"Bad Rolls" How do you handle them?

inside_english said:

You know the nightmare scenario whereby your opponent's missed shot means an unintentional safe for you...and sometimes your missed shot equates to a beautiful setup for them, almost bordering on a BIH situation?

How do you handle these?

I know of players that get crazy when this happens at least two or three times in a match. Then they start complaining, over and over about it. Magically though, when they get such a roll in their favor they never seem to mind!

I have seen/heard many an argument regarding these types of rolls, which almost always devolve into a bickering match, and sometimes may even run the risk of coming to blows!

Then there are those players who like to look around at the spectators and give a smirk or grin or whatever when they receive an unfavorable roll from their opponent...like it never happens to them!

Anyway, just wondering how some of you handle these. How do you process them and get past them mentally?

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Ive been here many times. I really dont focus on a roll as good or bad, its just a roll! I used to waste a lot of my mental energy on getting upset over a lucky roll my opponent got. It serves no purpose and really can get you off your game. I know at some point I'm gonna get a few rolls my way!
I just bear down and try to play as best I can each time up to the table.


I watched a guy break the shaft off his Shuler cue last night for just such a roll ( a match I was wathing on another table)...seems stupid to ruin your stuff over something you cant change.

I have found that most of my bad rolls are caused by me on choosing my lane to the zone or rolling the dice that I miss a ball that I know is going to be hit with my QB. Good/lucky rolls for my opponent do tend to p*** me off though. Johnnyt

inside_english said:

You know the nightmare scenario whereby your opponent's missed shot means an unintentional safe for you...and sometimes your missed shot equates to a beautiful setup for them, almost bordering on a BIH situation?

How do you handle these?

I know of players that get crazy when this happens at least two or three times in a match. Then they start complaining, over and over about it. Magically though, when they get such a roll in their favor they never seem to mind!

I have seen/heard many an argument regarding these types of rolls, which almost always devolve into a bickering match, and sometimes may even run the risk of coming to blows!

Then there are those players who like to look around at the spectators and give a smirk or grin or whatever when they receive an unfavorable roll from their opponent...like it never happens to them!

Anyway, just wondering how some of you handle these. How do you process them and get past them mentally?

Click to expand...

TOUGHEN UP.
The unfailing rule in pool is, the guy that plays the best gets the rolls.
Try to be him.
Rod.

To become a great player you must have a short term memory for bad shots, rolls, etc. Quicker you leave it at the table and dont take it to the chair with you, the better you will overcome future situations. I used to watch a 3C player that if he hit a bad shot, by the first rail he knew he wouldnt catch the billiard he would automatically head for the chair. I asked him why he did this and simply put, he said "I know I hit it bad, why watch it and torture myself"

Good luck...

inside_english said:

How do you handle these?

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Bad Rolls as you say happen to everyone, and I would say they are part of the fun of the game, or just part of the game.:wink:

It is all part of the game. Any game, any sport. Rolls even themselves out. If you don't believe that you are only going to suffer from Roll envy the rest of your life and never enjoy competition again. Remember, a bad roll for you is a GOOD roll for your opponent.

If you really want to get rid of the 'Roll Envy' get a pencil and paper and just note for each player the number of good rolls and bad rolls over a 10 game set.

Once you realize that even the best players get their share of bad rolls, you'll be able to enjoy competing again and focus on what is the most important shot you'll ever have while competing... the shot you are about to shoot.

inside_english said:

You know the nightmare scenario whereby your opponent's missed shot means an unintentional safe for you...and sometimes your missed shot equates to a beautiful setup for them, almost bordering on a BIH situation?

How do you handle these?

I know of players that get crazy when this happens at least two or three times in a match. Then they start complaining, over and over about it. Magically though, when they get such a roll in their favor they never seem to mind!

I have seen/heard many an argument regarding these types of rolls, which almost always devolve into a bickering match, and sometimes may even run the risk of coming to blows!

Then there are those players who like to look around at the spectators and give a smirk or grin or whatever when they receive an unfavorable roll from their opponent...like it never happens to them!

Anyway, just wondering how some of you handle these. How do you process them and get past them mentally?

Click to expand...

you just have to face it you will get good and bad rolls its pool.
just let it go when you get your turn make the best of it.

Not that I'm always successful... But one thing I've tried to learn to remember is that you are always representing yourself. If you can stay composed, within yourself, and present a detached demeanor to luck - as well as a "professionally" sportsmanlike manner in general, then you not only have a chance to turn a negative into a positive by potentially rattling your opponent when they don't get the reaction they expect, but those around you will have a chance to view you as a good player.
If you act like a pr**k, you're sure to be discussed as one. If you act like a good, seasoned player, and treat others with respect...

Missed shot, bad roll, playing with fever, playing with physical pain or mental anguish?

Irving Crane once gave me the maxim for a lifetime - "Never show weakness to an opponent." In other words, no matter how things are going, stay composed and never let your opponent sense that you are agitated over something. Opponents, Irving contended, will feed off any weakness you show them.

Dealing with the inevitable ebbs and flows in the game is somethng you can only learn from experience. Like every other part of the game, practice makes perfect, so practice staying composed.

What works for me is I slam the stick down hard and then I say "Motherless Co......ing whore bastard!". After i do this i get embarrassed and i calm down.

as it happens . . .

I was going to start a thread about bad rolls a few days ago. Too much else going on but here are my thoughts about bad rolls from that day.

The rolls and safety play by your opponent.

I see these two things, particularly bad rolls, demoralize many a decent player. Seems like far too common a complaint both on the forums and in the pool hall, "I was done in by bad rolls" or even a single bad roll.

Most people attribute the rolls completely to luck and feel even good safety play is often lucky. One thing I see many very good players do, even occasionally a pro, is give up on a shot after a bad roll or good safety. They don't see any good options so they throw away a shot with a half-hearted effort. I believe the mental process behind this is that to concede the shot is better than a maximum effort and still failing.

I see things a wee bit differently. First, if you take a a little time to study the table there may be an unorthodox move that will better your situation. Simply finding the unanticipated excellent option can weaken your opponent's confidence a little even if the shot ultimately fails by a narrow margin. Aside from that, you haven't weakened your own mental focus by giving up, not even for a single shot. Sometimes the shot works too and you have prevented ball in hand or destroyed your opponent's run out.

When your opponent is "getting all the rolls" it is usually due to their playing style. Accept that this is part of their game, not truly luck. They may be lucky but they are putting themselves in position to be lucky even if it is by sending the cue ball three laps around the table every shot and destroying patterns on almost every shot. I once beat a chess player regularly that was far above me by any reasonable standard by deliberately setting up the conventional patterns and breaking them over and over. If the other player keeps you off balance, accept that this is part of their game and you are going to have to regroup and resort the patterns every time you come to the table.

Never underestimate your opponent, regardless of why they are difficult to play. Boxers have been a champs because they were awkward and almost impossible to time. When a player is awkward on a pool table that has to be considered when playing them. They aren't just awkward for themselves, they make things awkward for you too.

Never give in to "bad rolls". I don't consider one in ten of them truly just luck. I believe that is a better mental attitude than thinking bad rolls are pure luck and you are cursed by the gods.

Hu

I get all the good rolls

I don't get bad rolls, only bad shots I make that messed up my position.

If my opponent's miss turns into an unintentional safe, I don't know it. I just think he played a safe on me, which gives me the satisfaction of wiping that smirk off his face when I kick out of the safe and freeze the ob onto a rail, forcing him to cross table bank

It helps that I get all sorts of good rolls all the time. I don't know how many times I was just kicking at a ball to escape a safety and the CB cuts it just right on the rail to make it, and I end up with good position to run out. I know this does happen to others, so guys, make note of when these awsome things happen to you, and just bring up these happy thoughts when the rolls don't seem to favor you.

Here's my most recent one where the pool gods appear to be against you.

Playing 9-ball....

I break and make 2 balls. Wide open table with good spread. Hooked on the 1-ball. Play a jump shot and nail the pocket. CB drifts up onto another ball so I can't see the 2-ball. Forced to kick at the 2-ball. Kick at and hit the 2-ball. CB caroms off the 2 and scratches. Opponent runs out.......

I use the bad rolls to show my opponent my uncanning kicking abilities.

I laugh. I'm not one of those dudes who says "never get mad at the pool table". I think it's permissable to get mad at yourself when you screw up. But why get mad at stuff that isn't your fault? Or anyone else's?

I find it's a good time to practice your funny insults. The other day I got a good roll and my buddy says "oh, you dirty jewish handbasket". It cracked me up. He's not racist and I'm not jewish, we just like to put totally random racial slurs and swear words into our friendly insults.

I just chalk up and start looking at the angles for my kick.

Well in the early days I was very frustrated and coursing the other guy luck. Today I am just happy that I am at the table and he didn't run out !

inside_english said:

You know the nightmare scenario whereby your opponent's missed shot means an unintentional safe for you...and sometimes your missed shot equates to a beautiful setup for them, almost bordering on a BIH situation?

How do you handle these?

Click to expand...

I b*tch about it like an immature baby.

Fred <~~~ just like lots of people

I expect to be left bad by my opponent, and when I am not I am pleasantly suprised. A tough leave is a challenge, maybe you just muster a good hit and hope for the best.