gimmicky pool

[poolguppy]

So I got into a decent dirtbike wreck a few months ago, hyper expetended and tore up both my shoulder and knee, haven't played much pool until this last month that Ive been trying to get my game back. I only go to the local bar for football games and shoot some pool afterwards, and I've come across something new locally...guys who play with intentional handicaps?? First guy I played a few games with plays one handed with a beer in the other hand the whole game, and he is pretty good at it, if you don't consider his 15yrs of practicing it. He can win a game or two but he can't hold up any kind of race, anyways I was playing the other night and beat him a couple games straight, and everyone was in awe of him playing one handedeven though he was losing, then the next guy jumps up and says "I'll play ya, not with one hand, but with my eyes closed"...why? Just why? So he closes his eyes before his shot after aiming, makes 3 balls, before leaving me the table to run out on, but all night playing these dudes they would not quit with the freaking gimmicks no matter how many games they lost. Anyone else come across this or can explain WTH these guys are thinking? It's pretty frustrating because at the end of the game they fall back on "well I was playing one handed" or " I was shooting with my eyes closed". I've never come across this and suddenly it happens a couple times per night, how do you guys react to this annoyance?

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

You need to find another bar to play pool in.

They aren't playing pool and neither are you if you are playing them.

Its not even good practice time and you're wasting your quarters or whatever it takes to plug a table.

If they are the only people to play with in that bar, its a hurtin place.

 

[Jimmy_Betmore]

I have a theory as to why they'll only play with some sort of goofy handicap. But before I get to that, I have to ask, what do you think their speeds would be if that played straight up? I mean, even if you haven't seen it, you can probably tell by their patterns and other little tells. My bet is that they'd be C players at best.

As to my theory on why they'll only play with the goofy handicaps its because it makes it easier for them to deal with losing. If they play a better player straight up (not one-handed or with their eyes closed) and lose, they don't really have any excuse for losing except that they don't play as good as their opponent. However, if they insist on playing only with the goofy handicap while their opponent plays normally, they have a built-in excuse. "Oh, well of course he beat me. I was playing one-handed!" It's a psychological thing on their end


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[pt109]

So I got into a decent dirtbike wreck a few months ago, hyper expetended and tore up both my shoulder and knee, haven't played much pool until this last month that Ive been trying to get my game back. I only go to the local bar for football games and shoot some pool afterwards, and I've come across something new locally...guys who play with intentional handicaps?? First guy I played a few games with plays one handed with a beer in the other hand the whole game, and he is pretty good at it, if you don't consider his 15yrs of practicing it. He can win a game or two but he can't hold up any kind of race, anyways I was playing the other night and beat him a couple games straight, and everyone was in awe of him playing one handedeven though he was losing, then the next guy jumps up and says "I'll play ya, not with one hand, but with my eyes closed"...why? Just why? So he closes his eyes before his shot after aiming, makes 3 balls, before leaving me the table to run out on, but all night playing these dudes they would not quit with the freaking gimmicks no matter how many games they lost. Anyone else come across this or can explain WTH these guys are thinking? It's pretty frustrating because at the end of the game they fall back on "well I was playing one handed" or " I was shooting with my eyes closed". I've never come across this and suddenly it happens a couple times per night, how do you guys react to this annoyance?

Here's a one-hand player from Oregon you might not want to mess with....
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...=atkPKNGjOqrGHIM6QAWprg&bvm=bv.75775273,d.aWw

 

[poolguppy]

You need to find another bar to play pool in.

They aren't playing pool and neither are you if you are playing them.

Its not even good practice time and you're wasting your quarters or whatever it takes to plug a table.

If they are the only people to play with in that bar, its a hurtin place.

No they aren't the only ones to play, just last time I went. Usually there is a line of people to play. And eh, 50 cents to play an evening of pool, better than nothing. Just strange to run into two people like that in one night. It's a one table town and about an hour drive to any real pool joint :/

 

[RayBell]

I have a buddy that will only play one-handed. He won't even use the rail to bridge his cue. The cue is in the air the whole time. He shoots really well like that. That's just his thing. He actually shoots better with one hand than he does with two.
Its fun to watch him do it, especially to an unsuspecting player. Its usually something like a race to three for a beer/drink. So, its no big deal. But, like I said, if he played with two hands, he'd be handicapping himself. To each, his own. I guess....

 

[poolguppy]

I have a buddy that will only play one-handed. He won't even use the rail to bridge his cue. The cue is in the air the whole time. He shoots really well like that. That's just his thing. He actually shoots better with one hand than he does with two.
Its fun to watch him do it, especially to an unsuspecting player. Its usually something like a race to three for a beer/drink. So, its no big deal. But, like I said, if he played with two hands, he'd be handicapping himself. To each, his own. I guess....

I'd buy that, it's hard to imagine , but I do recall one guy I know who used to play pool in college, supposedly started learning pool when he had a broken arm, then he started hustling in college, he would play with two hands until the money started flowing then started betting on shots one handed and whatnot. I'm thinking for this local guy though it's a matter of attention, everyone in the bar will watch the guy playing one handed, and I think he just likes that. The guys as nice as can be, and totally deaf so we communicated via notepaper. The old guy shooting with his eyes closed did cut it out after two losses, but he didn't shoot any better eyes open

 

[chefjeff]

There are many ways to get enjoyment out of pool.

Who cares?


Jeff Livingston

 

[bdorman]

OMG! Someone (actually two people!) having fun playing pool.

The horror!

The humanity!

Call ISIS! Off with their heads!




When I was in school a friend of mine, and his brothers, were semi-pro tennis players. Every summer they used to put on a charity event where people paid a couple hundred dollars to play a 5-game set against one of them.

The catch was you got to chose their "handicap" from a box of items: galoshes they had to wear, or an eye patch over one eye, or carrying a bucket of water, or carrying a briefcase, or one of dozens of other crazy handicaps.

It was great fun to watch as they beat every comer.

 

[poolguppy]

OMG! Someone (actually two people!) having fun playing pool.

The horror!

The humanity!

Call ISIS! Off with their heads

Yep that's why he quit after his third loss without so much as a "good game". just too much fun to be had I'm sure your 100% right. But maybe a crazy hypothetical situation, which is btw impossible because no one is ever like this, he approached the table too cocky and intended to beat me with his little self handicap to show off, because afterrall he only announced he was gonna do it, to try and teach a much younger guy a lesson. Which would feel a little like condescendment in this crazy non reality. but that's fun when people do that to you right?

I don't care who you are, I want your A game, if you kick my butt all night then thank you. It's far better than beating a better player with a handicap.