Sharking

jay helfert said:
How about the guy who says "nice try" every time you miss. When I make a tough shot, I like to look at him and ask him if he thought that was a 'nice try' as well. That usually shuts him up.


Nice Try Jay!!!:p
 
iba7467 said:
Best shark move I have seen... (in league, not gambling)

Opponent is about to shoot a close shot where, although not likely, the cueball might rebound into the cuestick (a foul). The non-shooting team asks to have someone who would understand the likelihood of a foul (planting the seed) to watch the shot. They then get the best player in the room to watch Joe Schmoe shoot. Joe Schmoe will be so nervous with the best player watching it's at least a 200% advantage.

I have seen this happen 4 times -2 misses, 2 fouls, 0 made. I know it works, I did it myself. Sharking, yes, but hey it's league.

Thats only bothered me once in league. About a year ago, I was getting down to play safe because my last ball was locked up against the 8-ball. Just a simple stop shot. I looked at the shot and told my opponent "safety". It was a clear path, head on shot. No way I was going to hit the 8-ball. So, a good 45 seconds went by before I got in my stance and started a practice stroke. In mid stroke this ***** on the other team, stands up and screams "stop" "lets have someone watch this". I won that match 4-1, and played every safety possible (even when i had a simple out). When it was over, I appolgized to my opponent and told him to keep his teammates in check.
 
After a scratch in 9 ball retrive the Qball for your opponent, but hand him the one instead. This works particularly well when someone is talking alot, and not paying attention. I love seeing someone set up for the next shot blabbing away with the 1 instead of the Q. He is always the last to notice. That's funny I don't care who you are.:D
 
Flex said:
Just last night playing a friendly game of weird rules 8 ball on a barbox with an overseas friend, he breaks and doesn't make a ball, I make a medium tough cut into the corner, and start to run out, Lou Butera style, noisily, drawing here and there, etc. He freaks out, as I'm on my second to last ball, saying, "Caramba! I wanna play too, take it easy!" LOL

I purposely miss shape on my last ball to give him a chance, LOL.

While it may or may not have been a shark attack, I don't know, it could be very effective, as he was playing the victim. And yes, he has played a lot of pool in the past.

Thinking a bit more about it, it was likely a perfect move, as he was playing only mediocre pool, and could ostensibly not like being moved on the way was happening.

Flex
A footnote for SmorgassBoard: Caramba does not mean Carom. :D
JoeyA
 
A female pro-qualifier player started humming tunes when I was down shooting.
She was really blatant too.
Not that I had a chance in beating her.
Also some use the suddenly need to look at the waitress move while your shooting. They spin their head in your last stroke.

There's a guy in my local hall who stinks. I mean this guy really stinks and his hands sweat so bad. The sweat in his palms get to the balls even when he's racking .He's also an arrogant midget who likes to milk the crowd when he's playing. He doesn't have to do much to shark me. He's also a pathalogical lying swindler. So I pretty much lose before I even play him.
 
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jay helfert said:
Man, do I hate that. I have played people that absolutely must put the chalk face down on the rail. I am constantly wiping the rails down, and requesting/begging them not to do that. And they do it anyway. I have quit games because of this.

I don't know about you, but I don't want blue chalk dust all over my hands and clothes. I think the next time it happens, I will pick up all the chalk and put it in my pocket. I will not let him set any chalk on the rail. PERIOD!

They can keep one piece in their pocket as well.

One of the top Hispanic players in LA used to drown the balls in talcum powder when he was racking for 9 Ball in critical situations. The ball trey turned white after a long session.

An ex Northern California player now living in Colorado had a very effective move when you were breaking playing one pocket. He would sit in the chair on the side you were breaking to and just as you were getting ready to pull the trigger on the break shot, he would reach over and place the chalk on the table in your line of sight. One of many moves this guy had. He has an appropriate nickname that isn't used much anymaore.

Jay, you and I played a lot with the guys at 6th & Western and other joints in LA over the years and probabley faded every move that existed. I usually just ignored them, it didn't do any good to get hot, and if I did, I just quit.

One of the best moves I heard about but didn't witness was supposed to be in a billiard game somewhere years ago. There was a sweator who was sitting by the billiard table who had fallen asleep. The guy who was behind ran a two and only marked up one. As he walked by the sweator, he leaned over to him and kicked his feet. The sweator grunted something, the player said "Thank You" and went and marked his other billiard. The other player was so steamed he ended up losing the game. John
 
Basically anything other than opponent sitting down in his chair, being quiet, and not flicking a lighter or whatever.

When I have an opponent which does this for me while I am shooting, I know he is allowing me to fully concentrate on my shooting and is being respectful.

Then prior to playing someone in a tournament, those who do not comment on my playing good or bad.

Here is some of the stuff they can do...

Anger (Making your opponent angry)
*Wrongly accusing your opponent of cheating; accusations of improper lag, improper coin-flip, improper shot, etc.
*Accusing your opponent of something they did not do or did not intend to do.

Concentration (Disrupting your opponent's concentration)
*Doing anything vocal or making noise while your opponent shoots, is approaching the table to shoot, is studying the table for next shot, or is racking balls for next game. This includes talking to other people during the match.
*Any comments or questions about your opponents playing/shooting good or bad.
*Asking opponent why they are aiming at the wrong ball when they are aiming at the correct ball.

Distraction (If what you are doing would distract you while shooting, it probably distracts other players)
*Moving deliberately within the shooter's field of view.
*Standing where opponent needs to be for next shot.
*Waving your hand while your opponent is shooting or about to shoot.
*Standing at the table, especially behind the target pocket.
*Chalking your cue at table when it is your opponents turn to shoot.

Psychological Tactics (Upsetting your opponent or disrupting their confidence)
*Using psychological "tactics" before the match/tournament begins - Negative implications/comments/questions to players you may play in future games.
*Statements, implications, or questions about your opponents missed shots in prior games - Trying to make your opponent think about their poor shooting.
*Statements, implications, or questions about your opponent's losses in prior games - Trying to make your opponent think about the previous game they lost.
*Statements, implications, or questions about your opponent's exceptional playing abilities - Trying to make your opponent overconfident.

Unsolicited Instruction (Telling your opponent how to play better)
*Any statement about how to play better, what bridge to use, grip to use, etc.
*Coaching your opponent. Don't coach other players unless they ask for advice. Unsolicited coaching is a shark.
*Criticizing your opponent?s game.
 
jay helfert said:
Man, do I hate that. I have played people that absolutely must put the chalk face down on the rail. I am constantly wiping the rails down, and requesting/begging them not to do that. And they do it anyway. I have quit games because of this.

I don't know about you, but I don't want blue chalk dust all over my hands and clothes. I think the next time it happens, I will pick up all the chalk and put it in my pocket. I will not let him set any chalk on the rail. PERIOD!

They can keep one piece in their pocket as well.

That's funny you mention that... on sunday I was playing a league match and the guy kept doing that... so I kept taking the chalk and putting on my table next to my drink. after the first game he ended up pulling out a brand new piece of chalk from his case, and stopped slamming it on the table.

Beautiful.
 
<oinking on>

No one has yet mentioned a pool hall favorite sharking move:

HOT women wearing skimpy clothes sharking you from either being the opposing player or the opposing player's "team". Yknow bending over, top falling open, dress hiked up shooting shots with no crutch..the works.

I'm hoping I can get sharked like this more in the future.

<oinking off/>
 
The main thing that gets me is the unwanted commentators. Most of the time these aren't the people playing me. I've kinda gotten a reputation lately for telling people to shut their mouths, get out of my line of sight, and wait their turn.

If they don't, I just start playing leave on them. And I be sure to make it VERY obvious of what I am doing.
 
uwate said:
<oinking on>

No one has yet mentioned a pool hall favorite sharking move:

HOT women wearing skimpy clothes sharking you from either being the opposing player or the opposing player's "team". Yknow bending over, top falling open, dress hiked up shooting shots with no crutch..the works.

I'm hoping I can get sharked like this more in the future.

<oinking off/>

One time I would not be complaining about being sharked.

I would just consider it part of league night.
 
my biggest sharking complaint is when i play that chick who can hop up on the table and shoots upside down with her her where her butt should be. how am i supposed to stay focused?
 
At a league team tournament in Peoria, one of the team members was sitting by a window in the afternoon. During key shots, on the final stroke, he would flash the sun's reflection from his watch into an opposing player's eye. When someone finally noticed, the whole place erupted. I'm surprised it didn't turn into a riot. They wanted to lynch the dude.

Turns out everyone knew the guy, he produces instructional videos. The best line of the day was: "Do you teach that one in your videos?"
 
My favorite sharks are the pocket change gingle, the excessively sqeekey chalk, putting the chalk in front of the pocket the guy is shooting at...the old drop the stick hard surfaced floor...
 
Njhustler1 said:
I cant stand when there's two pieces of chalk on the table and the opponent constantly takes one away from the table. I usually address it immediately and start my approach from the side of the table that would require me to ask him for the piece he's holding rather than walk around to the other piece. After I ask two times, they never do it again.
I normally stay calm and say to them " I don't see how you can miscue when I'm shooting". They quickly get the message.
 
I absolutely do not shark unless I am playing my girlfriend. Back when I was young in the late 60's, early 70's, we used to go around playing partners 8-ball, doing a lot of gambling. The one we always used that really worked, was when someone shooting at the 8-ball, one of us would say "his arm could fall off", and the guy would miss every time.
 
On a guy making a pretty tough out and getting to the eight or nine and really gets out of line. Makeable, but tough. Stand up and grab the chalk from the table just at the corner of his sight. As if to let him know you'll be back at the table. Realllllllly effective.
 
Maniac said:
Not to get off of the subject of "chalk-sharking", but the one I hate is when my opponent stands in a direct line with my shot and really close to the table, whether he is motionless or not this is some rude sharking, IMO.

Maniac

Moving out of your direct line of site is not always possible when playing in crowded conditions. I think if a person after they miss goes and stands at a counter, table(not pool table) or away from the playing area and doesn't move, you shouldn't have anything to complain about.

Easiest way not to get sharked is to focus on your game.

There are ways to get people to stop though. I was playing a woman in league a few weeks back. She was moderately attractive, but no big deal really. She would move into my line of sight every time I'd get down on a shot. I could have just shut her out of my mind, but since i saw what she was trying to do I decided to mess with her. I'd get down on a shot and she'd move into my line of vision, I'd get up and choose another shot to take and she'd move to that stand in front of that ball, this went on until she realized I intended to give her a work out running around the table.

After she quit, I went immediatly back to my original shot and ran the table out. I noticed she didn't do that against any of my team mates afterwards either.
 
I've been told to try this one;

While in the shooters view, seated in your chair, pull up your socks.

Either the guy was a poor shooter, or it worked, I'll never know!
 
One of the best shark tactics ever used against me was in a tournament..Playing for 1st and 2nd money..The guys girlfriend waited till I was on the 9..She had an unopened can of coke..Then waited till I was was mid stroke and popped that can open like a gun shot..I jumped up
 
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