Common mistakes a lot of average players make.

[Black-Balled]

..mgood reason to be upset, they play enough pool to know better.

Failing to realize that 'know' and 'do' are only mildly related.

 

[Black-Balled]

The main one I see is people switching up their equipment too often.
New shafts, replace perfectly good tips, magic chalk, gadgets, etc.

And, as has been mentioned before, trying to adjust your alignment when already down one the shot (catch myself doing every so often, but luckily I can usually stop myself)

There's no such thing as magic chalk.

I'm sure of it.

 

[boogieman]

Not chalking.

Switching sticks/shafts all the time and not becoming intimately familiar with one.

Hitting draw shots very hard and not getting action on them.

Falling for a scratch trap instead of playing safe.

 

[chenjy9]

Here are the ones I have noticed

1. Not taking the time to line up your shot while standing
2. Holding the cue too tightly when shooting

 

[Matt_24]

Death grip on the butt.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

YES. This was my first mistake many moons ago.

 

[MmmSharp]

I did not see it posted and not a mistake as much as an oversight ..

Playing only one game. 8, 9or 10 ball. Once i started branching out i learned a lot more.

Only playing games. You should also do drills and practice shots. Many people never actually put time in for practice to learn basics.

Both are things i did. I am still an average player but i make less mistakes now.

 

[Bterry]

Counting the balls of their run. Not re-setting when you have a distraction.

 

[docgpmiller]

Steering the Cue Ball with the Stick.

Hitting the Balls too Hard.

 

[Cclark02]

I hate bank the 8.

 

[RacerX750]

There’s a lot of them. Please try to keep it 1 or 2 so everyone can have a bit of fun here.

Thinking when down on the shot. That's why I have bad days. On good days muscle memory takes over. In the zone, Zen, rhythm, actualization, however you describe it - when you believe you can, you succeed.

 

[docgpmiller]

Absolutely. I have seen many players who rarely run a rack but they want to break like Shane. It's pointless to break well if you can't run three balls because you don't know about draw or natural follow angles yet. While the standard refrain is to work on your weaknesses, it's maybe more useful to say work where you will get the largest return. Often that's fundamentals and that's a hard sell because there is no obvious immediate reward.

Absolutely Bob - I watch these guys want to impress everybody how hard they can break make 1-3 balls and then... Not so good just trying to shoot 1 or 2 more balls.

 

[docgpmiller]

I hate bank the 8.

Especially when you both line it up straight each time for the other guy to shoot - just for fun. I make them call a Stalemate after they get done screwing around.

 

[CapnCarom]

Thinking that the game is "easy" - especially newbies after watching some pro's on TV running rack after rack. Typically these are the guys who, after missing a couple of legitimately tough shots, end up breaking their cues and walking out of the poolroom.

 

[Chip Roberson]

On power shots that require speed, big thing is not to just power from the back of the stroke, but to develop the power along with the follow through of the stroke. Lot like in golf where the instructor tells the student , not to cast the swing from the back of the swing but to develop the the power through the swing itself, same concept and have seen many times where someone is running out well until they have to come up with something that requires power to keep a run going. Trying to gain the power from the back of the stroke, can cause the stroke to go off line and a miss ensues . My 2 cents issued

 

[9Ballr]

1. Not taking enough time to aim and decide where to play the cueball. Feel the shot.
2. Rushing their stroke, especially going back on fast shots.
3. Not enough follow through. Stay down.

 

[SomeDeadGuy]

Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty and guilty. Maybe that’s why I suck.

 

[chenjy9]

Some additional ones I recalled watching a buddy play...

• Focusing too much about where the CB should/would go
• Standing up right after shooting to try and follow the shot
• Thinking that hitting hard makes you more accurate
• Not chalking after every shot (unless you use Taom chalk )

 

[eg9327]

I am certainly an amateur, but have played for a long time. When I watch mid level amateurs one of the biggest problems I see is that many don't seem to play the layout (8 ball). Instead they often just take the easy balls. Too often you see trouble balls ignored until there is nothing left to shoot. Naturally a miss results and the other player runs out. A less skilled player can often beat a better skilled player (mechanics) if they just bide their time. Good mechanics does not always translate into winning strategies.

 

[chenjy9]

I am certainly an amateur, but have played for a long time. When I watch mid level amateurs one of the biggest problems I see is that many don't seem to play the layout (8 ball). Instead they often just take the easy balls. Too often you see trouble balls ignored until there is nothing left to shoot. Naturally a miss results and the other player runs out. A less skilled player can often beat a better skilled player (mechanics) if they just bide their time. Good mechanics does not always translate into winning strategies.

I agree. A big part of winning in 8 ball (and rotation) is recognizing when you can run out and when you need to try and plan out a run to setup a safety play.

 

[Riley Pitchford]

Start by taking lessons to learn good solid fundamentals.