snintel got it
Yeah, that's exactly how to do it: just make it fun. Strange thing is, when I'm playing pool, sometimes the "looseness" makes me play better. One time not long ago, I was playing pool with this one gal, and just pulled off the most amazing shots: extreme English to curve a ball around another that was slightly in the way; jumping over a ball that was blocking my shot, etc. Looked like a fuggin' pro: way, way above my typical game.
But it was all in fun, making jokes about "lucking out," and all that, which made it look even worse, kinda C+F, in a way.