Please Be Quiet

I played in a little weekly tourney last night - 8 ball, race to 3. I played a newbie first match. I'd compliment him on his shots, or show empathy when he would miss. We chatted a little bit, but I was the better player and just being nice I guess as he was trying to have fun.

However, the chattiness of the guy in my next match perturbed me.

In the first game, he missed a shot and I am running out well but I scratched on the ball before the 8ball. After he runs three balls total, he is up 0-1 and says to me, "You had me that game."

Really? You think? Mister Obvious thank you for showing me the error of my ways.

The next match he misses a shot and walks away and says, "Oh, I gave that to you."

Really? 

OMG Please BE QUIET!

I was already perturbed, now I'm really perturbed. I continue to complain to the guys watching the match that his comments are really annoying me.  I don't know this guy either and altho in the first match I was okay chatting, this guy, for whatever reason, was agitating me. Maybe it's because I was making careless mistakes and upset at myself? I dunno.  Maybe it's because his comments were inappropriate (in my eyes).  I dunno.

The score is now 1-1. I get out super well the next match, with some key safeties. He makes more comments about his choices ("wow, I can't believe I missed that") and my choices ("good safety - now I can't see my ball").

One time I play safe instead of risking a long, tough shot and he comes up to the kick I left him and says, "I wouldn't even of thought of that."

Really?

At 2-1 me, I get out even better this game with some additional good safeties and he keeps complimenting my game and it finally dawns on me he isn't trying to be an ass, doesn't realize he shouldn't be talking so much, and is genuinely a nice guy trying to learn.

After I win 3-1 he asks me, "how did you get so good and knew to play the safes?"

I reply, "I read and reread Play Your Best Pool by Phil Capelle. His eight ball section improved my game tenfold."

"Really?" He asks.

"Yep, really."

He then asks me to tell his girlfriend the name of the book so she can type it in her iphone.

So, what turned out to be an annoyance was really just a nice guy not knowing he was bothering me.  I am proud I eventually didn't let his comments interfere with my pool playing and instead I played pretty smart and sharp in the end. Thank you Phil Capelle!