Sometimes I just don't get pool players

azhousepro

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So, played cheap sets with a "pool buddy" a couple of weeks ago. Had a problem that night when my "buddy" accused me of moving the coin while he was in the bathroom. I was already up a set and he claimed I moved the coin from 6-5 him to 6-6 in a race to 7. I have known this guy for years and never had an issue like this any other time that we have gambled.

I know that I didn't move the coin. To be honest, there had been a time early in the match when I won a game and when I moved the coin I thought I had one game less than the coin said. I wrote it off to just bearing down and not paying attention to the score. (something that I am trying to do). But he wasn't claiming it was a mid match thing. He was claiming he checked the score and it was 6-5 when he walked into the bathroom and I had moved it to 6-6 while racking (he won the last game and moved his coin).

I was pretty pissed off and told him that I had never pulled that move on him or any other player in my life and surely wasn't going to risk my reputation for a chance to win a cheap set. I unscrewed and told him if he wanted to win that bad then he won and I was done.

So, that was a couple weeks ago. Havn't talked to the guy since. One of his buddies was sweating our match that night and he told me later that the guy was just not very trusting and to just blow it off.

Ended up playing cheap sets with the buddy last night. He clarified before we played that he didn't think he and I had any issues just because the first guy was being a jerk. I agreed with him that I didn't think we had any issue.

So he wins the first set hill-hill. I win the second set 7-2 and we agree to play one last set for almost twice the original bet. He goes up 3-1 and then I get into a little groove and take a 6-4 lead. Now he starts the b*tching. He had been b*tching a little before but it really got bad at 6-4. I was lucky because balls were hitting both tits before going in the pocket (on a Valley table), etc. I just kind of laughed it off as no big deal. Then as he was racking he commented under his breath that if he was going to get beat, he wanted to get beat by good play instead of "shitty ass play".

I tightened up and dogged out balls in the next two racks for 6-6 and watched as he ran down the an off angle 9 that he jarred. He paid quickly and was out the door.

Now I am in a position that I am uncomfortable with. After these two episodes, I am really at a point where I don't want to gamble. I don't want to even hit balls at the moment.

I know that I am never going to be a world beater. I am an average player and since everyone in Arizona is rated, I like to play cheap sets with players of the same rating to see how we play. I have told people before that I want to play for a couple bucks so we have a reason to try, but not enough money that we end up hating each other.

Now the last two gambling sessions have gone really sour and they have left me not wanting to do it anymore.

Did I just end up with two jerks in a row, or am I just kidding myself thinking that two guys can play cheap sets that they want to win and not be jerks about it if they don't?
 
same ol' story

So, played cheap sets with a "pool buddy" a couple of weeks ago. Had a problem that night when my "buddy" accused me of moving the coin while he was in the bathroom. I was already up a set and he claimed I moved the coin from 6-5 him to 6-6 in a race to 7. I have known this guy for years and never had an issue like this any other time that we have gambled.

I know that I didn't move the coin. To be honest, there had been a time early in the match when I won a game and when I moved the coin I thought I had one game less than the coin said. I wrote it off to just bearing down and not paying attention to the score. (something that I am trying to do). But he wasn't claiming it was a mid match thing. He was claiming he checked the score and it was 6-5 when he walked into the bathroom and I had moved it to 6-6 while racking (he won the last game and moved his coin).

I was pretty pissed off and told him that I had never pulled that move on him or any other player in my life and surely wasn't going to risk my reputation for a chance to win a cheap set. I unscrewed and told him if he wanted to win that bad then he won and I was done.

So, that was a couple weeks ago. Havn't talked to the guy since. One of his buddies was sweating our match that night and he told me later that the guy was just not very trusting and to just blow it off.

Ended up playing cheap sets with the buddy last night. He clarified before we played that he didn't think he and I had any issues just because the first guy was being a jerk. I agreed with him that I didn't think we had any issue.

So he wins the first set hill-hill. I win the second set 7-2 and we agree to play one last set for almost twice the original bet. He goes up 3-1 and then I get into a little groove and take a 6-4 lead. Now he starts the b*tching. He had been b*tching a little before but it really got bad at 6-4. I was lucky because balls were hitting both tits before going in the pocket (on a Valley table), etc. I just kind of laughed it off as no big deal. Then as he was racking he commented under his breath that if he was going to get beat, he wanted to get beat by good play instead of "shitty ass play".

I tightened up and dogged out balls in the next two racks for 6-6 and watched as he ran down the an off angle 9 that he jarred. He paid quickly and was out the door.

Now I am in a position that I am uncomfortable with. After these two episodes, I am really at a point where I don't want to gamble. I don't want to even hit balls at the moment.

I know that I am never going to be a world beater. I am an average player and since everyone in Arizona is rated, I like to play cheap sets with players of the same rating to see how we play. I have told people before that I want to play for a couple bucks so we have a reason to try, but not enough money that we end up hating each other.

Now the last two gambling sessions have gone really sour and they have left me not wanting to do it anymore.

Did I just end up with two jerks in a row, or am I just kidding myself thinking that two guys can play cheap sets that they want to win and not be jerks about it if they don't?


Mike,

Pretty much the same ol' story. Many of the people playing cheap are more worried about pride than money and you put a dent in their pride. I think I have had ten times more crap over small bets than big.

You will have a run of players that make you wonder why you play pool but then you will have a run of enthusiastic fun to be with players that make you glad you play. You might need a change of halls for awhile, just a few fresh faces and a break from the regulars without a break from pool. Life is too short to play with the grumps and whiners. Let things cool a few months and if they want to play give them one more try. If it is much the same story forget about playing them.

Hu
 
I never get the people who say they like to play for something or else they just don't care enough to try their best. I always want to play to the best of my ability whether it's for money, table time, oreo cookies or nothing at all.

That being said you ran into 2 guys that you know not to play with anymore, that's worth a few bucks to know.
 
I played a friend but not a close friend a couple weeks ago; he wanted to play a race to 7 for "$5 bucks" just to past the time. We are outside, he says 5-2 for me, and I say yea. We go back in and he then says he forgot to move his coin as he is racking for me because I won the last game and now says its 5-3. I lol and say sure! I am now up 6-3 with the 8 and 9 sitting over the pockets and cb in the middle of the table after his miss. I’m actually buying us a couple shots at the bar that's taking longer than normal and he asks me if "I moved the cue ball" I lol and we go back and forth and tell him to move it to where he thinks it was and he does lol I give him his shot and I move the cb to the rail and say how’s that!? We had a lil back and forth again and he was told a lil speech I have ready for those special occasions that you will only here once. All was good again after that
 
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So, played cheap sets with a "pool buddy" a couple of weeks ago. Had a problem that night when my "buddy" accused me of moving the coin while he was in the bathroom. I was already up a set and he claimed I moved the coin from 6-5 him to 6-6 in a race to 7. I have known this guy for years and never had an issue like this any other time that we have gambled.

I know that I didn't move the coin. To be honest, there had been a time early in the match when I won a game and when I moved the coin I thought I had one game less than the coin said. I wrote it off to just bearing down and not paying attention to the score. (something that I am trying to do). But he wasn't claiming it was a mid match thing. He was claiming he checked the score and it was 6-5 when he walked into the bathroom and I had moved it to 6-6 while racking (he won the last game and moved his coin).

I was pretty pissed off and told him that I had never pulled that move on him or any other player in my life and surely wasn't going to risk my reputation for a chance to win a cheap set. I unscrewed and told him if he wanted to win that bad then he won and I was done.

So, that was a couple weeks ago. Havn't talked to the guy since. One of his buddies was sweating our match that night and he told me later that the guy was just not very trusting and to just blow it off.

Ended up playing cheap sets with the buddy last night. He clarified before we played that he didn't think he and I had any issues just because the first guy was being a jerk. I agreed with him that I didn't think we had any issue.

So he wins the first set hill-hill. I win the second set 7-2 and we agree to play one last set for almost twice the original bet. He goes up 3-1 and then I get into a little groove and take a 6-4 lead. Now he starts the b*tching. He had been b*tching a little before but it really got bad at 6-4. I was lucky because balls were hitting both tits before going in the pocket (on a Valley table), etc. I just kind of laughed it off as no big deal. Then as he was racking he commented under his breath that if he was going to get beat, he wanted to get beat by good play instead of "shitty ass play".

I tightened up and dogged out balls in the next two racks for 6-6 and watched as he ran down the an off angle 9 that he jarred. He paid quickly and was out the door.

Now I am in a position that I am uncomfortable with. After these two episodes, I am really at a point where I don't want to gamble. I don't want to even hit balls at the moment.

I know that I am never going to be a world beater. I am an average player and since everyone in Arizona is rated, I like to play cheap sets with players of the same rating to see how we play. I have told people before that I want to play for a couple bucks so we have a reason to try, but not enough money that we end up hating each other.

Now the last two gambling sessions have gone really sour and they have left me not wanting to do it anymore.

Did I just end up with two jerks in a row, or am I just kidding myself thinking that two guys can play cheap sets that they want to win and not be jerks about it if they don't?

That must've been what happened with us when we were playing for In-n-Out Burger!!! I see how you are now! ;)
 
You just described why I don't gamble with people I know, consider friends, or acquaintances that hang in the place.

There is plenty of ego in pool players that makes for a good game, I don't by the line that their has to be cheese involved to truly motivate a competitive match.

I don't care what others are going to post here, money changes far more than simply making someone try harder.
One mans $5 bill is another mans $5000. Stick with tournaments where everyone's resources are locked in and there are witnesses and officials.

Unless you want to be a fish, everyone loves the fish.
And gamblers hate to lose.
 
I have had players switch which bead set was theirs to which coin was theirs.... Sadly lots of players work the angles and not the games....

Best thing I can tell you is that I switched up my method to having my opponent move my beads or score and I do the same for them.... I explain it when we start and stick to it.... Makes them aware at all times because until they move my coin or bead I won't break until they do........

I got screwed in a tournament about 20 years ago when my opponent switched beads on me with a friend of his testifying to what was right in front of the tournament director... I went from 5-2 to 2-5 and got to the hill before losing.... 9-8.... After that I made sure that both players in my matches were involved in the score... I am way more laid back now than I was then but the player is still around and can get backed for good money... but since then I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire and I had to step over him to hit the urinal....

Is kind of funny because we have mutual friends that think I am afraid of him... I just think about the Schmidt comment about Harriman, The Goat and The cliff...... Eventually there will be retribution but that dish will be very cold... and hopefully very expensive....
 
I have had players switch which bead set was theirs to which coin was theirs.... Sadly lots of players work the angles and not the games....

Best thing I can tell you is that I switched up my method to having my opponent move my beads or score and I do the same for them.... I explain it when we start and stick to it.... Makes them aware at all times because until they move my coin or bead I won't break until they do........

I got screwed in a tournament about 20 years ago when my opponent switched beads on me with a friend of his testifying to what was right in front of the tournament director... I went from 5-2 to 2-5 and got to the hill before losing.... 9-8.... After that I made sure that both players in my matches were involved in the score... I am way more laid back now than I was then but the player is still around and can get backed for good money... but since then I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire and I had to step over him to hit the urinal....

Is kind of funny because we have mutual friends that think I am afraid of him... I just think about the Schmidt comment about Harriman, The Goat and The cliff...... Eventually there will be retribution but that dish will be very cold... and hopefully very expensive....

sounds like it may be glacier like lol :thumbup: i hope this vendetta is not pass down to the gran kids lol kidding :)
 
Is kind of funny because we have mutual friends that think I am afraid of him... I just think about the Schmidt comment about Harriman, The Goat and The cliff...... Eventually there will be retribution but that dish will be very cold... and hopefully very expensive....

I can understand that perception by your friends.
Its been my experience that when I get into a gamblers money he never leaves me alone. Just another reason to not feed the animals.
 
Playing for money?

Pool for me is more therapeutic than anything else. I'd rather play by myself (get your minds out of the gutter!) than against anyone so it's very, very rare that I'd ask anyone to play, and on the rare occasion that I will play I absolutely won't gamble. That pretty much puts an end to the conversation right there. I've had people come and ask me for a set, but I'll refuse to gamble and they get pissed. I usually get something like "I don't play for free" and "you're scared" or "you can't play anyway". I guess they liked the way I looked? I do enjoy the competition of a match from time to time and I will play every now and again on league night, if I need more I'll find a tournament and pay my fee. That being said, while I won't gamble, I do love to watch a money match and what goes on during the match, it's a wonderful study in human nature and human behavior and the stories that those guys tell, wow. But one solid thing that I have learned about pool and pool players, when you put money on the table with the wrong person there's a good chance that the asshole quotient will go way up.
 
Pool for me is more therapeutic than anything else. I'd rather play by myself (get your minds out of the gutter!) than against anyone so it's very, very rare that I'd ask anyone to play, and on the rare occasion that I will play I absolutely won't gamble. That pretty much puts an end to the conversation right there. I've had people come and ask me for a set, but I'll refuse to gamble and they get pissed. I usually get something like "I don't play for free" and "you're scared" or "you can't play anyway". I guess they liked the way I looked? I do enjoy the competition of a match from time to time and I will play every now and again on league night, if I need more I'll find a tournament and pay my fee. That being said, while I won't gamble, I do love to watch a money match and what goes on during the match, it's a wonderful study in human nature and human behavior and the stories that those guys tell, wow. But one solid thing that I have learned about pool and pool players, when you put money on the table with the wrong person there's a good chance that the asshole quotient will go way up.

Might need it's own thread... I practice because its cheaper than therapy.... I play tournaments because I need to test my metal.... I need to gamble because..... well I don't... I make good money and the guys that don't will have to play long $100 sets to get me involved.......
 
I don't play for money either...money creates too many hard feelings. Just my opinion.
 
Mike if you want someone to spar with cheap then let me know, we can meet at Skips or Kolbys but I do not play on the kiddie tables, big table 8 ball would be fun. Anyone who has gambled with me knows there is no BS, I just like to play. You got my number and I am free some evenings, just don't be poking fun at my bridge hand. :p
 
So, played cheap sets with a "pool buddy" a couple of weeks ago. Had a problem that night when my "buddy" accused me of moving the coin while he was in the bathroom. I was already up a set and he claimed I moved the coin from 6-5 him to 6-6 in a race to 7. I have known this guy for years and never had an issue like this any other time that we have gambled.

I know that I didn't move the coin. To be honest, there had been a time early in the match when I won a game and when I moved the coin I thought I had one game less than the coin said. I wrote it off to just bearing down and not paying attention to the score. (something that I am trying to do). But he wasn't claiming it was a mid match thing. He was claiming he checked the score and it was 6-5 when he walked into the bathroom and I had moved it to 6-6 while racking (he won the last game and moved his coin).

I was pretty pissed off and told him that I had never pulled that move on him or any other player in my life and surely wasn't going to risk my reputation for a chance to win a cheap set. I unscrewed and told him if he wanted to win that bad then he won and I was done.

So, that was a couple weeks ago. Havn't talked to the guy since. One of his buddies was sweating our match that night and he told me later that the guy was just not very trusting and to just blow it off.

Ended up playing cheap sets with the buddy last night. He clarified before we played that he didn't think he and I had any issues just because the first guy was being a jerk. I agreed with him that I didn't think we had any issue.

So he wins the first set hill-hill. I win the second set 7-2 and we agree to play one last set for almost twice the original bet. He goes up 3-1 and then I get into a little groove and take a 6-4 lead. Now he starts the b*tching. He had been b*tching a little before but it really got bad at 6-4. I was lucky because balls were hitting both tits before going in the pocket (on a Valley table), etc. I just kind of laughed it off as no big deal. Then as he was racking he commented under his breath that if he was going to get beat, he wanted to get beat by good play instead of "shitty ass play".

I tightened up and dogged out balls in the next two racks for 6-6 and watched as he ran down the an off angle 9 that he jarred. He paid quickly and was out the door.

Now I am in a position that I am uncomfortable with. After these two episodes, I am really at a point where I don't want to gamble. I don't want to even hit balls at the moment.

I know that I am never going to be a world beater. I am an average player and since everyone in Arizona is rated, I like to play cheap sets with players of the same rating to see how we play. I have told people before that I want to play for a couple bucks so we have a reason to try, but not enough money that we end up hating each other.

Now the last two gambling sessions have gone really sour and they have left me not wanting to do it anymore.

Did I just end up with two jerks in a row, or am I just kidding myself thinking that two guys can play cheap sets that they want to win and not be jerks about it if they don't?

Hey brother,

You just described half my gambling experiences. When some players are down, they resort to this behavior. It's really out of your control and there is nothing you could have done about it. You're a level headed low-key guy and this still happened to you. I've had many players in our area, including many of the top players, do similar things... the most obvious and known about incident was with Scott. And to this day, I still will not gamble with these players.

After some of these incidents (especially the one with Scott), I don't think I picked up a cue for at least a month because I just felt so disgusted with the game and some of the people involved. It can ruin a passion for an otherwise enjoyable game. But I will say that I always came back around after every incident because I eventually realized that I was not the problem, nor was the game... they were. And I was not going to let them ruin a beautiful game like pool for me.

My suggestion for you - don't play for a while (as long as you don't feel the desire) or maybe just don't play cheap sets... or both. And then when a little time passes and you can see what happened with a little more perspective, you'll likely already be missing the game that you love so much and it will be there waiting for you like an old faithful friend. Don't let these 2 guys ruin what you know in your heart is great.

Ray
 
I like the idea of having the player who loses move the coin. I might have to try that one. That is kind of like the second guy I mentioned making me shoot an easy 9 after I had given him an easy one. He made me shoot and then said that he was taught that the game was not over until the 9-ball was made and he always made his opponent shoot it. I thanked him for explaining it to me and we both shot all of our 9s after that.

Lenny, I may very well take you up on that. Skip and Jan's is a bit of a hike for me but not that far. I think I could probably learn something by playing you too. Just none of that silly game with only one pocket for each of us. I have watched you play that one.

Ray, I appreciate the thoughts. I do try to stay low-key and the idea that I would be willing to risk screwing my reputation (even locally) to maybe win a cheap set against one of these guys was mind boggling.

As for having to put something on the match to make me concentrate, I wish I could bear down for free. I just always had a hard time with it. It always seems like more of a chance to socialize if nothing is on the match.

Mike
 
I like the idea of having the player who loses move the coin. I might have to try that one. That is kind of like the second guy I mentioned making me shoot an easy 9 after I had given him an easy one. He made me shoot and then said that he was taught that the game was not over until the 9-ball was made and he always made his opponent shoot it. I thanked him for explaining it to me and we both shot all of our 9s after that.

Lenny, I may very well take you up on that. Skip and Jan's is a bit of a hike for me but not that far. I think I could probably learn something by playing you too. Just none of that silly game with only one pocket for each of us. I have watched you play that one.

Ray, I appreciate the thoughts. I do try to stay low-key and the idea that I would be willing to risk screwing my reputation (even locally) to maybe win a cheap set against one of these guys was mind boggling.

As for having to put something on the match to make me concentrate, I wish I could bear down for free. I just always had a hard time with it. It always seems like more of a chance to socialize if nothing is on the match.

Mike
 
Money makes people do dumb things and causes un-needed problems when you take it from them. That's why I've never gambled one cent on a pool game.

I play to learn the game and have fun. I'd rather lose honestly than win a dime by some cheating method.

Sorry to hear about your so called "buddy" being a jerk, that sucks.
 
I've had quite a few such experiences myself. It's why I've become more of a tournament player in recent years. I still love to gamble but I'm much more selective about who I'll gamble against. Keep looking and you'll find a couple good people to play with. As for those who aren't just don't ever play them again. I've been pleasantly surprised by how good mannered the best players around Tampa are. I've played cheap (and on occasion not so cheap) with Mills, Crosby, Roberts, Hall, Richeson and never had any issues with any of them. In MD I was offered an opportunity to play a set for $1000 and even though I would've got staked I declined due to the other players lack of pool etiquette.
 
This is why I only gamble with people I can trust. A beer here and there while at the pub, sure but even when play for $5 a set there are always assholes who pull dumb stuff like that and it just takes the fun outta it.
 
The first time I went on the road shooting pool down South, the action player I was with never wanted to shoot pool in the bars. He preferred going to the pool rooms. Back then, I drank beer, and I preferred the bars. :p

The reason he did not like bars was because he said gambling and alcohol don't mix well sometimes, and when somebody who is drinking finds themself on the losing end, if they're an angry drunk, they will inevitably pick a fight. Who needs that! :frown:

I didn't understand his logic then, but I understand it today. Gambling and alcohol sometimes don't mix well. I guess it depends on the players who are doing the drinking. Some people can hold their alcohol, and if they do get drunk, they become goofy and silly. It's annoying if you're straight and have to deal with a goofy drunk, but it's tolerable. However, the drinker who gets angry when he gets drunk is horrible to be around, always picking fights for no reason. :angry:

As an aside, I witnessed a pool player claim that somebody moved the coin two times instead of one in a Joss tournament, and a big disagreement ensued thereafter. I was there and witnessed the entire thing, since my horse was one of the players. NOBODY moved that coin twice, but that player was losing and was trying to get in my horse's head. It didn't work. My horse won, fair and square. :smile:

At the Carolinas Open one year, my horse was playing Tony Crosby, and my horse was feeling no pain. Tony forgot to move the pill on the string over after Tony won, and my horse kept playing and didn't bring it to his attention. Everybody on the rail saw it, and told Tony about it. I would like to think that my horse would have moved the pill on the string for Tony, when Tony won the game, but he didn't. Was it deliberate? I don't think so, but I'm sure everybody on the rail thought it was a "move." :embarrassed2:

The biggest culprit of this behavior is in one-pocket, spotting balls that are owed, et cetera. I can't tell you how many times I see somebody forget to spot a ball they owed due to a foul. I do think players sometimes get so engrossed in the game they are playing that they forget. :tongue:

The way to avoid this is to travel with a significant other railbird who cares about your end and will make sure things are kept straight. That's where I come into the picture! ;)
 
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