How to Combat Slow Play (intentional or not)

[arsalanjami]

Hi Guys,

I've been playing lots of different types of players and there is one type of player i seem to dislike and hate playing against. I would just shrug it off and get on with it but recently it really ticked me off because I lost a match I should have never lost due to sheer loss of concentration, mental involvement, and just lost all my rhythm. This dude takes 30-50 seconds when he arrives to the table just to stare at it, and then his stance/cue action is super slow from lining up to delivery, about 30 more seconds....he plays safety generally well so he can compete that way. I can tell he doesn't do this on purpose but it is really starting to get on my nerves and others in the club. No one has said a thing to him because it wouldn't be fair. I am tempted to say you would play better if you sped it up a little...then again who am i to say this.

I can only work on myself.

My question:

1. How do you keep calm and not "lose it" when playing such a player? especially when a best of 3 can take 2 hours!!!

2. In between shots...breaks.....best example is the 12 break by peter edbon against ronnie....how do you stay focused this long without a shot?

3. I am generally a fast player...but i can slow it down just a bit.. but i need rhythm...how do you keep that while in such a match?


My recent take on this is - play the right shot - and tighten up safety to create chances....this can take a while and you can get out of "rhythm"....so it becomes harder to take those chances.....

HELP!!!

[Shockerz]

Hi Guys,

I've been playing lots of different types of players and there is one type of player i seem to dislike and hate playing against. I would just shrug it off and get on with it but recently it really ticked me off because I lost a match I should have never lost due to sheer loss of concentration, mental involvement, and just lost all my rhythm. This dude takes 30-50 seconds when he arrives to the table just to stare at it, and then his stance/cue action is super slow from lining up to delivery, about 30 more seconds....he plays safety generally well so he can compete that way. I can tell he doesn't do this on purpose but it is really starting to get on my nerves and others in the club. No one has said a thing to him because it wouldn't be fair. I am tempted to say you would play better if you sped it up a little...then again who am i to say this.

I can only work on myself.

My question:

1. How do you keep calm and not "lose it" when playing such a player? especially when a best of 3 can take 2 hours!!!

2. In between shots...breaks.....best example is the 12 break by peter edbon against ronnie....how do you stay focused this long without a shot?

3. I am generally a fast player...but i can slow it down just a bit.. but i need rhythm...how do you keep that while in such a match?


My recent take on this is - play the right shot - and tighten up safety to create chances....this can take a while and you can get out of "rhythm"....so it becomes harder to take those chances.....

HELP!!!

For me that is match snooker and the game of chess on the table can drive you nuts with different players.

If the guy is ultra safe then I guess I would play the safety shots that open the pack up so he either has to go for a shot now the table resembles a cherry tree or play play him at his own game.

I'm certainly not quick but have been in games where the guy takes an hour which kills everyone's rhythm.

If you have a player who's safety is much better than yours then I guess you would probably have to be more aggressive in your game from the off and maybe play attacking safety's.

It's easy to slow a quick player down but as you said not so easy to speed a guy up.

I did hear of a guy who regularly took an hour and a quarter to play his match frame in the league. A player went over there deliberately with the intention of making sure that however long this guy took to do something he would take longer so everyone would be aware of it. He told all his team mates what he was going to do before the match so they all brought cushions etc.

The single frame took an hour and three quarters. The usually slow player had the cheek to ask the other guy if he was trying to put him off by playing deliberately slow, still didn't get the message.

I had a guy that would be on the match tables prior to the match and when ever we played to get out arms going he would treat it like a match so you just couldn't get loose. He would say he's happy to play open and then as soon as we broke he would tuck me up.

I held my hand out in the end, shook hands with him and said well done (after he played 2 safety shots) you've won and conceded with 15 reds on the table. He had to get off the table as the frame was over, the next guy asked me if I would play him which I did; the other guy complained to the committee but I was within my rights and he now doesn't play much as others started to do it to him when he tried it on them.

We all have our own pace and some are great at safety shots so why not but if you are just staring I'd probably do something to make sure you aren't going to put up with it.

[tomwalker147]

Similar to Shockerz i'd either play him at his own game and beat him at that or get the reds wide open.
I'm guessing he's useless so just get the reds wide open and wait for him to miss.

[arsalanjami]

Thanks for the reply guys. All great tips. I play in a weekly tournament so its hard to concede in that as $$ is invovled. But for sure - I will be playing aggressive safety to get the game moving. I think the problem is that I relax a bit as I already tell myself "this will be a while and he ain't going to do much anyway" so then instead of attacking I go into protection mode.

I ll be practicing aggressive safety, and pinning that white behind baulk this week - cheers guys!

on second thought - maybe I should join a meditation group LOL

[ADR147]

it is not relevant - your speed is you at the table - when he is at the table listen to music in your head and relax.

[Cue crafty]

Thanks for the reply guys. All great tips. I play in a weekly tournament so its hard to concede in that as $$ is invovled. But for sure - I will be playing aggressive safety to get the game moving. I think the problem is that I relax a bit as I already tell myself "this will be a while and he ain't going to do much anyway" so then instead of attacking I go into protection mode.

I ll be practicing aggressive safety, and pinning that white behind baulk this week - cheers guys!

on second thought - maybe I should join a meditation group LOL

Some of these guys who do this are control freaks, they like to see frustration in an opponent also. DONT give them that satisfaction! Keep a smile on your face. Don't watch them when they are at the table. Talk to a friend a little during his shots (out of ear shot and reasonable distance away - no need for gamesmanship ; ) look around at everything in the club except the table when he is on it. Turn your back etc etc. This will show him you are not concerned about what ever he does and that you are concerned only with what you will do when it's your turn.

When you realise it's your shot nonchalantly approach the table like you own it even if in a snooker. If you don't escape a snooker smile

I assume his highest break is around 16 so as others have said opening the balls up with aggressive safety or just going for a pot that opens the reds will be a good battle plan.

[arsalanjami]

Good Point - I ll try it haha

I have wireless headphones - I ll use those too. This should be fun.

Now i hope i draw him first round! haha

In all fairness - He's one of nicest guys who just comes to play so I wouldn't want to throw him off - but I ll go to my corner and keep busy.

[fkhan]

Maybe wireless earphones can do the trick.

[jonny66]

Wireless headphones... or a tazer

[tomwalker147]

Does anybody else LOVE playing these people with a gameplan? I actually struggle more against quick players as I find I try to match their speed and it throws my game off.

To combat slow players between shots I;
-study my tip (I don't know why)
-lightly clean my cue with my towel
-have a sip of my drink (in this case don't drink alcohol or you'll get through a lot)
-Play more safety/beat them at their own game and wait for them to mess up. Trust me if his gameplan is to frustrate you, beating him at his own game will be doubly frustrating.

[Terry Davidson]

I have been accused of playing slow although I don't believe I do but it came to a head last year (for me) as my match, which was the 12th scheduled match was moved ahead by 3hrs and I was told it was because I'm a slow player. It was done by a guy who had a 7pm match in a pro-am, best of 9 and at 3:30am Cliff took apart his cue and left the venue. He is regarded as a very good safety player and is an ex-pro.

I felt this was really unfair as I missed the match and gave a walk-over to my opponent since at 11:30pm there were no matches posted on the website and my match ended up starting at 10am. Even worse, I was entered in the Seniors section and was told the draw wouldn't be until the next day and when I got home they had called and told my wife I was supposed to play that afternoon but I live 2hrs away from the venue.

These two things are part of the reason I quit playing although I tell everyone here it's due to health. I think everyone should be treated the same no matter what the problems.

[vmax]

I'm a very fast player and get easily put off by slow players and constant safety when there are opportunities to pot balls.
Good example was a match where the bloke potted a long red and got a perfect 3/4 ish angle on the brown to go back down for the reds but he clipped the brown the other side to leave me on the baulk cushion putting the brown safe.

It took a couple of minutes for that to sink in, anyone would think his life was on the line, jeez it's only a game.

On the other hand I played an inter town match away to Exeter and thrashed a bloke with a couple of very quick 40+ breaks, well he did let me in both times, and he refused to shake my hand as he believed I was taking the mickey out of him by playing so fast.

[tomwalker147]

I'm a very fast player and get easily put off by slow players and constant safety when there are opportunities to pot balls.
Good example was a match where the bloke potted a long red and got a perfect 3/4 ish angle on the brown to go back down for the reds but he clipped the brown the other side to leave me on the baulk cushion putting the brown safe.

It took a couple of minutes for that to sink in, anyone would think his life was on the line, jeez it's only a game.

On the other hand I played an inter town match away to Exeter and thrashed a bloke with a couple of very quick 40+ breaks, well he did let me in both times, and he refused to shake my hand as he believed I was taking the mickey out of him by playing so fast.

good going that Vmax two 40+ in a single frame!
Reminds me of the time I played Rob Milkins! I thought he was taking the mickie with his one feather and hit technique until I saw him on Eurosport a few days later

[Cue crafty]

Does anybody else LOVE playing these people with a gameplan? I actually struggle more against quick players as I find I try to match their speed and it throws my game off.

To combat slow players between shots I;
-study my tip (I don't know why)
-lightly clean my cue with my towel
-have a sip of my drink (in this case don't drink alcohol or you'll get through a lot)
-Play more safety/beat them at their own game and wait for them to mess up. Trust me if his gameplan is to frustrate you, beating him at his own game will be doubly frustrating.

Yes Tom, I remember once playing a guy and having weighed him up after a few shots, I thought right I'm not playing your game and I smashed the reds up.

I'll never forget the look I got from him and a couple of his team. It was a "that's disrespectful you assume he can't play" ! Type look.

In my book people who are unlikely to make 20 when in amongst the balls are playing to their advantage when playing slow and tucking you up rather than attempting a pot on. I was playing to my advantages by opening the reds knowing I could get a good lead. So we were both playing to our advantages.

[tomwalker147]

Yes Tom, I remember once playing a guy and having weighed him up after a few shots, I thought right I'm not playing your game and I smashed the reds up.

I'll never forget the look I got from him and a couple of his team. It was a "that's disrespectful you assume he can't play" ! Type look.

In my book people who are unlikely to make 20 when in amongst the balls are playing to their advantage when playing slow and tucking you up rather than attempting a pot on. I was playing to my advantages by opening the reds knowing I could get a good lead. So we were both playing to our advantages.

haha cue crafty, I did it in a handicap comp this year from the break. I was giving 16 away and he knocked in a 40, I still won the frame but remember thinking my plan had backfired