questions from a debate

Jimbojim

Jimbojim

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is a question that came from a debate I had yesterday night at the poolhall. We were talking about the players who win tournaments but then lose it all on the poker machines in the same poolhall, we all had the same opinion that its a shame that those skilled players waste their money like that as it is almost impossible to make a living in pool only with tournaments.

Do you gamble your tournament money (I'm talking right after the tournament) in machines or money matches?

2nd question:(those who have their table)

I stated that one of my dreams was to have my own pool table and that I would practice like crazy for the tournaments and then I would go play with friends at the poolhall. He said 'you would practice at the beginning and after that you will ended at the poolhall all the time because of boredom'

Do you play on your table as much as you thought you would?
 
Hi,

I have my own table and don't play as much as I thought I would. Not because I don't have time to - I just don't make time to. I have been playing on it a lot more lately because I have decided to make time to improve my game.

BVal
 
I'm only 18 so i dont have my own table, but my dad does...so in a way i do.
we play/practice on it all the time. The only times we go to the pool hall is for league, when we were getting a new table and temporarily didnt have one, and sometimes for fun just to different halls around to check them out.
Its much easier to practice at your own table then it is to go into a pool hall and try to hone your game. I guess it also helps if you have someone to play with you...I'm gonna go practice there in a little bit before league to get warmed up. Its a worthwhile investment to buy your own table because then you know it will be quality (not always the case at a pool hall) and because you can go shoot whenever you want for however long you want with out paying for it.


Ben
 
When i had my table i did practic a lot at first. But like your friend said i got board. Its always nice to have a table if you can get someone to come and play with you. Here we have a group of friends and they all have tables and one night a week they go to eachothers house and play. That is pretty nice but its still not like being at the pool room. Just a thought, Doug
 
I have had a 9' GCIII for 20 odd years and play about 1- 2 hours a day. I guess it depends on commitment. It also depends on the desire to improve. I have drills, and play the ghost in all games. The one I currently like best is attempting to improve my high run in straight pool. It can get pretty intense. Olympic 9-Ball is also an intense solitary game. For me it is a great way to relax and forget about everything else in the world.

We have friends and acquaintainces at the house just about every weekend. Either the husband, the wife, or both play. There is weekly competition just about every week. Some scotch doubles and some partners for the newbies and old hands. It is always fun.

I guess it just depends on why one plays and what sport one is "into" during any given period. I used to play in leagues and in halls but nothing compares to my own room and bar with good friends and some new acquaintainces now and again.
 
I have never had a pool table, and would never want one.
Otherwise, it would end up with a lot of junk on it like my ping pong table.

While younger, it was nice to have my friends come over and play some ping pong and for the most part, it was very competitive between us.

Nowadays, to find someone who wants to play ping pong would be like pulling teeth.

So if i were to get a pool table, i know without a doubt, that i would be completely bored with it.
MAYBE i'd practice some at first, but ultimately, i never practice in the pool hall that much so i can see myself just goofing off and picking up bad habits at home.
Not to mention that if i were to have friends over for pool, i'd completely outclass them and it wouldn't be any fun.
That whole friendly game of pool theory is out the window.

And there is no way i'm gonna invite people from the pool hall to my house.
Simple as that.

At the pool hall, I am either practicing for about a half hour maybe 1 once per week, playing in a tournament, or just hanging out.

To me, it's all about competing. It's not about personal goals, or how many balls i can run, it's simply about playing someone else, and trying to win.
You can't compete by yourself.

As for gambling tournament winnings away...
If they NEED to stick their money in a poker machine to try and make a score, they might as well quit pool and gambling all together and get a better job.
It's not going to happen, but i would agree, that for the standard top shelf pool player, there is little money in pool.
But if they are matching up on the pool table, that's what you have to do. I mean, eventually, your going to have to play pool again and win again to get some cash, right?

I quit serious pool the instant i knew that pool couldn't give me the lifestyle that i want.

I gamble because i like to gamble. Needing to make a score does not fit into the equation these days.
When i was trying to make the best of it playing pool, i did not gamble. I played pool for money, and tried to keep the dice rolling (bad games)to an absolute minimum but on the other hand, if you don't make a score every now and then, or pump up to a decent level, your pool career is limited at best, regardless of HOW good you play.
To be successful as a pool player, you have to KEEP WINNING.

As it stands now, i would never recommend to anyone to try and become a pro pool player. Odds are it's going to be a huge waste of time when you could have been doing something else more productive.

Or if you ARE going to play pool, make sure you have a decent job on the side to finance your dream, cause pool will not make you rich by any means.
That dream is realized by only a few.
 
Jimbojim said:
Here is a question that came from a debate I had yesterday night at the poolhall. We were talking about the players who win tournaments but then lose it all on the poker machines in the same poolhall, we all had the same opinion that its a shame that those skilled players waste their money like that as it is almost impossible to make a living in pool only with tournaments.

Do you gamble your tournament money (I'm talking right after the tournament) in machines or money matches?

2nd question:(those who have their table)

I stated that one of my dreams was to have my own pool table and that I would practice like crazy for the tournaments and then I would go play with friends at the poolhall. He said 'you would practice at the beginning and after that you will ended at the poolhall all the time because of boredom'

Do you play on your table as much as you thought you would?
Click to expand...

I have a table at home and use it a lot. You are right, a lot of people buy a table and use it the first week to play pool then turn it into a place to store boxes after that. I am not in the category. I play on my table at home as much as possible. I like to practice and enjoy the time alone. Not everybody does. The only person that can say which category you fall in is you.
 
Jimbojim said:
Here is a question that came from a debate I had yesterday night at the poolhall. We were talking about the players who win tournaments but then lose it all on the poker machines in the same poolhall, we all had the same opinion that its a shame that those skilled players waste their money like that as it is almost impossible to make a living in pool only with tournaments.

Do you gamble your tournament money (I'm talking right after the tournament) in machines or money matches?

2nd question:(those who have their table)

I stated that one of my dreams was to have my own pool table and that I would practice like crazy for the tournaments and then I would go play with friends at the poolhall. He said 'you would practice at the beginning and after that you will ended at the poolhall all the time because of boredom'

Do you play on your table as much as you thought you would?
Click to expand...
Any money I win in tournaments goes towards wants. For instance, I wanted a new guitar. I won a tournament, so I bought a new guitar with that money. I wanted a new intake for my car, I placed 2nd in a tournament, so I bought a new intake. Occasionally, I'll use that money to pay for my wife and me to take a trip somewhere. Any money left over goes in the savings account. I usually don't gamble with tournament winnings.

I no longer have my Diamond Pro, but when I did, I played on it a lot when I first got it. I played more at home than I did at the pool room. As time went by, though, that relationship reversed. Finally, I got rid of the table.

-djb
 
Just recently a friend told me a story of a great player, who after just getting done beating TRex out of 3k, didnt want to change the bet to 6k...after a bunch of discussion the game broke up. This player immediately went to the cherry machines and sat there and pumped his share of the winnings into the machine. My friend watched this and was just dumbfounded how this player would not double the bet and was being cautious about his pool matchups, and then would sit down with the cherry machines and just send it home until he went bust.

This happened just a few days ago btw.
 
I play much more now that I have a table in my home. As far a getting bored goes, I haven't had that problem yet. Always something to work on, always a way to relax. If I really need to I can still go to the hall.
 
I have my own table and I play on it every day and everyone in my league asks me how I improved so much.

I set up a tv and dvd player and I watch instructional dvds and do the workouts right along with kinister and byrne and the like.

I read a lot of books too. I just got banking with the beard in the mail yesterday and I was instantly on the table practicing some banks I've never tried.

lots of fun.
 
We have a few idiots like that here. They absolutely cannot stand prosperity. If they happen to win on the local machines, they will go straight to one of the local casinos. They can't stand to have a few bucks in their pocket, unless it's there to gamble with. They border insanity.

I won't loan them money anymore, even though they have always paid me back. I am not going to contribute to an insane person.

When I had my Pool Table & I will again soon (when I've finished restoring it), I practiced all the time. I can actually say that practice helped me attain a higher level of play. When my Pool Table was sold, I soon returned to my old ways.
 
Last edited:
Luxury said:
I have my own table and I play on it every day and everyone in my league asks me how I improved so much.

I set up a tv and dvd player and I watch instructional dvds and do the workouts right along with kinister and byrne and the like.

I read a lot of books too. I just got banking with the beard in the mail yesterday and I was instantly on the table practicing some banks I've never tried.

lots of fun.
Click to expand...

Well then.. I'll just need the 7 and the snaps when I come to visit my wife's family in Puyallup. Tim Tweedle gave me the 5 and the snaps, so it should be a fair game...:D :D :D

Russ
 
I have two tables and play every chance I get, pretty much. Friends and teammates come out to play just about every week. After 3+ years, it still hasn't gotten boring for me and I can't see it getting that way. Maybe if I quit improving at some point.
 
uwate said:
Just recently a friend told me a story of a great player, who after just getting done beating TRex out of 3k, didnt want to change the bet to 6k...after a bunch of discussion the game broke up. This player immediately went to the cherry machines and sat there and pumped his share of the winnings into the machine. My friend watched this and was just dumbfounded how this player would not double the bet and was being cautious about his pool matchups, and then would sit down with the cherry machines and just send it home until he went bust.

This happened just a few days ago btw.
Click to expand...
you can win as much as 120.00 on cherry master.....i have watched people put their entire paychecks in one , for what ? ..i dunno
 
I have had a table in the basement for just over a year and still use it almost every day. I do get into slumps at times where I don't use the table much, but thos pass.

I can keep interested in playing by working on drills (I never took time to do drills at the pool hall) and rotating through a few different games to gauge my progress. If I get bored I go online and find a new drill or new solitare game to try out.
 
as to your first question- yes i lay my tournament winnings on the line immediatly afterwards if i feel like its a good bet. we dont have poker machines in the pool halls here so the closest thing would be a live game,, which i would enter. but i always match up for the cash after tournaments- why wouldnt you? your obviously playing pretty well, why not take advantage of it?
as to your second question i do own a pool table, have my whole life, and i do not practice on it as much as i did when i was younger but thats just cause i dont have that kinda time. i actually get very mad at myself when i dont practice for a few days in a row.
 
I think that when someone's goal is to play friendly matches with pool pals once a week, having a table is kinda useless because they go to the poolhall for the atmosphere, beverage, waitresses and the acquaintances who hang out there. But if you play the game for the competitive side and REALLY want to improve, I still think a personnal table can do such goodness
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top