Raven Cue Initial Thoughts

Just a quick first impression of my new Raven cue. I received it today and only have a couple of hours with it so far on my home table.

This is my first carbon fiber shaft and also the first main player I’ve had without a wrap in probably 30 years and my first 30" shaft (that's what she said). I ordered the 12.9mm PRO shaft in 19oz.

First thing I noticed is how straight this cue is as it can possibly be. It’s also probably the only cue I’ve ever weighed that’s exactly what the listed weight says. Usually they’re close, but this one is dead-on at 19oz.

I don’t have a lot to say about how it plays yet. It’s definitely going to take some adjustment from what I’m used to, though I’m not exactly sure what needs to be adjusted. Right now I feel like I’m struggling with it a bit, but that’s on me — I’m not blaming the cue.

One thing I’m not sure about yet is the Tiger Sniper tip it came with. I had been playing with a Cuetec with a Tiger Everest tip and I think I may have liked that tip better. But again, I’m not good enough to say for sure yet.

I’ll update once I get more time with it. I do have a 30-day return window for a full refund, so we’ll see if it ends up staying in the bag or not.
So far though, I’m definitely impressed with the build quality. Bonus: my Cuetec extensions fit the Raven perfectly.

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Why Your Skill Doesn’t Matter in Matches - Just in Practice

I actually found the post to be very insightful and I for one appreciate him sharing it. I think the points he made are applicable for all levels of players as we all have moments where we feel we have to meet some unspoken expectation; one that we have created for ourselves or one that others have placed on us. If the focus is on the process however rather than the outcome it frees our mind and increases the probability of a better outcome.
Exactly what I got from his vid, and what I'm working on.

Deliver the tip to the CB target is paramount. If you can't do that, then there's something else needing work.

Pocketing the ball isn't the goal.

Delivering the cue tip on target is the game.

Best to Say Nothing at All?

In a tournament match, at the completion of the match, if I’m on the winning end, I feel the most courteous and respectful thing to say to my opponent when looking them in the eyes and shaking their hand is to say nothing at all.

The last thing I ever want to hear if I’m on the losing end is “good match”, especially if I played poorly, which is usually the case for the loser. Saying “I got lucky” is not much better, but I feel saying nothing at all is the best choice to show respect to my opponent.

The exception to this is in the rare case in which both players played well, then it would be acceptable to say “That was a good hard fought match” or “You played very well” or something to that effect. Opinions?

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