What is a Pool Player's Most Important Skill?

[CJ Wiley]

we transfer from "playing the game to the game expressing itself Through us"

I think the greatest skill is the ability to understand that there is always more to learn. Irving Crane once casually observed that it would take two lifetimes to learn everything he needed to know about pool.

There are finite themes and variations, so the game can be mastered at the subconscious level, when this happens we transfer from "playing the game to the game expressing itself Through us" - thoughtless thought and effortless effort.......many of my best performances I remember like a dream, and if I tried to take credit for it, the game would leave me.

It is essential to stay in the curiosity mode, because if we aren't seeming to improve, we will surely regress.....so Irving had the right mind set, he played well in his older years.

 

[PoolFan101]

Pete Rose , aside from his ban for Gambling on Baseball , Was one of the Greatest Baseball Players in the 1970's . He was the first MLB player to make a Million Dollars. He said he would get ask all the time by fans and Dad's if he had any advice he could give them to pass on to their Son's on how to achieve his level of play and greatness. He said this - '' Number 1 - Be Aggressive , Number 2 - Be More Aggressive and Number 3- Never be Satisfied with your game always work on trying to be better and work harder to be better . Makes Sense even in Pool.

 

[CJ Wiley]

I like to play a game of "controlled aggression" which breaks down your opponents

Pete Rose , aside from his ban for Gambling on Baseball , Was one of the Greatest Baseball Players in the 1970's . He was the first MLB player to make a Million Dollars. He said he would get ask all the time by fans and Dad's if he had any advice he could give them to pass on to their Son's on how to achieve his level of play and greatness. He said this - '' Number 1 - Be Aggressive , Number 2 - Be More Aggressive and Number 3- Never be Satisfied with your game always work on trying to be better and work harder to be better . Makes Sense even in Pool.

That's great advice, I like to play a game of "controlled aggression" at the highest levels the best defense is an overpowering offense..... it feels amazing to have the physical dominance to break your opponents down, but to do this requires some reconditioning!

We only recognize what we are familiar with so it's difficult to see and conceptualize what the champion players are actually doing because it's usually opposite from what is normally taught. For instance most players see the line of the shot and then set their body to that line and play the shot.

We set our bodies in the ideal position FIRST, then connect to the line of the shot. There's a huge difference between these two techniques, and once I demonstrate this on the table and show a player how it's done EXACTLY it changes the way they experience the game and they will raise their consistency level substantially in just a few days or weeks.

 

[VARick]

Pool "is 90% mental, and the other half is physical." Thank you, Yogi Berra.

 

[sjm]

It is essential to stay in the curiosity mode, because if we aren't seeming to improve, we will surely regress.

Very well put. This is exactly what I meant, but I couldn't find the right words.

 

[Pangit]

A straight stroke...the shorter the better.

 

[CJ Wiley]

Pop the Stroke like Popping a Whip

A straight stroke...the shorter the better.

That's probably right in most cases, precision is key!

I'd add this with the follow through too, most people can't "pop" their shots because they are trying to follow through too far.

 

[Island Drive]

Quote CJ

Question What is a Pool Player's Most Important Skill?

If your coming from an athlete's perspective, and I did compete in the Olympic time trials in the early sixties, then flew to Buffalo NY in mid sixties with Olympic Gold Medalist Terry McDermott on a Gas powered DC 10. Ended up winning two golds and one silver in short track Speed Skating in the Hockey stadium was this. Greatness is all from within. Some of us ''don't give up''. True winners have heart that won't QUIT. Jeff Carter was a pure example of a player that was not a gifted player, but being taught by Briesath and being in competition for years, groomed his game to win.

 

[Brookeland Bill]

In this video I explain my experience as a professional player and high stakes gambler what the most important skill a pool player must have to be successful.

Many people say the mental game is 90%, but as my martial arts Master told me "you can't have the mental without the physical first"......so building a strong foundation that allows you to get in the same position and always AIM FROM THE TOP is essential to play your best pool time and time again!

LINK - https://youtu.be/J-HnZlQFqPU

Visualization and the ability to subconsciously successfully apply that visual to achieve your goal.

 

[CJ Wiley]

Yogi Berra could run out if he knew the secrets to becoming a pool playing machine.

Pool "is 90% mental, and the other half is physical." Thank you, Yogi Berra.

Pool is mentally easy when someone understands the physical aspects at the highest levels, even Yogi Berra could run out if he knew the secrets to becoming a pool playing machine......although he still wouldn't be gifted at math.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

That's probably right in most cases, precision is key!

I'd add this with the follow through too, most people can't "pop" their shots because they are trying to follow through too far.

i know what you mean, i will give the ball a pop type stroke time to time when desired
ive learned through playing straight rail, that holding the cue at the balance gives the best control over the power of the hit, and further back more power
like this holding cue at the balance or close to, the pop shot strokes are very doable

for a "normy" like myself

 

[Jimbojim]

The most important skill to have is to be able to self-assess yourself with ten thousand pounds of pressure on your shoulders and stand back up when you can't 100% commit to the shot in front of you because doubt is visiting you.

 

[CJ Wiley]

reach the hightest acceleration immediately at the moment of contact!

i know what you mean, i will give the ball a pop type stroke time to time when desired
ive learned through playing straight rail, that holding the cue at the balance gives the best control over the power of the hit, and further back more power
like this holding cue at the balance or close to, the pop shot strokes are very doable

for a "normy" like myself

Yes, one to the worst rumors in the pool rooms is to follow through 8-10 inches and that's absurd! 2-4 inches is what Shane V. Skyler W and Jason Shaw are and that's perfect!

The most important thing is to reach the hightest acceleration immediately at the moment of contact!

 

[Texas Carom Club]

Yes, one to the worst rumors in the pool rooms is to follow through 8-10 inches and that's absurd! 2-4 inches is what Shane V. Skyler W and Jason Shaw are and that's perfect!

The most important thing is to reach the hightest acceleration immediately at the moment of contact!

totally agree sir

 

[CJ Wiley]

POP the shot and make the cue ball jump the dime and make the object ball.

totally agree sir

A good way to test your Pop Stroke is to put a dime about 5 inches from the cueball, in between the cueball and an object ball.

Then, POP the shot and make the cue ball jump the dime and make the object ball.

I do this with a quarter on my Precision Pool Drills DVD to show the stroke using High English, Low English and Extreme Right and Left English......when using this stroke you won't have to make allowances for using English, the cueball always goes extremely straight - this is a huge advantage because if I miss hit the cue ball I'll probably still make the shot, but someone that doesn't POP the shot will possibly miss their shots.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

A good way to test your Pop Stroke is to put a dime about 5 inches from the cueball, in between the cueball and an object ball.

Then, POP the shot and make the cue ball jump the dime and make the object ball.

I do this with a quarter on my Precision Pool Drills DVD to show the stroke using High English, Low English and Extreme Right and Left English......when using this stroke you won't have to make allowances for using English, the cueball always goes extremely straight - this is a huge advantage because if I miss hit the cue ball I'll probably still make the shot, but someone that doesn't POP the shot will possibly miss their shots.

ill have to give that a try

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Building mussel memory. I say this after spend the day with my buddy who is a local fireman/paramedic.

For five year he was a S.W.A.T. Medic, with a local well funded Police agency.

We got into a discussion about his time with S.W.A.T, he mention he would train hard 24 hour per month with the team.

He mention how some simple skill was practicing to the point of yelling enoght. But some simple task like reloading a firearm was beat to death. Simple clearing a room drill was beat to death.

The reason was to build muscle memory, so the tasks were automatic, and everything they did had a reason. To hopefully live, come home safe, when s*** happened.

Many years ago this pool player who played will, at short stop speed, mention muscle memory. Took my fireman friend who make me get the message, they I was told years ago.

Life is a strange teacher. People hate practicing Pool, but practice build mussel memory, or if the ability to know what to do in cretin situations.

Good player don't just shoot, they take time to plan their show so the outcome is predictable.

Pool is not an easy game to learn.:wink:

 

[CJ Wiley]

All The Aiming is Done Above The Shot, by Aligning Precisely and Consistently

Life is a strange teacher. People hate practicing Pool, but practice build mussel memory, or if the ability to know what to do in cretin situations.

Good player don't just shoot, they take time to plan their show so the outcome is predictable.

Pool is not an easy game to learn.:wink:

Pool is an easy game to learn if you are fortunate enough to find top shelf information, like I did in Toronto Ontario, and on the road with men that had to win, there was no other option! It's always wise to learn from people that have the most to lose, that must win for a living.

Understanding how to "shoot out of the Center of my Chest" was a literal game changer, it solved all my inconsistency issues, Practicing was much more fun, rewarding, and entertaining.

Imagine being a Pool Playing Machine, with the cueball on a string, drilling shot after shot, no matter the distance, no matter the angle.

And to do this using a consistent tempo, shot speed, and aligning to EVERY SHOT center/center or center/edge so ALL THE AIMING IS ABOVE THE SHOT and you can just focus on Feeling the shot and watch it hit the pocket time after time, day after day.

 

[Fatboy]

In this video I explain my experience as a professional player and high stakes gambler what the most important skill a pool player must have to be successful.

Many people say the mental game is 90%, but as my martial arts Master told me "you can't have the mental without the physical first"......so building a strong foundation that allows you to get in the same position and always AIM FROM THE TOP is essential to play your best pool time and time again!

LINK - https://youtu.be/J-HnZlQFqPU

Hey CJ!

Ya can’t train what God left out.

I’ve never seen a great player who didn’t pay his dues

I have seen less that great players who paid their dues and became competent players-not champions.

Always a pleasure,

Your friend,
Fatboy

 

[Bavafongoul]

Just assume a player has the necessary skills and knowledge to play well, better than the average bear.
What is essential is the player possess the discipline and patience to have a pre-shot routine & game plan.

Consistency does not occur by happenstance & great pool players do not depend upon on making great shots.

There is always an element of random luck, both bad & good, that can befall you or your opponent. Luck
can keep you in the match but seldom does it actually win for you in pool. It inevitably comes down to you.