I'm getting a little sentimental now, so please, let me tell you a story about me and how has my adventure with pool begun.
I started to play seriously in January 2012. We went with my office buddy to the pool hall to play some casual 8-ball. He has played pool for at least 15 years but he had a few years break from playing so when we started in that time, the level of play was - obviously - not too high.
Even though I had been constanly beaten that day - being a natural born smartass - I started to thrash talk my friend, and I remember that the he said that there is no ****ing way for me to beat him in pool.
Now I may be an idiot, but there is one thing I am not, sir, and that, sir, is an idiot. Without thinking much I proposed a bet. I said that I will train, get better and beat him in 10 months from now, I suggested 9-ball and the race to 7 for the symbolic ~30 bucks bet. He lold but he saw I'm serious so he agreed.
That wasn't the reason I started play pool, I had been wanting to play it seriously before that but that bet boosted my motivation significantly.
Since then I've been playing ~10 hours 2-3 times a week, every week (It's not too much, I know, but I'm 30, got wife and have to work to earn money
) I'm also a gear junkie so I already managed to swap a few cues around (yeah, too early), but what's more important, I took my training seriously and I try to be methodical. I read some books, bought myself a PAT workout training and Mika Immonen DVD set, I have been watching a ton of pro matches, I read AZ regularily (though I write not too much).
I started from working on my stroke, learning closed bridge and how to pefrorm a correct follow and draw shot, I'm still not a pro in any of this but I think I might have avoided any bad habits which damage my play later. I'm concentrating now on my PSR and positional play and still have plenty to learn.
Why am I writing all of this ? Today, after 8 months of training, I played alone and I scored my first break and run in 8-ball game. It wasn't any of those ghost ball games, I broke the rack, scored 1 ball, then cleared the table without any ball adjustments. I scored the 8 and then, just for fun, from the position where the CB has stopped, I cleared the rest of the balls on table - so I pocketed straight 15 balls in 1 run.
I know that for most of you it's not much of a feat, but I feel proud, as the table after the break wasn't especially easy (for me) and I made all the shots with careful aiming and positional planning.
Am I an optimist about the match I will have in 2 monts ? Not really, I play with my friend regularily and he recalled most of his skills by now so I know I will have to do my best and that might not be enough, but I sure feel more confident now.
I will definitely put all the effort to beat him and no matter the score, I will keep playing pool, as it sucked me in badly.
Sorry for the long post, felt good and wanted to share that with you.
I started to play seriously in January 2012. We went with my office buddy to the pool hall to play some casual 8-ball. He has played pool for at least 15 years but he had a few years break from playing so when we started in that time, the level of play was - obviously - not too high.
Even though I had been constanly beaten that day - being a natural born smartass - I started to thrash talk my friend, and I remember that the he said that there is no ****ing way for me to beat him in pool.
Now I may be an idiot, but there is one thing I am not, sir, and that, sir, is an idiot. Without thinking much I proposed a bet. I said that I will train, get better and beat him in 10 months from now, I suggested 9-ball and the race to 7 for the symbolic ~30 bucks bet. He lold but he saw I'm serious so he agreed.
That wasn't the reason I started play pool, I had been wanting to play it seriously before that but that bet boosted my motivation significantly.
Since then I've been playing ~10 hours 2-3 times a week, every week (It's not too much, I know, but I'm 30, got wife and have to work to earn money
) I'm also a gear junkie so I already managed to swap a few cues around (yeah, too early), but what's more important, I took my training seriously and I try to be methodical. I read some books, bought myself a PAT workout training and Mika Immonen DVD set, I have been watching a ton of pro matches, I read AZ regularily (though I write not too much). I started from working on my stroke, learning closed bridge and how to pefrorm a correct follow and draw shot, I'm still not a pro in any of this but I think I might have avoided any bad habits which damage my play later. I'm concentrating now on my PSR and positional play and still have plenty to learn.
Why am I writing all of this ? Today, after 8 months of training, I played alone and I scored my first break and run in 8-ball game. It wasn't any of those ghost ball games, I broke the rack, scored 1 ball, then cleared the table without any ball adjustments. I scored the 8 and then, just for fun, from the position where the CB has stopped, I cleared the rest of the balls on table - so I pocketed straight 15 balls in 1 run.
I know that for most of you it's not much of a feat, but I feel proud, as the table after the break wasn't especially easy (for me) and I made all the shots with careful aiming and positional planning.
Am I an optimist about the match I will have in 2 monts ? Not really, I play with my friend regularily and he recalled most of his skills by now so I know I will have to do my best and that might not be enough, but I sure feel more confident now.
I will definitely put all the effort to beat him and no matter the score, I will keep playing pool, as it sucked me in badly.
Sorry for the long post, felt good and wanted to share that with you.
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