What did you learn in your last loss?

W

WillyCornbread

Break and One
Silver Member
I thought it might be fun/informative to start a thread where people could post a few short one liners of things they learned in their last loss...

Might find some quick things to think about before they happen in a loss...

I'll start, lost a close 9 ball set to a much better player. I learned...

1) Go look at the shot from the other side dummy and you would have realized a simple stop shot on the 8 works fine vs. the force 4 rail nonsense. Distance isn't the only thing to consider, in fact it's probably not even the first thing to consider.

2) Having to RUN the table is not the same as having to CONTROL the table, should have played position for safe instead of thinking the only way to win is out.

3) I REALLY don't like it when my opponent wins, then starts explaining to me what he thinks I should have done differently.


b
 
W

westcoast

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That I should have concentrated on making the ball before the 8 ball. I overcut it because I was focused on holding for the leave when I should have just made the ball and accepted a less than perfect leave.
 
W

westcoast

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
WillyCornbread said:
I thought it might be fun/informative to start a thread where people could post a few short one liners of things they learned in their last loss...

Might find some quick things to think about before they happen in a loss...

I'll start, lost a close 9 ball set to a much better player. I learned...

1) Go look at the shot from the other side dummy and you would have realized a simple stop shot on the 8 works fine vs. the force 4 rail nonsense. Distance isn't the only thing to consider, in fact it's probably not even the first thing to consider.

2) Having to RUN the table is not the same as having to CONTROL the table, should have played position for safe instead of thinking the only way to win is out.

3) I REALLY don't like it when my opponent wins, then starts explaining to me what he thinks I should have done differently.


b
Click to expand...
I do find unsolicited advice to be quite annoying- especially if it occurs right after a loss. Obviously, you had a plan that could have worked and it just didn't work out- no need to tell you why their plan would have been better when there is no way to really know.
 
C

Cameron Smith

is kind of hungry...
Silver Member
Never underestimate an opponent, even if they are completely misfiring at the start of a match. It was a silly mistake, he kept missing and I was playing well. I took a few too many liberties and all of the sudden I got to see the excellent player that he was.
 
J

Jeff Rosen

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cameron Smith said:
Never underestimate an opponent, even if they are completely misfiring at the start of a match. It was a silly mistake, he kept missing and I was playing well. I took a few too many liberties and all of the sudden I got to see the excellent player that he was.
Click to expand...

Never underestimate an opponent like you said and don't take unnecessary gambles when you can play safe or make an easier shot.
First of all, I'm not the greatest player, a 3 in APA and a D+ in NAPL & Predator Tour.
So I'm at my straight pool league and I'm playing a new player to the league, the only female. We're both the lowest handicaps in the league as there are really good players including one who was in the World 14.1 at Steinway. I have been improving my stroke lately and running a lot of balls in practice consistantly so I thought I was going to slaughter her. About 3 times I gambled on a hard shot that I wasn't sure of just to break up a cluster and all 3 times missed but DID break up the cluster giving her runs of 5-7 balls each time. (I know that doesn't sound so impressive but we both were on the lower end) Each time I had an easier shot and/or an easy safety. As it turned it she ended up whipping my ass!!
 
S

Str8PoolMan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What did I learn?...

1) No lead is safe.

2) Concentrate on the shot at hand, not the next three you're planning to shoot after this one.

3) No matter what the score or what your opponent is doing, play your own game.

4) Have a very short memory. If you miss, forget about it. The past can't be changed. The future can be changed by letting go of the past and concentrating on the present.

5) Some (nay, most) days I really suck at this game.
 
DaveM

DaveM

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I didn't learn anything, but I remembered something. If I am down over a shot and still thinking with words, that is bad. Get up, relax and reset. If I am down for a shot and can picture the desired out come without an internal monologue, I am shooting much better. I haven't been playing much due to injury and it is affecting my play.
 
C

Cameron Smith

is kind of hungry...
Silver Member
Jeff Rosen said:
Never underestimate an opponent like you said and don't take unnecessary gambles when you can play safe or make an easier shot.
First of all, I'm not the greatest player, a 3 in APA and a D+ in NAPL & Predator Tour.
So I'm at my straight pool league and I'm playing a new player to the league, the only female. We're both the lowest handicaps in the league as there are really good players including one who was in the World 14.1 at Steinway. I have been improving my stroke lately and running a lot of balls in practice consistantly so I thought I was going to slaughter her. About 3 times I gambled on a hard shot that I wasn't sure of just to break up a cluster and all 3 times missed but DID break up the cluster giving her runs of 5-7 balls each time. (I know that doesn't sound so impressive but we both were on the lower end) Each time I had an easier shot and/or an easy safety. As it turned it she ended up whipping my ass!!
Click to expand...

That's more or less what happened to me. It's a good learning experience.
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Do. Not. Miss. The. 9 Ball. Especially when it just sits in the pocket.

Last tournament I played in I lost two matches, including the finals, because I missed 4 9 balls and the guy made 2 early 9 ball combos (I was spotting him 6-3). He could have just taken a nap and I could have told him who won at the end, he maybe made 6 balls outside of the hanging 9 balls I left him in two sets total, but won because I missed those 9 balls. His play had no effect on the outcome, my missing the final balls were 100% of the reason I lost.
 
Last edited:
chefjeff

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
Last night I was having too much fun. Our opponents were led by a guy I used to play with and we got to talking and stuff and next thing ya know....

sigh


Jeff Livingston
 
couldnthinkof01

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Two things. My stroke can always get smoother and sometimes the pool gods just want you to break dry. I will now sacrafice the loin of a cow to appease the gods for tonight.
 
R

RichSchultz

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1. do your pre shot routine, no matter how easy the shot is. 2. calm down, if you miss or if you fall behind. failure to do this causes self destruction
 
Ahgao86

Ahgao86

Registered
To not play when you are lack of sleep. ��������
 
ric23

ric23

no stroke!!!
Silver Member
HA! If you're right handed, use a bridge for a 9 ball hanger on your weak side. Remind yourself you're not Uncle Efren that can just switch to your weak hand and be fine. Made the 9 and the cue ball. Did this on a race to 3 match, at a 2-0 count. I was so frustrated I wanted to walk away! But that would've been unfair to my opponent.... to give him a win like that, specially if he can.....and did... stage a 3-2 comeback!

He was a friend. And he was so surprised about what happened, he even said he was about to just give it to me. Well, well, well. Lesson #2, never give anybody anything when you're playing a tourney, money game or just doing serious practice. This has been discussed before and I know to each their own on this one.
 
pwd72s

pwd72s

recreational banger
Silver Member
to pay more attention to the game instead of the extremely well filled yoga pants two tables over...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top