Is playing safe ever cheap?

Thunderball said:
I gotta say....and I may be the only one....but bar room or league,I've never heard of pocketing a called shot and also playing a safety,that is to say "turning the table over to the OP" after a legal pocketed ball.

That would have made me say "Do huh???"

I'll agree its not cheap fwiw....but as mentoned it would have been much simpler to leave the 5 in the jaws....same result with no discussion.
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This is a shot often overlooked because leaving it in the jaws can give you better odds at winning then making it. However that isn't always true. In this case I thought my run would be better with the ball off the table.

As far as not playing these rules I would bet you played them and didn't realize it. For example any variation on "call pocket" you can do this in (and if anyone has a problem with it simply call another pocket then the one you are aiming at). In BCA you could call safe and sink a ball. If your oponent doesn't know your intention is safety and you pull this move you would have to keep shooting since the assumption is you intended to make that ball in that pocket. Slop counts in APA you must continue to shoot after making a ball.
 
mikeyfrost said:
Bar rules are real simple, call your shot, scratches only u get BIH behind the line, bad hits are legal, you cant play safe on purpose, and the 8 has to go clean!

I personally love those rules...makes it fun. You dont go to the bar to play serious pool you go to play bar pool.
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1. We weren't playing "bar rules"
2. I was playing serious pool
 
I've always thought that playing safe meant not doing anything to make your opponent want to kick your azz! Your move, while legal prolly cost you at least a fifth of Jack!
 
mikeyfrost said:
Bar rules are real simple, call your shot, scratches only u get BIH behind the line, bad hits are legal, you cant play safe on purpose, and the 8 has to go clean!

I personally love those rules...makes it fun. You dont go to the bar to play serious pool you go to play bar pool.
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Green to you......most bar people just want to have fun, and they don't mind donating to a better player, you just gotta play by their rules.....and safeties are against the rules....and they can get you hurt....

When in Rome folks....you can be "right" all you want, but I'd rather be wrong making a new friend giving me a few extra dollars in my pocket than right with a black eye :D
 
TheNewSharkster said:
1. We weren't playing "bar rules"
2. I was playing serious pool
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I'm not saying you weren't. Even if you were playing with someone who claimed they were playing serious too, the bar just isnt the venue. How many stories do you hear about pool players in bars? Way too many right. You guys were playing for drinks according to your post. Playin for drinks probably isn't serious enough to dig into the bag of tricks and keep the guy jammed up. He tried to run out on you.

I just look at the bar as a type of getaway from the everyday pool. It's fun to go for everyshot or run 7 balls get stuck cuz you tried to kick the 8 in and then get ran out on, you go buy a round and throw some quarters in the table and do it again. Good time my friend.
 
mikeyfrost said:
I'm not saying you weren't. Even if you were playing with someone who claimed they were playing serious too, the bar just isnt the venue. How many stories do you hear about pool players in bars? Way too many right. You guys were playing for drinks according to your post. Playin for drinks probably isn't serious enough to dig into the bag of tricks and keep the guy jammed up. He tried to run out on you.

I just look at the bar as a type of getaway from the everyday pool. It's fun to go for everyshot or run 7 balls get stuck cuz you tried to kick the 8 in and then get ran out on, you go buy a round and throw some quarters in the table and do it again. Good time my friend.
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I am not saying I don't have fun while I am at the bar. I meant that I try to take the game serious. I will try to play my best game almost everytime. If that means I play ten safeties in a row so be it. This is even more true when there is a bet.
 
TheNewSharkster said:
So I was playing some guy last weekend for a drink at 8ball. I was holding the table so I asked if we were playing call pocket BIH rules. He made a smug remark about how that is the way he always plays. I break dry. He runs 6 balls off and misses. I run 4 balls and set up my 5th dead straight into the corner.

At this point I could have attempted to complete the run out and it was well within my skill level. But since I was dead straight if I played a stop shot he would have little chance of making a legal hit because he was snookered and would have a low percent 2 rail kick shot. The run out was super easy with BIH for me.

So I call safe (and made sure he heard me), knock in my 5th ball and turn the table over to my opponent. At this point he starts getting angry at me saying I should have tried to run out and it was cheap to hit a ball in and call safe. Walks up to the table and slams the cue ball. Missing his ball by a mile. I get ball in hand and complete the table.

I was slightly irritated by his attitude about playing a safe so I told him I wanted a jack and coke and walked away. Later that night he proceeds to give me a earfull about my play.

Anyways, I just wanted to hear some other opinions on a deliberate safe play. I think he was just mad he go screwed with a TERRIBLE leave.
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Obviously you are a skill level or two above your opponent. Regardless if he knows about BIH or BCA rules. You need to find people on your own skill level to avoid this type of situations.

Anytime I visit a bar, which is not that often, I watch the players to figure out their skill levels. If I decide to play which is also not that often, I will always try my best at "their" rules. That way they don't feel cheated.... and yes, I have had my share of losing a match or two but they always want to play me again next time.
 
Nothing wrong with what you did except that you did it for only a Jack and a coke. Save that stuff for when it means something.
 
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