SWEAT

The Sweat Homepage

• General

  • What is sweat?
  • Equipment
  • Precautions

• Specific

  • Who Serves
  • Where is it served from
  • How to Serve
  • Whose turn it is
  • How to win
  • How to Score
  • Legal Throws
  • Fouls

• Other

  • Cheese
  • Variations
  • Accepting Fouls
  • Rules Questions/Troubleshooting
  • Glossary

General

What is sweat?

Sweat is a game originated in Dabney House,played by two people at a time on a regular pool table with two balls, which are thrown instead of shot, the object is basically to knock the target ball with the cue ball so that it goes into he pocket before it stops, from the other side of the table. Though it is more complex than that. It's extremely fun, has no setup time, takes little equipment, lends itself well to queues so that multiple people get to play, and generally makes you run around a lot more than regular pool.

Equipment:

• 1 pool table with space around it
  (decrepit pool tables are preferred, since they usually get that way after playing this on it for a while).
• 2 balls, one ball usually the 6 or any dark-colored ball, to be the target ball, one light colored, usually the one, to be used as a cue ball.

Precautions:

Cover windows nearby if you play fast: they do get broken.
Men, cover your nads.
And try not to let the balls fly off the table, someone 20ft. away was once taken to a hospital with a concussion. Try not to kill your fellow man. note: from my own file- don't try to drink hot tea while playing you'll burn yourself, most other foods are okay.

Specific Rules

Who Serves:

If it is the first game you are playing, who starts is up to you.
You can remember who's serve it is by adding up your total points :last games winner serves on odds, loser/challenger serves on evens.
See:Queues

Where to serve from:

About half the serves will be from either side of the table.
Is there no mark on the other side of the table?

How to serve:

You only get three attempts to hit the target ball then it becomes a fru and you lose the point and the serve.
Also if the ball contacts, but does not transmit enough momentum to the target ball so that the target ball contacts a bumper or crosses in to the center Neutral Zone or sink into a pocket, it is not a legal serve.
This:
1. counts towards your three attempts before a fru, and
2. can be played if it is wished by the opponent.
See: Accepting fouls.

Whose turn is it:

So if player 1 should end his turn by contacting balls, then before player 2 could touch the cue ball, the balls contact again, it is still player 2's turn since he did not cause the balls to contact.

How to win:

How to Score:

In other words, You cause the target ball to sink, or they allow the target to stop by failing to release a contacting throw before it stops. Or they foul. See: When is the ball sunk?

Legal throws:

Important: You may have as many throws as you wish during your turn, feel free to miss many times from all over, but a throw that contacts the target ball must be a Legal Throw
Beginners See:Why is it called sweat?

Definition: A Legal throw obeys these rules:

• Your hips are behind the line (as defined below) when the cue is released
  • And the target (when contacted) is on the OPPOSITE SIDE of the table, or in the NEUTRAL ZONE.
    • Then any throw is legal
  • And the target (when contacted) is on the NEAR SIDE of the table
    • Any throw where you contact the far end bumper at least once first is legal.
• Your hips are not behind one of the lines when cue is released:
  • Any throw that first contacts the end bumper farthest away from the target (where it is contacted) is legal.

Note: The important thing about target ball location is where it is when the balls made contact not where the target was when you threw it.
So you cannot simply set the cue down on your side an wait for the target to roll to it.

On this picture:
A and C are SIDES of the table
B is the NEUTRAL ZONE
1 or 3 is where your hips are to be considered behind the line
2 is where your hips are when you are said to be on the side.

Examples

Of Special Note:

See: When is a ball in the Neutral Zone

Fouls:

All Fouls result in a point for the opposing players

• Illegal throws
• Causing either ball to leave the table
  • either ball
• Touching a ball,
  • touching the target ball ever
  • touching the cue ball when it is currently not your turn
• There is also no intentional interference with the other player, if he doesn't move out of your way, it is considered extremely poor tact and I personally would refuse to play with them again.

Other

Cheese:

Cheese is an element of the game that makes it easier to win while requiring no real skill. Like in doom, you can beat it on God mode, but hey, who cares? Needless to say it is frowned upon.
Cheese involves:

1. : Intentionally shooting for the center pocket without hitting a bumper. This usually is just someone leaning over the table really far and practically placing the two balls in the side pocket. The only time this is not considered cheesy, is if the ball is already on its way there, and if you didn't they would get a point.
2. : Kills. kills are more okay because they are more difficult ( a kill is where you throw the cue in a way such that the target ball comes to an almost immediate stop) this is only really cheese when done around the center of the table since all it necessitates is placing the cue in the targets way in the neutral zone and letting it hit and stop. If someone tries this on you just wait right behind them and lunge forward slapping the cue into the target ball and preferably slapping the back of their head at the same time.
   Both of these can be, but usually aren't (because this rule takes away other fun parts of the game), counteracted by the 3-dot rule.
   
3. Acing the Last serve, it is not cheese per se, but it is considered impolite to ace on the last point, you try to give your opponent at least a chance to catch up, once again, not a rule, just a guideline, since if you were up 4-0, and some guy blasts three straight points and is talking shit about you, ace his ass.

   Variations

   After a year of playing this most every day, normal sweat might begin to wear on you, try these optional methods

   • 3 dot rule. Ball must be released in the area behind the third dot from each end bumper. The original, and better form of this rule is that "A shot can't be released past the third dot, with the intention of making a direct side shot "[thanks:pickone]
   • No sides variation- How sweat used to be played and the wasy some old players still prefer but is mostly ignored now. It is played so that any throws from the side (or which doesn't have your hips behind one of the ends of the table) is illegal. Credit to the advent of the new mode of play goes to David Zito.
   • Left-handed- fairly self explanatory
   • Bounce rule- Before contacting the target ball, the cue ball _has_ to hit one bumper at least, all normal rules as to where you are standing when releasing still aplly.
   • Wesley variation- After each switch of turns, (whenever the two balls meet), each player has to run around the table once completely before releasing the cue.
   • Parity- Usually if you throw the ball, it hits, and then without your opponent touching, it hits again, it's still his turn, not in this game. If it hits twice it's your turn again, if it hits three times it's his turn. So basically the turn switches on every single contact of the two balls not just ones caused by player throws.
   • -1 rule- if you sink the cue ball, you recieve a negative point.
   • phone book variation- place a phone book or two in some configuration in the center zone, usually open so they can act as ramps, usually lame if you play it more than a couple times.
   • blind sweat- lights out, extremely lame, basically you always grab the wrong ball, its weird that way.
   • behind the back sweat-also fairly self explanatory
   • Anti-SweatIf the ball is on your side you can hit it directly, but not directly into the near or side pockets, if it is on the opposite side, you have to bounce of the far end bumper (the one nearest the ball) Note: this one actually entails more running around the table than real sweat).
   • Anti-Sweat++Same as above except on near side, you have to hit at least one bumper first.
   • every contact, which ball is cue switches Combined with -1 or parity, this yields interesting results. You have to keep track of which ball you're trying to sink... Submitted by Pickone
   • Reasonable Force Rule An older optional rule intended to prevent kills stating that a ball must be thrown with "reasonable force"
   • every point, which ball is queue switches. Useful only to confuse. Submitted by Pickone
   • Alan McConchie's If the felt's worn so thin that a spun target ball will continue to spin on the service spot, have your opponent spin it before you serve. It gives a slight change to the first bounce. Submitted by Pickone
   • Extreme Sweat Play through any obstacles people may have left on table- use caution!
   • +1 Sweat Bonus point for sinking both balls, have to let cue roll after the target is sunk to make sure.
   • +1 Sweat ++ A sub-variation of the above where you can go ahead and stop the cue from going in after the point to keep the opponent from getting the extra point (or yourself)
   • Defender Sweat New! 10/7/97 A third ball is designated as the "defender ball" which the person whose turn it isn't currently can throw as they wish at either the cue or the target, (but not at the other player) or in any manner he wishes to disrupt his opponents game. Note 1: On the serve if the server fakes and the defender releases his ball, the server does not have to return the ball to him (aka the defender has to run around to get it meanwhile server has a clear shot) Note 2: A defender ball that causes the cue to contact the target after the player whose turn it is has touched it at least once counts as a change of turns Note 3: A defender ball that strikes a target ball and sinks it before the player whose turn it is has a chance to contact the cue to the target scores a point for Both submitted by Pickone
   • Everything variation- The left-handed, bounce, -1 rule all combines on a table with a large plastic mail tub in the center and a phone book on wither side, kept us amused a whole night. Don't try to serve over the mailtub, all night only one person managed to hit the target ball that way.
     
     
   Note on variations: usually on some variations, it should seem obvious if you try them, the three-serve rule needs to be thrown out. Discard at your own discretion.
   See:Can I make my own variations?

   Accepting fouls:

   If a player makes an illegal shot such as Short serving, touching the cue, sending the cue off the table, making an illegal throw. The opponent can say "I'll play it (or some permutation therof) and in attempting to hit the ball with a thrown shot can accept the foul and play through it.

   1. Once you accept, you cannot change your mind.
      
   2. Accepting fouls is usually only done in three instances
      A. when teaching beginning players, but remember to scold them about their mistake
      B. when a kick-ass rally is going on, and someones adrenaline causes the ball to fly off the table, you sometimes want the rally to continue so you play it. (note when someone throws it off the table without contacting the target ball, it is still their turn, so to accept tell them to "play through it" or something)
      C. On softserves when you are not sure whether it will make it to a bumper, but just to be safe in case it does. Fouls you can't play through involve the target ball usually, such as target ball flying off the table, or physically touching the target ball.

      Specific Rules Questions/Troubleshooting

      When is the target ball considered to be in the Neutral/Center Zone?

      Definition: A ball is said to be in the Neutral Zone if is center of mass is inside of the region.

      What is off the table?

      Off the table means off the table. Edges included, you can roll one up the edge and have it come down on the table. Also above the table is considered on the table. I wouldn't try to hit it if it were there.

      Definition: A ball is considered off the table if it touches something other than players and sweat equipment, e.g. a floor, a chair, a ceiling.

      What do I do if there are only one (zero) marks on the table?

      First, look around to make sure no one's watching. Then eyeball it. Take a ball and rub it hard at that spot. Then play sweat and in a few days you won't even have to look for it.

      Can I create my own variations?

      No. Absolutely not.

      Why is it called sweat?

      Cause Mr. Beginner, as you miss shots during your turn what are legal shots will change with the ever moving ball so you run around the table a lot to get the best shots.

      When is a ball sunk? There used to be quite a variety of opinions/variations. The most popular being (thanks pickone) that a ball is sunk when it is
      1.Over the pocket
      2. Started to drop
      3. Top of the ball is below table height.
      But what we play with mostly now is that a ball is sunk when it hits the bottom of the pocket, so if the 2 balls hit before that its a hit.

      Definitions

      • Ace: When a serve makes the target ball go into a pocket, without the opponent ever contacting it with the cue.
      • Neutral (or Center) Zone: The area in the center of the pool table, as wide as the center pockets, in which the target ball is always considered to be on the opposite side of the table- provided that at least its center of mass is in this area.
      • Cheese: The frowned upon act of doing easy little things in order to win, lack of style. See also: Big Suck.
      • Cue Ball: The ball (usually a light colored one, like the one) used to hit the target ball. The cue ball is to be touched by hand. Historically it was supposed to have been the actual cue ball but we ostt it.
      • Fru: When you lose the point and the serve, by missing the target ball on all three attempts while serving; usually a mocking term. Named after Dan Frumin "5-House member and hard-drinking mole", who's now with microsoft. Thanks to pickone on this and the above definition
      • Kill: A shot that causes the target ball to cease motion quickly thus yielding a point for they which made the "kill"
      • Longest Game, The: It seems to be a 46-44 win by Jim Krehl over Rafed Amin Al-Huq
      • Point: Unit of scoring, what happens when the target ball stops.
      • Queue: A line. What is used to determine playing order when more than two people wish to play. Loser of the game goes to the back of the queue, winner continues to play against person who was at the top of the queue
      • Server: The person whose turn it is to be serving.
      • Serving: The process, by which, after each score, you continue play by placing the ball on its designated spot on the table and you make a legal throw to displace the ball. See: How to Serve
      • Short Serving: A serve, not legal, which doesn't contact at least one bumper or cross the center area
      • Side: The 2 areas of a table consisting of the felt area between an end bumper and the neutral zone.
      • Target Ball: The ball (usually a dark colored one, like the 6) which is to be used as a target for the cue ball . The target ball is never to be touched by hand.
      • Turn, Round, Game: It is a person's turn if he is permitted to touch the cue. Turns end when someone causes the two balls to come into contact. Turns comprise a round. Rounds end when someone scores a point. Rounds/Points comprise a game. Game's end when someone is winning by 2 and has at least 5. Updated 10/4/97 Created by Eric Fishcer