Do you prefer practising by using drills/playing the ghost or by playing real games?
I've always been thinking what's more effective of the two. Naturally, it would probably be a healthy mix of the two, but if you had to choose only one, which one would it be? I've already made my choice, but I'd like to know what others think.
I couldn't play drills on a regular basis because I play only on coin ops, so it wouldn't be the best idea to waste cash only to blast balls around alone. Still, I personally find drills inferior to playing recreational games, and this is why...
If you're a novice player, you'll have a hard time shooting balls accurately. Drills could help you gain accuracy faster, but your improvement may suffer in other aspects of the game.
- First, when playing actual games against any type of opponent (although it's clearly more effective if your opponent is a seasoned player), you watch and learn how other players think and behave, how they react, what their strategies are etc.
- Second, your opponent, or other more experienced players in the room, can give you tactical advice, point out your mistakes (both in technique and strategy) and correct them, teach you about what's important in winning or losing (e.g. your and your opponent's defensive ball positions, tactical importance of each ball in a particular situation), and you can ask their opinion any time.
- Third, when you find yourself in a real game, you encounter real-life game situations. You see where your balls are placed, you also take a look at your opponent's. There are infinite possibilities how balls can be positioned during a match, however, many of those situations can be quite similar. Once you encounter a certain situation (for example, to make things simple: your ball stuck between opponent's two, an obstacles between your OB and the pocket, several clusters in the center of the table etc.), that situation is then carved into your subconscious memory and when you encounter it again (maybe much later in an important game where you intend to win some money) you remember what you played back then and how things worked out. Definitely helpful when making a decision in that moment.
- Fourth, you learn to cope with the psychological pressure and do your best in stressful situations. Even in games where othing is on the line, and you're playing your best friend, there's always at least that small tendency to win the game, to compete with your opponents and prove you can do better than them. You may want to impress a girl, show experienced players you're catching up, avoid embarrassment in front of the audience, or simply be the best among your friends. Whatever the reason is, you'll play more seriously when facing an actual adversary instead of yourself. You'll experience everything from the above a thousand times (embarrassment, loss, anger, success, pride) and with time learn to keep a cool head and not allow negative emotions influence the quality of your game, while at the same time allowing the positive ones to boost your performace. Everyone is nervous and scared before a game, but experience gives you the gift to use that of fear to increase your focus instead of losing it. Later, when money may be on the line, without those skills you won't be able to function.
- Speaking of psychology, another important factor is the psychology of your opponents. After hundreds of games you get to know what throws most people out of balance (playing a cunning safety, slopping in a missed shot, pocketing a ball they were sure you wouldn't make etc.). Using those in your favor will give you an edge in many situations, particularly against better opponents. At the same time you'll get used to (well, partially...) your opponents doing the same things to you, so you won't lose your temper completely. There same things which p*** your opponent off usually give you a positive psychological boost and help you regain confidence. That's one more reason you need to prevent your adversaries accomplishing those whenever you can.
- Last, you learn yourself what works best and what doesn't by using system of trial and error with all the things listed above. Advice from other people is always helpful, but personal experience is the best guide in your development. There are no such things as two identical players, and that's why each person has to learn what they do best.
All those things you can't get by playing drills. You may get better at certain shots, CB positioning, even trickshots, but you don't get the whole picture which real games give you. Please, correct me if I'm saying wrong stuff.
I've always been thinking what's more effective of the two. Naturally, it would probably be a healthy mix of the two, but if you had to choose only one, which one would it be? I've already made my choice, but I'd like to know what others think.
I couldn't play drills on a regular basis because I play only on coin ops, so it wouldn't be the best idea to waste cash only to blast balls around alone. Still, I personally find drills inferior to playing recreational games, and this is why...
If you're a novice player, you'll have a hard time shooting balls accurately. Drills could help you gain accuracy faster, but your improvement may suffer in other aspects of the game.
- First, when playing actual games against any type of opponent (although it's clearly more effective if your opponent is a seasoned player), you watch and learn how other players think and behave, how they react, what their strategies are etc.
- Second, your opponent, or other more experienced players in the room, can give you tactical advice, point out your mistakes (both in technique and strategy) and correct them, teach you about what's important in winning or losing (e.g. your and your opponent's defensive ball positions, tactical importance of each ball in a particular situation), and you can ask their opinion any time.
- Third, when you find yourself in a real game, you encounter real-life game situations. You see where your balls are placed, you also take a look at your opponent's. There are infinite possibilities how balls can be positioned during a match, however, many of those situations can be quite similar. Once you encounter a certain situation (for example, to make things simple: your ball stuck between opponent's two, an obstacles between your OB and the pocket, several clusters in the center of the table etc.), that situation is then carved into your subconscious memory and when you encounter it again (maybe much later in an important game where you intend to win some money) you remember what you played back then and how things worked out. Definitely helpful when making a decision in that moment.
- Fourth, you learn to cope with the psychological pressure and do your best in stressful situations. Even in games where othing is on the line, and you're playing your best friend, there's always at least that small tendency to win the game, to compete with your opponents and prove you can do better than them. You may want to impress a girl, show experienced players you're catching up, avoid embarrassment in front of the audience, or simply be the best among your friends. Whatever the reason is, you'll play more seriously when facing an actual adversary instead of yourself. You'll experience everything from the above a thousand times (embarrassment, loss, anger, success, pride) and with time learn to keep a cool head and not allow negative emotions influence the quality of your game, while at the same time allowing the positive ones to boost your performace. Everyone is nervous and scared before a game, but experience gives you the gift to use that of fear to increase your focus instead of losing it. Later, when money may be on the line, without those skills you won't be able to function.
- Speaking of psychology, another important factor is the psychology of your opponents. After hundreds of games you get to know what throws most people out of balance (playing a cunning safety, slopping in a missed shot, pocketing a ball they were sure you wouldn't make etc.). Using those in your favor will give you an edge in many situations, particularly against better opponents. At the same time you'll get used to (well, partially...) your opponents doing the same things to you, so you won't lose your temper completely. There same things which p*** your opponent off usually give you a positive psychological boost and help you regain confidence. That's one more reason you need to prevent your adversaries accomplishing those whenever you can.
- Last, you learn yourself what works best and what doesn't by using system of trial and error with all the things listed above. Advice from other people is always helpful, but personal experience is the best guide in your development. There are no such things as two identical players, and that's why each person has to learn what they do best.
All those things you can't get by playing drills. You may get better at certain shots, CB positioning, even trickshots, but you don't get the whole picture which real games give you. Please, correct me if I'm saying wrong stuff.
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