My latest not-so-good experience happened over the weekend, and the problem really didn’t have anything to do with playing for money or drinks (although we did eventually play for drinks). I was visiting my parents and decided to go to a bar that I used to go to with my parents years ago. The bar has been remodeled, but still has a pool table.
I couple of guys (looked to be in the upper 40s) eventually came in and started playing pool. Their shooting looked a bit rusty on their first game, but they definitely were not ball bangers, were very deliberate, and they seemed to know the full range of shots and english. I asked if they minded if I played and they said OK. These guys presented a whole new challenge that I’ve never quite seen executed to this extent before. As soon I they realized that I could play—after I won a couple games—one of the guys began to obviously and purposefully miss shots to block the pockets that my balls were near.
It’s not that I haven’t seen this done before, but this time it was so blatant and obvious that the guy wasn’t trying to make his balls, but was only trying to block as many pockets as he could. The one guy did this at the beginning of every game, regardless of whether he had fair chance at a runout. At the beginning, I really didn’t mind too much—I just took this as another type of challenge and tried to knock his balls in or out of the way while I was attempting my runouts.
What happened though, is that I was still able to beat these guys the majority of the games by breaking out my balls or knocking their balls out of the way or in the pocket as part of my position play. But even so, it just wasn’t as fun as when someone is actually attempting to runout when they have an opportunity, so that the games move along more quickly.
So after they lost a few games…they proposed that we play doubles. One of the two guys would be my partner, and the other guy grabbed a new guy from the bar and we began to play. I actually thought that this would be better, because maybe the one guy (now my opponent in doubles) wouldn’t play like he had been when playing against his friend. The new guy then insisted that we play for a drink. I said no at first, but after more insisting, I agreed.
Now to the point of the thread…one of the two guys that is now my opponent in doubles plays the same way as before when playing singles and just tries to block the pockets. But what I didn’t expect and what really floored me, is that the other guy (now my partner) begins to open-up pockets for our opponents by making our balls that are in front of the pockets when there was no chance for a runout and when he had other open shots. Also, he all of a sudden is now missing rather easy shots…and in doing so, breaking out our opponents trouble balls…and not playing defensive at all (like he was when he was playing me in singles). Again, it was just too obvious. Has this type of thing happened to anyone else—where your partner decides to work for the other team?
They win the first game and I buy the new guy a drink. Our team then wins the next 3 in a row, despite my partner working against me. I basically broke things out quickly or ran out before they could mess things up too much. I got a drink for the first win, and then the guy only gives me $1.00 for each of the next two games…(although a drink is more like $3.00, I kind-of blew that off, since I had plenty of drinks already).
Even though I didn’t enjoy the game as much knowing that they were working against me, I actually still prevailed and got some satisfaction in doing so. I had planned that when we eventually lost that I would stop playing partners, and when we did lose, I told them that I wasn’t playing doubles anymore.
I then played a couple of younger guys that brought their own sticks in and beat them three times in a row…and then beat an older guy that had been watching the whole time. The new guy that I was playing partners against wanted to play last pocket—but I ran the table after he missed anyways—even though it was last pocket.
When we were playing partners, my partner did start asking me what I did for a living, where I worked, where I got my degree at, and where I lived—and when the bartender was talking with them, she stopped and asked me where I normally play, because I play good and they haven’t seen me there before. Could they have played like this because they thought that I was hustling them—even though I didn’t want to play for money or drinks when they asked me? Will most people consider it hustling, or play this petty, even if you only want to play for the table?
Just thought that I would share my latest interesting experience in the bars… If anyone else has had something similar happen to them when playing doubles with a stranger, I would enjoy hearing about it… I know what many people might be thinking…why don’t you quit playing in bars. (The main reason is that I like to play against other people for fun…and it’s hard to find anyone at the pool hall that just wants to play for fun). Although it wasn’t my most fun night out playing pool, now days, if I can get a full night of pool in without a fight breaking out…I guess I’m going to consider it a good night…LOL.
I couple of guys (looked to be in the upper 40s) eventually came in and started playing pool. Their shooting looked a bit rusty on their first game, but they definitely were not ball bangers, were very deliberate, and they seemed to know the full range of shots and english. I asked if they minded if I played and they said OK. These guys presented a whole new challenge that I’ve never quite seen executed to this extent before. As soon I they realized that I could play—after I won a couple games—one of the guys began to obviously and purposefully miss shots to block the pockets that my balls were near.
It’s not that I haven’t seen this done before, but this time it was so blatant and obvious that the guy wasn’t trying to make his balls, but was only trying to block as many pockets as he could. The one guy did this at the beginning of every game, regardless of whether he had fair chance at a runout. At the beginning, I really didn’t mind too much—I just took this as another type of challenge and tried to knock his balls in or out of the way while I was attempting my runouts.
What happened though, is that I was still able to beat these guys the majority of the games by breaking out my balls or knocking their balls out of the way or in the pocket as part of my position play. But even so, it just wasn’t as fun as when someone is actually attempting to runout when they have an opportunity, so that the games move along more quickly.
So after they lost a few games…they proposed that we play doubles. One of the two guys would be my partner, and the other guy grabbed a new guy from the bar and we began to play. I actually thought that this would be better, because maybe the one guy (now my opponent in doubles) wouldn’t play like he had been when playing against his friend. The new guy then insisted that we play for a drink. I said no at first, but after more insisting, I agreed.
Now to the point of the thread…one of the two guys that is now my opponent in doubles plays the same way as before when playing singles and just tries to block the pockets. But what I didn’t expect and what really floored me, is that the other guy (now my partner) begins to open-up pockets for our opponents by making our balls that are in front of the pockets when there was no chance for a runout and when he had other open shots. Also, he all of a sudden is now missing rather easy shots…and in doing so, breaking out our opponents trouble balls…and not playing defensive at all (like he was when he was playing me in singles). Again, it was just too obvious. Has this type of thing happened to anyone else—where your partner decides to work for the other team?
They win the first game and I buy the new guy a drink. Our team then wins the next 3 in a row, despite my partner working against me. I basically broke things out quickly or ran out before they could mess things up too much. I got a drink for the first win, and then the guy only gives me $1.00 for each of the next two games…(although a drink is more like $3.00, I kind-of blew that off, since I had plenty of drinks already).
Even though I didn’t enjoy the game as much knowing that they were working against me, I actually still prevailed and got some satisfaction in doing so. I had planned that when we eventually lost that I would stop playing partners, and when we did lose, I told them that I wasn’t playing doubles anymore.
I then played a couple of younger guys that brought their own sticks in and beat them three times in a row…and then beat an older guy that had been watching the whole time. The new guy that I was playing partners against wanted to play last pocket—but I ran the table after he missed anyways—even though it was last pocket.
When we were playing partners, my partner did start asking me what I did for a living, where I worked, where I got my degree at, and where I lived—and when the bartender was talking with them, she stopped and asked me where I normally play, because I play good and they haven’t seen me there before. Could they have played like this because they thought that I was hustling them—even though I didn’t want to play for money or drinks when they asked me? Will most people consider it hustling, or play this petty, even if you only want to play for the table?
Just thought that I would share my latest interesting experience in the bars… If anyone else has had something similar happen to them when playing doubles with a stranger, I would enjoy hearing about it… I know what many people might be thinking…why don’t you quit playing in bars. (The main reason is that I like to play against other people for fun…and it’s hard to find anyone at the pool hall that just wants to play for fun). Although it wasn’t my most fun night out playing pool, now days, if I can get a full night of pool in without a fight breaking out…I guess I’m going to consider it a good night…LOL.
