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It's interesting how what's important differs between snooker and pool players. As mentioned in this thread, some snooker players play with old, bent cues - but it has to be the one specific cue they've always used. So they're not less fastidious about their equipment, but they need to know...

The rules you play can make a big difference because they change what the 'right' strategic choice is. (Here in the UK, there have been several different widespread sets of rules - some have produced very defensive play and some very aggressive play. The requirement to hit a cushion and weak-ish...

Someone recommended The Chimp Paradox to me. I've not got round to it yet, but from their description and what you've said, it sounds relevant.

I'd still go. It's a bit cringe, and maybe implies the owner's a bit obnoxious to ram it down everyone's throats, but in the grand scheme of things, so what? Besides, mixing with different people, with different outlooks, is one of the nice things about pool. And discussing ideas with people you...

Out of interest, do you mean 'The Inner Game of Tennis' or 'Inner Tennis: Playing the Game' (the follow-up book)? Nobody ever talks about the latter, but I think there's gold in that one. On the main question: I recommend avoiding the whole rabbit hole! If you're thinking about where your head...

At the risk of starting an argument, I'm not an instructor 😄 Something that helped me when I had a similar issue was bending both knees a little. Maybe worth trying.

If in doubt, go with what you know

That's interesting, I didn't know there was a medical perspective on 'yips' that's distinct from performance anxiety. Then in the article's causes section, they seem to slip back into performance anxiety and choking. I wonder if there are two distinct underlying problems (the 'writer's cramp'...

I'm not an instructor. I found an enjoyable drill recommended by an English billiards champion in the early 1900s. You set up approximately as in the diagram (cue ball in hand in the box) and try to make an English billiards break (counting your consecutive scoring shots), where you score for...

I think for middle-standard players, this captures the classic dilemma where neither of you has a good run-out, but the problem area is the same for both of you, so improving your layout will enable both of you to get out. At my level of play, and assuming my opponent is similar level, I don't...

This question lodged itself in my mind. As a complete abstraction, how do you divide fundamentals and output? (Straining at a gnat is a great term for this, so I suppose that's what I'm doing!) I then forgot about the question, until my answer popped into my mind. It's a false distinction...

Just searched, curtain to block the view of the pocket, presumably? Got you.

What's the curtain trick?

A for action (to affect) is a nice way to remember it.

Do you explain this in more detail anywhere? (like an old post you could point me to?)

Great video, thanks both! I've always thought stroke timing has a big influence in how much spin you get on the ball. Would you agree with that? (And presumably that the smooth accelerating stroke gives the most spin?) Timing seems like a difficult topic to teach - hard to see it with the eye...

Maybe my favorite was this one from league 8-ball: Local rules make it a foul to pocket an opponent's ball, and a normal tactic is to block pockets. The other guy covers the corner pocket near the 8, but I see another of his balls at the middle makes the middle a wide pocket, and the 3-rail to...

It bugs me that Phelan's name got dropped. Phelan & Collender > Brunsiwck Balke Collender > Brunswick. The most interesting name in there got buried

Looks like about a one diamond spread, which is pretty huge IMO (if that's the random factor before you account for human error). I suppose it's applicable to long positional play too, except that you might intuitively adjust for how the ball and table are playing, during a game.