Be Respectful and Get Respect in Return

General Guidelines:

    1. Greet your opponent and introduce yourself if you don’t already know them. Always wish them luck, but “Play well.” is a fine substitute for the superstitious. After the match, win or lose, “Shake Hands” and thank them for the match. Try to remember that the way you handle winning or losing might be the way some other player will behave toward you some day. Handle both with grace and dignity and you’ll earn a reputation as a respectful player who also deserves to be treated with dignity.
       
  1. Be very quiet while your opponent is lined up on a shot preparing to pull the trigger on a shot. Don’t shout across the room to say hello to a friend when your opponent is shooting.

  2. If you are not shooting, it is best to have a seat in a chair. The establishment should have sufficient seating for you and your opponent to each have a chair and table where you can rest your cue, set your cue case, drink and cell phone (which should be on silent or very soft ring depending on the situation). If you must stand, be still and discrete.

  3. It is customary in serious matches to walk to your seat as soon as you miss or play a safety. You’ve completed your turn and should clear the area to allow your opponent to the table. Don’t grab the chalk. You won’t need it until your next turn and your opponent will likely chalk.

  4. If you are standing or seated and the player must shoot toward you, remain as still as you can. Make no sudden movements and don’t visit with a nearby observer. If your location is somewhat close to the pool table and you see that your opponent will probably shoot looking directly toward you, move 6 or 8 feet away before they bend down to address the cue ball. Do this only if you have time to move aside before they start to bend down to shoot. If you are too late, just stand still.

  5. If you have to walk by a pool table, try to time your trip between shots. If the layout of the pool room is such that you have no choice but to walk by several tables, do it quickly, smoothly, and quietly. These days, most players are used to a certain amount of background noise and motion. It can be more distracting to see a person come to an abrupt halt in your peripheral vision while shooting than to have them keep walking smoothly past the end of the pool table.

  6. Respect the game, opponent, and equipment. Tempers flare but maintain your composure. Don’t hit the table with your cue or dump the balls out of the ball tray when you get a table. The equipment has enough wear and tear through the course of regular play. Help it stay in good shape by refraining from unnecessary harsh use.

  7. Place cubes of chalk with the blue side up. Chalk dust spills off the cube when it is set on the rail upside down or lying on its side. This chalk ends up in the cloth, on players’ clothes and hands and eventually embedded in their shafts. Chalk dust can reduce the life of the cloth and contribute to the maintenance and upkeep of the tables, balls, and cue sticks. Chalk your cue tip while holding it over the floor, not over the playing surface. This will keep the fallout from getting into the cloth.