Lag or toss...?
- Thread starter Peer
- Start date
Everyone mostly tosses around here, i dont mind lagging though.
Lagging takes too much time and in many cases, people like PRACTICING the lag which just annoys me. I mean, when it felt like you were participating in some pool-rite, it was kinda cool but I would rather just start play as quickly as possible.
I like the Lag, but hardly ever get to. Coins are always on the rails to keep track of spots during 1P. So before you know it, while your getting your Cue out you hear..............."Call it".....followed by a "tink" sound.
Jude Rosenstock said:
Time or not, a lag is a skilled shot, that practiced, can be won 80-90% of the time. A coin flip is a random action, that is 50/50 at best. There is a reason all pro matches start with a lag, and not a coin flip.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
I'm a lagger
It only takes about 15 seconds longer to lag than it does to flip.
I haven't played in a league before, but in tournaments, I usually choose to exercise my right to lag, even when my opponent is already poised in coin-flipping position. I'd go so far as to consider lagging as another type of shot in pool. Since I am drawn to a poolhall to play pool, not to flip coins, I'd rather shoot that one extra "shot" per match and hone/use a skill rather than decide who breaks based on "luck of the draw". Even if I lose the lag, I probably just got one iota better at lagging, and if nothing else, I've sampled the speed of the table.
In some of the bar 8-ball tournaments I used to play in, that was another story for me. I didn't feel like taking the time to explain to people what a lag was, when many probably didn't care anyway, and so I just went along with the herd. For example, when someone questions you on why you would buy a quality 2x4 case instead of just using a $5 1x1 nylon soft case, he's probably going to go
when you start talking about the lag. 
LOL.
Also, I don't see anything wrong with practicing the lag. In fact, its probably a wise thing to do if one is weak at lagging. Why would that be the one area of pool where it's unacceptable to work on one's weak points?
Just my opinions, of course.
It only takes about 15 seconds longer to lag than it does to flip.
I haven't played in a league before, but in tournaments, I usually choose to exercise my right to lag, even when my opponent is already poised in coin-flipping position. I'd go so far as to consider lagging as another type of shot in pool. Since I am drawn to a poolhall to play pool, not to flip coins, I'd rather shoot that one extra "shot" per match and hone/use a skill rather than decide who breaks based on "luck of the draw". Even if I lose the lag, I probably just got one iota better at lagging, and if nothing else, I've sampled the speed of the table.
In some of the bar 8-ball tournaments I used to play in, that was another story for me. I didn't feel like taking the time to explain to people what a lag was, when many probably didn't care anyway, and so I just went along with the herd. For example, when someone questions you on why you would buy a quality 2x4 case instead of just using a $5 1x1 nylon soft case, he's probably going to go
when you start talking about the lag. LOL.Also, I don't see anything wrong with practicing the lag. In fact, its probably a wise thing to do if one is weak at lagging. Why would that be the one area of pool where it's unacceptable to work on one's weak points?
Just my opinions, of course.
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Scott Lee said:
Well, what happens when you're up against another 80-90% winner? Then it's a coin-toss again!
In a short race the break is significantly more important, I'd rather not leave my fate up to a coin toss in these situations.
Is pool a game of skill or luck? Personally, I rather leave the beak up to what I would consider a skill shot, with the lag, as opposed to a coin toss.
That said, my break is awful, and rather have my weak skilled opponent break and get a few of his "blockers" off the table, if we are playing nine ball.
That said, my break is awful, and rather have my weak skilled opponent break and get a few of his "blockers" off the table, if we are playing nine ball.
I would rather lag EVERY tournament but sadly no one does it. At least the places I have played at.
Lag shot ...
1) Would rather lag because:
A) If I am the stronger player, better chance of winning. If I am not, can
still have a chance to win it.
B) If the table is breaking real hard, I can lose the lag, and let my
opponent break, hoping for nothing made with an open table.
2) Coin flips - Know your opponent - several try to rig the flip to their favor.
A) Don't call until it is up in the air. Has to land on the green.
B) Don't take a 'flip' where someone bounces the coin off the table
by throwing it downward, THAT IS NOT A FLIP.
C) A legal flip, IMO, has to reach or exceed a foot above the flipper's
hand.
Although I prefer a lag, it is never done where I play.
1) Would rather lag because:
A) If I am the stronger player, better chance of winning. If I am not, can
still have a chance to win it.
B) If the table is breaking real hard, I can lose the lag, and let my
opponent break, hoping for nothing made with an open table.
2) Coin flips - Know your opponent - several try to rig the flip to their favor.
A) Don't call until it is up in the air. Has to land on the green.
B) Don't take a 'flip' where someone bounces the coin off the table
by throwing it downward, THAT IS NOT A FLIP.
C) A legal flip, IMO, has to reach or exceed a foot above the flipper's
hand.
Although I prefer a lag, it is never done where I play.
Scott Lee said:
I'd be interested to know what the win percentage is of all the pros when they lag. I mean, they're all pros, and someone's got to lose the lag.
My guess, and this is a wild one I know... on average with professionals playing each other, a professional wins the lag 49.5% of the time.
Fred
Cornerman said:
I bet the average is 50%.
(a tied lag doesn't count as a lag, in my book)
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PoolSleuth
Banned
Toss in common out in the Valley of the Sun
Snapshot9 said:
WOW thems some strict flippin rules
, i prefer the lag too