I've been having the hardest time closing my matches lately. I start out strong, put em on the ropes, but more times than not, I can't finish the job & lose my matches. How have you guys gotten out of slumps like this? I feel like after I get a comfortable lead, I back off and can never re-gain my footing.
Coffee is for closers only
- Thread starter ROGJR
- Start date
RBC
Deceased
Sounds to me like you think you've won, before you've won.
It isn't over until it's over. Don't back off until he shakes your hand.
Royce
I'm from downtown!
I'm from Mitch and Murray....
I'm from Mitch and Murray....
Your situation is a very common one...in many forms of competition. Watch how the "momentum" will change in a basketball game: team A jumps out to an early lead; team B comes back and takes the lead; and the lead changes hands many times until the clock runs out and one of the teams has won.
Part of it is mental; the leader assumes he's going to win and let's up a bit while the other team hunkers down and sharpens its play. The other part is strategic; the leader takes fewer chances (conserve the lead) while the losing team gets more aggressive.
Combine the mental and the strategic and you've got a see-saw battle.
The challenge is to maintain the focus and aggression until the end. Doing so isn't natural for most people. It's natural to "rest" a bit when you've got a comfortable lead because focus and aggression use up a lot of physical and mental energy.
Think of it as a street fight: it's not over until the other guy is in the ambulance.
Part of it is mental; the leader assumes he's going to win and let's up a bit while the other team hunkers down and sharpens its play. The other part is strategic; the leader takes fewer chances (conserve the lead) while the losing team gets more aggressive.
Combine the mental and the strategic and you've got a see-saw battle.
The challenge is to maintain the focus and aggression until the end. Doing so isn't natural for most people. It's natural to "rest" a bit when you've got a comfortable lead because focus and aggression use up a lot of physical and mental energy.
Think of it as a street fight: it's not over until the other guy is in the ambulance.
Maybe you aren't paying enough attention to details....
...like mentioning 'coffee' in the title and saying absolutely nothing about it in the post.
For me, blowing a big lead involved me getting tired of the pressure and trying to coast...
.....we have to learn to stay on the tightrope till the cues are undone
I also tend to fight back much stronger than I finish if I get out to an early lead.
My biggest [worst] example was being up on my opponent 6-0, racing to 9. I lost that match 8-9. Talk about letting up! OUCH! I've gotten better lately, but it still takes a lot of mental focus to protect the lead.
It helps if I just forget the score entirely and play like it's dead even midway through the set (tied at 5, going to 9, for example). I know some people "trick" themselves into thinking they're behind; but that never works for me, cuz in the back of my mind I know the real score and it's too far from the truth for me to be able to act on it.
The whole "I have some breathing room now" mentality is what kills me usually and whenever that phrase pops into my head, I do my utmost best to kick it right the F out. heh
And just because someone is dogging balls early doesn't mean they'll always dog those same shots.
I think this has happened to everybody. Don't worry, as soon as you realize this problem, you are already on your way to overcome it.
At least this is what happened to me. I also used to lose the grip of the game if I had a comfortable lead, but these days I'm just telling myself to FINISH HIM / HER. And I like it.
Now that I read what I just wrote, same thing as in bed, yes?
At least this is what happened to me. I also used to lose the grip of the game if I had a comfortable lead, but these days I'm just telling myself to FINISH HIM / HER. And I like it.
Now that I read what I just wrote, same thing as in bed, yes?
I haven't read the other responses but I have a feeling I know. You play your normal game in the beginning but when you get close to being out you are afraid you may blow it. You shift from nice positive, even aggressive play. You go from playing to win to just hoping to survive afraid of making a mistake that may cost you. As a result you give the other guy a lot of time at the table he didn't earn to beat you.
I go to the bathroom for a huge bump,
than I run to the bar, and slam a double shot of Jack,
than I run outside light a smoke and take 4 huge drags..
Right when I'm about to put that cig out I can feel my chemical balance leveling out lol..
Just kidding
Don't let up!!!!
Not sure if you're just ribbing the OP or if you haven't seen Glengarry Glen Ross. It's in the first 30 seconds of this clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kZg_ALxEz0
Damn that movie is awesome. Have to watch it on a rainy day though for full effect.
I'd recommend a shot routine that you actually work hard on ingraining. Every single pro golfer does the exact same thing on every shot, or at least tries to. Especially in pressure situations. Its the reason guys can hit shots with 10 million bucks on the line and not piss themselves.
I'd recommend a shot routine that you actually work hard on ingraining. Every single pro golfer does the exact same thing on every shot, or at least tries to. Especially in pressure situations. Its the reason guys can hit shots with 10 million bucks on the line and not piss themselves.
:rotflmao1::rotflmao1:
I love it....thanx
And now I like this thread even more...well done ROGJR.
And I must be a closer...I drink a LOT of coffee
Here are a few things I did to fix the very same problem. They worked for me and I am not saing they will work for everyone but it wouldnt hurt to try:
1) Dont keep track of your games and always play one at a time. I just play until they tell me it is over. If you keep track of games you realize that you are ahead and you slack off. If you dont keep track of games you never know if your close or not.
2,) Dont ask what the other persons handicap is. If you always assume the other person is either a low handicap and only need a couple games to win or a high handicap and if they get control of the table you may never get it back, it scares you into not allowing them to the table.
3.) Lie to yourself and convince yourself the other person is a sand bagger and that they are playing way under their handicap. Even if you dont know thier handicap tell yourself they are a 3 level handicap and they are playing like a 5 this way they only need 2 games to win. I know this sounds whierd but if you do this you convince yourself that the other person cant get back to the table becasue they already have the advantage of being way under handicaped as it is.
4.) Set a goal before the match that the end goal isnt just winning. In APA if they get one game I lose a point for the team. In NAPA if I lose a game they get 3 points. So before the match I set the goal of getting all 3 points in APA and not letting them take any. (20-1 in NAPA) This way my gooal isnt to win. If I think I have won then I slack off however if winning isnt my goal then I dont slack off until I reach my goal.
5.) Lie to yourself. Pool is 90 percent mental. If you tell yourself the other person is on the hill and all they need is this one game it will scare you into playing your best becasue you always assume you are loosing or could lose very easy and try your best.
Like I said, this may not help with others but this is what I did to get over the hump and it works for me. If I always play scared I always try harder. Its when I am not scared that I slack off and it always comes back to bite me on the ass. Hope this helps and good luck.
It's a quote from the movie Glengarry GlenRoss.
that movie was a classic....
...First place is a Cadillac; Second place is a set of steak knives; Third place is "You're fired".....LOL That speech from Alec Baldwin defined him for me for a long time....Seemed like a low budget movie; but so many STAR actors in it.....
...on topic: I remember many years ago I was playing in the finals of a small local tournament.....In a race to 5, I went ahead 4-0.....
I then relaxed and proceeded to walk around the room, talking to my buddies, etc. thinking the First Prize was mine.....You can guess the rest...
LOL.....I ended up losing 5-4 ...... a hard lesson learned...
Remember: Always Be Closing!
...First place is a Cadillac; Second place is a set of steak knives; Third place is "You're fired".....LOL That speech from Alec Baldwin defined him for me for a long time....Seemed like a low budget movie; but so many STAR actors in it.....
...on topic: I remember many years ago I was playing in the finals of a small local tournament.....In a race to 5, I went ahead 4-0.....
I then relaxed and proceeded to walk around the room, talking to my buddies, etc. thinking the First Prize was mine.....You can guess the rest...
LOL.....I ended up losing 5-4 ...... a hard lesson learned...
Remember: Always Be Closing!
Last edited:
You should check out the book "Pleasures of Small Motions". It has a chapter covering personality types and these sort of situations. Pool players generally fall into one of two distinct types of competitors. One enjoys dominating winning as big as possible while the other enjoys a close battle.
Both types have strengths and weaknesses. Those who love to dominate can struggle when things go badly early. Those are the people who complain about conditions, seem to give up etc. Those who love to compete can struggle once they get well ahead. When it feels like the outcome is sure they can lose focus and let their opponent back in.
For either type the answer is the same - stay focused on playing, not on what might happen, or what seems to be happening. You can also focus on enjoying the other aspect of competition - if you naturally love the battle try to appreciate playing great and crushing the opposition.
Lewis
