Can people learn to think ahead?

Some never learn

I had a player on my APA team that was a marginal shot, but did not look ahead well. One particular game, he had 2 balls plus the 8. One ball was near the 8. and the other was at the other end of the table. He lined up to shoot the ball near the 8, and I called time out. I told him to shoot the other ball first, since if he missed, it would leave the other player bad on the 8, and also if he made it he would then be able to shoot the ball close to the 8 and get shape on the 8. He did not want to do that because he thought he would miss the 2nd ball, and leave the opponent good shape on the 8. He shot the closer ball first, then the other, leaving a bank on the 8. As he walked back to the table after missing the bank, I said "I told you so."

Needless to say, he is no longer on my team. I do not allow people on my teams that will not listen.
 
Two reasons. First a lot of people struggle just to make a ball. Secondly, these same people have no idea where the cue ball is going after it hits the object ball.
 
Exactly, your average banger in the bar is happy just to have made the ball he or she is shooting at. When I observe them play they are almost happy to have to bank the eight ball. To them it's exciting.
 
Billy_Bob said:
A common sight in a bar: Someone playing 8-ball, they shoot in their last ball with a stop shot, then turn their attention towards the 8-ball and suddenly notice that it is at the other end of the table. Bank shot! Hummm...

So they are not thinking ahead. Not even thinking about the 8-ball until they have finished shooting in their last ball.

But better players will think about the 8-ball BEFORE shooting their last ball in and try to leave the cue ball in a position where they will have an easy shot on the 8.

So the question is: Can someone learn to think ahead or do some people just have this ability and others don't?

Or does thinking ahead come with age? You learn to think ahead more as you get older and gain more experience?

Perhaps this is an I.Q. thing? Maybe more intelligent people can think ahead, but less intelligent people can't?

If people can learn to think ahead, how could they learn to do this?

Are there mental exercises which would develop this ability?
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man it's just a lack of experience. they're just casual players that don't play to win or regularly they're just doing it because it's something to pass the time while they have a beer with friends.

like watching someone play chess for the first or second time. not a whole lot of thought or planning they're just playing to play. doesn't mean they're not intelligent
 
First things first.

1. Learned to control the rock.
2. Understand the game you're playing.
"Thinking ahead" will follow.
 
The first time I went to the State 8 ball tournament, I thought it was a little bit cocky for one of the best players in the state to mark the pocket for the 8 ball when he had all the balls to shoot in first. Was also impressed (later) that one would have the confidence to do it.
 
3andstop said:
That sums it up rather proficiently. :)
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Thanks 3andstop for the comment.
Once a bar player makes his way to the poolroom he sees where he stacks up in the pecking order--NEAR THE BOTTOM. He may look like a hero at the local bar, but, he is probably a zero at the poolroom. There is such a difference between a bar player and a poolroom player.
 
soulcatcher said:
I had a player on my APA team that was a marginal shot, but did not look ahead well. One particular game, he had 2 balls plus the 8...
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This is what I can't understand!

You have just 2 balls and the 8 or just 1 ball and the 8.

It seems to me it would be easy to at least think about shooting the first ball so you would then be able to shoot the second ball. But some people do not think about that next shot period. They will shoot in the first ball leaving themselves a bank or difficult shot on the 2nd ball.

Yes a 3 ball run is advanced and the level of difficulty goes up enormously from a two ball run, but some people I see don't get it with just a 2 ball run.

When I first started playing, I quickly realized that if I have a ball hanging in the pocket, I can shoot that ball from anywhere on the table. But if a ball is partially blocked by another ball, there may be only a small area where you can have the cue ball to make that shot. So I quickly realized that if I have ball-in-hand, shoot the partially blocked shot first, then the hanging ball will be easy. But I see people get ball-in-hand and shoot that hanging ball first, then look at the second ball and suddenly realise they have snookered themselves!
 
Thinking ahead and being able to 'map' the table is going to mean nothing if you do not have the required skills to control the CB. I liken it to being able to read a road map, but not knowing how to drive...what's the point? You may know HOW to get there, but not the ability to actually make the trip.

This is not even taking into account, that quite often, with regards to play on barboxes, the 'map' is very likely to encounter some 'detours'...in other words, the route is very likely to change during the course of a game, and you have to be able to adjust quickly to a new route.

As a team captain, I have been able to read patterns and see shots others may not see, for years. And that worked out great when the other players on my team were at a loss as to where to go next. But, the truth of the matter is, without the ability to control where the CB is going next, pattern play is going to do you little good...and good safety play will be darn near impossible; and forget about a table run!

Another huge mistake I see many, including my own team players, make is not dealing with a problem ball(s) ASAP. Far too often I see it left for the end, usually resulting in what I refer to as 'one ball hell'. Has to be the single most annoying thing I say to my players..."deal with your problem ball first."

Part of the reason i still play this game, is because, especially with 8 Ball, it is very much a thinking game. It's not just about pocketing balls..there is a definite strategy to playing one's opponent...safeties, shot safeties, etc. One really needs to learn to control the CB before any of the other skills one has learned can truly be effectively applied.

Lisa
 
Part of the reason i still play this game, is because, especially with 8 Ball, it is very much a thinking game. It's not just about pocketing balls..there is a definite strategy to playing one's opponent...safeties, shot safeties, etc. One really needs to learn to control the CB before any of the other skills one has learned can truly be effectively applied.

Lisa
You would have loved my ole partner Memo.
He had ball in hand. First ball he shot was a ball a foot from the side pocket, the 8 ball wide open a the corner of the same side while some balls were stuck in the other end rail. He had no shot after that because he drew for shape and came out short.
I wanted to kill him .
 
JoeyInCali said:
Part of the reason i still play this game, is because, especially with 8 Ball, it is very much a thinking game. It's not just about pocketing balls..there is a definite strategy to playing one's opponent...safeties, shot safeties, etc. One really needs to learn to control the CB before any of the other skills one has learned can truly be effectively applied.

Lisa
You would have loved my ole partner Memo.
He had ball in hand. First ball he shot was a ball a foot from the side pocket, the 8 ball wide open a the corner of the same side while some balls were stuck in the other end rail. He had no shot after that because he drew for shape and came out short.
I wanted to kill him .
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Lol, Joey...I can soooooo completely relate!! My partner is a great shooter when she has a nicely laid table, she can runout...but sometimes she will not think about the consequences. Just two weeks ago, I told her a big time problem ball needed to be dealt with, and she was in the position to do so. Because it was going to require compressing the rail a bit and thereby kicking the ball away from the rail...and she was worried about the CB coming off the rail and knocking into a group of balls which could have knocked the 8 in out of turn...she wouldn't do it.

I got my inning, and was lucky enough that I almost had the same shot. I did exactly what I had asked her to do, and kicked the ball nice and clean, with the CB missing the group that could have knocked the 8 in. I knew it would work, but the shot scared her to death, I guess.

I have also learned that english is actually more important with regards to CB control than it is for the actual shot at hand.

Lisa
 
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