting a full rack and then alternating turns and just going for any ball on the table. I will try for hard, if not imposible shots, while my wife will shoot for anything she can make. She loves to play but has zero interest in practicing by herself. This way it's fun for her and she's making better shots and gaining confidence, while I'm working on my banks and kicks, etc..

As far games go we play 9 ball. Since I'm not good enough to run the table, there's always a chance I'll miss and leave her an opening - which happend the other night. She dropped the last 4 balls with one really nice side english leave off the side rail. She was thrilled that she beat me fair and square, rather than the way I normally lose in 8 ball. (That would be my uncanny ability to pocket the 8 AND CB together!) :D
 
A good onepocket spot is for you to have the traditional one corner pocket. She has her's and the other corner pocket opposite at the other end of the table. It will help both your games.
 
When my ex and I used to play, we would play Eight Ball (the only game she knew) and I would bank every ball. That way she got turns every game, so it was fun for her. And challenging for me.
 
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