just played a Surrey C player ...

[DandyA]

thanks for the feedback everyone

by snooker "snob", I wasn't referring to snooker players in general (I'm one occasionally!) for which I only have respect but simply those who try to bully you because their high break is bigger than yours or because you're a pool player ...

tonight's UK 8ball pub pool match report ... we got walloped by the league leaders 7-3 ... on a random draw I played 3 singles games losing 1-2 ... two of those were against Jaf Singh who has in the past reached the last 32 of a UK-wide tournament and recently beat Hiten Patel 25-17 in a money match for £1250 ...

I lost the first game perhaps being too adventurous (although I don't think so, there's no point fannying about with a player of his class) but then won the second with a really lovely finish (if I say so myself) including two really high pressure long pots and the other pots weren't bad either (good positioning) ...

I'm not saying I'm any good in the overall scheme of things, of course I'm not ... but I enjoy trying to give good players a game ...

[Dave Walton]

Whats ironic is that generally speaking snookers players come out 2nd against good pool players on a pool table, particularly when they first start playing pool having come from snooker.
The reason being that everyone can pot on that table but there is a lot to learn in terms of tactics and even rules and using them to your advantage.
The tactics along with highest potting standard are where the game is at. If you miss it is all over. That pressure can mount up in a big game.

That's it though they're two completely different games! Pool is all about position and tactics although potting is important whereas snooker is 90% about potting

[DandyA]

nice story - so basically people think you are terrible at golf but you managed to beat Tiger at marbles - and you are ecstatic about it

hee hee ... I like your style arbitrage but your analogy isn't quite correct ... I don't play much golf (snooker) so I'm not very good at it but I didn't play Tiger Woods ... I played a chap who plays for Surrey County and specialises in playing marbles (UK 8ball pool) and beat him ...

I'm not ecstatic, just pleased, I'm sure on another day he'd wallop me ...

[DandyA]

What is a snooker snob DandyA?

Do you mean some people have had a go at you on here because they consider themselves better players or something?
Perhaps they are probably just having a laugh with you fella - don't take it personally

Hi Byrom,

thanks for your kind posting, I explained what I meant by snooker "snob" a couple of posts above on this thread so I won't repeat it except to say there was no rudeness intended to snooker players in general ...

I started this thread with a smile on my face ... there has been significant acrimony on this forum directed at me and other low high-break players ... far more than simply "having a laugh" ...

so this thread (still with a smile on my face) is simply me suggesting I can't be as bad as they make out ... that's all, no more or no less ... I'm not wound up about it, I just think it's unnecessary ...

I also 100% agree with you that we should welcome everyone to TSF whether they play cue-sports (at whatever standard) or just enjoy watching or reading about it or enjoy being part of our community ...

[Byrom]

You are welcome DandyA I think everyone gets a bit of this when they play some players as there is a lot of ego in a number of folk but a player should always take care to be respectful even if they are better because one day it can come back and bite them in the butt.
Remember no-one stars playing at a good standard you see DandyA and everyone can improve and if you do it right the standards get better the more you play if you practice the right things.

Here's a story you might like.

Once upon a time there was a young lad who could not play but loved the game and he was in a snooker team with people who took the P out of the young lad every single week. Now this lad took it on the chin as he waited patiently for a game as the nominated reserve in the team. He could take the banter even though deep down it hurt and he never really got a game as everyone including him all thought these players where brilliant in comparison to him and when he did occasionally get a game the jibes never stopped and this made him nervous and he would end up playing worse. To them he was a **** player you see and they had no respect really.

Now this lad moved towns but never forgot what these players said and did to him and he loved the game so much he set about getting better. Then many years later the not so young lad went back to the same club and as it happens the same team was there one night playing between themselves as always. They again started the banter but this time the quiet not so young lad smiled and got his cue out and took them all on for money and drinks one by one. Eventually there where no more takers the 50 plus breaks had finished flying in and the now older young man staggered happily out of the club.

"Do you want to come back and play for us in the league?" they asked.

'Don't think so' The not so young lad thought smiling as he counted their money on the way out.

That was the only time that lad ever played for money because it would never get better than that.

The End.

[ADR147]

nice story - so basically people think you are terrible at golf but you managed to beat Tiger at marbles - and you are ecstatic about it

cruel but funny! -

[DandyA]

You are welcome DandyA I think everyone gets a bit of this when they play some players as there is a lot of ego in a number of folk but a player should always take care to be respectful even if they are better because one day it can come back and bite them in the butt.
Remember no-one stars playing at a good standard you see DandyA and everyone can improve and if you do it right the standards get better the more you play if you practice the right things.

Here's a story you might like.

Once upon a time there was a young lad who could not play but loved the game and he was in a snooker team with people who took the P out of the young lad every single week. Now this lad took it on the chin as he waited patiently for a game as the nominated reserve in the team. He could take the banter even though deep down it hurt and he never really got a game as everyone including him all thought these players where brilliant in comparison to him and when he did occasionally get a game the jibes never stopped and this made him nervous and he would end up playing worse. To them he was a **** player you see and they had no respect really.

Now this lad moved towns but never forgot what these players said and did to him and he loved the game so much he set about getting better. Then many years later the not so young lad went back to the same club and as it happens the same team was there one night playing between themselves as always. They again started the banter but this time the quiet not so young lad smiled and got his cue out and took them all on for money and drinks one by one. Eventually there where no more takers the 50 plus breaks had finished flying in and the now older young man staggered happily out of the club.

"Do you want to come back and play for us in the league?" they asked.

'Don't think so' The not so young lad thought smiling as he counted their money on the way out.

That was the only time that lad ever played for money because it would never get better than that.

The End.

well that's a lovely story Byrom ... would I be right in guessing that young lad was you?

since snooker/pool is mostly a one person game (rather than team games like football/cricket/baseball) I guess it's inevitable that the best players will have big egos, I suppose it's almost a requirement for success ... and there's nothing wrong with that ... but I believe confidence and ego should come from within and by playing the game - rather than denigrating weaker players either during matches or on a forum such as TSF ...

I'll briefly describe another "boy's story" (the boy isn't me) ... I used to play pool in Sunbury and District League ... one of the teams had a 14 or 15yr old boy who tried really hard and had a very reasonable cueing action but always lost, I guess the pressure always got to him ...

until one match when he got in a winning position, he's at the table with only 2 fairly simple pots to go ... his mum was getting so excited shouting "you can do this!" ... he very maturely turned round and said "ssssh mum please" and then promptly made the two pots for his very first win in league pool ...

his mother couldn't resist giving a big hug and showering him with kisses ... he said "please don't mum, you're embarrassing me" but you could clearly see his rosy cheeks and the smile on his face ...

it sounds like I'm into boys but I'm not, I was simply so pleased to see him win his first ever competitive game and could imagine what it meant to him

[DandyA]

nice story - so basically people think you are terrible at golf but you managed to beat Tiger at marbles - and you are ecstatic about it

cruel but funny! -

yeah, I thought it was funny too ADR, a good posting by arbitrage ... I didn't find it cruel though as I explained in an earlier posting on this thread, copied below ...

I'm still waiting for arbitrage's reply to that

hee hee ... I like your style arbitrage but your analogy isn't quite correct ... I don't play much golf (snooker) so I'm not very good at it but I didn't play Tiger Woods ... I played a chap who plays for Surrey County and specialises in playing marbles (UK 8ball pool) and beat him ...

I'm not ecstatic, just pleased, I'm sure on another day he'd wallop me ...