Slow players

[amateur]

Boy, do I hate to play those!

They walk slow around the table, think slow, stare at the balls for a long time, make around 15-20 or so preliminary strokes...not to even mention extremely long racking times and the occasional cell phone usage.

You would think that we're in some high cash tournament with a lot of sharking, but NO. We just play for fun. But where's the fun when you play such slow guys? Do they enjoy playing like that? They are so boring to watch that even their mother wouldn't support them in a competition.

Me and my friend started calling them "chess players". Yesterday when one guy was staring at the balls for quite some time I even shouted "Bishop to E-4". No one found it funny but me and the friend. All the others seem to think it is normal to spend like 2 minutes per shot.

And that was 9ball which is supposed to be a fast game!

 

[piglit]

Now THAT is hilarious- Bishop to E-4!

I often wonder: does this guy think something is gonna change? That the answer to the situation will suddenly appear?

Nothing's changing! Shoot!!

-pigl

 

[catfishcody]

I agree.

Slow players suck. i mean, i like to take my time but some guys are just too damn slow.

 

[Koop]

You want to see slow, watch John Fernandes. This guy lierally strokes about 15 to 20 times per shot. He is a really good player but man is he painful to watch...

 

[carlton31698]

Some players play slow to shark their opponent, while others just play slow. We have a very strong local player who starts to play slow when he is losing. He will take a bathroom break every 4 or 5 games, get a coke, a dip, a taper, etc. It is kinda funny if you are not playing him.
I have found that players tend to do the thing that bothers them the most when they are trying to shark you, so when he does it to me I do the same thing to him, it drives him crazy! he gets mad as hell.

 

[Gideon]

I vary my game speed depending on my opponent. If I am playing someone that plays somewhat fast, I play slowwwww I'll study each shot like it is the hardest shot in the world, I'll get down, stoke a few times, stand up and look at it again, walk around the table, re chalk my stick, and finally maybe shoot. If I am playing someone that likes to take their time then I play fast, get down and shot, and will be at the shooting location for my next shot before the cue ball stops rolling most the time, when its their turn I'll sit just in their peripheral vision and tap my foot, look at my watch and just have that look like, "Come on man, hurry the hell up already." Even let out a lil quip sometimes such as, "Hey, if you want me to I'll shoot it for you." Or ask someone if they want to play a game on the next table while this guy tries to decide his shot.

I'll play the opposite of my opponent just to try and try and throw off their tempo and rhythm. So some people see me and say, "Man, that guy plays so slow." while others hear that and say, "What? Man his feet barely stop moving between shots." Against some players this will work to throw them off a little, more seasoned players will see what is going on and it wont bother them at all.

One thing I do hate that you touched on is people that use cell phones, take a piss break, or stand there talking to someone during a game. I have a bud, his wife has to be in constant contact with him (Hes whipped), and his cell phone will ring all night long with her calling. Usually 75% of a game is him on the phone with his wife. That irks me, when I play I turn it off or leave it at home, I at least devote my attention to the game, if for nothing else out of respect for my opponent, and trying to keep myself focused on the objective at hand.

But yeah, game speed... depends on who I am playing.

 

[matthew]

I play slow. I don't use a cell phone or stroke the cue 15 times per shot but I walk around the table some and think about every shot I take. I've always thought it was just being focused on the match.

I could understand playing someone that talks constantly and is always off doing something else. That irritates me but I don't think all slow players are like that.

 

[hemicudas]

Amateur, Piglit is right, that is world class funny. Great shot......................$Bill

 

[Cardinal_Syn]

I hate playing slow people...it just puts me off. There are times when i play slow and times that i play fast, but when i play slow i don't take freakin 3-5 mins per shot. I was playing this woman once in a tournament...she wasn't really that good, but no matter wut straight in shots or wutever she walks around the table then thinks then shoots. Our game must have lasted like 45min in a race to five. I beat her 5-1 I lost that 1 game cause everytime i play slow player i try and compensate fot the time lost which i shouldn't really do and play fast. THen she had the freakin nerves to take a washroom brake which you know woman takes a while for em to finish.

 

[locki]

i dont care if my opponent takes a long time to make his shot, but to use a cell phone during a match, especially when it is his turn, damn, i hate those kind of players.

 

[SPetty]

Then she had the freakin nerves to take a washroom break which you know woman takes a while for em to finish.

Geez! What the hell was she doing in there anyway??!? Was she getting undressed or something? Oh yeah, I guess women have to do that when they go to the bathroom. Probably actually washed her hands while she was there, too. Maybe she even had one of those "feminine things" to take care of. The nerve of some people!

 

[Cardinal_Syn]

Geez! What the hell was she doing in there anyway??!? Was she getting undressed or something? Oh yeah, I guess women have to do that when they go to the bathroom. Probably actually washed her hands while she was there, too. Maybe she even had one of those "feminine things" to take care of. The nerve of some people!

har har har...i don't mind playing women....there's a couple of good ones in my local tournaments which i've seen run racks.....it was just that particulan woman who was wearing high heels short red dress prolly about 40 years old...looks like a prostitute to me...yuck...not very pleasant to look at. I'm just saying jeebus krist if you're gonna shoot slow at least wait for you washroom break when the match is done...ain't my fault...i shouldn't have to be penalize for this. It's not fair...I mean ya got you adrenalin going for ya and a person like that breaks it down. But i really should learn though on how to deal with players like that.

 

[Cardinal_Syn]

i dont care if my opponent takes a long time to make his shot, but to use a cell phone during a match, especially when it is his turn, damn, i hate those kind of players.

Actually when my friends call me on my cell phone i just tell em to call me back later or i'll call em back later...i tell em i'm playing a tournament at the moment....i think it would be rude if i talked on the phone so i tell em sorry sometimes.

 

[LastTwo]

Here is some great advice I learned a couple years ago when playing a slow-poke. When your opponent is at the table, focus on your breathing. Take a few deep breaths, and try to relax your breathing to the point so that you are taking medium breaths instead of breaths that are too shallow. This helps relax you, and believe it or not, gets rid of the impatience you feel when your slow-poke opponent is taking 5 minutes per shot. It also makes sure your brain is getting enough oxygen, so when you get to the table, you can think more clearly.

 

[Bluewolf]

Tempo

I have changed tempo on players before to gain a mental edge. If changing tempo is all it takes to rattle an opponent, they fold easily and often start playing worse.

I have beaten better players this way, so it is best imo to be comfortable with all tempos and syles of play in opponents so that my opponent cannot beat me mentally.

Playing 1-p helps emmensely to develop this ability, imo, especially if a slow tempo bothers a person.

I typically play a medium tempo but if I see that my opponent is easily rattled, I will play a bit slower to gain an advantage mentally. There are other ways to fold players too, except for those few who are 'unflappable', but this is a great tool, imo.

Laura

 

[tom haney]

Years ago I used to watch Nick Varner
drive Earl Strickland nuts by shooting
real slow. Soon after that all of the
tournaments had shot clocks. One thing
I do is pretend like I'm not watching
the game when they do this( deliberately
shoot slow) & if they're really slow, when
it's my turn to shoot I go take a crap.

 

[Cardinal_Syn]

slow players can't be could for the game..well to promote it at least...imagine a newbie watching pool for the first time and sees this person playing so slow, it's boring!

 

[Banker Burt]

Since we are all sharing strategies, here's mine.

Play YOUR game.

In my opinion, I am not god, nor am I a judge, therfore it is extremely difficult to know if someone is sharking me or not. At least for me, keeping myself focused on my game disallows my opponents time at the table to disprupt my composure.
Plus, I come from the old days when people got hurt for sharkin'... Kind of like the "Old West" when a card player got caught cheatin', you didn't want to be the cheater.

I agree with LastTwo, proper breathing techniques helps keeps me within myself regardless of who I am playing; and much more prepared when my turns arise. Besides, these days it is normally a race to a number (line), and there are a lot of ways to get to the finish. Dignity and karma are two vey big words, whether you believe in them or not.
In my case, I want to get there on my own without changing game tactics. Also, I play relatively fast. This way I will never be considered a shark, and when I win I know I have lessoned the pain for those that are watching (as a player I have a very difficult time watchin' anyway, let alone if it is going slow). I also know from my winning experiences against slow players, if it didn't work the last time we played then they have even more of a problem the next time around...
Then think about how a faster player gets to 3-4-5-6 (whatever the number) while a slower player (getting to te same number) takes a much longer time. Now think of the energy used by each player, still only going the same distance.
Here's a math analogy -
Two trains will both (attempt to) travel the same distance.
One starts at a dead stop,
The other starts with a full head of steam.
Which one will more likely reach the destination first?
Then consider either train COULD breakdown.
(Even then the faster train may still have enough momentum to get there first).

NOT MEANING TO BE SARCASTIC, BUT TRAINS AREN'T ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER...

Remember, it is your time, money and game at stake...

 

[matthew]

Do you think the average player who isn't sharking can play beyond their natural tempo. It's one thing to be a slow player. It's an entirely different thing if you're rude. If you talk on a cell phone or goof around.

 

[theirlaw]

when its their turn I'll sit just in their peripheral vision and tap my foot, look at my watch and just have that look like, "Come on man, hurry the hell up already." Even let out a lil quip sometimes such as, "Hey, if you want me to I'll shoot it for you." Or ask someone if they want to play a game on the next table while this guy tries to decide his shot.

Man that sucks. I'd call that terible sportsmanship. In fact if you did that to me in a game, I'd probably shove my cue as far up your arse as possible... only I wouldn't want to dirty the lovely thing..

After all if you cant beat them fairly, you never win