How to elevate your game?

Sounds like all you need is to beef up your position play and strategic skills, like staying on the correct side of a shot line that naturally takes you toward the next shot, etc... And knowing when to play safe and when to go for a runout requires knowing your percentages/odds of running out vs playing a successful safety. If it's 50-50 most players opt for the offensive route.

There are several great books/DVDs to help with position and safety play. Two that i know have gotten great reviews are.... Dr. Dave's Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots, and Tor Lowry's Zero-X Billiards "Pattern Play". I'm sure there are plenty more, as well as great instructors here on AZ that can probably guide you in the right direction.

SlashingAxe said:

Just curious as to how to elevate your game? I play as a 6 in the APA and can make just about all the shots I see majority of the time but how do I get to that top level 7? I practice shots and drills and I shoot better than I used to when I first posted but I can't seem to advance any further. Higher level players say my stroke is pretty good and my shoulder doesn't drop often so it's more the thinking aspect to the game as my shot making is there and only improving. How do I elevate my game on the mental pattern type playing and when to run out when to shoot safe type of thing??

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Where in Cali, and what kind of tables do you play one?

SlashingAxe said:

Just curious as to how to elevate your game? I play as a 6 in the APA and can make just about all the shots I see majority of the time but how do I get to that top level 7? I practice shots and drills and I shoot better than I used to when I first posted but I can't seem to advance any further. Higher level players say my stroke is pretty good and my shoulder doesn't drop often so it's more the thinking aspect to the game as my shot making is there and only improving. How do I elevate my game on the mental pattern type playing and when to run out when to shoot safe type of thing??

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Sounds like you are only working on one side of the equation.

There are always two areas that we have to work on:
1. The TEMPLE (Body & Brain)
2. The TABLE (Drills & More)

Both areas need work every day.

randyg

If you still need to learn how to decide to shoot or play safe, then there has to be plenty room for improvement on every aspect of the game.

Maryjane and jaegermeister.

There is a simple answer to this question: Gamble more

Nothing will elevate your game like playing for some $$$$$

Do these in the following order

1. Find a Good Instructor (It's Priceless)
Someone who can "teach" you how to improve (doesn't necessarily have to be a pro)
Someone that will show you good fundamentals , good offensive and defensive skills, good decision making and proper billiard etiquette.

2. Do Drills and purchase Instructional material
We currently live in an era (unlike 40-50 years ago) that there are multiple DVD and online instruction available to anyone who wants to learn. Don't always go for DVDs by top players. There are several Instructional DVDs or sites by good instructors
ex :
http://drdavebilliards.com/
http://www.bertkinister.com/
http://thedrillinstructor.us/
https://www.zerox-billiards.com/
Drills will reinforce your abilities at the table. Repetition is key. After shooting certain shots dozens of times they become ingrained into your mind , so they become easier to execute when playing. Make sure that when you're putting in time to improve , that it is quality time. Have a structured practice set-up every time you're going to hit the table, so you know what you're working on that day . If you only have 2hrs , make it a quality 2hrs

3. Play different games
NEVER just limit yourself to only 8-ball and 9-ball. To amass several skills at the table, play as many different games as possible.
Straight pool (14.1) , One-pocket , Rotation , Snooker , 3 cushion , Banks...etc

4. Gamble
This is mostly when you get to be a more competitive player. DO NOT get consumed by it, and don't go broke over it . Bet enough to get the nerves working. Will definitely help when it comes to dealing with pressure situations. (i.e playing in front of family and friends, playing in front of a large crowd , playing well when the entire crowd is routing for the other guy...or even...when you make the Mosconi cup team. lol)

Good Luck

......and remember.....PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

Cujopro said:

Do these in the following order

1. Find a Good Instructor (It's Priceless)
Someone who can "teach" you how to improve (doesn't necessarily have to be a pro)
Someone that will show you good fundamentals , good offensive and defensive skills, good decision making and proper billiard etiquette.

2. Do Drills and purchase Instructional material
We currently live in an era (unlike 40-50 years ago) that there are multiple DVD and online instruction available to anyone who wants to learn. Don't always go for DVDs by top players. There are several Instructional DVDs or sites by good instructors
ex :
http://drdavebilliards.com/
http://www.bertkinister.com/
http://thedrillinstructor.us/
https://www.zerox-billiards.com/
Drills will reinforce your abilities at the table. Repetition is key. After shooting certain shots dozens of times they become ingrained into your mind , so they become easier to execute when playing. Make sure that when you're putting in time to improve , that it is quality time. Have a structured practice set-up every time you're going to hit the table, so you know what you're working on that day . If you only have 2hrs , make it a quality 2hrs

3. Play different games
NEVER just limit yourself to only 8-ball and 9-ball. To amass several skills at the table, play as many different games as possible.
Straight pool (14.1) , One-pocket , Rotation , Snooker , 3 cushion , Banks...etc

4. Gamble
This is mostly when you get to be a more competitive player. DO NOT get consumed by it, and don't go broke over it . Bet enough to get the nerves working. Will definitely help when it comes to dealing with pressure situations. (i.e playing in front of family and friends, playing in front of a large crowd , playing well when the entire crowd is routing for the other guy...or even...when you make the Mosconi cup team. lol)

Good Luck

......and remember.....PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

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Great advice, IMO. And remember this old Japanese proverb:

He who has a hundred miles to walk should reckon ninety as half the journey.

BC21 has humbly mentioned about every book/system other than his in response. I would strongly suggest Googling the book 'Poolology' and purchasing it. There is a plethora of applied and provable knowledge in there including a means to better consistency with shot making, all for around the price of a couple value meals at a fast food resturant.

I went out tonight and was 4 balls up on the winner of my first pool tournament, tried a stupid/desperate shot on the 8 trying to run out and scratched. To put that into perspective, last week I was an hour or two a week player and tonight I about left the bar with everyone's cash. With immediate results like that, I don't think there's anyone who can't afford $20 to try it out.

I recommend Bert Kinisters videos. You can be a member on his site and watch them all for a reasonable price. I recommend the short game, the medium game and the long game. These drills will teach you to stay on the correct side of the line. Did wonders for my game.

Pool really is quite simple, mostly a few shots repeating over and over. To excell at the game you need to recognize the type of shot you are facing, remember how to shoot it and then execute the shot. "RRE". In a game situation you will not have time to properly think through every shot as a unique situation, but once you've played a drill like those I mentioned, you will instantly see the shot and have more time to think and adjust the angle/tweak the shot as needed. The thing is, in competition the adrenaline will cloud your thinking, which is why it usually takes a lot of experience to even run the simplest outs. Also very few people practise safeties, which is why you can find high level players who play piss poor safes but run out like the devil himself. Quite strange actually.

So you need three things:
Drills and excercises to recognize patterns INCLUDING common safes.
Tournament experience to handle the pressure
Rock solid fundamentals (which everyone talks about but very few have any idea what that actually entails). I have one tip for you, if you try it and it works out for you I'll give you another: For two weeks work only on your brigde hand. Grab the cloth with your hand and really firm it up to the point where it would take a lot of force to even move it a little. (Make sure not to put too much pressure on it though, because you could hurt your shoulder). If you use a close bridge, really firm it up to the point where there is NO play what so ever. If you try it, let me know how it went. I think you'll notice that by concentrating on keeping the bridge hand completely still, you'll see that you'll stay down better and get better cueball control. At least that has been my experience.

SlashingAxe said:

...so it's more the thinking aspect to the game...

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One thing I would suggest is to watch other matches with good players. Buy a couple videos of pro matches or just watch some of the better players in your local hangout. Before they shoot, try to imagine how you would make the shot - which pocket, what you would do with the cue ball to get on the next shot, etc. and then compare what they did to what you thought about doing. You'll be surprised at how many times they will do something different - and likely it will be a better choice. This will help open your eyes to other shot possibilities and broaden your "thinking aspect" a bit.

Hope that helps.

But really:
Stop missing easy shots and stop turning the table over as a result of your errors

I'm a 7 skill level and I'm self learning from the zeroX dvds, probably learn faster from a real live instructor but I like the price and it gives me something to do all week, 3months in and I'm still on the 2nd disk!

WVShootist said:

BC21 has humbly mentioned about every book/system other than his in response. I would strongly suggest Googling the book 'Poolology' and purchasing it. There is a plethora of applied and provable knowledge in there including a means to better consistency with shot making, all for around the price of a couple value meals at a fast food resturant.

I went out tonight and was 4 balls up on the winner of my first pool tournament, tried a stupid/desperate shot on the 8 trying to run out and scratched. To put that into perspective, last week I was an hour or two a week player and tonight I about left the bar with everyone's cash. With immediate results like that, I don't think there's anyone who can't afford $20 to try it out.

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Thanks for the plug. I appreciate all I can get. I didn't mention my book because the OP stated that he makes most every shot, but was still struggling with overall improvement. I figured he needed to focus on other aspects of the game. Pocket balls isn't the solution to becoming a great player. It helps, don't get me wrong, but position play, safety play, strategic thought process, etc....is a much larger part of the puzzle.

Brian, I purchased your "Poolology" for my tablet and I'm very impressed with the information and the way it's written. Thank You very much for spending the time it took to make such a fine method of teaching fractional-ball aiming.

I had fooled a little with fractional-ball aiming before, but your explanations give a deeper, more in-depth study to it.

pab said:

One thing I would suggest is to watch other matches with good players. Buy a couple videos of pro matches or just watch some of the better players in your local hangout. Before they shoot, try to imagine how you would make the shot - which pocket, what you would do with the cue ball to get on the next shot, etc. and then compare what they did to what you thought about doing. You'll be surprised at how many times they will do something different - and likely it will be a better choice. This will help open your eyes to other shot possibilities and broaden your "thinking aspect" a bit.

Hope that helps.

Click to expand...

Millions of hours on youtube for free

This is a good thread loaded with good advice. I intend to take advantage of some of that advice.

Something that helped me to make a significant improvement , but is perhaps difficult to implement depending on numerous factors,is as follows.

Find 3 players that are somewhat better overall relative to pool then you are. If you are a 6 then either better 6's or maybe 7's. I,m not sure how high the number go to but no more then 1 number higher.

Play scotch doubles at least once a week and 2 complete rounds. Races to 5 for example and bet something that won't break you say 20 bucks a set. Enough to make you bear down (soon you will bear down for your partner if not yourself) the whole time you are playing.

I learned more and improved more doing that in the past 5 years then in the 20 years previous.

Good luck