Playing pool in the Philippines

galipeau

galipeau

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Any advice for playing with locals around the islands? I'm going to assume everyone, even the kids are capable of kicking my butt.

Plan to travel next year to the smaller islands for a wedding. If anyone has advice on how play nice with the locals please chime in. I don't mind playing for cheap. Assuming rotation and 10b are most common games.
 
Cheap action. Usually very safe. But be careful.

I was in a taxi with Max Eberle on Mindanao and our driver recognized him from TV. He challenged us to a doubles match playing 15 ball rotation with another taxi driver as his partner.

They took us to an outdoor table with a thatch roof and stray dogs & chickens and beat us out of maybe $10 or $20 US (like hitting the lottery for them.)

There were many spectators and it was one of the most fun experiences I've ever had playing pool.

Wonderful people who love the game and were very friendly to us.

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Cuaba said:
Cheap action. Usually very safe. But be careful.

I was in a taxi with Max Eberle on Mindanao and our driver recognized him from TV. He challenged us to a doubles match playing 15 ball rotation with another taxi driver as his partner.

They took us to an outdoor table with a thatch roof and stray dogs & chickens and beat us out of maybe $10 or $20 US (like hitting the lottery for them.)

There were many spectators and it was one of the most fun experiences I've ever had playing pool.

Wonderful people who love the game and were very friendly to us.
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Inthat like 20 billion piso? Course they were thrilled.
 
Their average player or pool player is better than an average American.

A pretty good sporty player won't have any problems with their average player.
 
couldnthinkof01 said:
How often do you play there?
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Been there once for a week because my pool playing Chinese buddy married a Filipina and she had family there. I was flew out there because I was in the wedding here and was a part of it there. The one difference is their "pool halls" are filled with players and spectators. You don't get that kind of involvement here. So you are bound to breed players and people that actually like the game. Unlike the league players here who have a miserable look on their faces. LOL

Very nice place and definitely a retirement destination. The USD can go very far there.

He was planning to get a house built.
 
smiling_Hans said:
Been there once for a week because my pool playing Chinese buddy married a Filipina and she had family there. I was flew out there because I was in the wedding here and was a part of it there. The one difference is their "pool halls" are filled with players and spectators. You don't get that kind of involvement here. So you are bound to breed players and people that actually like the game. Unlike the league players here who have a miserable look on their faces. LOL

Very nice place and definitely a retirement destination. The USD can go very far there.

He was planning to get a house built.
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Hopefully one of these days I will get the chance to see it for myself. I love that type of atmosphere.
 
galipeau said:
Any advice for playing with locals around the islands? I'm going to assume everyone, even the kids are capable of kicking my butt.

Plan to travel next year to the smaller islands for a wedding. If anyone has advice on how play nice with the locals please chime in. I don't mind playing for cheap. Assuming rotation and 10b are most common games.
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Have fun and enjoy. Here's the scoop! Filipinos love to play foreigners. And they always like to play for money. Maybe 50 or a 100P a game. Small money by our standards. Their game of preference is Rotation, which happens to be a great game with lots of play to it. Their rules are slightly different but you will catch on quick. Just remember this, the high balls (9-15) are where all the points are. My secret was always play combos on the low numbered balls and try to knock in some big balls. No use running the 1,2,3 and 4 ball.

You will have a good time, win or lose. If you want to bet higher they will find someone to play you. Beware! There are strong players all over the Islands! I used to play a guy who owned a small poolroom in Manila in a shopping center. We would play 1,000P (about $20) a game Rotation and it would always draw a big crowd surrounding the table. This was about 15 years ago and I could still swing it pretty good. What I really liked is that some of them would bet on me (they were side betting on every game) and when I made a good shot they let me know, applauding and cheering loudly. I had so much fun playing that game and it was very competitive between us. Best of all I was treated very special with someone bringing me a bottle of water if I asked and powder for my hands, whatever I needed. They just wanted to see a good game and we gave it to them. Never had a problem anywhere!

In every little town there are indoor (no aircon!) and outdoor poolrooms (yes, with a thatched roof overhead). It's very humid there and you need to keep your hands and your shaft clean and smooth. I always carried a little scotch-brite pad for my shaft and made sure they had hand powder there. Also carried a tip tool with me since I was usually using a house cue. I loved it because it reminded me of the old days here in the USA, when you could get a game anywhere.
 
any place you go and ask for a game for money they will usually call the best player they can find to beat you.
thats why unless you are a top player you never go in and ask for action you let it come to you on your terms.

and the reason most top players get broke on the road at some point in time, is they want instant action and have to beat the best all the time. and usually steam off all their money when the find the one they cant beat.

instead of picking off from the worst on up in a pool room.

there is a big difference from a gambler and a smart gambler.
 
maha said:
any place you go and ask for a game for money they will usually call the best player they can find to beat you.
thats why unless you are a top player you never go in and ask for action you let it come to you on your terms.

and the reason most top players get broke on the road at some point in time, is they want instant action and have to beat the best all the time. and usually steam off all their money when the find the one they cant beat.

instead of picking off from the worst on up in a pool room.

there is a big difference from a gambler and a smart gambler.
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wow, that's deep. as to the Phillipines, ever been there??????
 
Also, pool is a resource of income.

They don't play this game for fun like we do. We go to the pool hall and spend to practice and have fun.

They are usually playing it to get good because they are going to use this skill to win some money. Just think of the golden age of pool when people were hustling in America to make money. We had more pool rooms like we have Starbucks now.
 
nope garczar, never been to those islands. but i suppose its the same everywhere you go and look for action how you get it. and ive played in other countries and all over u.s. and canada and always for money.

if its different there please explain how so.
 
maha said:
any place you go and ask for a game for money they will usually call the best player they can find to beat you.
thats why unless you are a top player you never go in and ask for action you let it come to you on your terms.

and the reason most top players get broke on the road at some point in time, is they want instant action and have to beat the best all the time. and usually steam off all their money when the find the one they cant beat.

instead of picking off from the worst on up in a pool room.

there is a big difference from a gambler and a smart gambler.
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In the Philippines you don't have to ask, they will ask you! Everybody is not a great player there. Many of the young kids are trying to learn and they will play anyone that isn't a known player to them. It's kind of hit or miss how good a player you will run into. I've run into some killers there and I paid off and quit. I've also been surprised there more than a few times. In one poolroom, they brought in an older guy to play me, Senior vs. Senior. They really pushed me to play him a Race to Nine (9-Ball) for 5,000P. I figured I was the underdog and played anyway. Turned out he wasn't any better than me and the pressure (all his buddies watching) seemed to affect him more as well. I ended up winning that match with my GF and little daughter sitting there waiting for me to take them shopping. We quit after one set and no one said boo. In fact several of the locals congratulated me as we were leaving.
 
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I played there on my last trip. It's a pretty cool experience. Once they see that you're a foreigner they will be all over you trying to make a game. I think I bet 500 pesos ($10) for a race to 3 in 10-ball. Plus you have to pay the racker 50 pesos ($1). But there was no table time fee in my experience so I guess that's what the racker fee covers.

As soon as I walked in they got all excited, gave me a cue, and chose an opponent for me. It was like the whole room was involved in our game. Even the guys on the side would be betting for or against me and would cheer me on. Then they switched opponents on me a few times to make it more fair depending on the result.

I will say however, don't go into the room expecting to leave with any money. Not because they are necessarily going to be better than you. They will find you a fairly even match but the atmosphere there is very different so it's hard to get comfortable. These guys are also living in that room 24/7 gambling all day to survive so they are very comfortable. But this is their job so if they don't win, they don't eat. Plus the bet is a lot to them and they are usually being backed. So there's much more pressure on them to perform. But they are all working together (the ref, the room owner, the backer, etc.) to win your money. If the match is close they will probably cheat you on a few close calls and end up winning. That's just the way it goes. Just consider the bet a donation and chalk it up to a good experience. Trust me, they will find a way to win. Maybe not the first few sets but they will eventually get you.

Also, I was in a very remote area so it wasn't easy to find a pool hall. Outside of the poolhall, pretty much everyone I met didn't play pool. They were much more into basketball, which is odd because the average height is 5'-1" lol. So pool is not as popular there as it may seem. At least where I visited. I'm sure the experience in the big cities are going to be much different too. Good luck!
 
Thanks for sharing. I'm just wanting to have fun and hope I can get out and shoot a bit. Playing for cheap, I don't mind donating 20 bucks over the course of a night. These folks need it more than I do.

I've flirted with a 500 Fargo but normally stay under. Good advice to bring my own tip tool.

Going to a tiny island called bohol. I've googled and there's only a couple small pool rooms, mostly see single tables at hotels and bars.
 
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