3 Foul Story
Another reason I try to hook my opponent, which may lead to a 3-foul win, is when I am struggling making balls or running out. Playing safe gets me in stroke because it removes the stress of "having" to run out and I’m still trying to control the cue ball. While I'm playing safe to try to win, up pops opportunities to 3-foul my opponent. It's kind of fun. Anyway, it’s easier to run out 4-5 balls than 8-9 when you're struggling.
....
Dave
One day I played in a tourney and, because I lost my first match, I played nearly non- stop for ten hours. I was just allowed to have a cigarette between the matches, and once at 8 pm (tourney started at noon), I was permitted to drive the 1.3 miles to a Starbucks to grab a coffee. Other than that, it was seriously 10 hrs of grueling play-
after a 3 hour morning drive to get there.
I quickly could tell that my next and last opponent, who is loudly antsy after a long wait (tournament director told me they'd been complaining for some time), is not as good as me. They could make balls really well, but had a very, very limited understanding of where the cueball was going to go... They also liked to talk, chat, walk away from the table, and were constantly adjusting themselves (shirt, pants, stretching, cracking neck, scratching, and... repeat) while waiting. Fine. I was dead on my feet, it seemed like a waste of relative energy to get into an argument over it, and so I tried concentrating only on the balls and not them.
I started playing safe so I could get ball in hand and run out. I'd get my ball in hand, make three balls, and miss like a damned donkey. But as I started to fully realize my opponent couldn't do more than a one- rail mirror- kick, I tried going for the 3foul.... That's where I learned my previously- posted- statement about planning for the 3rd foul- because by the time I was ready to force the 3rd, I'd have the ob standing all alone in the middle of the table. That's totally harder to play safe with than it could have been if I'd just been planning better.
So I couldn't run out- after very painful, stupid misses on the 7, 8, AND YES, the 9!, my confidence was completely blown. I could play safe. And since my opponent couldn't do much more than a one- rail kick... Well, dammit, I paid my money to get in that tourney and if they wanted to chat, tug, and scratch their way through it, I could get my bih and 3foul wins.
I lost 7-6. I fully believe I could beat that person about any day of the week. As tired and weak as I was, though, it was absolutely pure stubborn tenacity that made the match as close as it was.
My opponent's spouse had a hissy fit and announced loudly to several others that I was a lowlife and that it's hard to play a lowlife... For playing a lot of safes and clearly going for the 3fouls.
Sticks and stones. I'm not going to quit trying to win because of name calling or a stupid guilt trip over trying to win within the stated rules. People are always trying to make you feel like crap for winning, for trying to win, for going for a nine, for running out, for playing safe, for winning last time, for making the 9 on the break, for whatever. I didn't try to cheat or shark anyone- every thing I did was legal. The only thing that feels crappy is that I just wish I hadn't given up so many stupid key balls.
As it is, it almost worked. And I would
so do it again in the same situation, except I think next time I'll also make sure I've got enough sleep and some powerbars in my cue case.