How many.......

[Tin Man]

I POSTED THIS ON THE MAIN FORUM AND RECEIVED ONE REPLY FROM BOB JEWETT. MAYBE I CAN GET MORE OPINIONS HERE (although, Bob, if I could only get one, your's is the one that I would want, thank you)


When you are practicing straight pool and you run out the game, sometimes you're opponent will allow you to keep shooting balls in until your run ends.

Obviously, if you only run 5 balls and out it is not worth keeping the run going. On the other hand, if it is your personal best, it would be fun to see how far you get.

So, how high does the run need to be to warrant the extra time to finish your run? Is there a certain percentage of your high run, or just a universal number? What if you are just short of the number but have just smoked in a break ball and detonated the stack like so many sticks of TNT???

 

[VKJ]

My feeling is no matter how low or high your highest lifetime run is, you should mention to your partner that you would like to keep shooting if you are in the ball park of breaking it.

But it does get a bit tricky. Say your on a run of 50 and out and your high run is 60. I say go for it. but if your high run is 104 I'm not so sure. Then again if your partner is agreeable then keep shooting. If your high run is 9 and you ran out with a run of a run of 5 I feel the same way. Both in relation to the players skill.

I just think the number of balls in relation to the players ability plus the opponents agreeing are all factors.

I will always ask my oppenent if I can keep shooting if I win by going out with a sizeable run. I'm just getting back into 14.1 after not playing at all for many years but my lifetime high run is over 100 and collecting large runs I think is important in my confidence level.

 

[Steve Lipsky]

I think a good rule of thumb would be about half your high run, with a cap at about 100. In other words, anytime someone is on a run of around 100, even if his high run is in the 300s, he's allowed to keep shooting in my book. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't; but don't let 'em fool ya, for the most part they do.

Two points of etiquette: I do suggest that you offer to rack for yourself after the game is over (your opponent probably won't let you, but you should ask), and you should also make clear that you will take care of the bill for the extra time.

- Steve

 

[Bob Jewett]

I POSTED THIS ON THE MAIN FORUM AND RECEIVED ONE REPLY FROM BOB JEWETT....

I'll sort of repeat it here for the record.

I'm fortunate enough to play in a league that actually encourages players to finish their runs. There are (handicapped) high run prizes, and the run after the winning ball counts towards that. The LO has a pretty good system to make people competitive on high runs. It's linked to your playing rating, and you are scored against your goal as a percentage. I think my goal might be 90, so if I ran a 60, I'd be at 67% and would have a good chance of picking up a little cash at the end of the season. I don't think anyone has reached their goal in league yet.

Since my out runs lately have been in the low single digits, I haven't taken advantage of the continuation feature for quite a while.

 

[Bobby]

This thread reminds me of a funny story - about 6 or 7 years ago a local NYC player Jonathan Smith was playing another local player. Jonathan who has a high run of somewhere around 170 I think, ran something like 120 and out. His opponent who was eager to keep playing (they had played several games) immediately jumped up and gathered the remaining balls and started racking for a new game, Jonathan just stood there stunned, his opponent looked up and said "oh, you wanted to keep shooting?" The look on Jonathan's face was priceless.

Bobby

 

[Jimmy M.]

Is that the etiquette? If I were gambling with someone and they put a large run on me, assuming I still wanted to play, I don't know if I'd want to wait for them to run more balls before starting another game. It would be different if it were league or tournament play but I'd be a little reluctant if I were gambling and still wanted to play. Is it really standard etiquette among straight pool players that, even when gambling, if a player has a large run to end the game, you're supposed to let them finish it?

 

[Steve Lipsky]

Ha, been so long since I gambled I never even considered it from that angle... of course you are right, Jimmy - if gambling, all that stuff goes out the window and it's entirely up to the opponent.

 

[briandlau]

Ha, been so long since I gambled I never even considered it from that angle... of course you are right, Jimmy - if gambling, all that stuff goes out the window and it's entirely up to the opponent.

Of course, but the etiquette should go both ways. I'd be upset if I went 14 and out and couldn't continue considering that my high run is about 10.

 

[jrmuckadoo]

I Raked Tin's run

I admit it....Iwas the guy that raked the balls on Tin Man.
Tin's high run is over 100 so when he was at like "35" (o.k. more like 50) I never even considered letting him continue the run.
To emphasise how oblivious I was to the straight pool etiquette involved in this subject, the next day when Tin posed the question to me, I had no idea he was talking about me raking the balls on him.
But...upon reflection I put the % at 60-70% of ones high run. I feel this beacuse My high run is around 80, and if I ran like 45 and out I personally wouldn't even think about continuing my run-it wouldn't cross my mind. (I know this because the day b4 I raked Tin's "massive" 50 and out I was about 4 hangers from running 45 and out, and (before I missed a bunny in the side) I was only thinking about running out and winning the game-I would of raked my own run too.
maybe it's becaues I don't play that much straight pool and I (a. don't care and/or (b. have little confidence that 80 is in jeopardy when I'm at 40% of my high run.
So...I may have thought about continuation on my run if I was at like 60'ish.
But if Tin wants continuation at 37.645% of his high run that's fine with me.
It's just that Tin Man rains 50's like Reggie rained three's!

So on second thought, come talk to me when your at 80 Tin Man.

Jr "rake" adoo

 

[Gerry]

If I'm in a gambling situation I really don't think about the high run too much. If I was in the mid 80's, ok I'm gonna try for 100 because it doesn't happen every day.

Tournaments are different IMO. If you go out on a high run and want to keep going as long as it doesn't affect the tourney or the schedule.....keep going I think.

Gerry

 

[Tin Man]

OK, I talked to Muck this morning and we discovered where our difference of opinion was.

He felt (and I agree- sorry if I am paraphrasing you incorrectly, muck) that too many players are hung up on results at the table- who you beat, what you won, how many racks you ran, etc. In the end, we both believe that money and glory are a poison to both performance and enjoyment, so we strive to play just for the enjoyment of the challenge. Obviously it is ok to want to win, and it is ok to accept and enjoy money and recognition, but it should be in balance, and not an addiction. In his mind, someone finishing their run was just looking for the opportunity to tell everyone about how many balls they ran, and his opinion is that he didn't come to the pool hall to watch someone else measure the size of their cock.

I feel (and I think he agrees) that when we go to the pool hall to practice we are striving to play well, and we enjoy the challenge. Muck and I play for fun (practicing with muck is the only time that I will screw my cue together for less than $10,000) so the goal of the finish line is kind of arbitrary. The win or the loss doesn't matter, it is just a number that we shoot for in order to push ourselves to play hard. IN OTHER WORDS, the finish line is a tool that we have created to encourage us to play good pool. My opinion is that when you do start playing well and begin to hit dead punch and have a good run going, to rake the balls because you hit an arbitrary finish line is completely counter productive.

I agree that gambling is different, as are tournaments, but seriously, even though I love straight pool I have only been in one straight pool tournament in my life. I may have played for money 5-6 times. Realistically, I would guess that 95% of straight pool these days is played for fun, so why not finish your run?

UPDATE

Muck and Tin Man still remain good friends, and they still meet for regular games of straight pool. They now start their practice sessions with scotch doubles straight pool to gain a better understanding of different approaches to the game, but still play heads up as well. Muck is more aware of Tin Man's inner journey, and Tin Man is more respectful of Muck's dislike of ego driven score keeping. Since the initial thread was posted, neither player has had a run significant enough to warrant any type of continuation.............

 

[3andstop]

(practicing with muck is the only time that I will screw my cue together for less than $10,000)

Wow, I'll admit I'm new to the forum, but old to the planet earth. I'll bet its a ***** getting a game huh?

 

[jrmuckadoo]

(practicing with muck is the only time that I will screw my cue together for less than $10,000)

That is why Tin is the funniest guy I know-genius stuff

My opinion is that when you do start playing well and begin to hit dead punch and have a good run going, to rake the balls because you hit an arbitrary finish line is completely counter productive.

Agreed, but what is this "dead punch" you are referring to?? I've never experienced such a thing. But Is it like when you're running balls in straight pool (or racks of 9 ball) and after being afraid you'll miss every single shot you line up to shoot and your turn is over (and despite feeling like crap the whole time) you ran like 80 balls or 5 racks of 9 ball some how-is that what your talking about???? Is that this "dead punch" thing you speak of??

UPDATE

Muck and Tin Man still remain good friends, and they still meet for regular games of straight pool. They now start their practice sessions with scotch doubles straight pool to gain a better understanding of different approaches to the game, but still play heads up as well. Muck is more aware of Tin Man's inner journey, and Tin Man is more respectful of Muck's dislike of ego driven score keeping. Since the initial thread was posted, neither player has had a run significant enough to warrant any type of continuation.............[/QUOTE]

REVISED UPDATE
Muck never knew that Tin Man enjoyed plying pool for $10,000, but upon learning this new information he was quoted as saying.....
"Why nit around for ten dimes, why don't we really sag the lights and post up like $50,000."

 

[nyjoe14.1]

I POSTED THIS ON THE MAIN FORUM AND RECEIVED ONE REPLY FROM BOB JEWETT. MAYBE I CAN GET MORE OPINIONS HERE (although, Bob, if I could only get one, your's is the one that I would want, thank you)


When you are practicing straight pool and you run out the game, sometimes you're opponent will allow you to keep shooting balls in until your run ends.

Obviously, if you only run 5 balls and out it is not worth keeping the run going. On the other hand, if it is your personal best, it would be fun to see how far you get.

So, how high does the run need to be to warrant the extra time to finish your run? Is there a certain percentage of your high run, or just a universal number? What if you are just short of the number but have just smoked in a break ball and detonated the stack like so many sticks of TNT???

I say keep shooting until you miss regardless of how many you have strung together at that point. If your playing for any money at all and you put up a big run your either gonna scare the guy off or (which might be worse) he doesn’t get scared and keeps playing. In any case I would keep shooting, if they don’t like it so what?? I would say breaking a personal best is worth a small breach of etiquette regardless of being in action or in a tourny.