Mental game after someone puts a 4 pack on you?!

M

Mustardeer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Was playing Saratoga 5 ahead on a diamond barbox. I lost the flip. He started off with a 2 pack, then I kicked and sold out. Then it was 4-0 and I was shooting my 2nd shot. There was an out. I didn't get out.

The night before someone told me I should ask for weight and I got offended. During the warm up I was on fire. I was 100% sure I was gonna smoke him.

I thought I was the master of not caring under pressure. Turns out I know nothing.
So, say you're playing race to 11, your opponent opens up with a ten pack. Your first shot. What's your secret to be able to still play your game?
 
mikemosconi

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
First of all- common sense- if you are going to gamble with anyone who is capable of 3,4,5,+ pak runout, then you had better be capable of the same if you are playing even up! If you are NOT capable and you know they are, you had better know what spot makes the game AT LEAST even for YOU, otherwise, just hand him your money an walk away, unless you want to pay for a pool lesson. If you are capable and the opponent runs a pack on you first, the mindset should always be that what he just did- you can do too! Many times been down 5-0, 6-1 in race to 7 and WON- mindset should always be that you can do just what they did until the last ball drops- unless, as I said, you put yourself in a game you could NEVER win from the very start. You would be surprised how fast the pressure mounts on someone who is WAY AHEAD in a set once the opponent starts to come roaring back. I have seen it many times.
 
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babyboy70363

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mustardeer said:
Was playing Saratoga 5 ahead on a diamond barbox. I lost the flip. He started off with a 2 pack, then I kicked and sold out. Then it was 4-0 and I was shooting my 2nd shot. There was an out. I didn't get out.



The night before someone told me I should ask for weight and I got offended. During the warm up I was on fire. I was 100% sure I was gonna smoke him.



I thought I was the master of not caring under pressure. Turns out I know nothing.

So, say you're playing race to 11, your opponent opens up with a ten pack. Your first shot. What's your secret to be able to still play your game?
Click to expand...
Everytime I get to the table (mentally) I'm down 10-0 in a race to 11!

It wasn't always this way for me. It use to be that if I was up I'd get comfortable........the problem with that was I'd start free wheeling which resulted in missing makable shots and running whitey all over the table to get shape unnecessarily and ultimately losing games I had every chance of winning.

Sent from my mobular device!
 
336Robin

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Mustardeer said:
Was playing Saratoga 5 ahead on a diamond barbox. I lost the flip. He started off with a 2 pack, then I kicked and sold out. Then it was 4-0 and I was shooting my 2nd shot. There was an out. I didn't get out.

The night before someone told me I should ask for weight and I got offended. During the warm up I was on fire. I was 100% sure I was gonna smoke him.

I thought I was the master of not caring under pressure. Turns out I know nothing.
So, say you're playing race to 11, your opponent opens up with a ten pack. Your first shot. What's your secret to be able to still play your game?
Click to expand...

I broke and missed one the balls I was shooting and ended up down 4-0 in a
race to five about 8 yrs ago. I won that match. I've never forgotten it. Changed my game forever.
 
Michael Andros

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
Mustardeer said:
Was playing Saratoga 5 ahead on a diamond barbox. I lost the flip. He started off with a 2 pack, then I kicked and sold out. Then it was 4-0 and I was shooting my 2nd shot. There was an out. I didn't get out.

The night before someone told me I should ask for weight and I got offended. During the warm up I was on fire. I was 100% sure I was gonna smoke him.

I thought I was the master of not caring under pressure. Turns out I know nothing.
So, say you're playing race to 11, your opponent opens up with a ten pack. Your first shot. What's your secret to be able to still play your game?
Click to expand...

Nobody ever put a 10pack on me but in a ring game once, Tall Dave from Philly strung 2 from the snap, then broke dry and I ran out. As I'm waiting for him to rack, he says to me ( and he was serious ) "I just ran 2 racks... you can't run out!" I said "Sorry, Dave, I won't do it again."

( but I did... )

:grin: :grin: :grin:
 
JazzyJeff87

JazzyJeff87

AzB Plutonium Member
Silver Member
I do my best to stay fully in the game no matter what’s going on. I’m a full blown pool fanatic and I love watching good pool as well as playing so when someone is playing real well and putting something on me I just watch and enjoy it.

Don’t get mad at them, or worried...the worst is worrying that you’ll embarrass yourself coming to the table after spectacular play from someone else. This was a problem I had when I first started playing in tourneys and for $. I had “prepared “ myself for a year and a half or so before I ever went into the world playing and I just was not used to the pressure.

What finally helped was telling myself to just enjoy it and telling myself that this is MY
game and it’s what I do well. Once I started remembering that during matches I started to do much better. I’d think of us both as 2 awesome players putting on a show and that mind set really helped me...even when it was just the 2 of us lol.
 
couldnthinkof01

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If the fat lady aint singin', I still gotta chane of winnin'.

I look at it like the if the match isnt over
I can only control when I have a chance
at the table. The only secret I know for
pressure is playing under pressure frequently.

Like Robin said once you beat that player
you can never beat or your down 4 zip in a race to 5.
It becomes waaaay easier. The more matches
you play the more this type of thing happens.
Experience, there is no substitute.
 
P

pvc lou

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
couldnthinkof01 said:
If the fat lady aint singin', I still gotta chane of winnin'.



I look at it like the if the match isnt over

I can only control when I have a chance

at the table. The only secret I know for

pressure is playing under pressure frequently.



Like Robin said once you beat that player

you can never beat or your down 4 zip in a race to 5.

It becomes waaaay easier. The more matches

you play the more this type of thing happens.

Experience, there is no substitute.
Click to expand...



I like this. No matter how much you’re down, if it ain’t over, then you have to play...so just play. You might lose, and you might win. See what happens. Keep it simple
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
how can I get on top?

Anytime someone puts a run on you they have gained the aggressive advantage. The question becomes "What can I do to regain control of the table?" If you can fire back with that big of a pack or better, fine. If not, the question becomes how do you shut down the other player while chipping away at their lead? If your brain is working and you are fighting, fine. If you are rattled, take a break. Remind yourself who you are and why you are here.

Something I learned many years ago is a simple mental trick. I always consider myself the pacemaker whatever I compete in. I don't have to beat anyone else, I just have to lay down my game. They have to try to beat that. That bit of mental maneuvering takes the pressure off of me and at least in my mind puts it on the other person. If I function well all should work out in the end. If I function well and lose, I lost before I ever got on the table. Lesson learned.

Hu
 
alstl

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mustardeer said:
Was playing Saratoga 5 ahead on a diamond barbox. I lost the flip. He started off with a 2 pack, then I kicked and sold out. Then it was 4-0 and I was shooting my 2nd shot. There was an out. I didn't get out.

The night before someone told me I should ask for weight and I got offended. During the warm up I was on fire. I was 100% sure I was gonna smoke him.

I thought I was the master of not caring under pressure. Turns out I know nothing.
So, say you're playing race to 11, your opponent opens up with a ten pack. Your first shot. What's your secret to be able to still play your game?
Click to expand...

When Archer put up an 11 pack on Bustamante to run out the set Bustamante asked Archer to double the bet and if I remember the story correctly Bustamante won the next 2 sets.

I suppose it depends on you skill level. If someone opened with a 10 pack on me I'd quit because no amount of weight would overcome that.
 
couldnthinkof01

couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
alstl said:
When Archer put up an 11 pack on Bustamante to run out the set Bustamante asked Archer to double the bet and if I remember the story correctly Bustamante won the next 2 sets.

I suppose it depends on you skill level. If someone opened with a 10 pack on me I'd quit because no amount of weight would overcome that.
Click to expand...

Part of that is skill level. Part of that is odds.
What are the odds that even one of the greatest
9 ball players ever is going to do that again?
1 in 20
1 in 100 might be closer.

They both play close to even. That run was an outlier.
Get the guy to double the bet when he is on a high.
Not that big of a of a deal to Busty. He knows the odds.
 
M

megatron69

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Everyone that's been in a similar spot probably has their own idea of how to deal with this situation; you're job is to figure out what yours will be from now on.

I just play it one game at a time. I know, that sounds cliche, and it probably is, but that's how I look at it. I will say that I do try to put pressure on my opponent any way I can, if possible (on the table; I don't shark, take extra long to shoot, take frequent restroom breaks, etc., or any of that kind of weak-*ss stuff). But if I can put a really difficult safety on him, or get a solid run-out, or a bit of a trick shot, etc., I'll do it to try and get in his head a little.

Note: the odds of winning 8,9,10 or more games in a row are minuscule, mathematically speaking. The more you think about how tough it's going to be, the more likely you're going to screw it up. I used to go into those scenarios thinking, "He's got me; just shoot like you know what you're doing and let God sort it out."
 
Michael Andros

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
alstl said:
When Archer put up an 11 pack on Bustamante to run out the set Bustamante asked Archer to double the bet and if I remember the story correctly Bustamante won the next 2 sets.

I suppose it depends on you skill level. If someone opened with a 10 pack on me I'd quit because no amount of weight would overcome that.
Click to expand...

It was **13**. Archer said no thanks to doubling the bet ( I heard it was 1K, not sure tho ), promptly lost the next set and unscrewed.
 
M

Mustardeer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It was **13**. Archer said no thanks to doubling the bet ( I heard it was 1K, not sure tho ), promptly lost the next set and unscrewed.
Click to expand...

That’s a famous story, I heard that one years ago, always assumed it was true.
 
J

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mustardeer said:
Was playing Saratoga 5 ahead on a diamond barbox. I lost the flip. He started off with a 2 pack, then I kicked and sold out. Then it was 4-0 and I was shooting my 2nd shot. There was an out. I didn't get out.

The night before someone told me I should ask for weight and I got offended. During the warm up I was on fire. I was 100% sure I was gonna smoke him.

I thought I was the master of not caring under pressure. Turns out I know nothing.
So, say you're playing race to 11, your opponent opens up with a ten pack. Your first shot. What's your secret to be able to still play your game?
Click to expand...


The only shot we are promised is the lag shot unless alternate break.

Other than ^^^^^^^^, all i know is:


GRIND MODE!!!
 
jviss

jviss

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mustardeer said:
Was playing Saratoga 5 ahead on a diamond barbox. I lost the flip. He started off with a 2 pack, then I kicked and sold out. Then it was 4-0 and I was shooting my 2nd shot. There was an out. I didn't get out.

The night before someone told me I should ask for weight and I got offended. During the warm up I was on fire. I was 100% sure I was gonna smoke him.
Click to expand...

I wish I knew what this all meant! I'm new to (serious) pool, and I don't know the lingo.
 
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