When Are You Playing Your Best Pool?

[wakuljr]

No sleep
Been up all night
Tired as hell
Haven't eaten in 10 hours
Feet swollen
Glove soaking wet with sweat
Jukebox set to max
Drunk party of 4 on both neighboring tables.
Waitress brand new walking by the table all the time!
Smoke so thick I can barely see.
Table covered in god knows what!
Peanut gallery cheering against me!
Opponent sharking!

The above are all necessary for my best play!

Anything other than the above is subject to nightmares


Kd


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Might be a song in there. Heavy blues beat

 

[straightline]

Honestly, my stomach, and being hungry affects me enormously. Besides nerves, I would say that is one of the biggest and most regularly noticed impairments on my play. Noticed often on long tournament days, or in long-sets with my friends for the days table tab.

I play short sets better on an empty stomach. It's a technical thing. Empty stomach = more comfortable stance. Some coffee to tighten the focus and I'm good.
On long sets - well no long sets. I have never licked the boredom issues. Sessions are definitely out of the question. Regardless, over the hours, no food = nutritional/metabolic issues

 

[MitchAlsup]

Requirement 1: at least 2 beers down; but no more than 4.
Requirement 2: at least 10 minutes practice to loosen up.

Requirement 3: There ain't no more requirements.

 

[Flakeandrun]

I play short sets better on an empty stomach. It's a technical thing. Empty stomach = more comfortable stance. Some coffee to tighten the focus and I'm good.
On long sets - well no long sets. I have never licked the boredom issues. Sessions are definitely out of the question. Regardless, over the hours, no food = nutritional/metabolic issues

I get the shakes if I'm hungry, short or long set. ADHD has its pros and cons with regard to boredom/focussing in longer play, if I am feeling positive, I can ride that wave, but really beat myself up and hyper-fixate when things go wrong. One of the things I spend the most time working on is temperament, and I'd say playing pool has actually helped to adjust my temperament when playing snooker in the right direction.

 

[Flakeandrun]

Requirement 1: at least 2 beers down; but no more than 4.
Requirement 2: at least 10 minutes practice to loosen up.

Requirement 3: There ain't no more requirements.

Short and sweet. A fine-tuned performance regime. I like it.

 

[Kid Dynomite]

Honestly, my stomach, and being hungry affects me enormously. Besides nerves, I would say that is one of the biggest and most regularly noticed impairments on my play. Noticed often on long tournament days, or in long-sets with my friends for the days table tab.

Here is a helpful tip!

Get a roll of chewable Rolaids!

Stress does funny things to the digestive system! You can take a Rolaid and settle the stomach acid eruption in your belly .....

It helps me alot!

Kd

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[docgpmiller]

In my sleep

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[Flakeandrun]

Here is a helpful tip!

Get a roll of chewable Rolaids!

Stress does funny things to the digestive system! You can take a Rolaid and settle the stomach acid eruption in your belly .....

It helps me alot!

Kd

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

Like Gaviscon type thing? That's worth a try! Thanks.

 

[gregcantrall]

Another occasion that brought out my best was when I drove cab for 12 hours to make $25. I played 8 ball for $5 in the bar after my shift. So 5 racks later I had doubled the days wages and no more takers for money

 

[Poolmanis]

My take on practicer vs cash/tourney dog is, practicing is usually a solitary undertaking; all you and probably "all that" too.

Competition on the other hand involves at least one other mind interfering with your pristine reality.

What to do? Ask "champions' .

I also play cash games way better than tournaments. All my best games are cash.

 

[justnum]

Practice table at the club during off peak hours.

 

[bbb]

Competition on the other hand involves at least one other mind interfering with your pristine reality.

What to do? Ask "champions' .

there is a lot to learn from those that have "been there done that"

 

[Flakeandrun]

there is a lot to learn from those that have "been there done that"

Absolutely agree. I've tried my best to be a sponge, because I have an opportunity to play in some top rate facility, with some first-class players. Soak it all up, and try to acknowledge the progress that can be made with a listening ear. Also, watching others play. There is no substitute for match practice against better players, or watching two better players play, and thinking about what you would have done vs. what they choose to do

 

[Oikawa]

Absolutely agree. I've tried my best to be a sponge, because I have an opportunity to play in some top rate facility, with some first-class players. Soak it all up, and try to acknowledge the progress that can be made with a listening ear. Also, watching others play. There is no substitute for match practice against better players, or watching two better players play, and thinking about what you would have done vs. what they choose to do

Agreed, I like to sometimes watch pro matches on YouTube, pause at the start of their shots, think about what I would do, watch if it was the same solution or not, and if not, try to assess why they chose the shot they did. This can be a good alternative when you are sick or don't have access to a table for whatever reason, but feel like learning something.

 

[straightline]

I also play cash games way better than tournaments. All my best games are cash.

Very likely. You ARE a player and cash games have the slack for the player to do the shrewd thing. But same thing. Do you beat everybody?

 

[straightline]

there is a lot to learn from those that have "been there done that"

I like to say, "Only the guilty know for sure". That could be the one truth in this world.

 

[Poolmanis]

Very likely. You ARE a player and cash games have the slack for the player to do the shrewd thing. But same thing. Do you beat everybody?

Never lost big money match

 

[Flakeandrun]

Never lost big money match

Me either...


(says the guy who's biggest game was a 7-set for 500RMB )

 

[Coyote501]

After work, tired as hell. I just absolutely smoked a SL9 in 9 ball 17-3. I'm a 4.......... I shot lights out..........

 

[sjm]

I play best when I like the background music in the poolroom.