These are easy sharks for a pool hustler to use against you. These types of questions have the sole purpose of forcing you to stop thinking about the competition and consider an answer to the question. It is used primarily as a distraction when it appears that you have advanced a bit more than your opponent feels comfortable about managing.
Any of these questions inserted into your playing routines create a minor diversion of your attention and focus. Individually they have little impact. A series of these can become more distractive.
- “Have you ever timed your break speed?”
- “Do you focus on the cue ball or the object ball when you shoot?”
- “How slow can you hit the cue ball?”
- “Have you ever played pool on an outdoor table?”
- “How long have you been playing pool?”
- “Is your follow-through always that short?”
- “Where did you buy your cue stick?”
- “Is that a custom or off-the-shelf stick?”
- “What kind of cue tip do you use?”
Response
It would be sensible to politely request that he not speak during your turn. If that doesn’t work, use the ignore tactic. Simply treat such questions as simple background noise.
Alternately, turn the questions around back at your opponent. Claim ignorance, then come back with, “What about you?” You can irritate him even more by using follow-up questions. These added reactive tactics will further distract him from his game.
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