"you shoot to slow"
- Thread starter opcoog13
- Start date
I just started playing one pocket about a year ago and everyone I played against were pretty seasoned one pocket players. Compared to most of the guys I did shoot slower because I just didn't know the shots or moves. One day I was beating this guy to death and he finally quit but said he wouldn't play me again because I shot too slow. I thought it was just an excuse but one of my friends said "well, you do shoot slow." It really made me self-conscious about shooting because I was trying to find the right shot and all.
The trap I was falling into was that I was over-analyzing the shot and trying to go through all the potential scenarios and future shots, etc and that was what was wasting the most time. Long story a little shorter, you probably do shoot too slow compared to a more seasoned player. You might want to try playing the game as it develops instead of trying to over-control everything.
The trap I was falling into was that I was over-analyzing the shot and trying to go through all the potential scenarios and future shots, etc and that was what was wasting the most time. Long story a little shorter, you probably do shoot too slow compared to a more seasoned player. You might want to try playing the game as it develops instead of trying to over-control everything.
maybe he should have but sometimes things just get said. chances are it bothered you because you think he's right. people get the most upset when they hear the truth
I usually quit playing if I am playing someone slow. Gambling or not.
And in all honesty, slow play ruins the game for tv matches. The general audience does not want to see someone poking around the table. I fall a sleep watching people like Souquet play. And I am not even one of a general audience, having played and loved the game since about 8 or 9 years old.
And tv and commercialization is where it is at unfortunately. It pays the bills for the sport. It is one of a few reasons pool has not taken off like Golf and many other sports. Another reason is bad management of the sport.
If the game had more colorful players like the Sigels, Stricklands, it would make for much better entertainment for the general audience.
I remember one time (guessing mid 80s to early 90s) Earl was playing another colorful character at Brass Tap Billiards in Raleigh, NC called Jumpin Joe. Now that was an enjoyable match for the general audience to watch lol... Though Earl went a little overboard.... And the people there ate that stuff up, loved it.
And in all honesty, slow play ruins the game for tv matches. The general audience does not want to see someone poking around the table. I fall a sleep watching people like Souquet play. And I am not even one of a general audience, having played and loved the game since about 8 or 9 years old.
And tv and commercialization is where it is at unfortunately. It pays the bills for the sport. It is one of a few reasons pool has not taken off like Golf and many other sports. Another reason is bad management of the sport.
If the game had more colorful players like the Sigels, Stricklands, it would make for much better entertainment for the general audience.
I remember one time (guessing mid 80s to early 90s) Earl was playing another colorful character at Brass Tap Billiards in Raleigh, NC called Jumpin Joe. Now that was an enjoyable match for the general audience to watch lol... Though Earl went a little overboard.... And the people there ate that stuff up, loved it.
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I hate slow play. Especially if you're just playing for fun or a cheap set. And it's almost axiomatic that the worse the player is the slower they are. I played APA for half a season and quit because I got sick of watching matches between a 3 & a 4 - race to 3 that took an hour and a half. Excruciating. 99% of the time they're going to miss anyway, so just shoot. It's just a game. If you're playing in the finals of the US Open or Mosconi Cup, go ahead and take a few extra seconds, although I think pros know the value of rhythm and intuition and, unless it's a really tricky situation, are more likely to just get down and shoot. To the OP: you're not doing anything wrong but you're also not going to make many pool friends if you play really slow.
Discussions like this do help raise conscience. If my memory services me good, the discussion on this forum in the past about "kid Delicious" and his slow play was first of it`s kind. It did raise the awareness of the problem. Pool always had it`s slow players and it appears that people tolerated it because of lack of choices. I heard that many decades ago there used be a player by name Mr.Tabersky and he was considered as the slowest player and people did not know what to do about his slow play. That was then. But in the recent times many players have been critical of the slow players. If others, with their criticism, keep putting pressure on those slow players,I am hoping that eventually the slow players will speed up inorder to avoid social alienation/ostracization.
I think there are 2 kinds of slow. There is slow and methodical and then there is "I have no idea what I'm doing" slow. I enjoy playing against methodical players, playing against "I'm going to stand here and hope the balls move themselves to an easier position before I shoot" players is excruciating.
Zackly. Tap tap.