need help/advice please

mm4pool · Jun 22, 2010

hello all,

i have been reading the forum for a while trying to find info to help me improve my game, what little game i have. i play league 2 nights a weeks and am currently a strong 4/weak 5 level, in fact i ran my first rack of 8 ball in competition just last week.

my question - last night i played against a player i classify as a banger, the type who should receive frequent flier miles on the travel of the cue ball, sends balls flying and being APA has balls dropping not in intended pockets, misses end up with me hooked through no effort of his. in 11 innings of 9 ball i had to kick out from 8 unintentional safties. needless to say my mental state was shot half way through the match. what can i do during a match to change or alter the seemingly "good luck" of my opponent and get back in control of myself and the match?

i can play pretty even with higher skill players who have good command of the cueball and have even beaten a couple, but match me up against a "banger" and i go to peices.

HELP!

Mike

Sorry for the lengthy post

s'portplayer · Jun 22, 2010

Don't worry about who you're playing and the leaves they give you, no matter if they're intentional or unintentional.

Just concentrate on playing the table, when it's your turn.

stljohnny · Jun 22, 2010

I still do a similar thing. It's like somewhere in a brains, we think "ah, i got this guy, don't have to try" ... and we continually screw up our shots, positions, etc. I like s'portplayer suggested - try not to think about the rating/ranking of your opponents - and either treat everyone as a threat and stay in contant focus/stroke or no one (removing anxiety/pressure from the match and just having fun - also a good way to stay in stroke).

DogsPlayingPool · Jun 22, 2010

I've noticed it helps to develop the "pros" mentality. That is, when you miss you sit down until the other guy misses - period. When it is your turn at the table realize that you now have control regardless of the position you've been left in.

If you're left with no shot understand you are still in control with how you leave him. There are some creative ways to combat a banging opponent even when he's leaving you unintentionally hooked seemingly time after time. If he doesn't have the skills to get out, try tying up his portion of the layout even if it means giving him ball in hand knowing the odds are you will get another chance and in the effort to break loose his tied up balls he will likely leave you a shot.

8 Ball at league level is not usually a run out game.

mm4pool · Jun 22, 2010

i guess this is part of the maturation process to become a better player, it just ticks me off to try so hard to play a better controlled game and to see some players get rewarded for slop and luck. i will have to work on concentrating on my game and ignore that which i cannot control.

thanks guys

Mike

DogsPlayingPool · Jun 22, 2010

mm4pool said:
i guess this is part of the maturation process to become a better player, it just ticks me off to try so hard to play a better controlled game and to see some players get rewarded for slop and luck. i will have to work on concentrating on my game and ignore that which i cannot control.

thanks guys

Mike

Now you're thinking like a pro.:thumbup:

SKJoss72 · Jun 22, 2010

well I have been through the same and also had to come to the realization, that if you are gonna play in the APA which we know allows slop/luck shots, you should find a way to shake it off because it is gonna happen alot more than you like

I was having this done to me to the point that I was so frustrated i would do something dumb and hook myself, good luck and as a part of getting better you will learn to not fall apart when Crap happens

peteypooldude · Jun 22, 2010

You have to play the table,make the best of your turn.People who slam the balls around get lucky sometimes and that is part of the game.I do not watch them play,I may glance if something is close to a possible bad hit,some people play just like their opponent .Play your game and do not worry about things out of your control
Peteypooldude

Neil · Jun 22, 2010

...........

okinawa77 · Jun 22, 2010

I recommend Phil Capelle's "A Mind for Pool". It has helped me with the mental aspect of competition.

peteypooldude · Jun 22, 2010

Neil said:
Learn to kick. The better you get, the more you are going to find that you have to kick a lot of the time when you get to the table. Might as well learn how to handle it now, you will need it later.

This is also very true

5andout · Jun 22, 2010

Same problem

I have the same problem. Ther is this one guy around here that I should beat and have before badly. But as soon as he starts pissing balls and leaves our match goes to he'll I can't win. Then there goes the 9 on the break several times. I beat players better than him but he is my mental demon. Go figure. Sooner or later we just say fk it I guess.

mm4pool · Jun 22, 2010

Neil said:
Learn to kick. The better you get, the more you are going to find that you have to kick a lot of the time when you get to the table. Might as well learn how to handle it now, you will need it later.

very true Neil. i was able to kick out of about 70% of his slop safeties, only problem was i left him in the open. lol. i need lots ofwork on my return kick safety game. oh this game we love.

Mike

mm4pool · Jun 22, 2010

peteypooldude said:
You have to play the table,make the best of your turn.People who slam the balls around get lucky sometimes and that is part of the game.I do not watch them play,I may glance if something is close to a possible bad hit,some people play just like their opponent .Play your game and do not worry about things out of your control
Peteypooldude

one of the better players in our area told me basically this same thing. i will try this next time if someone from my team is handy to watch the table for me.

Mike

Rak9up · Jun 22, 2010

Hang Tough

Besides not worring about who you play.
Your at the most frustrating time for any player
When a 2 3 or a 4 misses its usually its early in the rack. So in 8 ball it still leaves alot of your balls to still have to shoot around. Making it harder for the opponent to get out with all that clutter.
But the 5's and 6's usually run the entire rack less the 8 or 1 other ball this makes it much easier for an opponent to get out you've cleared everything out of their way.
Hang tough.....It will come

mm4pool · Jun 23, 2010

thanks to all

i would like to say thanks to all for their suggestions, I played 8 ball league tonight and felt a lot more comfortable while playing. i was playing a higher skill rank and took him to hill-hill. we actually had 1 game that went 16 innings, it was a real lock up safety battle. i did blink first and ended up losing but i do feel much better about where i am at. thanks again!

Mike

mm4pool · Jul 13, 2010

just an update

i got a return match against the "banger" who frustrated me so badly a few weeks ago. totally different match this time. when he was at the table i did not pay any attention to what he was doing, when it was my turn i approached the table fresh. he jumped to an early lead, but i stayed in the game. came back ran out last 3 racks and won the match. sure felt good to exorcise that demon. thanks to all who contributed earlier, the suggestions really helped. i also gave him a helpin of safties which he wasnt so successful in getting out of.

Mike

maidenfreak · Jul 14, 2010

This helped me when I was starting off. In league play my team made sure I did not know the opponents rating, what the race was to, or even how many more balls/games were left. I just played my game and had a good time. This allowed me to concentrate on the table in front of me not the weight I had to give up, etc. Hope this helps!

PaulieB · Jul 14, 2010

Just trust in the fact that skill always beats luck in the long run .... regardless of how much your opponents luck seems to be kicking your butt at the time! Pretend you are the Vegas casino and the banger is the guy that happens to hit the slot jackpot for a few grand - you know you will eventually get it back.

12310bch · Jul 14, 2010

DogsPlayingPool said:
8 Ball at league level is not usually a run out game.

Surely you effing jest. Or should I say, "you effing joketh with me." I don't know what leagues you played in but even at my low level of play , running out was the name of the game.

uttahere:

need help/advice please

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