Slow Players What are you thinking about?

What makes a player stand up over a shot, take a minute or two to think about it and then get down and go through 20 or so warm up strokes and then get up again?

And repeat this over and over?

I would be embarrassed as a player to show my opponent that I can't make up my mind (if that is the reason for the delay)

This is my question. If it is a delay in the decision, why did you get down in the first place? and then what happened that made you get up?

Please, the slow players that know this answer, send me a PM so I can understand. PLEASE.

Do they make the shot grasshopper?
 
I dont know what they're thinking but I know what Im thinking when Im playing a slow player....

Should I use the butt end of my cue the knock em upside the head? OR should I spear em thru the throat? :angry:

I hate slow play at any level...

I hate fast players, most of them shoot sloppy. ;)

BTW you'll play slower when you get older to.
 
I think slow players come from bar tables they got all night to enjoy that $1.00 rack & $5.00 beer, but in a pool hall most think shit i'm spending $10.00 an hr I need to string some racks fast.

Other than that most slow players trip on how far they drove to play with fast players, when they could have stayed at there poolhall or bar and played with slower guys.

I think if you film slow players and put them on you tube maybe they might learn from video's and speed up.


Just another .02 for the can of worms you opened,

Craig
 
Please explain.
I'd really like to know.

Guesses anyone?

{* Let's see now, all I have to do is play the 2ball in the corner and follow the ba,, HEY, she's a really hot pool chick. I love her cleavage and,,,ahem. So anyway, I follow the ball down to the rail way over there. But, how can,,uh oh, whoee, here she comes back this way again. I hope she notices me. Anyway, so how do I hit the white colored ball so that it bounces over to,,,to,,,what comes after the 2ball? Oh yeah, the 3 ball. Where's the 3ball. So then,,,MAN I'M THIRSTY! I need a drink and this damned shot is too confusing. Maybe that hot pool chick would like a drink too. Lemme get the waitress.} "OH WAITRESS, I'D LIKE A SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS AND GET A DRINK FOR THAT YOUNG LADY AS WELL...TELL HER IT'S ON MOI." {yeah that should do the trick. So now, where's the 3ball again. Perfect. I, 2, 3. Just like I saw Jeanette play it on tv. Okay, let me get down on the shot, get comfortable, take a few swings, line up the cue and point it at the white ball and the yellow ball,er,,,or is it yellow ball first, and THEN the white ball. CR@P! Man, the air conditioning sucks here. I'm all sweaty. Where's that drink?} "OH MISS, IS MY DRINK READY YET?" {Hey where's that hot pool chick?....... ....... ....... .......Rats, there she is, I think with her boy friend! Lucky F**k! Man, he's nuthin' special. What's she see in him? Okay, now lemme get back to business. Get down on my shot like this, aaaiiiiiiim, and,oh wait, I forgot to chalk the tip. Now I gotta start all over again. Should I chalk in a circular motion or tap at it or make sqeaky noises? Okay now I gotta blow the excess chalk off. HEY WAIT...what happened to my dime shaped tip? It looks kike a nickel shape now. How embarrassing. All the cool players have a dimey shape. I should get one of those dimey shaper tools. OOO man, here comes another hot pool chick. Man, this is an awesome pool room. Okay, back to the shot.} "HUH? OH THANKS WAITRESS. MAN I'M THIRSTY. YOU CAME JUST IN TIME."{Ya know, she's kinda cute too} "'SCUSE ME? WHAT? OH I'M SORRY, I WON'T LEAVE THE DRINK ON THE FELT EVER AGAIN. THANKS FOR REMINDING ME" {B**ch!, Who does she think she is. I know how to play pool. Now,,,oh cr@p, I gotta go to the restroom}.......... ....... ...... .......... ......... ......... ......... .......... .............. ......... ............ ..........."SORRY MAN. WHEN YOU GOTTA GO, YOU GOTTA GO."{Now I see the shot real good. I wonder if my problem is I have to use the restroom more??? So let me get down on this shot again, just like Jeanette...ooops te-he-he :), I mean like Earl Strickland. He's so cool and macho, except that he's got a gut now, but he shoots awesome. So okay again, I'm all lined up} "I CALL THE YELLOW 1 BALL IN THAT CORNER POCKET OVER THERE. UH WHAT? I DON'T HAVE TO CALL THE SHOT IN 9 BALL? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SORRRRRY. {My opponent looks peeved. I wonder why. Anyway, so there's the 1 and then the 2 and the 3, and,,,,CR@P THAT'S NOT THE 3, IT'S THE 7}
 
I have been accused of being a SLOW player. Since I primarily play 8-ball then I take more time at my first inning (and hopefully only inning) at the table. If I get the right position after my first shot I shoot my next shot immediately because I have my game plan already worked out. I might take a little more time on a difficult or tricky shot.

If my gameplan changes because of bad position or roll, I reevaluate. However once I make a decision I will get down and shoot it. If I am shooting well I might take 2 warm up strokes and pull the trigger. While I am down, IF something doesn't feel right, I will stand back up, refocus, preshot routine and get back down, 2 warm up strokes and pull the trigger.

Since there are NOT a lot of choices in your next shot in 9-ball I feel things should go a little quicker of course.

I do NOT use this to deliberately frustrate my opponent or as a sharking tactic. I do this as a methodical player. This is my speed. If you consider it slow OH WELL, sucks to be you.......:wink::wink::wink:
 
I don't compete as much as I did when I was younger. I will be 62 this year and my eyes and legs are not what they use to be.

Currently B+ speed.

When I was much younger in the late 70s, 80s and early 90s I played in tournaments in Cincinnati, Louisville, Columbus, Indianapolis, Lexington and points south Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville. Never did all that well, but I did compete.

Easy answer, everything

I'm curious what level do you play at and what speed?
 
For me, it would be because I felt uneasy about the shot and I wanted to calm down to get back into the state of mind where I could feel confident without a doubt about the shot that I would be making. Uneasiness can cause the shot to go wrong because you might stroke it wrong, a last second change on the cue ball contact point because of being uncertain, wrong speed, unclear focus, etc etc. At least, that's why I would stand up again to clear my mind and to take a few deep breaths. I don't have a strong back, so I can't stay down on the shot for extended periods of time. I take my time to be certain that I know exactly what I am going to do before I need to go down for the shot to prevent undue strain on my back.

I don't get up from my shot that often, but it has happened before. I know that I've done it at least 2-3 times over the last 10 hours of shooting this past week.
 
One solution for unnecessary slow play would be to use a chess clock and each player pays his share of the time accordingly. :boring2:
 
Would you consider this slow?

As an example of SLOW play....

During the team event at nationals this year.... we are the home team and I am shooting at the number 5 position. We are split 2-1 for the score in the first round. Our number 4 guy and myself start our game at the same time. My break......

I miscued and just glance of the edge of the headball. I was fortunate to have maybe 6 balls hit a rail. So you can imagine what the table looked like. Total mess.....

My opponent shoots the only open balls available for choice and eventually plays a safety. I'm basically moving balls around while trying not to leave him an open shot. The bottom line is things begin opening up. I lost count of the number of innings this game took because I was NOT interested in how long this game is going to take and the table layout is tough. All I know is I am just waiting for an opening. My chance finally comes and I picture the runout. I have 5 balls left on the table with 2 of those balls tied up. I can NOT get into a position to break them out. I played perfectly up to my shot before my final ball.

My CB falls an inch short for a severe angle shot into the side. This means the natural position has me going downtable away from my next shot. However if I go downtable I have to avoid traffic to get position on my final keyball for a bank into the side. Because I was almost straight I decide to throw my OB in with a little draw. A stop shot would work but if I can come back 2 inches I am golden. So now I have 2 things I am worried about. If I don't get the right position the back is almost impossible because of on of his balls. Of course I also have to make the shot while throw the OB in with draw from a severe angle.

Of course I get perfect position BUT miss the shot by having the OB hit the far point. The OB comes straight ball towards me telling you how close I was to making the shot. Would I have made the bank, I think so because it was a natural bank with the position my CB was in.

We go back into a safety battle from which he ultimately wins for the game. I had 2 balls left and he had all kinds of balls to hide me behind.

When I lost I was disappointed. However was I ever surprised when he had to immediately shoot. The bottom line is our one game of 8-ball took the time of 4 other games. Now was I playing slow..... NO I was playing a deliberate/methodical game doing whatever it takes for the win. I seized on the opportunity to get the win but screwed up when I didn't take it out.

So would you have considered this slow or dependent on the circumstances. Looking back I enjoyed that match.......
 
i play slow so does a good freind of mine i will not call his name but he is a 4 -time world champion an is ranked 1 on the bca ranking list. sometimes it takes us 12 mins. to play a game of 9-ball. it's all about your per shot routine to build your rythm in match or a frenidly game. me and my frenid have a saying when we miss you can shoot. just my 2 cents professor;)
 
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Uncertainty.... position.... how to make the shot.... what english would need applied... where the CB is going to end up.... the girl across the room lol
 
If you take more than 60 seconds to shoot, IMO you are a slow player.

You say it is an example of Slow play and then ask if I would consider it slow?

Both players can average 20-30 seconds a shot and not be considered slow and have a long match because of safeties and misses. This is not what I am asking about.


As an example of SLOW play....

So would you have considered this slow or dependent on the circumstances. Looking back I enjoyed that match.......
 
if one is a negative Libra she or he will have problem in making a decision.example-kid delicious
 
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First a counter story, and since the question of the day was Pool versus golf; we start there.

In the (next to) last year of playing on the tour every week, Greg Norman had made the cut, was the first group out, and was too far down to win or even show up in the top 10. Inclement weather was going to show up in a couple of hours. He and his playing partner decided to just run around the course as fast as possible and see what happened. Score 4 under par, time 2 hours 25 minutes, PGA fine $5000 for outrunning the field and missing the TV coverage.

I know players that are slow, in particular there are two regular girls in our weekly tourneyments that when given ball in hand will take several minutes trying to decide where to put the cue ball. This is an area where the no coaching rule hurts their speed. The problem is there are simply too many options, most of them better than they almost ever get. Mental lockup. One of the girls is majoring in physics and does calculus problems in her head.

I used to be slow. In my case it was the 35 year absense from the table. I knew what the physics would allow on the table, and sort of understood how to put the sequence together, but I had to solve the physics problem before getting on to comitting the stroke. Details bogged me down--including where whould I be aiming. Now, with 2 years under my belt, I rarely take more than 15 seconds and almost always when trying to decide between a jump and a gentle massé where the shot is "not all that obvious". With time under my belt, I can see the options immediately and start the process of choosing.

What gets me at the local tourneyments is not the slow play, its the players who don't bother to stay at the table (its a bar), don't remember what group they have (8-ball), or the various rules in play.
 
If you take more than 60 seconds to shoot, IMO you are a slow player.

You say it is an example of Slow play and then ask if I would consider it slow?

Both players can average 20-30 seconds a shot and not be considered slow and have a long match because of safeties and misses. This is not what I am asking about.

You know I've never timed myself so I can't say if I take more than 60 seconds. As I said I am fairly deliberate in my play if the match matters. I do take my time to evaluate my table as I approach. I'll walk around the table deciding my options. Once I definitely decide I will go through my preshot routine and shoot. If the outcome is correct I will move immediately to my next shot. Preshot routine and shoot. If my position is bad I have to reevaluate my options.

Ultimately IF I lose it's because you actually beat me. I hate losing because of a mistake I made.... ie missing the shot with BIH, or accidentally hook myself with one ball left on the table. I am my own worst critic........

So it may take me time to get started, but once I do I am pretty decisive.
 
I think 90% of shots fall into "20 seconds or less". Another 8 or 9% require an extra 10 seconds.

But the other few sometimes are just real bastards. These are the situations where there are 3 bad options, some of which are missable... some of which sell out... and some of which screw up your pattern. You're trying to figure out which shot is the 12% success, which is the 13%, and which is the 14%. They're that debatable and they all need focus to have any hope of pulling off both your shot and leave.

I am a little more deliberate than most and I know it makes me a better player than other people with similar shotmaking. People who know me and shoot with me understand I have a reason for it and I'm not just sharking them, and I appreciate it when those people give me the extra seconds now and again.

I always return the favor. That's the way it should be.
 
I have to know after all these years... what is it that takes so long to think about before you pull the trigger? I'm talking 9 ball and 8 ball... not One Pocket or 14.1.

Please explain. I am dying to find out. I've never understood how anyone can take more than 60 seconds to consider a shot and table layout. Especially when there is only one ball on the table.

What is it that keeps you from shooting? What is it that you are thinking about.

I'd really like to know.

Guesses anyone?

playing slower players always aggravates me. a couple of times i've gotten out of stroke waiting for my shot. i've even caught myself shooting faster because i can't stand waiting.

i do the same thing driving when i get stuck behind slow derivers. first chance i get it floor it.
 
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