Good strategy or poor sportsmanship?

inside_english

inside_english

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I play in an in-house APA 8-ball league every Monday night.
I am a 7.
I had to play a 5.

I play this guy on the weekends sometimes but have always thought he was slow.

Well, last night he was *very* slow, and I suspected he was doing it on purpose. I allowed it to aggravate me to the point of me losing the match. The fact that he cheered when he got a few lucky rolls did nothing for my mood.

Anyway, as I was leaving one of my teammates came to me and said she wasn't going to tell me anything (for fear of what I would say, I suppose) but he had been telling my teammates that he plays slow on purpose when he plays me because he knows it bothers me.

Well, that *really* ticked me off. I said nothing, just quietly went home with steam coming out of my ears. This means that when he would ask me to play on the weekends (which are supposed to be sociable), his intent then was also to aggravate me!

So, did he have a good winning strategy to beat me or was he displaying poor sportsmanship?

It's pretty clear where I stand. And no, I will NEVER play this guy again, unless we cross paths in a tournament.

Feedback always welcome (unless it's from oasisbilliards...LOL)
 
I believe in simply playing my own game as it works for me. I would consider this a form of sharking in general, and would not do it. However, it is hard to blame him for exploiting a weakness that you are showing. Don't let him get in your head, and only play him when you have to.
 
If you are playing for money on the weekends or in a tournament its good strategy. He may play that way all the time just slows up a little extra for you because he knows it bothers you.
 
Unfortunately...

it is a good strategy if I ever have to play you.
Consider this instead....beat him to death with his own stick (not literally his cue).
I have found that when I get slow played I find one speed slower than my opponent. They seem to get just as tired and irritated at my "slower play" as they hope to make me.:smile:
 
inside_english said:
I play in an in-house APA 8-ball league every Monday night.
I am a 7.
I had to play a 5.

I play this guy on the weekends sometimes but have always thought he was slow.

Well, last night he was *very* slow, and I suspected he was doing it on purpose. I allowed it to aggravate me to the point of me losing the match. The fact that he cheered when he got a few lucky rolls did nothing for my mood.

Anyway, as I was leaving one of my teammates came to me and said she wasn't going to tell me anything (for fear of what I would say, I suppose) but he had been telling my teammates that he plays slow on purpose when he plays me because he knows it bothers me.

Well, that *really* ticked me off. I said nothing, just quietly went home with steam coming out of my ears. This means that when he would ask me to play on the weekends (which are supposed to be sociable), his intent then was also to aggravate me!

So, did he have a good winning strategy to beat me or was he displaying poor sportsmanship?

It's pretty clear where I stand. And no, I will NEVER play this guy again, unless we cross paths in a tournament.

Feedback always welcome (unless it's from oasisbilliards...LOL)
Click to expand...

Treat it like the game it is and play slower than he does.

If they have TVs, watch TV instead of him shooting. Then glance when he shoots to make sure he doesn't foul, then watch tv again. Wait to shoot until he tells you it's your turn. Then act surprised and if you're playing 8-ball ask him which group you are :)

He'll quit doing it straightaway.

Celebrate his lucky rolls with him. Seriously. "Man, that was a sweet roll, you should have no trouble running out from here." (apply pressure)

And then when he doesn't: "Man, I thought you had that." (negative reinforcement)

And then when he does: "Yep, just like I thought." (diminish his accomplishment)

And then when you get a lucky roll: (Every single time) "I guess it's just my lucky night." (give him a reason to lose... He'll already be running the tape in his head "He got lucky to beat me"... once you give them an excuse to lose, they can't win)

Make sure you say all of these things with a smile and no matter what he says or does, keep smiling. Shake his hand at the end, even if he doesn't want to. Win or lose tell him "great shooting." That'll really piss him off.

If you do all of these, I bet you never lose to him again.

Seriously, if he has to play slow to beat you, you have the nuts. The triple nuts. Everybody knows it but you.

~rc
 
If I were in your shoes, I might want to play this guy again, especially if he currently "thinks" he has your number (which at the moment, he does). I'd say change nothing about your behavior, play him as usual but prepare yourself for his slow play and be prepared to smack him around in spite of it. Heck, lose to him for a few weeks and set him up!

Tom
 
sixpack said:
Treat it like the game it is and play slower than he does.

If they have TVs, watch TV instead of him shooting. Then glance when he shoots to make sure he doesn't foul, then watch tv again. Wait to shoot until he tells you it's your turn. Then act surprised and if you're playing 8-ball ask him which group you are :)

He'll quit doing it straightaway.

Celebrate his lucky rolls with him. Seriously. "Man, that was a sweet roll, you should have no trouble running out from here." (apply pressure)

And then when he doesn't: "Man, I thought you had that." (negative reinforcement)

And then when he does: "Yep, just like I thought." (diminish his accomplishment)

And then when you get a lucky roll: (Every single time) "I guess it's just my lucky night." (give him a reason to lose... He'll already be running the tape in his head "He got lucky to beat me"... once you give them an excuse to lose, they can't win)

Make sure you say all of these things with a smile and no matter what he says or does, keep smiling. Shake his hand at the end, even if he doesn't want to. Win or lose tell him "great shooting." That'll really piss him off.

If you do all of these, I bet you never lose to him again.

Seriously, if he has to play slow to beat you, you have the nuts. The triple nuts. Everybody knows it but you.

~rc
Click to expand...

That's good advice. Make it fun to annoy the sh*t out of him.

I suppose I could see the other side of the argument, but for league I would consider anyone slowing things down deliberately to be poor sportsmanship (unless you are returning the favor).
 
you should have it under control now

Now that you know it is a move you should have the mental game to get past it. Since he is a game player, returning the favor with any semi-legal sharking can be fun or just thoroughly kicking his butt when he plays slow.

I have told the story on here many times now but I once played a very good player who was super s-l-o-w. Glaciers grew and receded while he ran a table! He had my number for a month and a half or two months, I was a kid and too eager to get at the table. I finally learned to shift gears and be an almost disinterested spectator while he was shooting. I owe him a fortune for forcing me to learn that technique. It has paid dividends for decades.

Hu



inside_english said:
I play in an in-house APA 8-ball league every Monday night.
I am a 7.
I had to play a 5.

I play this guy on the weekends sometimes but have always thought he was slow.

Well, last night he was *very* slow, and I suspected he was doing it on purpose. I allowed it to aggravate me to the point of me losing the match. The fact that he cheered when he got a few lucky rolls did nothing for my mood.

Anyway, as I was leaving one of my teammates came to me and said she wasn't going to tell me anything (for fear of what I would say, I suppose) but he had been telling my teammates that he plays slow on purpose when he plays me because he knows it bothers me.

Well, that *really* ticked me off. I said nothing, just quietly went home with steam coming out of my ears. This means that when he would ask me to play on the weekends (which are supposed to be sociable), his intent then was also to aggravate me!

So, did he have a good winning strategy to beat me or was he displaying poor sportsmanship?

It's pretty clear where I stand. And no, I will NEVER play this guy again, unless we cross paths in a tournament.

Feedback always welcome (unless it's from oasisbilliards...LOL)
Click to expand...
 
inside_english said:
I play in an in-house APA 8-ball league every Monday night.
I am a 7.
I had to play a 5.

I play this guy on the weekends sometimes but have always thought he was slow.

Well, last night he was *very* slow, and I suspected he was doing it on purpose. I allowed it to aggravate me to the point of me losing the match. The fact that he cheered when he got a few lucky rolls did nothing for my mood.

Anyway, as I was leaving one of my teammates came to me and said she wasn't going to tell me anything (for fear of what I would say, I suppose) but he had been telling my teammates that he plays slow on purpose when he plays me because he knows it bothers me.

Well, that *really* ticked me off. I said nothing, just quietly went home with steam coming out of my ears. This means that when he would ask me to play on the weekends (which are supposed to be sociable), his intent then was also to aggravate me!

So, did he have a good winning strategy to beat me or was he displaying poor sportsmanship?

It's pretty clear where I stand. And no, I will NEVER play this guy again, unless we cross paths in a tournament.

Feedback always welcome (unless it's from oasisbilliards...LOL)
Click to expand...

Main problem I have is that if you are truely a 7 and he is truely a 5 you should be able to steam roll him no matter what. I'm a realistic 8 and I know that a true 6 has no chance. I would love it if a 6 stepped up for $100 a game and tried to slow play me. I would destroy him. You should be able to destroy a 5. Slow playing is part of the game so my advise is: raise the bet, toughen up and act like a 7! A pool player with a consence will soon part with his money!
 
sixpack said:
Treat it like the game it is and play slower than he does.

If they have TVs, watch TV instead of him shooting. Then glance when he shoots to make sure he doesn't foul, then watch tv again. Wait to shoot until he tells you it's your turn. Then act surprised and if you're playing 8-ball ask him which group you are :)

He'll quit doing it straightaway.

Celebrate his lucky rolls with him. Seriously. "Man, that was a sweet roll, you should have no trouble running out from here." (apply pressure)

And then when he doesn't: "Man, I thought you had that." (negative reinforcement)

And then when he does: "Yep, just like I thought." (diminish his accomplishment)

And then when you get a lucky roll: (Every single time) "I guess it's just my lucky night." (give him a reason to lose... He'll already be running the tape in his head "He got lucky to beat me"... once you give them an excuse to lose, they can't win)

Make sure you say all of these things with a smile and no matter what he says or does, keep smiling. Shake his hand at the end, even if he doesn't want to. Win or lose tell him "great shooting." That'll really piss him off.

If you do all of these, I bet you never lose to him again.

Seriously, if he has to play slow to beat you, you have the nuts. The triple nuts. Everybody knows it but you.

~rc
Click to expand...
AMEN!!! If you can keep your cool long enough he will shatter like glass and you can sweep him under the rug like a dirty rat he is .
 
APA needs a time limit

We have the same problems with SLOW SLOW players
It takes all the fun out of the night
We have start the other matches on a second table just to finish close to the same time
I feel the APA needs a time limit or something to fix this problem
Also, All scotch doubles tournaments Etc Jack and Jill in APA take forever
Thanks
Carl




inside_english said:
I play in an in-house APA 8-ball league every Monday night.
I am a 7.
I had to play a 5.

I play this guy on the weekends sometimes but have always thought he was slow.

Well, last night he was *very* slow, and I suspected he was doing it on purpose. I allowed it to aggravate me to the point of me losing the match. The fact that he cheered when he got a few lucky rolls did nothing for my mood.

Anyway, as I was leaving one of my teammates came to me and said she wasn't going to tell me anything (for fear of what I would say, I suppose) but he had been telling my teammates that he plays slow on purpose when he plays me because he knows it bothers me.

Well, that *really* ticked me off. I said nothing, just quietly went home with steam coming out of my ears. This means that when he would ask me to play on the weekends (which are supposed to be sociable), his intent then was also to aggravate me!

So, did he have a good winning strategy to beat me or was he displaying poor sportsmanship?

It's pretty clear where I stand. And no, I will NEVER play this guy again, unless we cross paths in a tournament.

Feedback always welcome (unless it's from oasisbilliards...LOL)
Click to expand...
 
inside_english said:
I play in an in-house APA 8-ball league every Monday night.
I am a 7.
I had to play a 5.

I play this guy on the weekends sometimes but have always thought he was slow.

Well, last night he was *very* slow, and I suspected he was doing it on purpose. I allowed it to aggravate me to the point of me losing the match. The fact that he cheered when he got a few lucky rolls did nothing for my mood.

Anyway, as I was leaving one of my teammates came to me and said she wasn't going to tell me anything (for fear of what I would say, I suppose) but he had been telling my teammates that he plays slow on purpose when he plays me because he knows it bothers me.

Well, that *really* ticked me off. I said nothing, just quietly went home with steam coming out of my ears. This means that when he would ask me to play on the weekends (which are supposed to be sociable), his intent then was also to aggravate me!

So, did he have a good winning strategy to beat me or was he displaying poor sportsmanship?

It's pretty clear where I stand. And no, I will NEVER play this guy again, unless we cross paths in a tournament.

Feedback always welcome (unless it's from oasisbilliards...LOL)
Click to expand...

While this guy certainly sounds like a jerk, you are allowing him to exploit a weakness you should not have in the first place. Anger in any form and pool do not mix, it is really simple, become angry and become a loser.
Anger disrupts your ability think in a rational manner, and ultimately your ability to concentrate.

The way to deal with people like this is to pay no attention to them at all.
When they stall kick back and take a nap, when they miss kick their ass!!!!! Politely with good sportsmanship!!!!!:)
 
I think you are taking this league pool waaaaaay to serious.
inside_english said:
I play in an in-house APA 8-ball league every Monday night.
I am a 7.
I had to play a 5.

I play this guy on the weekends sometimes but have always thought he was slow.

Well, last night he was *very* slow, and I suspected he was doing it on purpose. I allowed it to aggravate me to the point of me losing the match. The fact that he cheered when he got a few lucky rolls did nothing for my mood.

Anyway, as I was leaving one of my teammates came to me and said she wasn't going to tell me anything (for fear of what I would say, I suppose) but he had been telling my teammates that he plays slow on purpose when he plays me because he knows it bothers me.

Well, that *really* ticked me off. I said nothing, just quietly went home with steam coming out of my ears. This means that when he would ask me to play on the weekends (which are supposed to be sociable), his intent then was also to aggravate me!

So, did he have a good winning strategy to beat me or was he displaying poor sportsmanship?

It's pretty clear where I stand. And no, I will NEVER play this guy again, unless we cross paths in a tournament.

Feedback always welcome (unless it's from oasisbilliards...LOL)
Click to expand...
 
As with any weakness

in pool, often times, it is not the other guy. If given enough rope, a player who is not experienced enough will often times hang himself. If you want to win, you have got to develop a thick skin.

Learn from this and use it to overcome in the future. If you want to win you will find a way.

James Walden once told me something when I was a 5 speed many years back. It was 6am and we had talked all night in his hotel room about all kinds of stories. We talked about players, we talked about playing, and one of the things I asked him was, "how can I be a good pool player?"

He took a puff and looked up at me with a that stone-faced glare of his.

He said, "You gotta lose, and lose, and lose until you can't stand to lose no more."


Simply put, you beat yourself.
 
I believe that APA does have a shot clock....you should have it enforced.

Or you could give him a real excuse to take a long time to shoot.....like wicked safeties/defenses.

If slow play rattles you so much, then you have a problem....and you need to deal with it.

I'm an SL7 and I played another SL7. It took more than 1.5 hours to finish a race to 5. But he was one of the best players in the area.
So, the way I saw it....if it takes him that long to shot, then I wouldn't mind....as long as he was bringing his A game.
 
if it works then its good strategy. I know a few pros who do the same thing(not naming names) but you do what you gotta do to win. Like everyone else said; slow play him back. When your game takes waaaay to long to finish he'll start to speed up.
 
Anyone trying to shark me is going to get my absolute best game. As far as slow players go I like what someone said on here:

"I won't play slow players nor will I socialize with them."
 
Now that you know that he is doing it on purpose he has shown the only weapon he has against you. Knowing this should do nothing but increase your confidence.
 
Ain't no one on earth gonna out slow me LOL

I drop down to the speed of evolution... use an entire chalk on every shot...

and truth be told it only takes one "EXCESSIVELY LONG SHOT" and you will right that ship in a hurry...

the minute you got ahead of him

was the minute you noticed the move...

give it back sevenfold.. and those cheesy tactics will end in a hurry...
 
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If he knew it got to you and used it a a strategy, I think is a smart thing to do. You need to learn to get over that stuff and play anyway

I played in a league with a guy who hated for people to play safe. It really upset him. Guess what I did when I played him?
 
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