Choking under pressure...

[zeeder]

I haven't been playing much here as of late due to school and whatnot but I got coersed into playing the Missouri State 8-Ball. The first stage is round robin and if you get past this first stage you're in the money. There were 7 people in my flight and I finsihed 3-3. Three times in two of the matches I lost I was on the hill running out with two balls and the eight ball left on the table with a reasonably easy run and I missed easy shots and choked all three times.

One of the two matches was against one of the better players in the area and it would have been my first time beating him. Granted he missed some uncharacteristic shots but he also made some incredible outs! I was down 4-5 to 6 and came back to tie it and should have had a break and run in the last game. The matches I won went 6-1, 6-1, 6-4 and the matches I lost went 3-6, 5-6, 5-6. I played so poorly in the first match (3-6) that it's not even worth mentioning.

I thought I was getting better at not choking, but this tourney proves otherwise. I joked that my theme for the tourney was, "snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory!" I know the only way to get over this is to put myself in more pressure situations so I'm hoping to make it to 2-3 semi-local tourneys during my winter break from school. If anyone has any other tips for getting over the choke I'd be willing to listen.

"Cheap Suit" Zeeder

 

[Kevin Lindstrom]

"Tournament Tough"

Zeeder

The best way I can think of is to keep playing in tournaments. I too find it a big difference in playing tournaments as apposed to gambling. My tournament mindstate says if you lose you go home where as in gambling if you lose you just win the next set. I think playing tournaments with the knowledge that when you lose you go home creates the extra nervousness. Keep playing tournaments to overcome this nervousness and get yourself "Tournament Tough"

 

[raemondo]

Personally, I feel or I know I will choke when I start to take in the entire atmosphere of the room, people watching, sounds around, what is at stake, etc etc. Then my hand starts to wobble, and my eyes don't look directly in front. Lately, I have been concentrating ONLY at the table itself and what is in front of me. Also, I have been psyching myself that all I'm playing is the TABLE, not the opponent, and that these shots are shots that I'd make any time in practice. I also go up, line myself up good and keep thinking to myself: "I'm gonna rape this shot"....and I do, I made at least 4 huge clutch shots in a tourney just this past weekend.

I have also lately been playing lotsa straight pool and I feel that this has helped my mental game so much more. Everytime I play, my stamina has increased because I'm always in a mode of "there are more balls to pot" rather then oh okay, the 9 ball or the 8 ball is the last one to pot. So in essence the balls for me become very homogeneous and there really isn't a difference whether they be stripe or solid, or 1, 5, 7, 9, 13 or 15 ...I'm just in a frame of mind where I'd pot anything you give to me. In a way, it's like stretching the goal line ten times farther that you normally would in an 8 or 9 ball game, so you're taking out the possibility of choking when you're close to the "finish line". That, and you really gotta let your stroke out and believe in yourself. You sound like you're a pretty solid player already...I'll bet that if you have more confidence you'd be rockin more tournies.

BTW, what school do you go to? It doesn't seem like we're too far away from each other.

 

[zeeder]

BTW, what school do you go to? It doesn't seem like we're too far away from each other.

I go to the University of Missouri - Columbia.

I guess since you're in Champagne-Urbana you go to the University of Illinios?! That rivalry game is coming up here in a couple of weeks. I'm sure you guys are going to kill us as we suck pretty hard core...lol!

 

[raemondo]

I go to the University of Missouri - Columbia.

I guess since you're in Champagne-Urbana you go to the University of Illinios?! That rivalry game is coming up here in a couple of weeks. I'm sure you guys are going to kill us as we suck pretty hard core...lol!

Hey Zeeder yup thats right, I do go to U of I, man if you're talking about basketball, geez the ILLINI are insane to watch, in fact they seem to have a stronger team right now than they did when they played NCAAs last year!

How far is your school from mine? Regardless, when you come down to Springfield for xmas, we should have some racks for sure. And plus I still need to checkout your Gilbert

 

[supergreenman]

I feel for ya there zeeder, I'm sure you're not alone when it comes to choking on important shots. Monday I broke and ran 7 balls and choked on the 8 for league night, needless to say my opponent had a really nice table to work with and ran the other 8 balls. That game made the difference between my team winning the night or losing. instead of taking 10 points for a win and shutting them out, they got 10 and we got 7.

I knew when I got down to shoot that 8 I should stand up because I wasn't ready yet. Instead of getting up, I shot. cough cough cough choke cough cough cough.

 

[Jaden]

I go to the University of Missouri - Columbia.

I guess since you're in Champagne-Urbana you go to the University of Illinios?! That rivalry game is coming up here in a couple of weeks. I'm sure you guys are going to kill us as we suck pretty hard core...lol!

I go to columbia college, but online not in Missouri.

 

[runscott]

I thought I was getting better at not choking, but this tourney proves otherwise. I joked that my theme for the tourney was, "snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory!" I know the only way to get over this is to put myself in more pressure situations so I'm hoping to make it to 2-3 semi-local tourneys during my winter break from school. If anyone has any other tips for getting over the choke I'd be willing to listen.
"Cheap Suit" Zeeder

I'm a lesser player, but I think the same principles apply. Last night I choked on two easy 8-ball shots that would have won a match after I had busted my butt to recover against someone who shoots better than me. The biggest frustration is that recovering from a choke is different from correcting a shooting flaw - going off and doing drills won't help; in fact, you can invariable make the same shots repeatedly as soon as the match is over. It requires that you get into a similar situation after preparing yourself mentally, and prove to yourself you're over it. That means waiting for another tournament, which is frustrating but necessary. When the situation presents itself, get over the ball and say "it's going in the hole" and if a negative thought enters your head, stand up and start over. No whining - just jump back on the horse and get it done.

 

[Run the Century]

Art of Concentration

Pick up the book "The inner Game of Tennis" - skip the chapter on tennis - the rest of the book will change your game and life.

 

[Snapshot9]

Choking ....

Hey, lots of spots are developed because of one player
choking ... lol People count on that ...

Choking has to do with what is inside of you and the deep
down fears you have more than anything else. That's why
seasoned money players, mostly big money players, do not
usually choke. They face those fears gradually as they play
for more and more money over time. Some people can adapt
rapidly, but most can not. If you know parts of your game are
weak, and then winning a set, say for $300, rides on a shot that
you know you are weak on, your fears of missing it will surface.
My advice: 1) Get your game in order 2) Get yourself in order
There are players that play pretty well, but are somewhat of an
emotional cripple inside, and they never master the internal
control and fortitude to get them over the top (and all the best
players in your area knows who they are).

 

[ridewiththewind]

Zack,

I might recommend a book being discussed in another thread called 'The Pleasure of Small Motions'. It is a very dry read, but it will explain ALOT!
Basically, one of the reasons we miss our 'money' ball shots is, in our brain, we take these shots for granted. Same goes for missing the 'easy' shots after making the 'hard' shots. The key is to treat each and every shot with the exactly the same amount of concentration and focus. It takes conditioning the brain to do this, but it does work.

Here's what I do for the 8 or 9: I sight the shot in from a shooting stance. Then I step back from the table, and see the line, see the ball following the line, and...this IS important...see the ball not only following the line to the pocket, but see the ball DROP into the pocket. Then I step back up to the table, set my stance and shoot. It has worked for me everytime!
Another recommendation is, and I know your time is at a premium right now, is to find yourself a local weekly tournament or money shoot. Try to make it every week. Once you find yourself getting comfortable with that crowd, and feel you are shooting well in that setting, move to a different night with a different tourney or shoot, and a different group of shooters.

This has worked very well for me. I use the visualization technique on any shot that is critical to the game. Forget your opponent, you're playing the table. Learning a good 'shot safety' technique will help as well.
Another book I liked alot is 'The 8 Ball Bible'. While the shot diagrams deal primarily with a 7 ft barbox, the theory of pattern play and shot safeties is immeasurable. Soon you will find that you are spending more time concentrating on the pattern and shot safety play, and forget about your opponent all together.

I find that because of these techniques I use, that I just don't 'rattle' anymore. And it's been a long time since I've had a case of the 'nerves'.
I'm not perfect...not by a stretch...but now when I miss a shot, it was very likely due to poor execution of the shot itself, ie; fundamentals. BUT, even if I do miss the shot, I generally do not leave my opponent a decent, clean shot at any ball he may have left on the table...that's the beauty of shot safety play! It has become very automatic for me...which is very cool.

Lisa

 

[Hal]

Pick up the book "The inner Game of Tennis" - skip the chapter on tennis - the rest of the book will change your game and life.

OK. That's it. I've heard about this book one too many times. I just ordered it from Amazon.com ($14.84 shipped)

 

[Egg McDogit]

What kind of "easy" shots did you miss? When you say you choked, are you just talking about those easy shots you missed?

Three times in two of the matches I lost I was on the hill running out with two balls and the eight ball left on the table with a reasonably easy run and I missed easy shots and choked all three times.

 

[zeeder]

What kind of "easy" shots did you miss? When you say you choked, are you just talking about those easy shots you missed?

The two shots that I remember of the three were pretty much straight in needing to draw the ball a bit. One was a 3/4 table length shot and the other was about half table length shot (distance from cue to pocket) with the o.b. half way between.

Yeah, missing these shots are what I considered choking. I choked on shots several times in my first set which I lost 6-3 and missed on other easy outs but the fact that I was on the hill and in control of the match with no problems on these racks that makes them particularly painful. I fully realize that there are countless other situations where I missed and my opponent didn't capitalize or where my opponent choked or missed an easy out and I capitalized which could have changed things drastically.

 

[Egg McDogit]

did you put a good stroke on the ball?

The two shots that I remember of the three were pretty much straight in needing to draw the ball a bit. One was a 3/4 table length shot and the other was about half table length shot (distance from cue to pocket) with the o.b. half way between.

Yeah, missing these shots are what I considered choking. I choked on shots several times in my first set which I lost 6-3 and missed on other easy outs but the fact that I was on the hill and in control of the match with no problems on these racks that makes them particularly painful. I fully realize that there are countless other situations where I missed and my opponent didn't capitalize or where my opponent choked or missed an easy out and I capitalized which could have changed things drastically.

 

[zeeder]

did you put a good stroke on the ball?

Not really, when I miss due to pressure, it's generally because my adrenaline is pumping and I try to just get up there and shoot it before I think too much about it...lol. It results a lot of times in piss-poor mechanics.

 

[supergreenman]

Not really, when I miss due to pressure, it's generally because my adrenaline is pumping and I try to just get up there and shoot it before I think too much about it...lol. It results a lot of times in piss-poor mechanics.

When I'm faced with a pressure shot, (8ball or what ever) I like to take a walk around the table. if I'm still jumpy, or pumped up to high, I'll go put some powder on my hands. Unless you're under a time clock, the 30 seconds it takes to powder your hands isn't going to make that much of a difference.

The I have to go to the washroom routine works pretty good as well. Never shoot the 8-ball with a full bladder.

James

 

[Williebetmore]

I thought I was getting better at not choking, but this tourney proves otherwise.
"Cheap Suit" Zeeder

Z-man,
NONSENSE!! You didn't choke. No one could be expected to close out those incredibly difficult layouts. No one could have done any better. We think you are too hard on yourself.

Signed,
Bill Buckner
Jean Van de Velde
Greg Norman
Chris Webber
Fred Brown
Mitch Williams
Scott Hoch (as in "choke")
The Chicago Cubs
The '64 Phillies

 

[Cane]

Not really, when I miss due to pressure, it's generally because my adrenaline is pumping and I try to just get up there and shoot it before I think too much about it...lol. It results a lot of times in piss-poor mechanics.

LMAO... Zack, I'm not laughing at you so much as I'm laughing at a familiar scenario. I think we've talked about this, but when I was young, I had nerves of steel. Well, I quit playing for 14 years, and came back in my late 40's and had nerves of noodles! Pressure got me big time. My first big tournament back, my hands were sweating so bad that I drenched my microfiber towel, and it's not a small one. Now, no problems... so what did I do? Little things.

1. I played in as many pressure situations as I could... tournaments, matchups, etc.

2. I studied all of the choke syndromes and figured out how to get around them... my biggest two were "key ball" and "last ball".

OK, so is the pressure gone? Hell, no, I just handle it differently. I get nervous in every tournament I play in, but now I know how to make it work for me and not against me. I still get shakey when I'm in the chair, but when I get to the table, if the nerves start getting to me, I occupy myself with focus on Angle, Speed and Spin. I get my mind filled with those things, then I can't talk myself out of a shot so easily.

Choke syndomes:

Key Ball. I was bad about missing the key ball. I knew it was the ball that, if I made it, I was out, so I really fretted about it, so much so that I'd usually miss it for some silly reason. Now, I still recognize a key ball, but I try to not put any more importance on it than I do any other ball on the table. All shots are of equal value. Tough to do, and if I get in a situation where I can't, then I just whisper to myself "Finish"... That means "Finish your stroke well, Bob, because if you aim well and stroke well, you'll make the shot and get out". That occupies my mind for that split second that the "choke" would normally occur and keeps the "refuse to win" thing out of my mind.

Last Ball. Same thing. I get in my standing routine, consider angle, speed and spin, as I'm getting down on the shot, I whisper "Finish" and damned if the ball doesn't just drop off in the pocket.

That adrenaline rush... damn, that's a *****, but I get over that by walking all the way around the table to the farthest piece of chalk I can find on the table and taking deep breaths, slow in, slow out, to try and flush the adrenaline from my system. I'll chalk my cue looking at the shot from that "farthest point", then go back behind the CB and start my Standing Routine from there. By then, usually, the adrenaline has flushed out for the most part and I can shoot the shot just like any other shot. The adrenaline rush is really bad for me after I pull off on of those "God Shots" we've all made that keeps us in the game.

Here's one last thing I've changed. A year ago, when I'd get on an important shot, or a tough shot, I'd go through my standing and preshot routines as normal, then I'd get down on the shot and take WAY more warmup strokes than I normally do. In other words, I was changing my shooting routine.

I have 3 basic routines I go through... Standing, where I evalute the shot and what I must do with it (Angle, Speed and Spin), my preshot routine, which is a ritual (air pump, port of arms, dance into my stance, etc.) I do before my bridgehand hits the table, and my shooting routine, the actions I take after my bridgehand hits the table. I have found that if I change my preshot routine or my shooting routine, I screw up. If I take a little longer in my Standing routine to evaluate the shot objectively, (like "this is what I will do", not "man, I hope I can pull this one off"), then go through my normal preshot and shooting routines, then I do much better. Even on a tough shot, say an 80° table length cut, it's check my line, two warmup strokes, set, pause, finish, freeze. That's the same shooting routine that I use on a dead straight in, hanging in the pocket ball. That should not change. I think the reason this helps is that our standing routine is more of a conscious process and as long as we're thinking, it really doesn't matter how much we're thinking, as long as it's positive. Our preshot and shooting routines should be second nature... they should occur without conscious thought, and when we change something in them, well, our conscious brain knows we aren't on automatic anymore and it really kicks in and helps us do a lot of things that we really don't need it's help with during the act of stroking the cue.

So, make sure you aren't changing how you do things on the tough shots, or the shots you consider to be key to the game at hand. When you change something in your routine, like more warmup strokes, second guessing your target line, etc, then your brain sends out alarms that something isn't right!

Just do it like you always do it.

Later,
Bob

 

[Gerry]

I'm with you on the adrenaline rush thing Cane!....i used to get that alot. Not so much gambling, but moving from weekly small tournys to say $100 entry ones, I was all kinds of jittery. I never had a problem making tough shots, or thinking correctly, just calming down/settling in enough to play my game, and get the arm to quit shaking One i got calm, I'm fine, it never really came back during the match.

Funny thing, I hav'nt played in a tourny in 3 years, I signed up for the DCC 1P event last week!...I guess I"ll play well, or pass out, or puke on a new Diamond table!.....we'll see....Gerry