Thoughts of a Slow Player

[KMRUNOUT]

I hate slow players. In my opinion they are just idiots. No tactics or something else. Just IDIOTS. And what they do is not good for the game.

I wish I too had an all-knowing perspective that allowed me to judge others. Unfortunately, I only know what I know, but have no idea what others know. While it makes me wise, it doesn't work well for berating others and assuming I have a clue what goes on in their heads. Damn...

KMRUNOUT

 

[KMRUNOUT]

I was in a little local midweek tournament where two notoriously slow players were playing each other.(one was slow, the other glacially slow)

As Fran has mentioned..in the spirit of finishing the tournament in our lifetime, the TD set a time limit on their match at the outset.

He made them lag for the win at the appointed time.

They were not happy, but everyone else was.


(I am guilty of being deliberate..takes a while to consider all the ways to miss and sell out.)

Not really fair to the slow player (as opposed to the glacially slow player). Shot clock is the only solution to slow play. Timing a match means absolutely nothing.

KMRUNOUT

 

[KMRUNOUT]

All leagues, in my humble opinion, should have a 30 second shot clock.

Leagues are full of people trying to learn how to play pool ... how are they ever going to learn with out a clock?

There is nothing good about staring at a pool table like you're some kind of zombie.

For you. Although someone said that the hallmark of genius is in believing that what troubles one trouble all people. I think you might be a genius.

KMRUNOUT

 

[Highmiles]

What does a slow player think about as he/she stands beside the table, staring at the ball layout? Does their thought process undergo a gradual metamorphosis from total incomprehension to something resembling a plan?
Outwardly, they move slowly, as if mesmerized by the layout.
Sometimes, they pick out one ball and look at it from various angles, as if one perspective will provide a degree of clarity lacking in other viewpoints.
Often, they form the fingers of one hand into strange shapes and place that hand on top of the rail, flopping it from one side to the other, as if in so doing the basis of a brilliant thought will emerge from the depths of their consciousness.
Then, there are those that, after a minute of silent, unmoving contemplation, will take the chalk and purposely rub it against the tip of their instrument, place it against the rail, lean over and sight along a motionless cue stick then, stand up and again stare at the balls.

I want to know: Are they thinking of anything while they stand there like some apparition that could at any moment fade away from reality?


I'm grateful of the shot clock and praise the person who first implemented that idea as a solution to the seconds, minutes and more of time devoted to statue-like concentration.

Watching grass grow or paint dry or a pool player contemplating who knows what is a mystery to me.

Please, I beg of you: Enlighten me!



Shoot safe.

John

PS - Hey! You know who you are! Please share what's going on in your head during those moments of apparent catatonia. I'm begging! NO! I'm Pleading. Please!!!:smile:

They are probably pipe smokers. They have learned the art of ritual? They contemplate their navel?

 

[krupa]

Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.
Napoleon Hill

I don't mind slow players, there's enough going on in my head to keep me entertained while I wait.

 

[Tobermory]

Perhaps someone from upstate New York can confirm this. My recollection is that about ten years ago I was in a pool room in Canandaigua and on the wall were posted the rules for a local straight pool league. Astonishingly, one of the rules was that there was a thirty-second limit on taking a shot! The reasoning was that, if you have played a fair amount of straight pool, you have seen the same patterns come up over and over and ought to recognize fairly quickly what to do in regularly occurring situations. On top of that, I think these were rules which Arthur Cranfield had come up with.

The slow players who kill me are the ones who take forever to calculate in a position in which it is fairly obvious what one should do. This comes up frequently in one pocket. I cannot count the times I have looked at the table as the next player came up and said immediately to myself, "He'll bank the six ball softly toward his hole and try to put the cue ball behind the eleven," only to have to sit and watch the player look at the six ball and then look at a half dozen obviously less desirable choices and then finally---Guess what!--bank the six ball softly toward his hole and try to put the cue ball behind the eleven. There used to be a comic strip in which there was the recurring theme "The Urge to Kill."

 

[vagabond]

To put a limit on the time taken for the match is a Irrational approach. Limiting the time taken on the match in some situations favor the perpetrator ( slow player) and further victimizes the already victimized player.

 

[Odysseus]

I Could Be Faster

The amount of focus, application and execution that goes into being consistent is just insane and sometimes takes time. There are a ton of professionals out there who are slow at some aspect of the game. For example, Ko Pin Yi immediately comes to mind. He consistently takes 10 to 15- often many more- strokes of the cue standing up while staring down the rack before a break. It looks kind of silly if you were not used to seeing him play and one just might want to make fun of him.... if his breaks didn't absolutely rock. Yes, it is a very deliberate thing. I don't believe he is sharking but my guess is that it is just part of his routine and helps him to focus. Because he is a winner and is so consistent, my mind tells me that I really need to pay more attention to what I am doing with all things at the table. This takes time.
One more brief example which I believe is rather extreme is the 2014 CSI USBTC in 10 Ball. On several occasions, Jason Klatt (vs. Throsten Hohmann) take an ungodly amount of time setting up several shots throughout the game. Literally, he takes like 4 minutes in a couple of cases. Check out the match if you haven’t already. I will note that Mr. Klatt masterfully accomplished all of the complicated shots he took the time to set up. Something to learn from.
Slow for the sake of being slow (sharking) isn't going to do any one any good for long (especially at tournaments) It certainly isn't going to make anyone a better pool player. It might win some games, but for how long? My solution for intentionally slow players is patience with no flopping and twitching during my wait, then a steady assault of shot making and lock up safeties, followed by a win and a firm handshake. With any luck they will leave thinking that they need to simply get better at playing pool. Your skill sets don't just vanish because of a slower opponent. No way I am going to let a slow player negate the hours I put in at the table. Shame on any pool player that does.

I love this game!

 

[Banks]

Some people do it as a shark or to take somebody out of their groove. Other people are just naturally slow.. some much, much more than others.

In our masters regional, there was one particular player that I haven't been able to stand playing against(or watching) since damn near I started playing. During the final match, he took almost as long on one shot.. ONE SHOT.. as the other table took on a full rack of 9b. That's just ridiculous.

If I have the choice of playing people that are slow or not.. I'll choose not. I could probably get in about 3 times as many racks playing by myself.
...

If I can have a cigarette during your turn, come back and still wait for you.. you take too long.

If I can order a drink every time you step to the table.. you take too long.

If I can take a power nap.. you take too long.

If I order and receive my food before it's my turn again.. you take too long.

and lastly..

If people take up one-pocket in order to speed up play.. you take too long.

 

[Baby Huey]

Slow playing is not easily defined. If I am in a big match where there are serious stakes at risk, I am definitely going to slow it down and try to shoot the right shot 100% of the time. I am going to be thoughtful and sure of myself before I shoot and I don't care how long it takes and who complains. If I am playing with my buds and for small stakes I will quicken my pace. Look at some of the best one pocket players who are definitely on the slow side. They are as follows: Alex Pagulayan, Cliff Joyner, Shannon Daulton and Corey Duell. I don't see them running to shoot anytime. Anyone with an ADD problem shouldn't be playing one pocket anyway.

 

[ronscuba]

I vote a shot clock for all games. I can see the amount of time changing depending on the game. For example 45 seconds for 9/10 ball, maybe a little longer for straight pool.

I definitely see intentional slow play as a tactic by some people.

 

[bdorman]

"The more I make my opponent wait, the more frustrated they will get and the greater the chances I might win." - Michael "Time Bandit" Wong

What a great nickname: Time Bandit :thumbup:

What other nicknames can we come up with for slow players?

Jimmy "the Glacier" Smith

Johnny "Hour-hand" Jones

Paulie "Paint Dry" Russell

Yours?

*************

The best "clock" is a chess match clock. Each player gets the same amount of time to play the entire game. You punch the clock after your move, and the clock begins ticking for your opponent. That's why you'll see chess players play the first 10 moves in less than one second per move; they're saving their minutes for when they need them later in the match.

 

[FranCrimi]

I vote a shot clock for all games. I can see the amount of time changing depending on the game. For example 45 seconds for 9/10 ball, maybe a little longer for straight pool.

I definitely see intentional slow play as a tactic by some people.

30 Seconds is probably enough, with one 30 second extension allowed per game. 45 Can actually slow things down if a player uses the full amount on every shot.

 

[F8it]

What other nicknames can we come up with for slow players?

BUDDY "S-L-O-W D-E-A-T-H" HALL! :yeah:

 

[tonythetiger583]

(Not a jab at you, personally)

But as a mid level/ developing player, do you really feel the analysis is warranted, given the fact that your execution is not going to be as exact as a better player's.

I mean, say you are shooting the 3, looking at the proper angle to get on the 4 so that you can break out the clustered 5. No amount of consideration is going to minimize the importance of proper execution.

I feel like I'm in the same category of beginner your addressing. And I am a slow player, but it's mostly because of lack of familiarity. I play quickly if I don't have to think about shape, because I spent my first year of pool working on the execution. Now my execution is bearable enough that I can focus on position. I play slow because the thought processes are new to me (playing through a zone, being on the correct side of the ball etc.) My feeling is that we have to learn it sooner or later, and when I have the knowledge, I will no longer be slow. I can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes to figure out what looks like a fairly simple shot, because I want my position to be good. After I've made the plan, and chosen the shot though, my execution is fairly quick. Line up the visuals, land, 3 practice strokes, pause, backswing, paus-ish, shoot.

But I'd rather be slow now, then suck forever.

Also since I'm new, everyone that I see play fast, misses. I can see it in their eyes, that their shapes awful. They're not even really thinking about shape. I can almost count on them to screw up a wide open table of only their balls. But they play fast.

My other logic that gets me by for the time being, is that even if I'm slow, if I'm careful, ultimately we will save more time if I'm the only one who has to shoot that game. Really, I'm trying to save us both time.

 

[scsuxci]

I vote a shot clock for all games. I can see the amount of time changing depending on the game. For example 45 seconds for 9/10 ball, maybe a little longer for straight pool.

I definitely see intentional slow play as a tactic by some people.

I'm with you 100%.Over excessive slow play will drive most guys
bonkers and is a shark move to piss the other guy off.
I was just in a event and got to the A-side final. He played super slow
and even when he was racking the balls, it took over 10min for him
to get the rack the way he liked(it was rack your own).I let him win cause I
couldn't stand watching this any longer and felt it was no longer fun.
I see guys with a 4 ball easy out walking around the table studying
the table like its rocket science.
Shot clock is the best remedy to cure the players that are trying to act
like a pro but aren't even close.

 

[scsuxci]

Some people do it as a shark or to take somebody out of their groove. Other people are just naturally slow.. some much, much more than others.

In our masters regional, there was one particular player that I haven't been able to stand playing against(or watching) since damn near I started playing. During the final match, he took almost as long on one shot.. ONE SHOT.. as the other table took on a full rack of 9b. That's just ridiculous.

If I have the choice of playing people that are slow or not.. I'll choose not. I could probably get in about 3 times as many racks playing by myself.
...

If I can have a cigarette during your turn, come back and still wait for you.. you take too long.

If I can order a drink every time you step to the table.. you take too long.

If I can take a power nap.. you take too long.

If I order and receive my food before it's my turn again.. you take too long.

and lastly..

If people take up one-pocket in order to speed up play.. you take too long.

Thats funny and disgusting all in the same dry heave To take that long
on a shot should give the guy an indication he might need his head checked.

 

[Buckzapper]

We have one of the masters of slow play in the Binghamton, NY area. I nicknamed him "Cobweb" after I swear a spider wove a web over the corner pocket while he was sizing up a shot. He played like this when he was 30 and has never changed.
Cobweb will often take 25 to 30 practice strokes. (This is no exaggeration.) With just an 8 and 9 ball left on the table, both balls hanging, I have seen him walk around the table twice and eye the shot from a slate-level view. Forget One-pocket with him. A time warp exists on every shot.
As a result of slow play, he can only get a game with strangers that are unfamiliar with the turtle speed of Cobweb.

 

[jojopiff]

What does a slow player think about as he/she stands beside the table, staring at the ball layout? Does their thought process undergo a gradual metamorphosis from total incomprehension to something resembling a plan?
Outwardly, they move slowly, as if mesmerized by the layout.
Sometimes, they pick out one ball and look at it from various angles, as if one perspective will provide a degree of clarity lacking in other viewpoints.
Often, they form the fingers of one hand into strange shapes and place that hand on top of the rail, flopping it from one side to the other, as if in so doing the basis of a brilliant thought will emerge from the depths of their consciousness.
Then, there are those that, after a minute of silent, unmoving contemplation, will take the chalk and purposely rub it against the tip of their instrument, place it against the rail, lean over and sight along a motionless cue stick then, stand up and again stare at the balls.

I want to know: Are they thinking of anything while they stand there like some apparition that could at any moment fade away from reality?

I'm grateful of the shot clock and praise the person who first implemented that idea as a solution to the seconds, minutes and more of time devoted to statue-like concentration.

Watching grass grow or paint dry or a pool player contemplating who knows what is a mystery to me.

Please, I beg of you: Enlighten me!

Shoot safe.

John

PS - Hey! You know who you are! Please share what's going on in your head during those moments of apparent catatonia. I'm begging! NO! I'm Pleading. Please!!!:smile:

I was slow, painfully slow only just a couple years ago. Mine was mainly due to uncertainty. Granted, my ball pocketing was outstanding but I was never able to get in a rhythm & catch a gear. I remember watching people who played fast and would think how do they "just know what to do"? For me, it was the want to be perfect on everything (checking every angle, lint on the table, etc) & then the nervousness that I wotldnt be perfect that made each and every shot take forever. Basically, I was scared to shoot.

However, through goofing off playing casual pool with friends (not taking it seriously) I learned that by playing faster I was a better player. I either had already known or had learned "just what to do." Now, anyone making this transition should know that it takes time. i can tend to play too fast and get careless but all in all my game is better.

 

[JC]

I have watched a couple of really good players who were very slow.
They almost never miss so how can you say they should play faster?

Like this:

WTF ARE YOU LOOKING AT THIS TIME!!!!! MEDITATE BEFORE THE GAME!!! SHOOT THE DAMNED BALL ALREADY!! I PLAY POOL FOR FUN AND RIDICULING YOUR STUPIDITY IN MY MIND IS OLD NOW!! DO YOURSELF AND POOL A FAVOR AND QUIT!! NEVER MIND I QUIT!! ENJOY YOUR OBNOXIOS WIN!! I HATE YOU!!!! ASSHOLE!!!

JC