What's right??

[Paul Mon]

You make the call?

You’re playing a good friend, no money just bragging rights. You play this friend often and you kind of know their strengths and weakness’s. Playing one pocket and only cue ball fouls. OK. Regardless of the score you’ve just fouled by not driving a ball to a rail or striking a ball and contacting a rail. You are upset with yourself because you’ve left your opponent (friend) an easy shot. He has a brain fart and picks up the cue ball to relocate it like he has BIH. You immediately call foul.

What do you do? Let him slide? Tell him to put the cue ball back to where it was? Reminder, you’re playing cue ball fouls only and he picked up the cue ball.



One more call to make.

You’ve got a shot and are almost corner hooked (doesn’t matter what corner). You look over the shot and as innocently as possible you yank on the obstructing corner while pretending to line up the shot. Regardless of whether you were able to push in the point of the cushion or not. Is it a foul to try and change the point?

 

[brechbt]

You make the call?

You’re playing a good friend, no money just bragging rights. You play this friend often and you kind of know their strengths and weakness’s. Playing one pocket and only cue ball fouls. OK. Regardless of the score you’ve just fouled by not driving a ball to a rail or striking a ball and contacting a rail. You are upset with yourself because you’ve left your opponent (friend) an easy shot. He has a brain fart and picks up the cue ball to relocate it like he has BIH. You immediately call foul.

What do you do? Let him slide? Tell him to put the cue ball back to where it was? Reminder, you’re playing cue ball fouls only and he picked up the cue ball.



One more call to make.

You’ve got a shot and are almost corner hooked (doesn’t matter what corner). You look over the shot and as innocently as possible you yank on the obstructing corner while pretending to line up the shot. Regardless of whether you were able to push in the point of the cushion or not. Is it a foul to try and change the point?

On your first question, IMO the answer is easy: it's a friend, no money on the line, and it was a mental lapse, not a shot-making error, therefore you tell him to put the CB back and keep shooting. In that situation, what's to be gained by being a stickler for the rules?

As to your second question, that seems to be something that should be covered by an existing rule of some kind, and I'm too lazy at the moment to try to find one that covers it.

 

[kaznj]

I agree with Brechbt, although I'm not likely to be in this situation. I have no friends.

 

[Pushout]

First, put the cue ball back where it was. Second, I don't know but I'm pretty sure there is a rule against altering equipment, ie: the table.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I'd let the cue ball foul go for a friendly game and I'd let anybody mash the side pocket point to be sure a rail shot would go by (don't know if there's a rule and don't care).

EDIT: And I'd even let a friendly opponent mess with the rail that might have him hooked, but I wouldn't allow a more serious opponent to do that.

pj
chgo

 

[GADawg]

In the first case, tell him to put the ball back and shoot.

In the second, I think it borders on unsportsmanlike conduct to try to alter the table to improve a shot.

 

[Cameron Smith]

I agree with everyone else. If you call a foul and end up running out the game, you lose the bragging rights because you took advantage of a brain fart rather than out playing him. In a tournament, at least you get to advance further, in a gambling session you get money, but if you lose bragging rights in a friendly game what do you win?

 

[woody_968]

It depends on if you and your friend is there to get better or just have fun. If its really casual and just out to have a good time and maybe a few drinks then you could let it slide.

In the group that I hang around, there is no question, it was a foul and it would be called. We do like to have fun, but that includes playing by the rules and pushing each other to perform our best.

In golf, I knew a guy that was used to his group always telling each other to pick up short putts. He came to our group and was upset with us because we didnt tell him to pick them up. Needless to say he missed several short putts that day because he wasnt used to playing by the rules and dealing with the pressure that comes with a shot that you would be embarrased if you missed.

Do yourselves a favor, play by the rules.

Woody

 

[Patrick Johnson]

It depends on if you and your friend is there to get better or just have fun. If its really casual and just out to have a good time and maybe a few drinks then you could let it slide.

In the group that I hang around, there is no question, it was a foul and it would be called. We do like to have fun, but that includes playing by the rules and pushing each other to perform our best.

In golf, I knew a guy that was used to his group always telling each other to pick up short putts. He came to our group and was upset with us because we didnt tell him to pick them up. Needless to say he missed several short putts that day because he wasnt used to playing by the rules and dealing with the pressure that comes with a shot that you would be embarrased if you missed.

Do yourselves a favor, play by the rules.

Woody

This is good advice and I'm living proof because I don't follow it and that has hurt me.

I set up and take practice strokes with my tip very close to the CB. If I don't pay close attention I can easily let a practice stroke go a little too far and touch the CB. It never moves the ball much, sometimes it just rocks a little and settles back into place - often my opponent doesn't even notice.

Playing friends, even gambling with them for small money, this is overlooked as often as it's called, and so I'm not as disciplined about it as I should be, and so I sometimes foul when it means something, like in a tournament or gambling more formally. I often call the foul on myself and even insist on the penalty so that I'll learn my lesson. Being attentive and avoiding dumb mistakes is a skill to be practiced like any other.

Hmm... maybe the dumb mistake is that I still cue so close to the CB.

pj
chgo

 

[Paul Mon]

I set up and take practice strokes with my tip very close to the CB. If I don't pay close attention I can easily let a practice stroke go a little too far and touch the CB. It never moves the ball much, sometimes it just rocks a little and settles back into place - often my opponent doesn't even notice.

Playing friends, even gambling with them for small money, this is overlooked as often as it's called, and so I'm not as disciplined about it as I should be, and so I sometimes foul when it means something, like in a tournament or gambling more formally. I often call the foul on myself and even insist on the penalty so that I'll learn my lesson. Being attentive and avoiding dumb mistakes is a skill to be practiced like any other.

Hmm... maybe the dumb mistake is that I still cue so close to the CB.

pj
chgo

Funny you mention that Patrick. This same opponent has fouled by touching the cue ball during practice strokes. He will always call this foul on himself. As to the golf analogy. This guy his a single digit handicap golfer and I'm sure he calls all penalties when on the golf course.

 

[worldison2]

You make the call?

What do you do? Let him slide?

Is it a foul to try and change the point?

Paul,

This just happened to me Thursday night. I picked up the cue after my opponent committed a foul.
The best part was that he insisted I put the ball back where it was and just play it.
The even better part was that I insisted on it being called a foul and gave him ball in hand in the kitchen (we were playing 14.1). I said to him "I need to be taught a lesson for being such a dumbass. How am I going to learn if you let me off the hook?"

We both walked away feeling good about ourselves on that one.

 

[jay helfert]

On your first question, IMO the answer is easy: it's a friend, no money on the line, and it was a mental lapse, not a shot-making error, therefore you tell him to put the CB back and keep shooting. In that situation, what's to be gained by being a stickler for the rules?

As to your second question, that seems to be something that should be covered by an existing rule of some kind, and I'm too lazy at the moment to try to find one that covers it.

I agree here. You still get charged with a foul and lose a ball.

On the second question, I don't think that is a foul. We used to do this quite often when shooting a ball down the rail past the side pocket. If you look closely down the rail on many Gold Crowns, they may not be perfectly aligned. Sloppy installation is the reason. On some tables you cannot shoot a ball down the rail past the side pocket. It won't go!

 

[CharlesUFarley]

I disagree with the majority here. If he touches the cue ball, I call the foul. No need to get sloppy just because no money is on the line...Play the game right...lol

On the 2nd part....I don't see what he could really do to a table with his bare hands to alter anything, so I don't think it's a big deal.

 

[crawfish]

On your first question, IMO the answer is easy: it's a friend, no money on the line, and it was a mental lapse, not a shot-making error, therefore you tell him to put the CB back and keep shooting. In that situation, what's to be gained by being a stickler for the rules?

As to your second question, that seems to be something that should be covered by an existing rule of some kind, and I'm too lazy at the moment to try to find one that covers it.

Just repped you.

 

[Paul Mon]

I agree here. You still get charged with a foul and lose a ball.

On the second question, I don't think that is a foul. We used to do this quite often when shooting a ball down the rail past the side pocket. If you look closely down the rail on many Gold Crowns, they may not be perfectly aligned. Sloppy installation is the reason. On some tables you cannot shoot a ball down the rail past the side pocket. It won't go!

I think it's clearly a foul to pick up the cue ball when you're not supposed to.

I'm not so sure about the point issue. Seems to be evenly divided. BTW, that same point compression can be used on the corner pocket. It happened yesterday during 9 ball. The cue ball drifted too far and it was unclear if the point was blocking the next shot. I brazenly pulled on the point, all the time saying "I'm really not sure if it's hooked or not, let me look closer".

 

[GADawg]

I think it's clearly a foul to pick up the cue ball when you're not supposed to.

I'm not so sure about the point issue. Seems to be evenly divided. BTW, that same point compression can be used on the corner pocket. It happened yesterday during 9 ball. The cue ball drifted too far and it was unclear if the point was blocking the next shot. I brazenly pulled on the point, all the time saying "I'm really not sure if it's hooked or not, let me look closer".[/QUOTE]

You think that is in the spirit of the game?

If so then pool really deserves the "low life" reputation that is has with many people.

 

[TheBook]

I agree with Brechbt, although I'm not likely to be in this situation. I have no friends.

I would do the same.

I don't have any friends either. Maybe that is the reason for it. I try to be too nice to people. From what I have observed people that treat others like crap have a lot of friends. Don't understand it.

 

[Paul Mon]

I think it's clearly a foul to pick up the cue ball when you're not supposed to.

I'm not so sure about the point issue. Seems to be evenly divided. BTW, that same point compression can be used on the corner pocket. It happened yesterday during 9 ball. The cue ball drifted too far and it was unclear if the point was blocking the next shot. I brazenly pulled on the point, all the time saying "I'm really not sure if it's hooked or not, let me look closer".[/QUOTE]

You think that is in the spirit of the game?

Absolutely not. You need to know that we a friends and that we were talking about this situation prior to it actually happening. My actions were in jest. I would never do this playing cash sets or tournament. Actually, I would never do it again regardless of the situation. I was just trying to make a point (no pun intented) yesterday.

If so then pool really deserves the "low life" reputation that is has with many people.

I agree. There are too many shady characters in the pool world. I don't count myself as one of them.

 

[Richardson]

The first one, put it back and let him keep shooting. nothing is to be learned by you for selling out and not being punished.

second doesnt bother me.

 

[s'portplayer]

Loosen up

LOOSEN UP!

But, put chalk on the tip of his nose as punishment, but let him replace the cue ball and keep shooting.