Handling a defensive player

[Good Sam]

Part 1:
Efren Reyes vs Francisco Bustamante, almost 20 minutes for 1 rack of 8ball

Part 2:

 

[tomatoshooter]

The more you talk about your opponent the less inclined I would be to play him at all.

The last description made it sound like this guy has gone far past "playing a defensive game" or "playing at a slow pace", deep into "deliberate sharking" and straight up "being an asshole". I have a friend who sharks me a little but he keeps it on good natured ribbing side of the fence and keeps the match close enough that I don't have to give him weight.

 

[tomatoshooter]

Part 1:
Efren Reyes vs Francisco Bustamante, almost 20 minutes for 1 rack of 8ball

Part 2:

That was fun, it's cool to see the back and forth strategy. There it was about giving themselves the best change to win instead of purely frustrating the other player.

 

[TheBasics]

The more you talk about your opponent the less inclined I would be to play him at all. Even playing for real money wouldn't be worth the bother. Since you are friends at least sorta, I would have a quiet talk with him and tell him it is time to straighten up and fly right or you are done with playing him. My guess is that he will keep right on at which point I would simply quit playing him. As has already been said, much of what you are learning is useless or even bad. You aren't a doormat and that has to be pointed out to even pro's sometimes. I would give the guy one chance though. By letting it go this far you have been a bit of an enabler.

Hu

I don't understand why you are still playin' pool with him? If it's not fun, then you are doing this wrong.
When I first started reading this thread I was thinking about recommending you read "The Eight Ball Bible".
Now I think you might need to seek a Mental Health Professional to explore why you continue to do this
over an over an over ...

hank

 

[ShootingArts]

Part 1:
Efren Reyes vs Francisco Bustamante, almost 20 minutes for 1 rack of 8ball

Part 2:

This was a game between two friends that probably know each other's game better than anyone else in the world. Very few shots didn't have offensive value and this is how the game should be played if you can't run out. Improve your position while not giving your opponent an opportunity to run out.

I remember a wedge game I watched on youtube. Gabe Owens was one of the players. Blanking on the other at the moment. It was a very interesting game of one pocket. They went ten or fifteen minutes without pocketing a ball. What was interesting was that every shot had meaning, no shots purely to get past that turn at the table.

Hu

 

[tomatoshooter]

I remember a wedge game I watched on youtube. Gabe Owens was one of the players. Blanking on the other at the moment. It was a very interesting game of one pocket. They went ten or fifteen minutes without pocketing a ball. What was interesting was that every shot had meaning, no shots purely to get past that turn at the table.

What is a wedge game?

One pocket can be like that. One rack can take 45 minutes and then a ball will come loose on the next rack and it takes 5 minutes. It's a great game.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

What is a wedge game?

One pocket can be like that. One rack can take 45 minutes and then a ball will come loose on the next rack and it takes 5 minutes. It's a great game.

one pocket when all the balls end up by a corner pocket up table

my take on one pkt is the same as the ops issue.
pool is about shooting balls in,i want to shoot at balls
wanna play chess? go play chess.

 

[tomatoshooter]

my take on one pkt is the same as the ops issue.

I think it's fun to play a game that takes a while to develop for a change. When I play 8 ball I want to run and gun. If someone wants to ponder the existential ramifications of each shot they should leave OP and you to play an exciting game of 8 ball. That's what's beautiful about pool. Vastly different games with the same equipment. Most of the skills carry over, too, although in different priorities.