haha... I knew there would be a lot of people that would get their panties all in a twist about my reply
Ok, since many seem to be missing my point, let me spell it out a little better.
FIRST, these guys are playing for a buck a game. YES, the OP says a BUCK A GAME. My reply was based on them playing cheap or funsies, and I believe a BUCK A GAME constitutes as falling in the "cheap" category. So, yes, if we're playing cheap and someone plays a safe all the time instead of trying to actually win the game by god forbid, using skill to break out some balls then I'm probably not going to want to play them much.
I also said in gambling (meaning gambling for worthwhile stakes, a buck a game is not so much gambling, then just having a good time) and in tournaments, anything goes. Anything goes means you can play safetys until the cows come home, it's all cool. When you're gambling for worthwhile stakes, you should play in the fashion that gives you the best chance of winning. If that means you feel it's necesary to play safes all the time, more power to you, I got nothing against anyone doing whatever it takes legally, to win the game.
So when you're gambling for worthwhile stakes, I implore you to play in any way necessary to win. That's smart gambling. I don't hold anything against anyone that is gambling smart.
But for funsies or cheap buck or two a game or 10 dollar sets or something like that, I expect the person I'm playing to have a little more of a flexible game, meaning he shouldn't be treating this the same as if it was a 100 dollar a game match.
For freebie/funsie pool or for cheap buck or two pool or long sets for a lousy 10 bucks, it is MY OPINION, that a person should loosen up their game a tad bit and challenge themselves to try and run out. If they have problem balls, challenge yourself to get position to break them out. If you don't, play safe. It's all cool, at least you tried. But for someone to not even attempt to try and run out, someone who plays safe with ball in hand or shoots one ball and ducks again, that's a bit extreme in my book.
For gambling on anything more then cheap buck or two or long sets for cheap, then by all means play anyway you feel you have to to take down the money. If that means trying to get ball in hand on every shot, more power to you. In tournaments, you don't have a choice in anything, so I say anything goes in tournaments.
Bottom line is, I play pool for enjoyment at this stage in my life. If I'm playing for fun or gambling cheap, I"m not concerned about the money, we're just playing to hit balls around, sociable pool. If I play someone and they play safe with ball in hand, when they could have easily did something with the ball in hand to eliminate their problem balls, then I'm not going to enjoy myself. I want both of us playing to win for funsies/or cheap, I don't want someone trying to nit me to death.
If I match up to play where the money is significant enough that both of want to win it, then I expect/accept however they play. At this point, I am playing to win the money and so are they, so anything goes and it's all good. I would be getting in the game, because I think I can win, whether he flys at balls or safes me to death, I don't care because I"m expecting to win no matter what and I want to win the money. He can do whatever he pleases and I'm fine with it.
Some of you guys, are all into this play every game like it's the finals of the US Open, no matter whether you're practicing, or playing your Grandma, it's all about playing the correct percentages and playing in whatever fashion that gives you the best opportunity to win. Hey more power to you, enjoy your game, but if you're the type that's going to safe me to death, we're not playing. You can play someone else and I'll either practice or find someone else. Do your thing, I"ll do mine, no hard feelings.
It all really boils down to this......
If I'm playing for money and that is the driving factor for both of us of why we are playing, I will play in whichever way gives me the best opportunity to win and I expect you will do the same. I respect whatever you do to try and win the money.
But if we're just hitting balls around or playing real cheap/kicks and giggles bet, then I expect us to loosen our game up a tad bit. Which would mean if you don't have a shot anywhere, play safe. If you have a low percentage shot, maybe give it a try, but try and play safe too or leave me a real hard shot, if you miss.
It all comes down to why we're playing. If we're playing to win money, then it shouldn't matter whether they shark you, play safe on every shot, take forever to shoot, only going to play one set and quit... whatever, you're just playing to win the money.
For every other occasion then the one listed above, then we each should decide on what kind of people we want to play to enjoy our time at the table. Some of you may like someone to throw the kitchen sink at you and do whatever it takes to win, and that makes you happy. Some of you may think the person should shoot at everything, no matter whether you have 0 chance of it going in anywhere. And others like myself, like to play people that play smart intelligent pool but lean on the side of TRYING to win and challenge themselves to do that.
I could just as easily not want to play someone because they play stupid pool, by flying at everything or shooting at low percentage shots and not caring where the cueball ends up, as I could not want to play someone because they play safe all the time. Being able to play a good safe is just as hard to do as being able to make a hard shot, so I get great satisfaction at playing a good safe myself, or if someone played one on me.
And for those of you that resort to making the stupid "you must not know much about pool", whatever...... I have lived and breathed this game for the past 30 years. And the majority of those years were around players that play this game for a living or play it for the money aspect. So I know the correct way to play the game, which is the way that gives you the best percentage of winning.
So if you want to go all gung ho on my azz for a buck a game and play safe on me with ball in hand, I"m going to find someone else to play. I don't want your damn dollar that bad to play you, I'll find someone else to play, that has the nads to try and win for a lousy buck.
:smile:
