Example, do you recall a match I saw you watching at the Derby in the 9 ball division between Filler/SVB? Where Filler on this occasion just tortured him 9-2 in a little over 1/2 hour? When Filler is on like that he plays extraordinarily quick, has full confidence and is fully committed to his shots. Then look at slower players that agonize over simple layouts and look at a shot, especially testers, about 4 different ways before they pull the trigger and drive it straight into a rail and dog it, kinda like Styer’s difficult moments at the recent Mosconi Cup. I don’t think there’s a big difference between those 2 players decision making skills, but there’s a huge gap in their confidence/commitment to their decisions. YMMV
Yes, I was ringside for that one. Filler ran an 8-pack (correction, it was a 7-pack) and shot TPA 1.000 and, as you note, his tempo was fast.
It was an example of a match in which there was virtually no tactical play, so the only important decisions he had to make were with regard to the break shot and the pattern building. Although his play was mind-blowingly brilliant, he didn't have to reach into his entire bag of tricks in that one. Some matches go that way, and while they are impressive, I don't enjoy matches like that one much. In WNT play, in which 4" pockets are the rule, such matches almost never occur. Shaw is probably Filler's equal in his ability to instantly identify the best cue ball routes from ball to ball, so anytime he wins an offense-only match, it goes by very quickly.
An interesting moment at the BCA Hall of Fame dinner came just a couple of years ago. Inductee Niels Feijen noted, in his induction speech, that he never had the instincts or talent of a Filler or a Shaw, and that he had to work much harder at this craft because of it. If we needed a reminder that some find pool's decision making more difficult and challenging than others, that was it.
I believe Filler to be the game's best and most instinctual decision maker at the table, among the top few ever in this regard. Few can design an ideal pattern at the speed he does, few can identify the right kick shot as quickly as him, few make quicker or better defensive decisions, and few are quicker at identifying two-way shots. That said, Filler will take his time when any tricky position arises. Josh is a modern-day pool super-genius, and that's why his decisions are so quick and accurate. The other all-around pool super-geniuses in today's game, the most obvious being Fedor Gorst, Carlo Biado, Ko Ping Chung, and Alex Pagulayan, all take quite a bit more time than Josh, although each consistently makes superb decisions.
Like you, I am awed by those who can make elite decisions in an instant. I think that, as you suggest, it gives them a playing tempo that is fast and even and is to be envied. When the select few find their highest gear, they almost appear to be on automatic pilot, but in fact, they are not.
