Ever just lost your game all of a sudden???

Mkindsv

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have this issue. Titleholders was last week for our TAP league. I placed a lot of importance on the tournament in my own mind and practiced my ass off for 4 weeks to get ready. I was running drills and playing the best players around as often as I could.

As a result of the drills and the practice I moved up to a 6 in my league and was shooting the best pool of my life. I was handily beating people that I often had trouble with and really excited about the tournament and ready to take no prisoners. Anyway, I showed up and laid a big fat egg. The team did really well, we finished 3rd place with a lot of big wins.

My problem, From the minute the team arrived my pool game disappeared. I could not run a pattern, I was missing routine positions, I was even missing gimmes...which never happens. The knowledge was still there but the execution was completely gone, it's literally like someone turned off a switch and my game disappeared...weirdest thing I have ever experienced.

Anyway we won every set that I lost a match in, so the team had my back, I even coached several of my teammates to victories (knowledge was still there).

So I thought maybe it was the pressure...so I went for four hours yesterday to play on some 8 footers (played on 7 footers in the tournament)...same issue, barely had a four ball run all day.

Any of you ever had this happen??? Any suggestions for remedy as there is another titleholders in a week that is our last chance for Vegas this year.
 

TylerT55

Registered
Usually when this happens it can be traced to a fundamental issue. Shoot straight in shots with stop insuring you are addressing the ball properly. Pause before pulling the trigger. Once you get your body in line you should find your game again.
 

Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have this issue. Titleholders was last week for our TAP league. I placed a lot of importance on the tournament in my own mind and practiced my ass off for 4 weeks to get ready. I was running drills and playing the best players around as often as I could.
As a result of the drills and the practice I moved up to a 6 in my league and was shooting the best pool of my life. I was handily beating people that I often had trouble with and really excited about the tournament and ready to take no prisoners. Anyway, I showed up and laid a big fat egg. The team did really well, we finished 3rd place with a lot of big wins.
My problem, From the minute the team arrived my pool game disappeared. I could not run a pattern, I was missing routine positions, I was even missing gimmes...which never happens. The knowledge was still there but the execution was completely gone, it's literally like someone turned off a switch and my game disappeared...weirdest thing I have ever experienced.
Anyway we won every set that I lost a match in, so the team had my back, I even coached several of my teammates to victories (knowledge was still there).
So I thought maybe it was the pressure...so I went for four hours yesterday to play on some 8 footers (played on 7 footers in the tournament)...same issue, barely had a four ball run all day.
Any of you ever had this happen??? Any suggestions for remedy as there is another titleholders in a week that is our last chance for Vegas this year.
I asked Mizerak about this once.
He recommended: "don't start fooling around with anything right away and making what you think are 'corrections'. If you've been hitting them good, then it is usually something simple...not requiring any massive adjusting. Making hasty adjustments can only make things worse."
He continued...."Slow down your backstroke..In the excitement of your successes you've probably sped up that backstroke and it's throwing everything else off. THAT is where you begin".
He was right on the money. Anytime things start going to hell, that's where I begin and right away all things return to normal.
It's just a suggestion. He was pretty good, you know, as a player and as an educator.
Keep on truckin'
:thumbup:
 

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
I have this issue. Titleholders was last week for our TAP league. I placed a lot of importance on the tournament in my own mind and practiced my ass off for 4 weeks to get ready. I was running drills and playing the best players around as often as I could.

As a result of the drills and the practice I moved up to a 6 in my league and was shooting the best pool of my life. I was handily beating people that I often had trouble with and really excited about the tournament and ready to take no prisoners. Anyway, I showed up and laid a big fat egg. The team did really well, we finished 3rd place with a lot of big wins.

My problem, From the minute the team arrived my pool game disappeared. I could not run a pattern, I was missing routine positions, I was even missing gimmes...which never happens. The knowledge was still there but the execution was completely gone, it's literally like someone turned off a switch and my game disappeared...weirdest thing I have ever experienced.

Anyway we won every set that I lost a match in, so the team had my back, I even coached several of my teammates to victories (knowledge was still there).

So I thought maybe it was the pressure...so I went for four hours yesterday to play on some 8 footers (played on 7 footers in the tournament)...same issue, barely had a four ball run all day.

Any of you ever had this happen??? Any suggestions for remedy as there is another titleholders in a week that is our last chance for Vegas this year.

1. Could be a mental hiccup and there is training against that.

2. I haven't had an experience like that above for years, since locking in certain fundamentals--as others mention on this thread.

3. Parts 1 and 2 above dovetail and synergize, for example, when you have the fundamental down of picking a pattern or at least the next two or three balls and routes before bending to shoot, you can never be shooting without a plan in mind. It's as important as chalking between shots.
 

Mkindsv

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks guys. Titleholders is tonight, first round anyway, will see if I can shake this stupid funk by getting right back at it.
 

Jedivman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's a simple breakdown in the fundamentals, it happens to everyone. I will start missing shots but getting shaped.

I stop, read few chapters on fundamentals from the Monk 8 ball book, shot basic drills to snap my stroke back in no time. Or I Read winning pocket billiards by Mosconi.

Fwiw, practicing too much, unless drills only, hurts my game, but I'm mostly straight pool player.
 

Mkindsv

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
And...again. As of last week I showed up to league as a 6 in 8 and 9 ball. Did not make three shots in a row the whole night. Scratched on three different ball in hand shots and on 2 safeties, losing my 8 ball match.

Was barely able to fend off a 3 in 9 ball. And it wasn't for lack of desire or concentration...So I went to the pool hall again this afternoon to try to figure out what in the Sam Hill I was doing.

Set up a stroke Drill...every ball center pocket, good follow through. Tried the straightness drill to see if I was hitting center ball like I wanted...Center Diamond to Center Diamond.. no Problems.

Shot Drill, made 50 of 51 shots from various spots on the table...again no problems.

Set up a rack of 8 ball thinking I had my sh@ straight...One ball run after two ball run after one ball run after two ball run....So here I am thinking, "maybe 8 ball just isn't my game today," honestly other than this past week I have been killing it in 9 ball...set up rack after rack of 9 ball trying the ghost on for size, getting past the 6 only once in an hour and a half.

Honestly today was probably the worst pool I have played in 25 years, and that is not an exaggeration at all.

Hopefully I can figure it out before Monday Night, I want to take on the League monster in 8 ball, he is an undefeated 7...15 weeks in...but no way am I trotting myself out there against that guy unless I can hit a portion of the broad side of a barn.
 

Neil

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
And...again. As of last week I showed up to league as a 6 in 8 and 9 ball. Did not make three shots in a row the whole night. Scratched on three different ball in hand shots and on 2 safeties, losing my 8 ball match.

Was barely able to fend off a 3 in 9 ball. And it wasn't for lack of desire or concentration...So I went to the pool hall again this afternoon to try to figure out what in the Sam Hill I was doing.

Set up a stroke Drill...every ball center pocket, good follow through. Tried the straightness drill to see if I was hitting center ball like I wanted...Center Diamond to Center Diamond.. no Problems.

Shot Drill, made 50 of 51 shots from various spots on the table...again no problems.

Set up a rack of 8 ball thinking I had my sh@ straight...One ball run after two ball run after one ball run after two ball run....So here I am thinking, "maybe 8 ball just isn't my game today," honestly other than this past week I have been killing it in 9 ball...set up rack after rack of 9 ball trying the ghost on for size, getting past the 6 only once in an hour and a half.

Honestly today was probably the worst pool I have played in 25 years, and that is not an exaggeration at all.

Hopefully I can figure it out before Monday Night, I want to take on the League monster in 8 ball, he is an undefeated 7...15 weeks in...but no way am I trotting myself out there against that guy unless I can hit a portion of the broad side of a barn.

Well, you said you kept losing because of scratches. So your problem lies in position play, not aiming, stroke, or alignment. Work on that.
 

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have this issue. Titleholders was last week for our TAP league. I placed a lot of importance on the tournament in my own mind and practiced my ass off for 4 weeks to get ready. I was running drills and playing the best players around as often as I could.

As a result of the drills and the practice I moved up to a 6 in my league and was shooting the best pool of my life. I was handily beating people that I often had trouble with and really excited about the tournament and ready to take no prisoners. Anyway, I showed up and laid a big fat egg. The team did really well, we finished 3rd place with a lot of big wins.

My problem, From the minute the team arrived my pool game disappeared. I could not run a pattern, I was missing routine positions, I was even missing gimmes...which never happens. The knowledge was still there but the execution was completely gone, it's literally like someone turned off a switch and my game disappeared...weirdest thing I have ever experienced.

Anyway we won every set that I lost a match in, so the team had my back, I even coached several of my teammates to victories (knowledge was still there).

So I thought maybe it was the pressure...so I went for four hours yesterday to play on some 8 footers (played on 7 footers in the tournament)...same issue, barely had a four ball run all day.

Any of you ever had this happen??? Any suggestions for remedy as there is another titleholders in a week that is our last chance for Vegas this year.


This is a pretty common problem. In fact John asked the same question over in the 14.1 forum in the “major slump” thread and I responded: you have altered you PSR. Perhaps almost imperceptibly, perhaps unconsciously, but you have.

The game requires so much precision that it just takes a tiny thing being different (off) and you will suffer. It’s the same reason I don’t like systems that introduce/require specific movements — those will throw a lot of players off their game.

Lou Figueroa
 

Neil

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is a pretty common problem. In fact John asked the same question over in the 14.1 forum in the “major slump” thread and I responded: you have altered you PSR. Perhaps almost imperceptibly, perhaps unconsciously, but you have.

The game requires so much precision that it just takes a tiny thing being different (off) and you will suffer. It’s the same reason I don’t like systems that introduce/require specific movements — those will throw a lot of players off their game.

Lou Figueroa

Specific movements, also called consistency, throws one off? That's opposite of what you said in the previous sentence.

What you stated, except for the last sentence, is very true. But I don't think it is his problem right now because of his success on immediately doing some drills.
 

SpiderWebComm

HelpImBeingOppressed
Silver Member
This is a pretty common problem. In fact John asked the same question over in the 14.1 forum in the “major slump” thread and I responded: you have altered you PSR. Perhaps almost imperceptibly, perhaps unconsciously, but you have.

The game requires so much precision that it just takes a tiny thing being different (off) and you will suffer. It’s the same reason I don’t like systems that introduce/require specific movements — those will throw a lot of players off their game.

If an IMPERCEPTIBLE CHANGE in the PSR can cause a slump as you state, it requires SPECIFIC EXACT MOVEMENTS and POSITIONS to perform the PSR precisely as it should be. How does that differ from a "system"? It is a system as created and used by the player but I guess to you and some others PSR sounds better than the word system.

Lou Figueroa

If the PSR is so important once it's established, why have you stated, or I should say confessed, that you've changed or altered your PSR many times over the years? What part of it didn't work to hold you back that needed tweaked?
 
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BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
And...again. As of last week I showed up to league as a 6 in 8 and 9 ball. Did not make three shots in a row the whole night. Scratched on three different ball in hand shots and on 2 safeties, losing my 8 ball match.

Was barely able to fend off a 3 in 9 ball. And it wasn't for lack of desire or concentration...So I went to the pool hall again this afternoon to try to figure out what in the Sam Hill I was doing.

Set up a stroke Drill...every ball center pocket, good follow through. Tried the straightness drill to see if I was hitting center ball like I wanted...Center Diamond to Center Diamond.. no Problems.

Shot Drill, made 50 of 51 shots from various spots on the table...again no problems.

Set up a rack of 8 ball thinking I had my sh@ straight...One ball run after two ball run after one ball run after two ball run....So here I am thinking, "maybe 8 ball just isn't my game today," honestly other than this past week I have been killing it in 9 ball...set up rack after rack of 9 ball trying the ghost on for size, getting past the 6 only once in an hour and a half.

Honestly today was probably the worst pool I have played in 25 years, and that is not an exaggeration at all.

Hopefully I can figure it out before Monday Night, I want to take on the League monster in 8 ball, he is an undefeated 7...15 weeks in...but no way am I trotting myself out there against that guy unless I can hit a portion of the broad side of a barn.

I was playing a 9ball match and losing. I just couldn't get out, kept hooking myself or leaving tough shots with little chance of pocketing the balls. The owner of the place came over to watch the set. I was down 5-2 in a race to 7. My opponent went to the bathroom, and immediately the owner says, "B, quit raising up. You're raising up on a lot of shots. What's your hurry?"

I made a conscious effort from then on to remain down on each shot. I won that game, then the next, then finished the set with 3-pack. It's amazing what one simple flaw can do. It's more amazing that we can play this game for 25 years or more, 34 in my case, and still unknowingly allow these little flaws to creep into our game.
 

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Specific movements, also called consistency, throws one off? That's opposite of what you said in the previous sentence.

What you stated, except for the last sentence, is very true. But I don't think it is his problem right now because of his success on immediately doing some drills.


Not all specific movements are created equal. IOWs, doing something wrong in a consistent manner is no good, to state the obvious.

And what he is doing with the drills has little to do with competitive situations. IOWs, doing a drill gets you good at doing that drill.

Once again, my point is that he’s changing something that he is unaware of.

Lou Figueroa
 

Neil

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You seem to be sincere....so I will repeat a previous post of what Mizerak told me.
Although you may want to just ignore me since (according to some of the 'experts' around here, I am short-sighted and ignorant)
Anyway....here 'tis:
I asked Mizerak about this once.
He recommended: "don't start fooling around with anything right away and making what you think are 'corrections'. If you've been hitting them good, then it is usually something simple...not requiring any massive adjusting. Making hasty adjustments can only make things worse."
He continued...."Slow down your backstroke..In the excitement of your successes you've probably sped up that backstroke and it's throwing everything else off. THAT is where you begin".

Anytime things start going to hell, that's where I begin and right away all things return to normal.
It's just a suggestion. Miz was pretty good, you know, as a player and as an educator.
(that's the kind of instruction I approve. From a real player/gambler instead of from some nit shortstop 'instructor' who'd choke to death if he had to bet his own money in front of a group of real hitters.)
Good luck......................and when they're on the ropes, always try to sweet talk 'em into raising the bet.
:thumbup:

There is a difference between saying a statement is ignorant, and a person is overall ignorant. And if that part in blue was meant for me, I gambled for 40 years, spent several years on the road, and only had a backer for a handful of matches.

By the way, when in person, the good instructors always film a student. They then go over the film and analyze potential problem areas. None start out by telling a student right off the bat that they have to change their whole style of play.
 

SpiderWebComm

HelpImBeingOppressed
Silver Member
Not all specific movements are created equal. IOWs, doing something wrong in a consistent manner is no good, to state the obvious.

How about you posting what is RIGHT. Go through each and every part of an ultimate PSR.

Once again, my point is that he’s changing something that he is unaware of.

Lou Figueroa

Like WHAT? Where is it most apt to weaken and fall apart under pressure? Be specific. For someone who is always crediting the PSR as the most important factor in playing good pool, I've never seen you throw out a single nugget or describe any factor independently of another. Lay it on us.
 
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Mkindsv

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I appreciate the suggestions. I am going to work on several of them today, I honestly think Lou is right, Low500 is saying basically the same thing. I personally think it has to be an alignment problem, I am seeing the shots well, I am making the first/ second shots when I get to the table, then it is breaking down, so I am going to focus on some pattern play while paying close attention to my PSR and alignment.
 

SpiderWebComm

HelpImBeingOppressed
Silver Member
I appreciate the suggestions. I am going to work on several of them today, I honestly think Lou is right, Low500 is saying basically the same thing. I personally think it has to be an alignment problem, I am seeing the shots well, I am making the first/ second shots when I get to the table, then it is breaking down, so I am going to focus on some pattern play while paying close attention to my PSR and alignment.


Pattern play is a real key for all games. But how about nerves? When you don't play in tournaments on a regular basis week after week or gamble, it's a situation that takes us out of the comfort zone with different expectations.

If you're playing pretty sporty just before an event and then the next day or two right after the event but like a dog during it, it's nerves, focus and mindset. High expectations and self imposed pressure causing physical and mental breakdown from the nerves.

You said the following in your first post of this thread and to me it's the key: "I placed a lot of importance on the tournament in my own mind and practiced my ass off for 4 weeks to get ready. My problem, From the minute the team arrived my pool game disappeared. I could not run a pattern, I was missing routine positions, I was even missing gimmes...which never happens. The knowledge was still there but the execution was completely gone, it's literally like someone turned off a switch and my game disappeared...weirdest thing I have ever experienced."
 
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goettlicher

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I appreciate the suggestions. I am going to work on several of them today, I honestly think Lou is right, Low500 is saying basically the same thing. I personally think it has to be an alignment problem, I am seeing the shots well, I am making the first/ second shots when I get to the table, then it is breaking down, so I am going to focus on some pattern play while paying close attention to my PSR and alignment.

Can you share your PSR? with us please?

randyg
 

paultex

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think spidey is right about nerves and to me that means adrenaline. If you can see the shots but your stroke got too much oil pumping, you'll be ok after a while and how long depends on your belief of winning more or less.

When you feel pressure to the point of losing visual alignment, this is where you simply need to know what the hell youre doing and you better, because if that's gone, its tuff to find in a match, evening, days or weeks sometimes, but keep at it and don't take a break because that's the best time to find it, thus come to a understanding. Once you understand what you are looking at in conjunction with stroke and understand that too, then it's back to dealing with nerve and that's not too tough unless you got demons in the closet.

A preshot routine simply means organized thought. I don't think there is any written rules on that and I believe, ultimately you try to develop understanding to the point of feel and instinct. But to get there requires a trial and error format of systematizing the understanding. I imagine that is something to fall back on when struggling.

Mizerak says to slow the stroke down. That's a method, I don't use it or advocate it but one should try it and the multitude of other techniques and invent some as well. Whatever works but eventually one should strive to get to the point of complete understanding and then deal with the other stuff that's more psychological than anything else.

But ofcourse that effects understanding, so its a vicious loop when you combine fatigue, low blood sugar, motivation etc etc and that's why even the best are not on their game all the time.

But I bet my life they are the most consistent because they understand what the hell they are doing fo sho mang.

Just my opinion.
 
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