Had this happen to me tonight

lights_out

lights_out

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just got back from one of our local bars for a retirement party. They have a bar box and I'm on it all night. Some guy, not part of our party, wants to play the next game. So I run some down and don't see a way to get out so I just leave him tough. This guy is pretty good and proceeds to run down to his last 2 balls, on his way to an easy out. As he is addressing his second to last ball he taps the cue ball on his practice stroke and immediately strokes his shot, hoping I didn't see. Well, I did see, as did several others around the table. Now, I'm a very easy going guy and if he had stood up and said he accidentally tapped the cue ball, I would have told him to go ahead and shoot. The fact that he tried to get away with something kinda got to me. He's getting ready for his next shot when I say something to him and we get into it a little bit. He admits he tapped the cue ball and tells me to shoot, saying that is the only way I can win. So I say to him, "Tell you what, you go ahead and shoot and then we'll play for $100 a game." As luck (or karma) would have it he scratches on his next shot. I take ball in hand in the kitchen and run out my last 3 and the 8 ball. Now I really start giving it to him, telling him "That's the only way I can win, huh?! I don't mind losing, I just won't lose to a cheater!" I tell him to rack them for our next games when he packs up and leaves. Good riddance! How would you have handled this?
 
lights_out said:
I just got back from one of our local bars for a retirement party. They have a bar box and I'm on it all night. Some guy, not part of our party, wants to play the next game. So I run some down and don't see a way to get out so I just leave him tough. This guy is pretty good and proceeds to run down to his last 2 balls, on his way to an easy out. As he is addressing his second to last ball he taps the cue ball on his practice stroke and immediately strokes his shot, hoping I didn't see. Well, I did see, as did several others around the table. Now, I'm a very easy going guy and if he had stood up and said he accidentally tapped the cue ball, I would have told him to go ahead and shoot. The fact that he tried to get away with something kinda got to me. He's getting ready for his next shot when I say something to him and we get into it a little bit. He admits he tapped the cue ball and tells me to shoot, saying that is the only way I can win. So I say to him, "Tell you what, you go ahead and shoot and then we'll play for $100 a game." As luck (or karma) would have it he scratches on his next shot. I take ball in hand in the kitchen and run out my last 3 and the 8 ball. Now I really start giving it to him, telling him "That's the only way I can win, huh?! I don't mind losing, I just won't lose to a cheater!" I tell him to rack them for our next games when he packs up and leaves. Good riddance! How would you have handled this?
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First of all, sounds like you might be playing ball in hand, but then you reference ball in the kitchen when running your last two balls. If you were playing "Bar Rules"-No ball in hand, and betting nothing what does it hurt to let the guy just shoot...He probaly is not going to get out anyways. If you are playing for money, and ball-in-hand, I would definately mention it and then get louder if he does not want to call the foul. When I am playing and someone challenges, I always clarify the rules before we start the game, and especially if we are gambling.
 
I would have done exactly what he did. Packed up and left. Geez dude you are playing bar pool at a retirement party. Lighten up!:D :cool:
 
rackem said:
I would have done exactly what he did. Packed up and left. Geez dude you are playing bar pool at a retirement party. Lighten up!:D :cool:
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tap, tap.

Steve: JMHO. Another thought. How would you of reacted if it was he that was part of the retirement party with all of his buds around the table and he did the same foul? Not too sure you would have gotten loud and wanting to play for a $100 a game then. :cool: For me, if I had nothing riding on the game other than having to put quarters to play again if I lost I probably would looked at my buds, shrugged my shoulders, and let him shoot on.
 
rackem said:
I would have done exactly what he did. Packed up and left. Geez dude you are playing bar pool at a retirement party. Lighten up!:D :cool:
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Ditto that. I have played in a lot of bars and calling that foul over a couple of quarters is more trouble than it's worth.

Besides, it's sporty to let someone else win once in a while.
 
I would have just watched him shoot and chalk it up to a guy that thinks winning is so important that it's worth cheating for. Barking a hunski a rack was probably out of line. Besides that, why would you offer to gamble with a known cheater? Sounds like a "Fool and his money" scenario to me.
It was a for fun game at a party. Would you have reacted the same way if it was the retiree playing???

McCue Banger McCue
 
It's A Party

You were at a party. It's OK to show your skills, stroke your ego a bit, but you were, as you stated, on the table all night. Cut that competitive drive back a notch in these situations. When I'm just fooling around, and someone makes a mistake, I'll ask a low key question("Hey, when you double hit the cue like that, isn't that considered a foul?") instead of making a statement. They can answer correctly or rationalize or lie about it. Good test of character. Whatever the response, I just accept. The thing is...you know, he knows, that you know, he knows:p Go get a drink and some wings:D
 
billiardbum said:
First of all, sounds like you might be playing ball in hand, but then you reference ball in the kitchen when running your last two balls. If you were playing "Bar Rules"-No ball in hand, and betting nothing what does it hurt to let the guy just shoot...He probaly is not going to get out anyways. If you are playing for money, and ball-in-hand, I would definately mention it and then get louder if he does not want to call the foul. When I am playing and someone challenges, I always clarify the rules before we start the game, and especially if we are gambling.
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The game was bar rules, ball in hand in the kitchen after he scratched. While I'm not against giving someone some slack, as I mentioned, if he had looked up and said he tapped the cue ball, as I would have done, I would have just told him to shoot. It was his attitude that rubbed me the wrong way. Stating that's the only way I can win, wouldn't that have p---ed you off too? It was that statement from him that elicited the bet, before he shot his last ball and scratched.
 
emptypockets said:
tap, tap.

Steve: JMHO. Another thought. How would you of reacted if it was he that was part of the retirement party with all of his buds around the table and he did the same foul? Not too sure you would have gotten loud and wanting to play for a $100 a game then. :cool: For me, if I had nothing riding on the game other than having to put quarters to play again if I lost I probably would looked at my buds, shrugged my shoulders, and let him shoot on.
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Based on his reply I would have done the same thing, it wasn't the situation, it was his attitude. I've played in friendly money games before where the same situation or something similar occurred. Each time the shooter showed some integrity, I've let them reset and continue shooting. This hasn't happened a lot but it has happened. This stopped being a friendly game when he opened his mouth.
 
He was probably a palooka, but you could have defused rather than escalated the issue. Sometimes some self depricating humor/sarcasm fits the situation better.
"I guess palying by the rules is the only way I can beat you, as that's the only way I play" or "You're right you are such a superior player I'd never stand a chance. The way you double hit the cue and still sank the ball, I couldn't ever do that".....
Show him he's an ass without showing yours....
Things must be tough over there in Chitown..

Regards and welcome to the forum....

McCue Banger McCue
 
rackem said:
I would have done exactly what he did. Packed up and left. Geez dude you are playing bar pool at a retirement party. Lighten up!:D :cool:
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What? You wouldn't have been ignorant to the guy? What's wrong with you?
 
I dont about you,but to me when u tap the cue ball before makin a shot and u see it it is a fauol,and u should have gotten ball in hand.I am glad that u won the one hundred dollars of him.It doesnt pay to cheat.
 
The day I begin to take a single casual game that seriously as to cause conflict and put myself at risk...I'll quit shooting and take up checkers or something.
Rather, I would take satisfaction in knowing, that is the only way HE can beat ME; and, I don't have to tell him that because HE already knows it...that's why he cheated!
 
8ball said:
The day I begin to take a single casual game that seriously as to cause conflict and put myself at risk...I'll quit shooting and take up checkers or something.
Rather, I would take satisfaction in knowing, that is the only way HE can beat ME; and, I don't have to tell him that because HE already knows it...that's why he cheated!
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I agree except that you don't have to quit playing pool, only quit playing in bars.
I quit playing in bars many years ago for reasons very similar to this. The aggravation of playing on a "put your quarters up, challenge table", for me just isn't fun.
 
sde said:
I agree except that you don't have to quit playing pool, only quit playing in bars.
I quit playing in bars many years ago for reasons very similar to this. The aggravation of playing on a "put your quarters up, challenge table", for me just isn't fun.
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How true, besides most of the tables you will find in bars are not worth the effort, unless you find the cigarette holes and "wet" spots from spiilled beer interesting.:D
 
lights_out said:
Based on his reply I would have done the same thing, it wasn't the situation, it was his attitude. I've played in friendly money games before where the same situation or something similar occurred. Each time the shooter showed some integrity, I've let them reset and continue shooting. This hasn't happened a lot but it has happened. This stopped being a friendly game when he opened his mouth.
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Bar players play by a different set of rules. Around here they don't consider any kind of cue ball contact a foul and would be shocked if you said anything about it. I've seen people miscue and crab the cue ball and put it back and shoot again or shoot to easily and say that it doesn't count if the cue ball doesn't roll 6''. A number of times I've seen them move the cue ball away from the rail and saying that it's in the rule book that it's allowed if the cue ball is within the with of a ball to a rail.

It's just something you have to live with if you want to play with bar players who don't have the knowledge that comes with more serious play.

Dick
 
lights_out said:
I just got back from one of our local bars for a retirement party. They have a bar box and I'm on it all night. Some guy, not part of our party, wants to play the next game. So I run some down and don't see a way to get out so I just leave him tough. This guy is pretty good and proceeds to run down to his last 2 balls, on his way to an easy out. As he is addressing his second to last ball he taps the cue ball on his practice stroke and immediately strokes his shot, hoping I didn't see. Well, I did see, as did several others around the table. Now, I'm a very easy going guy and if he had stood up and said he accidentally tapped the cue ball, I would have told him to go ahead and shoot. The fact that he tried to get away with something kinda got to me. He's getting ready for his next shot when I say something to him and we get into it a little bit. He admits he tapped the cue ball and tells me to shoot, saying that is the only way I can win. So I say to him, "Tell you what, you go ahead and shoot and then we'll play for $100 a game." As luck (or karma) would have it he scratches on his next shot. I take ball in hand in the kitchen and run out my last 3 and the 8 ball. Now I really start giving it to him, telling him "That's the only way I can win, huh?! I don't mind losing, I just won't lose to a cheater!" I tell him to rack them for our next games when he packs up and leaves. Good riddance! How would you have handled this?
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I think there is a time and place for everything.

This high level of competitiveness at a retirement party probably made you look a bit high strung, when people's focus is/should be on the social aspect of the game, rather than the competitive side.

BTW, did you even clarify the rules of the game before play? Lots of bar room tavern players don't even know what a cue ball foul is, and it's perfectly acceptable to tap the cue ball while addressing it.


IMHO, to the casual social pool player, I think you most likely came off as a jerk; good player, loudmouth, woofing
 
lights_out said:
Ie admits he tapped the cue ball and tells me to shoot, saying that is the only way I can win. So I say to him, "Tell you what, you go ahead and shoot and then we'll play for $100 a game." As luck (or karma) would have it he scratches on his next shot. I take ball in hand in the kitchen and run out my last 3 and the 8 ball. Now I really start giving it to him, telling him "That's the only way I can win, huh?! I don't mind losing, I just won't lose to a cheater!" I tell him to rack them for our next games when he packs up and leaves. Good riddance! How would you have handled this?
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What would I have done? Let's see. Bar. Drinking.

When you say he "tapped the cueball" does that mean he tapped the top of it, or does that mean he hit it forward a bit, and then he hit it?

Anyway, the big key that got you pissed was the comment "if that's the only way you can win." Hell, I would have lit into him with as many needling, passive agressive bull$hit as I could muster. And he would have walked away because I would have been too annoying for him to be around.

That being said, you already called him on the carpet with the $100 dollar woof. He didn't call you on it. It was over. You won the upper hand. The last bite from you didn't win you any points, but it might have lost you some if anyone else was paying attention.

Fred
 
What I didn't mention was that it was a private party for friends, coworkers, and wives. We were playing couples, doubles, and some singles and VERY casually. I wasn't being as serious as I usually am while playing competitively, banking, kicking, and jumping when I didn't have to, just to have some fun and take it down a notch. This guy strolls in, not part of our party, and calls me from my friends to play, interrupting my socializing. It started out casually until the "incident". That's when I took it up a notch. I don't know about some of you that have responded to this thread but I will not, ever, let someone woof at me without me woofing back, and sometimes bearing my teeth.

Fred - He tapped the cue ball forward on one of his practice strokes then immediately stroked the cue ball trying to cover the first contact. Like I said before, if he would have called it on himself, I would without a doubt let him just keep shooting and none of this would have occurred.

Gregg - We did not clarify the specifics of every cueball foul, but this guy was a good enough shooter to know what he did was a foul, he even admitted it was after the shot, which is when he made his comment. It's not like I would have taken BIH after the shot, I actually asked him if he considered that a foul, which is when he commented.
 
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