Sharking

Flakeandrun

Flakeandrun

Well-known member
Been victim to the odd bit of verbal, movement and whatever else. But last night was the first time anyone has ever done something physically to impact the game while I am playing (and that I am aware of lol).

Not even playing for anything worth mentioning, but I am 5-1 up in a race to 10. He wins the last rack, and we agree on a toilet break. Come back, and it's his break. Doesn't make a ball. Pick up my chalk to chalk my cue, and it's soaking wet. Then he tells me I did it... doesn't realize every table is on camera 🤣 If he apologized, I'd have made a joke about him pissing on his hands and been less likely to accuse him outright of sharking.

Was pretty close to quitting on him... Instead, I made him wait 20+ minutes while I cleaned the chalk of the tips of my cues, and used a spare chalk.
Made sure to hammer him even harder.

Just curious, what experiences you have had, good/funny, bad and ugly with sharking. Sure there's some good stories to be shared on the topic.
 
I was playing at the local bar one night, and my opponent was sharking heavily and poorly, he was talking as I (did everything) and moving around in shoes that squeak flailing his arms and spilling his drink ...

So, I told him that I would shoot 30 seconds after the last noise he made.

20 minutes later, it was still my inning on the same shot--with him complaining about slow play. ....

after another 10 minutes, I packed up my stick and quit and walked out before taking that shot.

Ya' can't fix stupid.
 
MitchAlsup said:
I was playing at the local bar one night, and my opponent was sharking heavily and poorly, he was talking as I (did everything) and moving around in shoes that squeak flailing his arms and spilling his drink ...

So, I told him that I would shoot 30 seconds after the last noise he made.

20 minutes later, it was still my inning on the same shot--with him complaining about slow play. ....
Click to expand...
hahahaha nice work! I am not too good at addressing things like that.

I once experienced similar levels of movement in a tournament once. Some people from another city came as a crew. They were live-streaming the games, which I think is cool. The issue was the whole crew moving around and talking the whole game. I didn't address it during the game, but at the end, I told them what I thought of it all. "Live-streaming is awesome for the game, moving around and talking through the whole set isn't it..."
The TD acknowledged my complaint, as the previous match a player had the same complaint, and the TD actually offered me the game. I declined, as it wasn't the players fault, and I should have addressed it earlier. I was pleased that for the rest of the tournament, they had to set the camera up and stay away from it.

MitchAlsup said:
Ya' can't fix stupid.
Click to expand...
True that!

I used to play a guy in some casual races (usually for the table fee, or 100rmb. cheap cheap) - but he would wait until you're half way through running out to come and have a casual chat about something.

I called him on it eventually, purely for the fact that on the odd occasion he's actually up in a race, he turns into the slowest player alive, and it's no longer time for casual chats or a fun game. He got incredibly butt hurt about it all, and we don't play anymore lol
 
Flakeandrun said:
Been victim to the odd bit of verbal, movement and whatever else. But last night was the first time anyone has ever done something physically to impact the game while I am playing (and that I am aware of lol).

Not even playing for anything worth mentioning, but I am 5-1 up in a race to 10. He wins the last rack, and we agree on a toilet break. Come back, and it's his break. Doesn't make a ball. Pick up my chalk to chalk my cue, and it's soaking wet. Then he tells me I did it... doesn't realize every table is on camera 🤣 If he apologized, I'd have made a joke about him pissing on his hands and been less likely to accuse him outright of sharking.

Was pretty close to quitting on him... Instead, I made him wait 20+ minutes while I cleaned the chalk of the tips of my cues, and used a spare chalk.
Made sure to hammer him even harder.

Just curious, what experiences you have had, good/funny, bad and ugly with sharking. Sure there's some good stories to be shared on the topic.
Click to expand...
The last time I played I was in a tournament 10 dollars , about 15 guys, I can spot this guy 3 balls but this day , every time it is my shot, he is writhing around in the chair, jacking his cue stick with a cloth , just acting really weird and after a while I asked the tournament director to talk to him, he watched a while , the guy did the same stuff and he said , he needed to sit down or get out of my line of sight, the guy just doubles down and gets really stupid , stealing balls I made , , finally I just decided it wasn't worth hurting him over, or even ruining my day, so I went home. That was 7 years ago, I haven't been back. I have had people throw beer bottles past my head while I was shooting the cash in , so I know I don't dog it , but I was really starting to get dark over this guy, I now realize he was on something , something powerful and if I had challenged him ,I may have had to do something I didn't really want to do , to keep him from hurting me. Thank God I just walked away.
 
book collector said:
The last time I played I was in a tournament 10 dollars , about 15 guys, I can spot this guy 3 balls but this day , every time it is my shot, he is writhing around in the chair, jacking his cue stick with a cloth , just acting really weird and after a while I asked the tournament director to talk to him, he watched a while , the guy did the same stuff and he said , he needed to sit down or get out of my line of sight, the guy just doubles down and gets really stupid , stealing balls I made , , finally I just decided it wasn't worth hurting him over, or even ruining my day, so I went home. That was 7 years ago, I haven't been back. I have had people throw beer bottles past my head while I was shooting the cash in , so I know I don't dog it , but I was really starting to get dark over this guy, I now realize he was on something , something powerful and if I had challenged him ,I may have had to do something I didn't really want to do , to keep him from hurting me. Thank God I just walked away.
Click to expand...
I would lose my shit with a beer bottle over my head, especially for the money. Thankfully, here in China, players are generally very respectful (maybe I just don't understand what constitutes to locals culturally as sharking 😂). It's usually when playing expats where the nonsense behavior comes to the fore. But as I mentioned, I have never had anyone touch or mess with my equipment.
 
I turned around to grab my Joss for my shot and some teenager was shooting with it at the table behind me. He said it was leaning there and so he thought anybody could use it. "There" being at my seat, behind me, with my case, jump cue, and break cue.

I swear to God I thought the little pinhead was working for my opponent.

That the little bugger is alive today is a testament to my kindness, generosity, and respect for human life.
 
I had a heckler sitting in the bleachers during a tournament. I'd get ready to stroke the shot and he'd say "He's going to dog it." I asked a couple times if he'd knock it off, but he didn't. I went up and got a tall black coffee. Steam rolled off the top of it. I showed him the coffee and told him if he opened his mouth again, he'll wear the coffee. The seats around him emptied out quickly. I told him "Well, say something now if you don't believe me...just open your mouth and see." He was quiet the remainder of my match.
 
My greatest enjoyment of this game has always been playing straight pool alone for several hours - nothing more relaxing for me at the table than this exercise.
Competition is always welcome and can be very enjoyable as well - but I have zero tolerance for playing a game if it is even remotely more irritating than being enjoyable.
Managing one’s own life so that you always have choices provides great options for happiness .
 
Buckzapper said:
I had a heckler sitting in the bleachers during a tournament. I'd get ready to stroke the shot and he'd say "He's going to dog it." I asked a couple times if he'd knock it off, but he didn't. I went up and got a tall black coffee. Steam rolled off the top of it. I showed him the coffee and told him if he opened his mouth again, he'll wear the coffee. The seats around him emptied out quickly. I told him "Well, say something now if you don't believe me...just open your mouth and see." He was quiet the remainder of my match.
Click to expand...
I love this! Also a good followup is when you have emptied the coffee on him, ask "could you buy me a cup of coffee, it seems I ran out of mine".
 
When I had to play pool for $ sometimes I’d have to “find” ways to win as talent (or lack of) wasn’t gonna cut the mustard. So I’m guilty of this (I can’t bring myself to use the ‘S’ word).

I had one particular game with a guy I’d play pretty regularly for a couple years. He played much stronger than me, he’d spot my the wild 7 winner break 9B. Which technically wasn’t enough, it was a bad game for me on paper.

Until one night I accidentally called a foul on him that wasn’t a foul. I can’t recall how it went down but I called it and he went off the rails mad at me. He couldn’t make a ball after that. Some how it came to my attention I called a foul when it wasn’t. So I gave it back somehow-this was in the late 80’s. So I don’t recall exactly what happened.

What important here is I noticed after I called that foul he couldn’t play, at all. So what did I do?

Well I played him probably 10 more times and every time we played I’d call a foul when there was no foul, didn’t matter what it was, “you tapped the CB, no rail, you didn’t hit the ball” etc.

They all worked the same on him. He’d get mad and couldn’t play. I never adjusted from the wild 7 and the worst I ever did was break even a few times, I’d usually win. I didn’t play him without calling the phony foul. It was just too easy not to get him all jarred up.

He’s still alive and very well known in NorCal lol. Haven’t played him in 30 years bit TT (his initials) would always take the bait.

I just couldn’t help myself, if I ever play him again. I’ll do it again.

Best
Fatboy 😇
 
Fatboy said:
When I had to play pool for $ sometimes I’d have to “find” ways to win as talent (or lack of) wasn’t gonna cut the mustard. So I’m guilty of this (I can’t bring myself to use the ‘S’ word).

I had one particular game with a guy I’d play pretty regularly for a couple years. He played much stronger than me, he’d spot my the wild 7 winner break 9B. Which technically wasn’t enough, it was a bad game for me on paper.

Until one night I accidentally called a foul on him that wasn’t a foul. I can’t recall how it went down but I called it and he went off the rails mad at me. He couldn’t make a ball after that. Some how it came to my attention I called a foul when it wasn’t. So I gave it back somehow-this was in the late 80’s. So I don’t recall exactly what happened.

What important here is I noticed after I called that foul he couldn’t play, at all. So what did I do?

Well I played him probably 10 more times and every time we played I’d call a foul when there was no foul, didn’t matter what it was, “you tapped the CB, no rail, you didn’t hit the ball” etc.

They all worked the same on him. He’d get mad and couldn’t play. I never adjusted from the wild 7 and the worst I ever did was break even a few times, I’d usually win. I didn’t play him without calling the phony foul. It was just too easy not to get him all jarred up.

He’s still alive and very well known in NorCal lol. Haven’t played him in 30 years bit TT (his initials) would always take the bait.

I just couldn’t help myself, if I ever play him again. I’ll do it again.

Best
Fatboy 😇
Click to expand...
No offense but that is some chickenshit right there. Do that in my neck of the woods and you'd be in the parking lot.
 
Closest I've come to being sharked (aside from friends messing with each other) was a weekly 9b tournament a couple years ago. Was my first competition after quite a few years of sparse play. Got matched up against a 730 that needed no help beating me. The 2 games I won in the set he literally took the 9 off the table while I was down to shoot at it. Not sure if it's gamesmanship or he's just a generally invasive person. I miscued at one point and he took the chalk right out of my hand to see what I was using... So weird.

For friendly stuff a favorite prank in college would be to take the CB or 9 off someone else's table when they weren't looking (or put a duplicate ball or random stripe on their table).

Flakeandrun said:
Was pretty close to quitting on him... Instead, I made him wait 20+ minutes while I cleaned the chalk of the tips of my cues, and used a spare chalk.
Click to expand...
Actively tampering with someone's equipment is just wrong though. We all know how much this stuff costs, just don't.
 
Ah the Shark moves. I studied under Racetrack Rick.
The con is sewer move is so subtle.....they don't realize it until it's a done deal.
I liken the study of Shark moves to Martial arts.
Religion must accompany the knowledge.
The clumsy attempts at distraction serve as inspiration. If you wanna see my best game......just Piss Me Off. ! No Really. A Self Rightious attitude is hard to beat.
My interactions with clumsy attempts start with a close personal conversation. My presentation goes like this, "You are going to quit this shit. In the event that you don't, this will get Much Louder. I will make A Scene of it. Your choice."
My religious situation doesn't allow me to employ moves. Well unless they Earn it. 😉
Story rerun:
It was the 3 player team event in Pendleton. 2 day event that had us playing the home team in the finals.
The owner had made it clear in an earlier game that she considered shark moves, uh fair play. I was in a tough situation and the ladies room door was directly in front of my shot. The area was cramped. As I got down to shoot, she sauntered to the ladies room.....and stopped. When I arose from the shot, I politely explained that I was distracted (by her standing inches from the table). She just smiled and refused to move along. Her move worked to perfect in that I made the shot but missed the shape. Racetrack knowledge is that, a perfect shark makes the shot but blows shape.
So with that uh Ground Rules experience, I don't feel guilty for using my knowledge to shake hands with my own team mate as their clean up hitter walked around the table to shoot the tournament winning 8 ball. It was hill/hill. The presentation was timed perfectly to catch the peripheral vision as he approached a simple shot on the 8. He missed the pocket by a diamond. 🤷‍♂️ That Karma can be a batch.
Stan released my hand and slapped me on the back hard enough to knock me half way to the table. It wasn't a big payday....seems like 320 ish each. I got the 🏆
 
There was a time in pool where for some the art of the S word was as important as playing good. For the gifted players or the rich this has never been a thing,

I’m glad I’m not at that point in life now and can play any game on the square and not worry.

But having a skill set of other “ways” to win is comforting as well.

I will not lie about my past. As the real Fatman said “I’m pure” , so in his honor I’m pure as well. Love me or hate me I’ll always tell the truth

Fatboy
 
Sharking is relative... What's in consequential to one, may be the end of the world to another.

I generally find someone attempting to 'shark' me entertaining. Of course it's usually in a more passive methodology. Like I've never had anyone pull a gun on me while eye'ing up the 8b...lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top