Your greatest Shark Tactics

As some one stated earlier, it sounds like Pocket Point has been reincarnated. If your goal is to improve as a player then ditch the sharking stuff. But if you want to know a fool proof method, when the coin is being flipped and your opponent is watching it fall, swing at them with your cue at full speed. It will definitely affect their play :rolleyes:
 
TX Poolnut said:
In a 9-ball tournament, I break and one ball drops. I get ready for a runout attempt and my opponent gets up and goes to the bathroom.

When he comes back, the balls are already racked and I'm getting ready to break. He notices that I have three more games on the wire than I did when he tried the shark move.

He starts hollering about how I couldn't have run that many racks and calls over the TD. I explain that when he got up in the middle of my shot, I caught a gear. While he was in the bathroom, I ran out the rack he saw me break and popped two golden breaks.

He never left his chair while I was shooting again.
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I like it! I'll file this one away for the future...:cool:
 
hunger strike said:
If you don't watch while he or she is shooting, then that can be sharking - intentional or unintentional.
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While this may be true for some players, it's taking things too far. There are good reasons not to watch, as anything visual can have an influence on our subconscious, and that includes one's opponent's technique, habits etc. I watch players whose rhythm, play, technique etc. is inspiring, but will watch someone at another table if my opponent does stuff I prefer not to let sink in. Of course I won't tell my opponent, even if they asked why I was looking the other way, I would apologize for being rude - but it's rare that anyone notices (maybe twice in 25 years?). Except that I instruct/coach, and will encourage anyone to make sure they watch whom they want to emulate in one way or other - or watch exclusively what's going on on the table bed (watch the balls, reaction of the cushions etc., largely ignoring the player).

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
 
I have got hundreds of sharks some subtle some not too many to list.

But the Best shark someone ever used on my was in a tournament, I was in the zone running out and stringing racks together. Knocking out races to 7 in 5 minutes.

Anyway I get to the finals and get a tough player with his girlfriend watching him play. She had an unopened can of Soda sitting next to her for most of the match. I get ahead and get on the 9 she decides its a good time to open her soda. She cracks the thing open it sounded like a gun shot at close range. I miss and her boyfriend takes the tournament. Looking back I should have punched the guy on the spot
 
I did say that it CAN be sharking, I didn't say it IS...

acousticsguru said:
While this may be true for some players, it's taking things too far. There are good reasons not to watch, as anything visual can have an influence on our subconscious, and that includes one's opponent's technique, habits etc. I watch players whose rhythm, play, technique etc. is inspiring, but will watch someone at another table if my opponent does stuff I prefer not to let sink in. Of course I won't tell my opponent, even if they asked why I was looking the other way, I would apologize for being rude - but it's rare that anyone notices (maybe twice in 25 years?). Except that I instruct/coach, and will encourage anyone to make sure they watch whom they want to emulate in one way or other - or watch exclusively what's going on on the table bed (watch the balls, reaction of the cushions etc., largely ignoring the player).

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
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As I said, looking away CAN be sharking, but not necessarily. I knew an old gimpy walking man in Wichita named Ted who while his opponent was shooting would walk up to the nearest blank spot on the wall and stare at it from one foot away. It works because his intention is obviously to shark. But living people look around, and a player is partly responsible for his own level of immunity to at least the most common forms of distraction. I should be responsible for making sure that I am able to shoot a pool ball while the opponent exists as a living creature with common movements. But I should not have to hire an assistant to walk around and stare at blank walls, like Kato from the Pink Panther, so that I can be ready for anything. Part of sharking involves the intentions of the sharker, and part of it involves a reasonable level of tolerance in the shooter. Now you can mail me two pieces of Kamui chalk so that you can partially redeem yourself from criticizing my kick-a$$, helpful, well written post:)
 
I don't shark, nor do I want to be sharked. If someone is sharking me, I will call them out on it in front of the entire hall immediately (rather loudly so everyone can hear). I don't put up with such bush league tactics. If it persists in a tourney I will go to the person running it and let them know about the issue. If it persists and we are gambling, I will promptly break down my cue and owe you absolutely nothing.
I think sharking is an extremely bush league tactic and shows some huge insecurity with regard to the person doing the sharking. If you feel you can't win without sharking, you really should just stop playing.
 
I know it's taboo to shark, but so many people do it. The only thing this guy is doing is pointing out what he himself has done. That in itself is kinda shocking. Who admits this? Wow.
 
dom_poppa said:
-Here's one that is more subtle that I normally do but has become second nature. There are usually bad chalk at the pool rooms and if a guy uses the house chalk...I will bring the chalk with me after a shot. So he has to come back and get it or use the bad one on the table. If you do it consistently then the opponent would think it's accidental.
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Really? I know a few players who would not think it was funny in the least. Anyone ever play you twice or a full game before breaking down their cue.
 
It's a strong move if you can get your opponent mentally bent.....then laugh at him. At least he knows you're doing it on purpose.
 
Our local pool players are a tight knit and everyone knows everyone very well.

These things that are done...are in good fun and never affect the outcome of any match.

I don't go out of my way to try and shark my opponents, so lighten up.

Atleast if I am being sharked, I know I can still win...some of you will make an excuse on why you missed...."He was sharking me...."..lol

Perhaps some can try to work on the mental aspect of their game...judging by the responses from most.
 
i got sharked once by a railbird,7 seconds later i was bared for a year. Didnt have to pay for the security glass front door or hospital bills,battle won,war lost
 
To shark someone I signal my girl to come over and she says, Hey look what I can do, and proceeds to stuff three balls in her mouth at the same time. No opponent can concentrate after that.

threeBalls.jpg​
 
I'm reading this thread because I am so easily sharked

I'm just reading this thread to learn because I am so easily sharked. When I get sharked the most embarrassing things happen too. When the other player is in line with my shot I always want to show off my super six rail draw shot. Doesn't work too often though and when I fail the cue ball sails off the table and contacts the other player, often in the skull or 'nads. Terribly embarrassing.

Then there are the players that crowd behind me or find an excuse to walk behind me. This sharks and flusters me to no end and often causes my slip stroke to fail to slip resulting in a cue butt jammed a few inches into their rib cage. Very embarrassing too.

I always feel bad about these things and apologize profusely especially the second or third time something happens!

Hu
 
ShootingArts said:
I'm just reading this thread to learn because I am so easily sharked. When I get sharked the most embarrassing things happen too. When the other player is in line with my shot I always want to show off my super six rail draw shot. Doesn't work too often though and when I fail the cue ball sails off the table and contacts the other player, often in the skull or 'nads. Terribly embarrassing.

Then there are the players that crowd behind me or find an excuse to walk behind me. This sharks and flusters me to no end and often causes my slip stroke to fail to slip resulting in a cue butt jammed a few inches into their rib cage. Very embarrassing too.

I always feel bad about these things and apologize profusely especially the second or third time something happens!

Hu
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It's a cue Hu not a spear. How about accidentally spilling orange soda on his brand new tennis shoes.
 
dom_poppa said:
I know sharking is bad etiquette but it's part of the game and it's an art within itself.

Here are some of the few tricks I get away from....

-When an opponent is shooting, depending on the pool hall, I would walk away and go grab a beverage. Sometimes they will stop and wait or keep on shooting. The railbirds are watching...so I really don't care what happens.

-If my opponent is on the hill, I sometimes take my stick apart (I know, taking my stick apart means a forfeit) BUT I am only taking my stick apart to change another shaft...lol...love that one, because I don't stick the shaft in the case, I lay it on the table and proceed to pull the other one. This works around the 7 ball, it's too obvious to do it on the 9.

-If I am playing an older gentleman, I like to speed up the game because I don't want him to be sitting. I do this with the local guy at the pool hall with a bad hip. Play to your advantage.

What are some of your favorite tactics?
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There are lots of them, I'll never tell. Except for one, guys on meth, speed I slow play them. but I rarely play chemistry players.
 
hunger strike said:
As I said, looking away CAN be sharking, but not necessarily. I knew an old gimpy walking man in Wichita named Ted who while his opponent was shooting would walk up to the nearest blank spot on the wall and stare at it from one foot away. It works because his intention is obviously to shark. But living people look around, and a player is partly responsible for his own level of immunity to at least the most common forms of distraction. I should be responsible for making sure that I am able to shoot a pool ball while the opponent exists as a living creature with common movements. But I should not have to hire an assistant to walk around and stare at blank walls, like Kato from the Pink Panther, so that I can be ready for anything. Part of sharking involves the intentions of the sharker, and part of it involves a reasonable level of tolerance in the shooter. Now you can mail me two pieces of Kamui chalk so that you can partially redeem yourself from criticizing my kick-a$$, helpful, well written post:)
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ROTFL!! Hire an assistant to shark one's opponents… Hilarious! Reminds I haven't been to the U.S. for too long. Suddenly longing for some sharking…

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
 
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