What do you guys think?

[Snapshot9]

Jaden ....

I play in a lot tournaments, weekly, and otherwise, and have run lots of them too. Any tournament without predefined rules, that are written, and can be provided to any player should be standard procedure for a POOLROOM.

Now, I don't like a ringer coming in on the tournaments I run, or even when I am playing and a new player shows up, I am usually one of 2 in the tournament that is asked to judge the new players speed. Since I have played 44 years, and I play pretty sporty, and for lots of money in the past, I usually don't have problem judging speed, and I can tell if someone is
'shooting down'. Bottom line, they should just raise your rating, and let you to continue to play.

Fairness in a tournament is determined how every player, good or not, is treated in the tournament, not just the 'majority' of them. Good players should not be punished because they are better, they should just be rated properly, and allowed to compete.

If the Poolroom is not willing to be fair about it, just go somewhere else.
Obviously, the room is not run by a real 'poolplayer' nor a smart 'businessman'.

 

[cuechick]

Personally, I would not spend another minute or another penny in that place. They can do what they want but it is obvious they are not a pool room but more of a "club" and you are not a member or even a customer but a threat.

The thing is your not in a small town, your in Cali and you have plenty of options. Have you tried College Billiards, a little sketchy but more of a players room. And if Pro is your goal, then if I were you I would spend the gas and time to drive to Bellflower and Hardtimes as often as possible. I beleive they have tournaments every weekend and you will not find this kind of crap there. It is really not that far.

As far as balls off the table, this is another way of 8 Ball handicapping used in some leagues that I have never understood either. Amsterdam
Billiards uses it in there inhouse leagues too.

 

[uwate]

I've seen this locals only mentality in bar tournaments. If you want to play there every week, you have to get into the position where they view you as one of their own. One suggestion is that you should spend a chunk of the winnings and buy some drinks for the losers after its all over. Invest some time and chat the people up. If you want to play there every week, you have to get into the position where they view you as one of their own. I think its probably too late for that now since there already appears to be some bad feeling brewing over you running everyone over.

 

[ScottR]

As I was leaving, I said well see you guys tommorrow night, and the owners son said, you're not going to play in the tournament tommorrow or in either of next week's either. I said as I was walking out the door that I expected them to do the same with anyone else who won more than two tournaments in a row.

The thing is that they have a couple of strong players there and they have higher rating scales. I've tried to explain to them how the spots they are giving up are not good for lesser players because the people who get those spots don't know how to use them properly and that in 8 ball if you want to give spots either give them games in a race or give the option of taking their balls down whenever they want.

The thing is that they shouyld be willing to use my experience to make it better for them and instead they are alienating me by treating me this way. I told his son the first time he said he didn't want me in the next three tournaments that instead or atleast he should move me up in their rating scale. Although since that means I would really just be giving them more balls off the table, it's more of a spot for me. lol. Or they need to institute an official rule that if you place in the money in two tournaments in a row you have to skip a week. and not just say no, you're too good, so you can;t play every week, but if joe schmucatelli over there wins 8 in a row, HE can still play whenever he wants.

I think the problem is the CNC'd points on your cue......

Just kiddin', Jaden. They are just yanking you around because you are the new kid in town AND can play.

 

[Flex]

I think you ought to quit these nits.

Sorry, but any tournament that doesn't have a defined set of rules is not something for you at your skill level.

Barbara

Tap, tap, tap.

 

[Cane]

Think about it. How many REALLY good players do you know that will just play you for fun? Or in a weekly tournament that first MIGHT pay 80 for? Sure maybe they don't take the game seriously and aren't really interested in getting better, but you know what.... tough because I am. A big part of my mental handicap was feeling sorry for lesser players and letting up, subconsciously and consciously. I'm finally getting past it and I'm not about to start down that road again.

Jaden, I went through the same thing, playing down to lesser players, and it started when I opened a pool room. Egos are big around here and you can't beat your customers brains out and expect them to come back... Pool room sold and I'm OVER it now.

We had a former pro, and an old travelling partner of Buddy Hall, that used to come to one of our local tournaments. I won't use his full name, because he still gambles on the road like old times. Everyone around here hated him, except me. Everyone around here was intimidated by him, except me and my road partner. Eventually, he moved away (to Dallas for awhile, and then to Tulsa), but while he was around, it did more for my game than anything else did. I changed into a completely different animal when I played him because I knew I had to bring game to beat him... and I did.

In any case, I don't understand why anyone wouldn't want a top player coming to their tournaments, but then again, I don't really consider myself a recreational player. I'm pretty serious about my game and very serious about learning something from every win, every loss.

As far as the better players not playing for fun, wish you lived close to here. The three best players around this part of the country get together once a week and play NO MONEY, Challenge 10-ball for anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. Fun is had by all... and a LOT is learned in those little fun sessions.

Bob

 

[Colin Colenso]

The title of the thread was "What do you guys think", and I told him. Every pool room has one like him. What does he care about a silly bar tournament and the rules they play by, he's winning anyway and he is complaining. I've played with guys that seemed to make up the rules as we went along and ring games where they put me in the middle and I busted them anyway. As they say, When in Rome you do as the Romans do, beat them at their own game. In this case though he should not be playing anyway, they were having fun till he showed up, all he figures to do is kill the tournament. The funny part is he says he is new in town and this is how he acts right out of the box, I wonder how he acts after he gets to know you a little?

Macguy,
I think you and a couple of others are dreaming up an unrealistic picture of Jaden's behavior here.

Having played in many fool comps myself, it is quite normal to have several discussions / queries about the rules (if you're an experienced player and believe it's appropriate to play by the local rules), without actually being nosey, pedantic or arrogant in your manner.

 

[Jigger]

Is this the only poolhall in Calif ?

.
Have a serious private talk with the owner. Accept no BS. If they won't clarify the rules and be fair/consistent with you (the new guy) don't go back. They don't deserve you.

One goal everyone should have is to work yourself into a position where you don't have to deal with complete as*holes. Blow off this rinky dink mud puddle and find a serious poolhall. Good luck Jaden.

 

[Jaden]

One goal everyone should have is to work yourself into a position where you don't have to deal with complete as*holes. Blow off this rinky dink mud puddle and find a serious poolhall. Good luck Jaden.

Actually I've been considering opening up my own pool hall here in town....

 

[5aheadforpinks]

...

Theres no reason to get mad at these half wit pool players, you must let them do everything they want.
I play in some real hell hole tournaments with some of the worst people you have ever seen hold a cue. They double hit a shot everytime they are within a balls width of it; sometimes when they make an obvious slop shot they act like they made it on purpose... I say good for them if they can justify it in there in mind.
I played these tournaments into the ground, every week for about 3 months... after that no one came, and the people that did expected to loose before they took there first shot. The big fat guys threaten to break my thumbs with a smile on there face; but they know Im not hustling them, and they know none of there petty BS gets to me...
You just need to grin and bear it, until they say, "Its your turn!".
I used to be upset at things like this, until I realized these people cant win no matter what they do.
Let them slop a shot in and compliment them on it.
Bless them with every breath, and only wish the best for them.