Pool room Challenge Tables

Snapshot9

Snapshot9

son of 3 leg 1 eye dog ..
Silver Member
A lot of Pool rooms have from 1-3 table, Bar tables normally, that are
Challenge Tables. Lots of good money games go on on these tables,
especially around the time the Pool room is holding a big tournament.

I like it when:

1) The table is in a pit or there is stadium seating around the table.
2) You don't challenge unless you are willing to play for table stakes,
which is the going rate or named by the winner of the table.

I HATE IT when 5 or 6 players have a money challenge going on, and some
local yokel wants to challenge and play for FREE, which ends up breaking
up the money chain. And worse yet, they bang the 9 and it rolls in, and
you have to wait and wait and wait to get back on the table.

Back in the old days, it was not allowed to do that. Nowdays, those yokels think it is their right to do that, and most can not make 2 balls
in a row. Management even used to keep them from doing it, but now
they seem to be giving in to those yokels.

What are your thoughts about Challenge tables?

Do your Challenge tables have an 'Arena' feel to them?

Should people be allowed to challenge for free when they know a money
game is going on between some players?

Yes, Most Challenge tables usually have it posted about 'no sets', and most money players abide by that, but sometimes a quick set or 2 is shot
on them.
 
Sorry, but if you have locals bum rushing the money tables, your at the wrong pool hall brother.
 
Challenge tables - love em- dont see em much any more. Challenge tables are mostly BarBox tables at the places I play. But there was this one spot called Shark's Club or Sharky's in Newport Beach. Pretty upscale place, The challenge table had different colored felt and was in the center of the room under different lighting. Not a real arena - but pretty close.
 
I remember the times I was on the road, the biggest pressure I always felt was when my turn came up on the challenge barbox, there were 30 quarters lined up after me, and I HAD to win that game, and a bunch more, to make a score. If I lost that first one, I might not get another chance before the joint closed. Not many feelings as a pool player that are as sweet as "owning" that challenge barbox for a long stretch -it can lead to temporary hero status, free beer, money, and, most importantly, babes! Course it can also lead to "Sasquatch Butch" taking the heat and wanting to squeeze your neck til your eyes pop out, but that's another story.
 
Snapshot9 said:
A lot of Pool rooms have from 1-3 table, Bar tables normally, that are
Challenge Tables. Lots of good money games go on on these tables,
especially around the time the Pool room is holding a big tournament.

I like it when:

1) The table is in a pit or there is stadium seating around the table.
2) You don't challenge unless you are willing to play for table stakes,
which is the going rate or named by the winner of the table.

I HATE IT when 5 or 6 players have a money challenge going on, and some
local yokel wants to challenge and play for FREE, which ends up breaking
up the money chain. And worse yet, they bang the 9 and it rolls in, and
you have to wait and wait and wait to get back on the table.

Back in the old days, it was not allowed to do that. Nowdays, those yokels think it is their right to do that, and most can not make 2 balls
in a row. Management even used to keep them from doing it, but now
they seem to be giving in to those yokels.

What are your thoughts about Challenge tables?

Do your Challenge tables have an 'Arena' feel to them?

Should people be allowed to challenge for free when they know a money
game is going on between some players?

Yes, Most Challenge tables usually have it posted about 'no sets', and most money players abide by that, but sometimes a quick set or 2 is shot
on them.
Click to expand...
I HATE it when this happens. I waited 2 hours once for the price to get right on a challenge table in Dalton, Ga. I won 2 games, only to be challenged by a drunk woman that wanted to play for fun. I told her we were plaing for 40 bucks, she said she did not care, I broke and nothing goes, but the 9 hangs in the corner. Then after about 7 min. she shoots, the 1 goes 3 rails then kisses off 4 ball and made the 9. The guy that had his quarters up played her,she breaks and 9 goes in side pkt. I play her again, with her taking 5 to 10 min. to shoot. I finialy get a shot and beat her. The bartender yells CLOSING IN 10 MIN. I could have chocked her.
 
sorry Scott

Sorry Scott, but I believe that challenge tables are just that, always open to challenge. The amount played for varies with the house custom but most I played on, both players had to be agreeable and you couldn't force a challenger to play for your price. If you want to have a private game, take it to a private table.

I do agree with jnav447, few things are as much fun or as intense as hanging on to a busy challenge table. With a huge line of challenges up you can let your game out but one mistake can put you at the back of the line.

I scouted my town for decent challenge tables for years. When one was taken over by non-betting bangers I just went to the next place. Stakes were usually low but it wasn't hard to make a decent day's wage in a few hours.

Hu
 
If it is a challenge table, it should be just as the challenge room is at the DCC....

There is a large sign in the room that says, "No 'no' gambling"...
 
Snapshot9 said:
A lot of Pool rooms have from 1-3 table, Bar tables normally, that are
Challenge Tables. Lots of good money games go on on these tables,
especially around the time the Pool room is holding a big tournament.

I like it when:

1) The table is in a pit or there is stadium seating around the table.
2) You don't challenge unless you are willing to play for table stakes,
which is the going rate or named by the winner of the table.

I HATE IT when 5 or 6 players have a money challenge going on, and some
local yokel wants to challenge and play for FREE, which ends up breaking
up the money chain. And worse yet, they bang the 9 and it rolls in, and
you have to wait and wait and wait to get back on the table.

Back in the old days, it was not allowed to do that. Nowdays, those yokels think it is their right to do that, and most can not make 2 balls
in a row. Management even used to keep them from doing it, but now
they seem to be giving in to those yokels.

What are your thoughts about Challenge tables?

Do your Challenge tables have an 'Arena' feel to them?

Should people be allowed to challenge for free when they know a money
game is going on between some players?

Yes, Most Challenge tables usually have it posted about 'no sets', and most money players abide by that, but sometimes a quick set or 2 is shot
on them.
Click to expand...

That challenge table at shooter's in Wichita with the barber shop chairs and the tough action was one of the most fun pool venues I've found. When I was there, the bangers were usually willing to play for 2 or 5 just to get in on the action. Too bad it sounds like that's changing.

First time I played there Jr. Brown had the table and when it was my turn I pumped the bet from $5 to $10 on him. He was glad of it and later asked me why I did it. I told him I didn't think he was a pigeon, but if it was at $10 for the rest of the night, we both stood to make more money, losing the extra $5 to him then was a good investment.

Cheers,
RC
 
Well ...

sixpack said:
That challenge table at shooter's in Wichita with the barber shop chairs and the tough action was one of the most fun pool venues I've found. When I was there, the bangers were usually willing to play for 2 or 5 just to get in on the action. Too bad it sounds like that's changing.

First time I played there Jr. Brown had the table and when it was my turn I pumped the bet from $5 to $10 on him. He was glad of it and later asked me why I did it. I told him I didn't think he was a pigeon, but if it was at $10 for the rest of the night, we both stood to make more money, losing the extra $5 to him then was a good investment.

Cheers,
RC
Click to expand...

Jr. is back!!! He has been gone for awhile, but is back now, and I can not for the life of me figure out how he gets guys to play for $10 a game that
are nowhere near his speed, when I have to pull teeth to get the same guys to play for $2. Jr. is quite a character, and I would not be surprised
to see his name on one of the IPT qualifier player lists.
 
First, who the hell would bump JR? You raised the table price but you still gotta beat em.

But, to get back kind of on subject, try playing in a place with a few tables and someone cuts in on you in the middle of a set.
 
Around 1979-80, I was a regular at a joint on the Upper West Side in Manhattan where you didn't dare put down your quarters without being ready to play for the table stakes, usually just $5 or $10 ... this was way before Amsterdam Ave. turned into the frat party it is now.

Once, I wasn't paying attention and this ditsy woman I was hanging around with insisted on playing for nothing. She was given her quarters back, and I was given a stern lecture by somebody who looked like Richard Rountree: "Man, you got to CONTROL your woman," he reminded me.;)

Haven't seen a place like that -- the Harp & Shamrock, lol -- around the city in years. Maybe uptown still, though.
 
Snapshot9 said:
Jr. is back!!! He has been gone for awhile, but is back now, and I can not for the life of me figure out how he gets guys to play for $10 a game that
are nowhere near his speed, when I have to pull teeth to get the same guys to play for $2. Jr. is quite a character, and I would not be surprised
to see his name on one of the IPT qualifier player lists.
Click to expand...

I'd love to see that, he's one that would be good for the tour...and man can he play when he wants to!!!

BarBoxBandit said:
First, who the hell would bump JR? You raised the table price but you still gotta beat em.

But, to get back kind of on subject, try playing in a place with a few tables and someone cuts in on you in the middle of a set.
Click to expand...

Hindsight is 20/20. It turned out to work much better for him than me :)

He's one of the great characters of the game and the memories I have from those days will stay with me forever.

The way wine connoisseurs justify expensive bottles of wine is this:
The $100 you spend on that bottle will be gone soon enough anyway, but the memory of the occasion you celebrated will last a lifetime. I feel like the money I've fired at great players have created similar memories. I could fill a book with the hilarious situations I've seen and been involved in with great characters of the game. To me, the price of admission was ridiculously low.

Cheers,
RC
 
sixpack said:
I feel like the money I've fired at great players have created similar memories. I could fill a book with the hilarious situations I've seen and been involved in with great characters of the game. To me, the price of admission was ridiculously low.

Cheers,
RC
Click to expand...

I did the same thing for years at the pool room I worked at. I played even, and played the best in the room. That was the advise I was given to get better, so that's what i did. Everyone called me stupid, but 2 years later I was among the top players in the room, and the guys asking for weight were still playing the same speed......

Like you said....the admission price was low!

Gerry
 
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