B player to A player

Thepoolroomchef

Thepoolroomchef

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Looking for some advice on how to go about moving up in skill level. I feel like at times my game is a short stop level, but most of the time a B to B+ skill level. I'm not a gambler( which I am told will bring my game up, I will agree with that just haven't started that road yet.) I have reached B+ level by just a love for playing pool and a few tournys here and there. I have only had 1 lesson( which there was no 1 on 1 time spent, which wasn't very benificial). I guess this is a question for the better pool players out there. What was the biggest thing that brought your game up that extra notch or two? Was it drills, playing the ghost, tournys, the gamble, lessons?
Any advice would be great.
 
BCA classes. No quick fix but if you work on what they teach you will improve and become more consistant. I had the same problem. I would shoot great and then not so good. Now I am more consistant and have good fundamnetals to build on.
 
well first off, i don't think you need advice from someone who is an a player, just anyone who moved up speeds... i know you sound like your opposed to gambling but i can safely say from experience that it took thousands of dollars lost to better players to learn how not to lose... its called paying dues i suppose... as a result you get it back when you make better games...

gambling doesn't always have to be a vice, it can be used to improve your game... gambling teaches you
1. how to win
and 2. how not to lose...

it may sound like the same thing but its not... when your down 6-2 in a race to 7, gambling teaches you how not to lose... when your up 6-2 it teaches you how to make a tough shot on the nine to win,... overall it makes your more competitive and builds a strong urge to win.. which is necessary at any speed to get better...
 
also... instructors can show you different shots and different angles for position, but they can never put you in that clutch situation where you make a tough shot to win a set.. and thats what gambling has to offer...
 
Thanks for the advice. I know that tournys are not the same as gambling but i feel they give off close to the same feeling that you are explaining.
 
Thepoolroomchef said:
Thanks for the advice. I know that tournys are not the same as gambling but i feel they give off close to the same feeling that you are explaining.
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I think tournies can be tougher than gambling. When gambling, you can always play another set, if you didn't play well. In tournies, you have to bring it now. You don't have the luxury of taking a set off.

I'm no teacher, but from personal experience, learning to concentrate more on shotmaking, not taking any balls for granted, and playing better position. Recognizing shots that are lower percentage and playing them correctly, instead of taking a flyer and selling out. Practicing my break where you can hit the rack solid, and not lose the cb. Best I can say is that if you are playing B+ speed, you don't need any secrets, you just need to practice what you already know til you are more consistant. You need to improve the shots you are never supposed to miss, rather than practicing some ridiculous or extreme cut shots.


Eric
 
Thepoolroomchef said:
Looking for some advice on how to go about moving up in skill level. I feel like at times my game is a short stop level, but most of the time a B to B+ skill level. I'm not a gambler( which I am told will bring my game up, I will agree with that just haven't started that road yet.) I have reached B+ level by just a love for playing pool and a few tournys here and there. I have only had 1 lesson( which there was no 1 on 1 time spent, which wasn't very benificial). I guess this is a question for the better pool players out there. What was the biggest thing that brought your game up that extra notch or two? Was it drills, playing the ghost, tournys, the gamble, lessons?
Any advice would be great.
Click to expand...

I think someone on this board (was it Steve Lipsky?) that said that there isn't much physically different between a B player and an A player. It's just time spent on the table and in competition.

I think small money gambling is really a good idea, as long as you're playing within your means ($1.00 games and such). Any amount of money is enough for you to actually play all of your shots, rather than eschewing safety play or correct play.

Fred
 
Eric. said:
I think tournies can be tougher than gambling. When gambling, you can always play another set, if you didn't play well. In tournies, you have to bring it now. You don't have the luxury of taking a set off.

Eric
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That's a great point Eric and I have always thought the same. If you get knocked out of a local weekly tourny you like to play in you have to wait a full week before getting the opportunity to redeem yourself, often left to sulk over the mistakes you made. When your gambling you can play as many sets as your bankroll will permit, I'm not saying tournaments are a better way to learn or anything I just thought this was a good point to consider.
 
Eric. said:
I think tournies can be tougher than gambling. When gambling, you can always play another set, if you didn't play well. In tournies, you have to bring it now. You don't have the luxury of taking a set off.

I'm no teacher, but from personal experience, learning to concentrate more on shotmaking, not taking any balls for granted, and playing better position. Recognizing shots that are lower percentage and playing them correctly, instead of taking a flyer and selling out. Practicing my break where you can hit the rack solid, and not lose the cb. Best I can say is that if you are playing B+ speed, you don't need any secrets, you just need to practice what you already know til you are more consistant. You need to improve the shots you are never supposed to miss, rather than practicing some ridiculous or extreme cut shots.


Eric
Click to expand...


I agree with Eric, Tournaments are harder than gambling, you often have to play people that you don't know, so it forces you to play your game, not play your opponent. Most of the time when people match up they have an idea of what thier opponents game is like and it changes the way they play. you don't have that luxury in a tournament.

Gambling on the other hand has been usefull for me. I wouldn't have a clue how to play one pocket (other than watching accu-stats) if it wasn't for approaching an old road player that plays at some of the tournaments I play in and asking him to teach me while playing cheap sets.
 
TheBook said:
BCA classes. No quick fix but if you work on what they teach you will improve and become more consistant. I had the same problem. I would shoot great and then not so good. Now I am more consistant and have good fundamnetals to build on.
Click to expand...

you can't play A speed b/c of bca classes lol
 
Do any of you guys practice with drills? I'm about to get a table at home soon and alot of people speak highly of drills. I cant see myself practicing them in a poolroom b\c I would rather practice w/ someone.
 
The separation between A and B players is = CB control / Shot Pattern Selection / Shot Recognition

The separation between A and A+ = One or Two key balls missed.

The separation between A+ and a Pro = Job
 
b to a ?

i'm rated a "b" player myself ... i think that by watching and playing with/against better players you learn to move better ......because thats the main difference from what i have seen ......sometimes you pick up knowledge about the game without realizing it.....
tournaments .....twenty dollar sets....leagues .........guts and determination........

by the way , i'll take the 6 and break from whoever ........

.................................................................................................
 
drills

Thepoolroomchef said:
Do any of you guys practice with drills? I'm about to get a table at home soon and alot of people speak highly of drills. I cant see myself practicing them in a poolroom b\c I would rather practice w/ someone.
Click to expand...


i know many people that swear by the L-drill... if you can get through that drill on a consistent basis then you are playing pretty well, that hones many different skills...
 
Raodwarior said:
I have a few students here that might just dispute that remark.
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I apologize for my previous statement. It was a generalization. I'm very touchy about this subject. Maybe if I give some background you'll understand me a little better. I was personally set back a lot when someone took me under their wing. I learned how to play ass backwards and I lost a lot of time because of that. This person is capable of winning small local tournaments and torturing league players - but will never ever be an A player because of the way they play. Their game is too low percentage to work at a high level. Unnecessary overuse of english...overcomplicated ways of doing simple things, playing too close to the ball, bad lines, etc. I was a relative beginner at the time and I didn't understand the game well enough to realize all this...all I knew was this guy was a lot better than me so he must be doing something right. So when I see people recommending instructors, I want them to be very wary of who they're learning from - so they don't have to go through what I went through. Hope that helps
 
Egg, I can understand that as I have seen that quite abit over the last 20 yrs I have been teaching. Unfortunatly most beginning shooters just find the local hero and assume that they know what they are doing.

I have one student right now that I am trying to break her of twisting her wrist on her shots. She started doing it because some local hot shot took her aside and told her it was the key to draw.

So I guess I understand where you are coming from.
 
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