Special/Reserved Tables?

Chango

Chango

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I have a question for the masses. How many of you have a local pool hall where the establishment saves tables for certain customers? To the point of a specific table being reserved regardless of whether or not it is going to be played on that day? What do you think about it? Keep in mind some of the "special " players abuse the hell out of the tables and spend more time picking balls off of the floor than they do taking them out of pockets.
 
Chango said:
I have a question for the masses. How many of you have a local pool hall where the establishment saves tables for certain customers? To the point of a specific table being reserved regardless of whether or not it is going to be played on that day? What do you think about it? Keep in mind some of the "special " players abuse the hell out of the tables and spend more time picking balls off of the floor than they do taking them out of pockets.
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Not that you are looking to sway our opinion, but I need a little more info. Do the "special" players look down on you and are you mad at them?

Just on GP, I think nobody should get treated special (at least not better than me).

Thanks

Kevin
 
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Where I play there is one table that is for 1P and straight pool or bank pool only.There is also a rule that the table is not just for hitting balls on (practicing) but that rule is loosely enforced as it should be.As long as no1 is blocking a good match-up with a practice session or super cheap action then everyone is happy.

It is up to the pool players to share the table in a way that everyone benefits from and but for the occasional stubborn nit it goes pretty smooth.

For the room owner to keep the day crowd of one pocket players he had to cater to them a bit,they simply put a reserved sign on the table when no1 is on it.
 
Reserved

Chango said:
I have a question for the masses. How many of you have a local pool hall where the establishment saves tables for certain customers? To the point of a specific table being reserved regardless of whether or not it is going to be played on that day? What do you think about it? Keep in mind some of the "special " players abuse the hell out of the tables and spend more time picking balls off of the floor than they do taking them out of pockets.
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Snooker tables are sometimes reserved for the regular golf players who will be coming in for their daily game. That table will make good money for the house when those 4 or 5 person games are played for hours. They are also usually some of the most regular customers. It is also proper etiquette to give up these special tables for big money games. Usually the tightest, nicest tables in the joint. I sometimes hit a little 3 cushion but will give it up when some real 3 cushion guys show up. Gave it up once so Gabe Owens and Chip Compton could play. Good show! Gabe got the cash.
 
Chango said:
I have a question for the masses. How many of you have a local pool hall where the establishment saves tables for certain customers? To the point of a specific table being reserved regardless of whether or not it is going to be played on that day? What do you think about it? Keep in mind some of the "special " players abuse the hell out of the tables and spend more time picking balls off of the floor than they do taking them out of pockets.
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Sometimes it is done. I used to have some guys who came in three times a week after work at a photo lab and they liked the same table in the back. I would put reserved on them before they came. The thing is, they would now play the rest of the night and drink a ton of beer spending hundreds every week. This was not really special treatment, they paid for the special service.

It is also common to save tables for the best players who come in and gamble. Even when someone is on the table they would often give it up as a courtesy. They were not forced to do so or intimidated into doing so, it was their choice. It is just some players have earned a little extra privilege.
 
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You have to understand that the owner is trying to make a living.

If he is giving special dispensation to some people, it probably is because it is to his financial benefit to do so.
 
This brings to mind something that occurred the other day.I was playing a 211 match on one of the 9 foot tables when a guy came out from the bar area (7 foot tables) and leaned against the table next to the one I was playing on.He asked me a question,I cannot remember what he said but I think he was wanting a game (not a money game).I pretended not to hear or notice him so he wouldn't think I was ignoring him.He stood there for a while playing with his phone thing for about 2 racks and then went back to the bar table room.Later I could here him loudly telling someone else how the people in the other room think they are special and don't want to play pool with them.

I could have stopped and explained to the guy what we were doing and why we can't play with him at the time and maybe I should have but my approach to the situation is something that I have learned over time.There are many different worlds of pool playing and many different types of players and people play for many different reasons.I don't hold myself above anyone,pool player or not,I just try to focus on what I am trying to achieve.

Well that's just what popped into my empty head,thought I would share...
 
Special players, special rules for different tables, and those who are elite and/or those who spend alot of money should be given special treatment and service. We should also delineate those players who think they are special to those who are either truly talented and those who spend the cash. Both of the latter outrank those who merely think they are special. These folk often bring their own beverages and/or want free cold water. if i were a room owner i believe i would make the free water drinker play somewhere else; even if he might play like "god." but that's just my mind working.
 
Not in my local hall. If we have some heavy hitters come in for a big game, someone will give up a table with no problem. The owner takes care of us "usual customers" very well, and we appreciate it very much. No need for a reserved table at the hall I frequent.
 
Sometimes I've seen rooms with a reserved sign on a table usually on the best/tightest "players" table in the house - often near the rail. Unless a special need arises like a money match, the sign is there mainly so the table gets less use - the reserved sign stays on as long as there are other vacant tables available. If the place is otherwise full then the sign will come off (maybe the owner will move players he knows to that table rather than rent it out to anyone). When the crowd thins out the sign goes back on.

The owner is in the business of renting tables so why not rent it if it is the only available table? Also it probably would not sit well with customers if there is a wait list while a table goes unused with a reserved sign on it.
 
'Reserving' the table for someone is not that big of a deal in most rooms. I've been in rooms before where the guy working would tell me, "So-and-so will be coming in today at 5 and he likes to play there. He might play some with you or he might just want to hit some." Out of courtesy, I, or anyone else that goes to the room more than once in a great while, will give up the table and move elsewhere, no questions asked. It's guaranteed money for the room, and if you like shooting there, you want the room to make money.

If you happen to be playing a cash game at that table though, the same guy that the table is 'reserved' for, usually has no problem waiting or picking up another table until you are done.

Not saying this happens everywhere, but in the cases I have witnessed, this is how it usually goes.
 
smoooothstroke said:
This brings to mind something that occurred the other day.I was playing a 211 match on one of the 9 foot tables when a guy came out from the bar area (7 foot tables) and leaned against the table next to the one I was playing on.He asked me a question,I cannot remember what he said but I think he was wanting a game (not a money game).I pretended not to hear or notice him so he wouldn't think I was ignoring him.He stood there for a while playing with his phone thing for about 2 racks and then went back to the bar table room.Later I could here him loudly telling someone else how the people in the other room think they are special and don't want to play pool with them.

I could have stopped and explained to the guy what we were doing and why we can't play with him at the time and maybe I should have but my approach to the situation is something that I have learned over time.There are many different worlds of pool playing and many different types of players and people play for many different reasons.I don't hold myself above anyone,pool player or not,I just try to focus on what I am trying to achieve.

Well that's just what popped into my empty head,thought I would share...
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what about saying the guy "sorry I can't play you atm", or "I don't want to play you" instead ignoring him? Maybe the guy didn't have the best etiquette but you acted like "a special" person as that guy said.
 
I don't get to play in real pool rooms very often, last time I did we were told
that two of the tables were set up tight. We could have played on them but
we didn't, appreciated that it was mentioned to us before hand.

Seem to remember they mentioned something about being for their one pocket
players.
 
LAlouie said:
It's the pool hall's choice. It's there business.
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Nothing wrong with reserving a table for someone.
Ive called the couple rooms I play at and have had them reserve a table if it was open, tellin them ill be there to gamble in an hour or 2. ,, now I will,would only do this if I have a game lined up, not just to practice.

I have never got NO for an answer. Not yet anyhow. ;)
 
To the OP:

Could you be more specific? Are you talking about the practice of someone calling ahead to reserve a table; or are you talking about certain tables that can only be played on by special customers? Do the tables in question sit idle even when there are no "special" customers in the place, and yet there are other customers wanting to rent them?

Roger
 
We have a table with a long row of seating beside it that is commonly used by regular players only. Anyone can play on it, but they generally ask us first if we are going to use it.

It's not reserved 24/7, nor is it any better than any of the other tables. It's front and center beside the bar which makes it a good spot. The extra seating is also a bonus.

I'm not terribly particular to one table or another myself. I just like the location and I don't mind playing with the bar patrons nearby so it suits me. I do stay away from the table nearest the bathroom as I don't like the foot traffic or people who don't wash their hands near me. That has less to do with the table though.
 
A place in RI I played in before it shut down had 4-5 tables nearest the counter in Simonis, and they were the last tables handed unless you were a regular. I guess that's kinda reserved. None of the guys that usually playh on those tables knocked balls off.

It's actually nice to have tables like that, you know they won't have new rips in the cloth or drinks spilled on them, regulars that match up know how they play.

None of those were ONLY for a group of people. If the people who played there were not there, they were rented to anyone if they needed to be used.

I know Country Club USA before they also shut down had several GC IV tables that were not given out to just anyone.
 
hang-the-9 said:
A place in RI I played in before it shut down had 4-5 tables nearest the counter in Simonis, and they were the last tables handed unless you were a regular. I guess that's kinda reserved.
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This is exactly what I was talking about. The only difference is if the room doesn't assign tables at the counter i.e. you can take any empty table, then the only way to ensure the "player's table" doesn't get used is to actually put a reserved sign on it.
 
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