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Shoebat
I was telling a non pool playing (but sports enthusiast) friend that I lost because the other person broke and ran out on me. He was astounded that there would be a sport/ game in which excellent play meant that the other player did not have an opportunity to play or to surpass the first player's performance.
He even invented some convoluted football scenario in which one team controlled the ball for an entire game- but admitted that the likelihood would be similar to winning a lottery, AND that even in his scenario, there were opportunities for the other team to take over the ball.
In pool, if one player breaks and runs out, there's absolutely nothing you can do (short of unsportsmanlike conduct).
So, here I'm just asking people who know other sports and games (I don't):
Is pool the only game/sport where you have the possibility of controlling the entire game/ set, and there's nothing the opponent can do?
Disclaimer: I am not arguing sport or game status of pool, not arguing for or against racking strategies, nor am I arguing for or against alternate breaks. (In fact, in the last instance I argued that in pool you could have amazing feats of record- breaking runs, and said friend argued that at least the opponent ought to then be given a chance to match or beat that amazing run.)
He even invented some convoluted football scenario in which one team controlled the ball for an entire game- but admitted that the likelihood would be similar to winning a lottery, AND that even in his scenario, there were opportunities for the other team to take over the ball.
In pool, if one player breaks and runs out, there's absolutely nothing you can do (short of unsportsmanlike conduct).
So, here I'm just asking people who know other sports and games (I don't):
Is pool the only game/sport where you have the possibility of controlling the entire game/ set, and there's nothing the opponent can do?
Disclaimer: I am not arguing sport or game status of pool, not arguing for or against racking strategies, nor am I arguing for or against alternate breaks. (In fact, in the last instance I argued that in pool you could have amazing feats of record- breaking runs, and said friend argued that at least the opponent ought to then be given a chance to match or beat that amazing run.)