Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[nawee]

Hello,

I don't play either pool or snooker. I tried looking up these words/phrases in several dictionaries, but I still don't really understand the following sentences.

1. I think this table is at an angle. (I don't have anymore context to give)

2. A: You break better than me. Go ahead.
B: You just want second shot.
-- I guess that they are talking about who is going to open the game and A thinks that B can do the opening shot better and should be the one to do it. But B thinks A only wants him/her to open the game, so that s/he can play the second shot (and have a chance of shooting the balls into the holes and gain points). Is that what they are talking about?

3. Are we playing slop?

4. This table sucks. There's not much bounce.

5. A: Stripes is kicking ass. Who's stripes?
B: I am
-- I guess someone is winning, "stripes", but I don't know who or what "stripes" are.

Thank you,

Nawee

[Mister Micawber]

.
1. I think this table is at an angle. -- it is not level; the balls roll when untouched.

2. A: You break better than me. Go ahead.
B: You just want second shot.

-- I guess that they are talking about who is going to open the game and A thinks that B can do the opening shot better and should be the one to do it. But B thinks A only wants him/her to open the game, so that s/he can play the second shot (and have a chance of shooting the balls into the holes and gain points). Is that what they are talking about? -- Yes; the breaker is lucky if a ball goes into a pocket, but the second shooter will likely have several good possible shots.

3. Are we playing slop? -- (Maybe:) Are we goofing around or playing serious, skilled pool?

4. This table sucks. There's not much bounce. -- The edge of the table is poor-- it does not permit the balls to ricochet well.

5. A: Stripes is kicking ass. Who's stripes?
B: I am
-- I guess someone is winning, "stripes", but I don't know who or what "stripes" are. -- In pool, half the numbered balls (#1-8) are solid-coloured, and the other half (#9-15) are white (?) with a broad coloured stripe running round the circumference.

I hope I've got these right-- it's been many years since I played pool or billiards.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[CP]

3. I haven't played pool in a long time, either, but I seem to remember that slop means allowing any ball that goes in on a shot to count, rather than only the shot called by the player.

5. We always called them stripes and solids; the cue ball is white. Some people favor stripes over solids, or vice versa, although it really shouldn't make any difference what the ball looks like.

I used to play with a fellow who called the solids "the little ones." He favored them because he thought they were smaller than the striped balls and so were easier to get into the pocket. I beat him with stripes regularly just to prove him wrong.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[redset]

Also, when the game starts the players can take a shot at stripes and solids, it doesn't matter. Once someone pockets a particular type of ball, that player can only hit and pocket that type of ball, and the other player takes the other type. If the stripes are your balls, you can say 'I'm stripes'.

[Mister Micawber]

.
Ah, some more aficionados! Grab a cue, gentlemen, and let's rack 'em.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[nawee]

Wow...

I have learned so much about pool today than I ever did!

Just once last question: how do you pronounce "stripe"? Is it [strip] or [straip]?

Thank you,

Nawee

[Mister Micawber]

.
Stripe = /streip/ and strip = /strip/.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[Lorikeet]

[Mister Micawber]

.
Yes, /straip/. Sorry, nawee-- arthritis.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's