Your pool pet peeves?

Question

Give me anything you want: etiquette, vocabulary, pointless equipment...I personally get a kick out of people who are playing 8-ball, but switch to 9-ball and seek out the 'special' 9-ball rack...

Answer 1

Slow play bugs me bad, but a close second is the rail bird that has nothing to do with the game kibitzing and offering advise. very bad form.

Luck

K

Answer 2

Way to go  Both of you

One of the best questions I have ever seen

And for sure the very best answer ive ever read --That is straight from Straight .We could both fill up a complete web site with subject matter on this one  But Straight has really mentioned the Most often ones almost every session you will see some to all of them My only addition is disrespect for the tables -Sitting on them .drinks on them ect......

People that think all Cues with a joint are Customs

People that dont think im right !!!

Im gonna keep a watch on this one  WAY TO GO AGAIN TO BOTH of you

                                      Later Johnny

Answer 3

Oh goody!  Where to begin?  Let's first talk about bull____ house rules.  Why, oh why can't ANYBODY be familiar with world-standardized rules (WPA/BCA/ACS, etc.)?  I just love those people who insist that you call every single detail of every shot like that's somehow giving them an advantage and play some c**p like last pocket.  Without fail, these are usually the same people who don't even know the definition of a legal shot and never give up ball in hand when they foul.  Even if they do, they make you take it behind the headstring.  The rules aren't some big secret.  They're available for anyone to take 5 minutes and read.

Let's talk vocabulary.  Johnny will back me up that it's called CLOTH, not FELT.  English is spin on the horizontal axis, NOT the vertical.  It's sidespin.  In fact, in England, they call it "side".  Billiards is an all-encompassing term referring to all cue sports (Carom, Snooker, Pool, etc.).  Going back to the rules thing, I hate it when people ask me if we're playing "call shot" or "call pocket".  It's the same d**n thing.  Calling your shot means you designate ball and pocket, period.

Equipment...  I think that the Sardo rack has greatly hurt the game of 9-ball.  Because of the Sardo rack, they had to move the entire rack forward so that the 9-ball, not the 1-ball is on the foot spot.  Ridiculous.  Cone chalk should just be banned.  It creates a huge mess everywhere.  If you are that sweaty, wear a glove or keep a towel nearby.  That brings me to Earl Strickland.  I think it's funny that he just lays into anybody who uses a jump cue or does a soft break like Corey Duel sometimes does or plays at a pace slower than Luc Salvas.  Yet this guy wears gloves on both hands (sometimes one is weighted) and safety glasses with yellow lenses.  Hey, Earl is a great player but he can sure get carried away with the gadgets.  I couldn't agree more about the 9-ball rack.  The diamond shaped 9-ball rack actually makes it harder to rack for 9-ball than the standard triangle.  With the triangle you can get your hands in there and snug the rack up tightly.

I might have more to add later, but what a great question.  I feel better having vented a little.  Kudos, Lea.  M.D.-BCA Instructor/Referee.

P.S.  As an instructor, it does bother me a little when people give bad teaching advice.  I don't like it when people make blanket statements, like "just keep practicing".  I also don't like it when people suggest that they just try to emulate "better" players.  No two people play the same game and trying to copy someone else is only going to do so much.  This kind of advice is vague and questionable at best.

P.P.S.  I didn't want to have to do this, but here's the official rule on "call shot" straight from the BCA, representing the WPA in the United States.

-------

4.2  CALL SHOT

In Call Shot, obvious balls and pockets do not have to be indicated. It is the opponent’s right to ask which ball and pocket if he is unsure of the shot. Bank shots and combination shots are not considered obvious, and care should be taken in calling both the object ball and the intended pocket. When calling the shot, it is never necessary to indicate details such as the number of cushions, banks, kisses, caroms, etc. Any balls pocketed on a foul remain pocketed, regardless of whether they belong to the shooter or the opponent. The opening break is not a “called shot.” Any player performing a break shot in 8-Ball may continue to shoot so long as any object ball is legally pocketed on the break.

-------

I like what dre o said about the difference between "rail" and "cushion".  Missed that one.

Answer 4

I've only been playing in a League for 5 years, so I don't have that much experience but the thing that bothers me the most is people walking past the table while I'm about to shoot.  I still can't block them out.

Just seems they aren't being taught Pool Etiquette.  Even in Vegas people would just walk between tables while matches were going on.

Answer 5

barflies who assume girls can't play...who then proceed to instruct you as you are playing thinking they are the sh** and then blame it on booze or bad luck when they lose to you. and then there are those that rely on "sharking" than their own skills or lack there of to win a game.

Answer 6

Several posters mentioned a couple of mind. One that has been missed is - "long coaching in a league match". Our rules state "one-minute" per coach. That doesn't mean 2, 3 or 4 minutes. To me opponents are showing a lack of respect not only to me, but to the league and the league's rules.

Another would be "too much time between shots". If I'm out for the evening and have all the time in the world to kill, they can take 10-minutes between shots. But in a league match there is no reason why it should go longer than 30-45 seconds.

And it was brought up about "side-line coaching" by some do-do at the bar. Every time someone misses a shot he had the answer as to why you missed it and insist on showing you the proper way.

Guys that bathe their hands in chalk and leave traces all over the cloth. If they only knew that if they'd wash their hands they wouldn't need all that chalk. I laugh every time I see some clown do that.

To be honest I've played League Pool for 23-years and have just about seen and heard it all. So I'm immune to it. I figure that if I can stand that d**n rap music turned up 140-decibels, I can play pool with some idiot trying to shark me.

Answer 7

The guy that spends hundreds of dollars for cues....always seems to have one of the fanciest cues around and changes it all of the time....not spending any money to take his game where someone with a cue like that should be.....if you are going to talk it you better walk it.....I have had the same cue over 12 years (just changed shafts)......maybe that is what I am doing wrong and need to spend $1500 on a new cue to get me to the tour!!

Answer 8

first of all, call your shot means just that..call your shot..if you're gonna hit the 2 ball into the corner pocket, and chances are it might go off the 6 ball first..you gotta call that.."2 ball, corner pocket, off the 6"...call your pocket means if you're gonna hit the 2 ball into the corner pocket, and it might go off the 6 ball first, you don't have to call it..it's call your pocket..there are so called "bar rules, standard 8, straight 8, call your pocket & call your shot"..alot of the guys i play (i'm a girl) bring this up when i'm up to rack, asking which game?..i smile and say.."it doesn't matter"..to me, most of them are all rookies at the game and don't know the difference anyway, so i won't sit and argue with them the whole night what is what...the cushion is the inside of the table..aka..bumpers...the rail is the top of the table where the cushion is attatched..there are 2 types of covering for a pool table...there are cloth..which is that..(cloth)..and there are felt...if you were to put the two materials next to eachother or see them on 2 different tables, you'll really see the difference..to me, it doesn't matter, as long as it's tight and no balls/lint hanging off of it..or chalk all over the table...which brings me to the chalk subject..chalk in the cone (as this dude below me states) is a disaster..it's rough and course and too much on your hands will actually mess up your cue stick (scratch it), not to mention the table and your clothes..regular chalk (for your tips) is great, as long as you're using the better brands, (masters) is my favorite..it's smooth, not rough, and don't get all over your hands when you chalk up, like the regular house chalk..the chalk shouldn't get all over your hands anyway, if you know how to chalk up..most "rookies" chalk up by drilling the tip into the chalk..you're not supposed to do this, you're supposed to simply scrape the chalk around your tip, getting all angles, so that it's even, then blow off(if necessary) the excess chalk..believe me, it does really make a difference..the racks issue..well, the new sardo racks or any other fancy new racks are nice, and are used in the professional pool games, but there's nothing like your own old school racks..if you know how to rack properly, making sure the balls are tight, there's nothing to worry about..wherever i'm playing pool, if i'm playing regular 8, and someone wants to test me in 9, then so be it..i aint gonna look all over for a 9 rack..just rack em in the regular triangle..pushing them just right into eachother will ensure a tight rack :) now, the gloves..eee...i can't stand those stupid things, lol..(maybe cuz my palms don't really sweat)..if your hands sweat, that's what the towels are for, or almost all billiards stores sell silk powder (not baby powder, which is also harmful to your cuestick), just swipe the silk onto your cue shaft and your hands won't stick..simply put..the gloves also attract chalk, which will definitely make lines on your cue shaft..what bugs me alot is when i'm playing pool and someone comes in wanting to play league rules...if i'm playing standard 8 (call your shots, pocket) that's what i'm playing..when i'm playing in the league, (APA, VNEA & BCA) that's when i'm playing those rules...i can't stand all that slop **** (hitting the c**p outta your ball, hoping it'll go somewhere)..proper english on a ball is using top(12 o'clock), top right (3 o'clock), top left (9 o' clock) or low center, etc..using draw is hitting the cue ball low, below center so that the cue ball comes back down for the set up of another ball, carom is a shot when you hit one ball off another to make that ball into the pocket. alot of ppl confuse a bank shot with a kick shot..a bank shot is when you hit your cue ball into your object ball, making that object ball bounce off the cushion coming back down toward you..a kick shot is when you hit the cue ball into the cushion making the cue ball hit your object ball for the shot..it's all pretty funny, confusing and all, but if you're really truely into the game, it all makes sense :).....but that's just my input