Advice playing against old home town shortstop!!

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pip9ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been practicing judiciously for the past 2.5 months in order to prepare myself for a matchup with my old hometown shortstop. About a year ago, he was probably about 3-4 balls better than me. I have been playing much stronger lately because of the increased competition in my new home town. Well yesterday I stopped by the pool hall and played him some cheap sets getting the 8-ball and got drilled. I didn't have my cue with me as it is still being shipped over here, but I know this wasn't the main cause. I never felt comfortable and was missing shots I normally make. Does wanting to win so bad hurt your game? I look at this match as a chance to see how I stack up with the old crowd. I don't care about the money...I just to play the way Im capable of playing and the outcome will be in my favor.

Any advice on how to approach my next session? Should I ask for more weight? (If Im playing the way I know I can...I should beat him with the 8). He was playing alot of safeties which I think helped him. Should I start being passive as well?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Trying to hard can have as bad of an effect on your game as not trying at all. Its hard to stay focused and keep your concentration level up when your constantly trying to impress someone. Jut play the table and forget about trying to impress anyone.If you really want to impress them then just play and forget who it is your playing. The impressing will take care of itself. Dont focus on his game such as when and if he plays safe to the point that you start to second guess your game. Good Luck...........Dave
 
pip9ball said:
Any advice on how to approach my next session? Should I ask for more weight? (If Im playing the way I know I can...I should beat him with the 8). He was playing alot of safeties which I think helped him. Should I start being passive as well?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

Thanks!
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If your goal is to become better than this guy, and it's not so much about the money, then you really should be playing him even, IMO. If you feel that you should win getting the 8, then beating him while getting the 7 isn't going to do much for you. If, however, you get the 7 and lose to him, then there will be a massive confidence-shift from you to him, which you want to avoid at all costs. If you play him even and win, however, then you will be the benefactor of the confidence-shift. For the sake of your self-confidence, which is huge in this game, you need to set yourself up for successes, not failures. By playing him even, you are setting yourself up for an eventual huge success. And there's not a lot of risk; if you lose to him playing even, then you should not consider that a failure since you're currently the underdog, but you absolutely have to gain something from your losses. You can gain by figuring out what things you could have done better and then by working on them; also by figuring out the things he could have done better and trying to exploit those weaknesses next time.

Good luck!

Aaron
 
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Also, I would definately ask for more weight to start. This could buy you some more time to get in the slot.

regards,
 
I am not sure this is the “right” way to do it, but I have used it a few times with arrogant jerks.

Nothing breaks the other guy’s game like getting safed 4, 5 times in a row. He knows you are doing it. What is more important is that he misses a few two rail kicks in a row and then is determined not to miss the next easy shot. He is ticked, waiting for an easy shot and of course we all shoot until we miss. Now you have him angry as he knows that you will safe him again. His anger and your safe wrecks his game. So if you play conservatively (make a few) and always leave a safe – you are in control not him and that puts anyone off.

Finally, when he is visibly angry with himself and you, leave him a few long difficult cut shots and wait for him to miss. After that he will wreck his own game.

If it is all about winning the first thing you want to do is destroy his game. It sounds like that is what he is doing to you.

Playing pool can be brutal it is about offense and defense.
 
I just played my billiard mentor after we visited Vally Forge, and I really improved since we last played (it's been a while) and I really was focused on showing him my stuff. Too focused; I missed all kinds of shots I can make 9 out of 10 times in my sleep. I think he was excited to see the skill, but I just couldn't put it all together. Kind of kills my confidence playing against him, as he is a much better player than I am (and much better than most I know).
 
my oppinion...

in my oppinion... its all about the confidence... you have to be confident that your going to get the cash... if your not confident then its going to show through and your not going to be able to play your best... maybe take a couple easy games and get your confidence up there and then you can try him some more...
 
JoeW said:
I am not sure this is the “right” way to do it, but I have used it a few times with arrogant jerks.

Nothing breaks the other guy’s game like getting safed 4, 5 times in a row. He knows you are doing it. What is more important is that he misses a few two rail kicks in a row and then is determined not to miss the next easy shot. He is ticked, waiting for an easy shot and of course we all shoot until we miss. Now you have him angry as he knows that you will safe him again. His anger and your safe wrecks his game. So if you play conservatively (make a few) and always leave a safe – you are in control not him and that puts anyone off.

Finally, when he is visibly angry with himself and you, leave him a few long difficult cut shots and wait for him to miss. After that he will wreck his own game.

If it is all about winning the first thing you want to do is destroy his game. It sounds like that is what he is doing to you.

Playing pool can be brutal it is about offense and defense.
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This only works on lower tier players or good players who are off their game.

It's one thing to play conservatively, opt for safety rather than the tough shot, but it's quite another play a safety when you have routine pot and easy position.

The more you allow your opponent back to the table the more opportunity for bad things to happen. He/she could snooker you right back and gain control of the table and run out.

It's not a bad strategy for B players and maybe some A players, but against a shortstop I believe you would end up broke as I am sure this guy has a good (if not strong) safety game.

Personally I like to play by myself for about an hour or so before I play any matches. I prefer to give myself the opportunity to be warmed up and comfortable.

If I start playing someone the moment I get into the pool room, I am more likely to be uncomfortable at the table, and I will miss much more.
 
Thats a tough deal your going through!.....you want to show everyone how much you improved, you want the respect you think you deserve from your new stronger game, you know you moved up on the ladder, but all you have to do is SHOW THEM!....not always easy.

they....on the other hand remember the "old" you, are'nt expecting much different from the last time they saw you shoot, show you no more respect than they did before, and expect nothing more from you than what the remember.....so, what do you do?

take the same weight again....settle in and start playing the game you know you now have! forget the "I'm gonna showem" junk...it will get you no where! unless you get rid of all the Ego thinking you will never show your tru new speed. Let it all go, play well, and that in itself will be more than enough for them to realise you are'nt the same guy as before.

Gerry
 
Look here

You've been playing better for 2.5 months, and how long has the SS been playing..... LOL

The problem you see, is that he already knows that what you don't know you don't know........ and that's why he almost never loses.
 
There are a couple factors that have to be taken into account here. To take the last first, I think you should get more weight. It's very simple--if you're playing for money, and particularly if your net financial results with the player have been negative (as they obviously have in this case), take all the weight you can get. You'll have plenty other opportunities to force him to stop giving you weight and to perhaps drill him even, but get the weight while you can.

Second, you must seriously and objectively evaluate your current level of play. While you may be playing a lot better, there are significant skill sets, knowledge and experience that you must acquire, polish and put together in order to jump 3-4 balls up to the shortstop level. It's a whole different proposition than jumping 3-4 steps to the B+ level, and most people certainly don't do it in a year.

Finally, even if your skills are now on the level of our old hometown shortstop's, you still have the intimidation factor to contend with. Often, when the opponent is one for whom you have had a lot of admiration and respect as an up and coming player, there is an internal struggle that is often larger than the struggle taking place on the table. Think of a teenaged son beating his father (in anything) for the first time. As every father and grown son knows, that moment was preceded by many contests in which the father's psychological dominance was, in reality, the only thing that decided the outcome. So is it also with pool.

One mental trick that you can use is to look at your opponent's game with a critical eye. While observing and learning from what he does well, make sure to note the flaws in your opponent's game. Not only will you be able to utilize this knowledge to your advantage in your pushouts and safeties, but it will helps to break down the intimidation factor when you realize that your opponent's good, but he's not God, he's not Efren or Johnny, and he's nobody that you can't beat (assuming, of course, that this is actually true). Then go ahead and prove it!

Finally, play YOUR game! The moment you allow yourself to be drawn into your opponent's style of play is the moment that you totally surrender control of the match. Don't play wild and loose, but go for your shot when it's the higher percentage play just like you would with anyone else. Part of breaking the psychological edge that the shortstop has over you is to play him just as you would play any other good player.

Good luck!
 
Sounds like he has more experience and knowledge of the game than you do at this point. There is more to 9 ball than just running out...especially if your giving up weight. Sounds like he simply knows how to win. If you are playing cheap sets, keep playing and take mental notes as much as possible....thats the best way to learn. JMO.

Southpaw
 
Snapshot9 said:
You've been playing better for 2.5 months, and how long has the SS been playing..... LOL

The problem you see, is that he already knows that what you don't know you don't know........ and that's why he almost never loses.
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Actually, nowhere in my post have I said that I've been playing better for 2.5 months. I said I have been practicing more often on a schedule for 2.5 months. I'ts been over a year since I've played him and I have gotten much better. He hasn't improved his play one bit because there is no competition around his area. He's still a better player but only by a ball or two. A year ago he could give me the 7-out and drill me. I asked for advice on how to just play my game...I don't care about the money I just wanted to play my game and have fun.

I'd like to thank all the posters who actually gave advice and not some smart a$$ comment, LOL.

Yesterday we played again for 4 hours with the same spot and I was up $100. We adjusted to even and played for another 3 hours and I walked away with $40.

-pip9ball
 
pip9ball said:
Actually, nowhere in my post have I said that I've been playing better for 2.5 months. I said I have been practicing more often on a schedule for 2.5 months. I'ts been over a year since I've played him and I have gotten much better. He hasn't improved his play one bit because there is no competition around his area. He's still a better player but only by a ball or two. A year ago he could give me the 7-out and drill me. I asked for advice on how to just play my game...I don't care about the money I just wanted to play my game and have fun.

I'd like to thank all the posters who actually gave advice and not some smart a$$ comment, LOL.

Yesterday we played again for 4 hours with the same spot and I was up $100. We adjusted to even and played for another 3 hours and I walked away with $40.

-pip9ball
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Congratulations! I hope that the posters, in general, were of some assistance. One point of clarification, though. From the language of your post I'm not clear about whether you won another $40 after you switched to even or if you lost back $60 and netted $40.

Either way, it's quite possible that an important step has been taken. Keep matching up with him and use that momentum to propel your game further.

Good luck!
 
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