Congrats to Jude Rosenstock!

Jude Rosenstock said:
I wanted to take a moment to think about how to answer this thread. For starters, I want to thank everyone who has taken a moment out of their day to say something. It means a lot! To be honest, I found it very difficult to explain why my progress picked-up and to pinpoint where it all began so I did what I usually do ? I went to the poolroom to sort my thoughts.



It was within minutes after hitting a few balls, I realized I was not playing well. If you think the talk about my rating has been active online, you can only imagine what Amsterdam Billiards has been like these past few days. I asked for a table and as usual was given the table at the head of the room. It felt like all eyes were watching my rail-testing session and it wasn't long before a friend of mine, Chris Lynch came over and said, "Why are you jabbing so much? Let your stroke out!"

A few minutes later, I was back. All the doubt about becoming an Open player oozing out of my body as each shot went in more crisp than the last, each position play, more and more precise. I reminded myself, I didn't get better this past week. I got better this past YEAR. I was playing this speed long before the league director acknowledged it.

At that exact moment, I realized the reason why I've gotten better was clear. My close friends whom I've known for a long time are superb people and phenomenal pool players and I have the luxury of seeing or speaking to them daily. Every league match, every tournament, every gambling session, my ears are bombarded with affirmations, compliments and reassurance. One that stands out in my mind, after completing a difficult out, I said to Steve Lipsky, "Wow, I'm surprised I got out there." His response was monotone and to the point, "Every time I look, you're getting out. I keep thinking, 'oh, Jude got out again.' I'm sorry sir but it's no longer surprising." Coming from a guy who has lost count of his 100 ball runs and someone I have always admired (for his play AND sportsmanship), I could not have felt better.

All of this feeds a confidence within me that grows daily. It allows me to trust my ability and my decisions. I accept the fact I'm not perfect but I can learn from my mistakes so long as I'm not distracted by frustration. I learned losing is a part of growth and mistakes are only a physical representation of something I must address. No single game or match or week can convey what type of player I am, positive or negative. All of it is me. The only thing I can do is try and give each shot my best effort with the highest expectations in mind and smile while doing it.

I take responsibility for what happens. Every time I lose, it's a credit to my opponent's ability but also an illustration of what I need to improve. Losing is what motivates me. So, after each loss, I take a deep breath, give my opponent a small smile and shake her/his hand. I hope they understand that I always let it all out so losing is always emotional for me. However, I'll be back in the room the very next day working on the material my victorious opponent provided for me, oftentimes with a much bigger smile.

In sum, I feel like I'm part of a much bigger thing. Amsterdam Billiards has just become this huge machine that is producing pool players at an astonishing rate. I'm merely its product. Steve and Gina Lipsky, Chris Lynch, Tony Robles, Rolando Aravena, Danny Barouty, SJM and Jim Gottier are amazing leaders, motivators and examples for how to play the game right and the list goes on. I can literally run off dozens of names and I'm so happy to know them, to compete against them and with them, to travel to Vegas with them, to root for them and have them there, rooting for me. I simply can't begin to tell you how much fun I'm having!


Thanks.
Click to expand...
I always say that you play up to your competition,and with players of that caliber,it sure helps.Your very fortunate to play and learn from them.:)
 
Steve Lipsky said:
Cubc,

The ratings in our area go:

D
D+
C
C+
B
B+
A
A+
Open
Open+
Pro

To give an idea how strong the league system in NYC is, any C player is expected to run out from, say, the 4 ball with a good lay of the table.

The Open+ is a fairly new category created especially for the league.

In tournament play, Opens, Open+'es, and Pros all compete against each other without weight. It is only in league play that there is a spot involved between these levels.

Handicaps between players are always given as games-on-the-wire. The general rule is it's 1 game for each level, in a race to 7. However, as the spot gets big due to a large disparity in handicaps, the race gets elongated. Pros give a D player 9 on 11, for example. The D player rarely likes it, but it does make the Pro work.

- Steve
Click to expand...

Thanks! I understand now. So that is a good bit of improvement going from B+ to Open. Good stuff.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
In sum, I feel like I'm part of a much bigger thing. Amsterdam Billiards has just become this huge machine that is producing pool players at an astonishing rate. I'm merely its product. Steve and Gina Lipsky, Chris Lynch, Tony Robles, Rolando Aravena, Danny Barouty, SJM and Jim Gottier are amazing leaders, motivators and examples for how to play the game right and the list goes on. I can literally run off dozens of names and I'm so happy to know them, to compete against them and with them, to travel to Vegas with them, to root for them and have them there, rooting for me. I simply can't begin to tell you how much fun I'm having!
Click to expand...

I'm jealous you get to go to a pool room and find that level of player to hang out with, compete with, and learn from. There are good players in my area, but there's no one room I can go to and find very many players better than myself, much less players at the level you're talking about.

Jude, if you wouldn't mind answering, I'd like to know how long ago you started playing seriously, about what level you were at then, and about how long it took you to move up each level to where you are now. I started playing when I was 23, and have now reached the point where real improvement takes real commitment (the learning curve has become much more gradual), and the great players I've heard of were all already much much better than me by the time they were 23. I'd like to hear about your journey from where I am to where you are.

-Andrew
 
How many opens on up ?

Congrats to Jude! :cool:

I'm interested to know how many regular players in Amsterdam Billiards are rated as Open on up ? :) At Hard Times in Bellflower on Sundays, we have some players go one more game (i.e. 1st Sunday 8W/6L, other Sundays 6W/5L) than everyone else, and currently we have approximately 8 more or less regular players that fall into that group. These players I believe are the equivalent of Amsterdam's A+ to Pro levels. Possibly not including the A+.

I'm not trying to incite any comparison or turf battle between NY and LA :D Just trying to get a relative feel, and I am interested in visiting Amsterdam Billiards at some point in the near future since I have heard so much about it. :p
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
I take responsibility for what happens. Every time I lose, it's a credit to my opponent's ability but also an illustration of what I need to improve. Losing is what motivates me. So, after each loss, I take a deep breath, give my opponent a small smile and shake her/his hand. I hope they understand that I always let it all out so losing is always emotional for me. However, I'll be back in the room the very next day working on the material my victorious opponent provided for me, oftentimes with a much bigger smile.


Thanks.
Click to expand...

First off, big-time congratulations on your bump. I can't even imagine reaching that level as a part-time player.

Second, I found this paragragh to be extremely important, at least to me. To be completely honest, I have found myself, when losing in a set, to kind of go into the mindset that I don't care. That couldn't be further from the truth but it made it easier on my psyche to tell myself that it didn't matter.
After reading this, from someone who advanced to a level I will never attain, has made me realize that it's ok to give it EVERYTHING you have and still not come out on top.

Thanks for posting Jude and again, congratulations.

Kind regards,
Koop
 
Steve Lipsky said:
Cubc,

The ratings in our area go:

D
D+
C
C+
B
B+
A
A+
Open
Open+
Pro

- Steve
Click to expand...

Steve,
I am only familiar with the play of a few New Yorker's. Could you tell us where some of these players would fall on the scale: sjm, you, your wife, Liz Ford, Jeanette Lee, NYCcuedude, Danny Barouty (I think that covers all of the New Yorker's I've seen play)????
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
I wanted to take a moment to think about how to answer this thread. For starters, I want to thank everyone who has taken a moment out of their day to say something. It means a lot! To be honest, I found it very difficult to explain why my progress picked-up and to pinpoint where it all began so I did what I usually do ? I went to the poolroom to sort my thoughts.



It was within minutes after hitting a few balls, I realized I was not playing well. If you think the talk about my rating has been active online, you can only imagine what Amsterdam Billiards has been like these past few days. I asked for a table and as usual was given the table at the head of the room. It felt like all eyes were watching my rail-testing session and it wasn't long before a friend of mine, Chris Lynch came over and said, "Why are you jabbing so much? Let your stroke out!"

A few minutes later, I was back. All the doubt about becoming an Open player oozing out of my body as each shot went in more crisp than the last, each position play, more and more precise. I reminded myself, I didn't get better this past week. I got better this past YEAR. I was playing this speed long before the league director acknowledged it.

At that exact moment, I realized the reason why I've gotten better was clear. My close friends whom I've known for a long time are superb people and phenomenal pool players and I have the luxury of seeing or speaking to them daily. Every league match, every tournament, every gambling session, my ears are bombarded with affirmations, compliments and reassurance. One that stands out in my mind, after completing a difficult out, I said to Steve Lipsky, "Wow, I'm surprised I got out there." His response was monotone and to the point, "Every time I look, you're getting out. I keep thinking, 'oh, Jude got out again.' I'm sorry sir but it's no longer surprising." Coming from a guy who has lost count of his 100 ball runs and someone I have always admired (for his play AND sportsmanship), I could not have felt better.

All of this feeds a confidence within me that grows daily. It allows me to trust my ability and my decisions. I accept the fact I'm not perfect but I can learn from my mistakes so long as I'm not distracted by frustration. I learned losing is a part of growth and mistakes are only a physical representation of something I must address. No single game or match or week can convey what type of player I am, positive or negative. All of it is me. The only thing I can do is try and give each shot my best effort with the highest expectations in mind and smile while doing it.

I take responsibility for what happens. Every time I lose, it's a credit to my opponent's ability but also an illustration of what I need to improve. Losing is what motivates me. So, after each loss, I take a deep breath, give my opponent a small smile and shake her/his hand. I hope they understand that I always let it all out so losing is always emotional for me. However, I'll be back in the room the very next day working on the material my victorious opponent provided for me, oftentimes with a much bigger smile.

In sum, I feel like I'm part of a much bigger thing. Amsterdam Billiards has just become this huge machine that is producing pool players at an astonishing rate. I'm merely its product. Steve and Gina Lipsky, Chris Lynch, Tony Robles, Rolando Aravena, Danny Barouty, SJM and Jim Gottier are amazing leaders, motivators and examples for how to play the game right and the list goes on. I can literally run off dozens of names and I'm so happy to know them, to compete against them and with them, to travel to Vegas with them, to root for them and have them there, rooting for me. I simply can't begin to tell you how much fun I'm having!


Thanks.
Click to expand...

DCP ARE YOU LISTENING?!?

Congrats Jude. That's awesome. You are very fortunate to have the people behind you that help build your confidence and keep you motivated.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
I wanted to take a moment to think about how to answer this thread. For starters, I want to thank everyone who has taken a moment out of their day to say something. It means a lot! To be honest, I found it very difficult to explain why my progress picked-up and to pinpoint where it all began so I did what I usually do ? I went to the poolroom to sort my thoughts.



It was within minutes after hitting a few balls, I realized I was not playing well. If you think the talk about my rating has been active online, you can only imagine what Amsterdam Billiards has been like these past few days. I asked for a table and as usual was given the table at the head of the room. It felt like all eyes were watching my rail-testing session and it wasn't long before a friend of mine, Chris Lynch came over and said, "Why are you jabbing so much? Let your stroke out!"

A few minutes later, I was back. All the doubt about becoming an Open player oozing out of my body as each shot went in more crisp than the last, each position play, more and more precise. I reminded myself, I didn't get better this past week. I got better this past YEAR. I was playing this speed long before the league director acknowledged it.

At that exact moment, I realized the reason why I've gotten better was clear. My close friends whom I've known for a long time are superb people and phenomenal pool players and I have the luxury of seeing or speaking to them daily. Every league match, every tournament, every gambling session, my ears are bombarded with affirmations, compliments and reassurance. One that stands out in my mind, after completing a difficult out, I said to Steve Lipsky, "Wow, I'm surprised I got out there." His response was monotone and to the point, "Every time I look, you're getting out. I keep thinking, 'oh, Jude got out again.' I'm sorry sir but it's no longer surprising." Coming from a guy who has lost count of his 100 ball runs and someone I have always admired (for his play AND sportsmanship), I could not have felt better.

All of this feeds a confidence within me that grows daily. It allows me to trust my ability and my decisions. I accept the fact I'm not perfect but I can learn from my mistakes so long as I'm not distracted by frustration. I learned losing is a part of growth and mistakes are only a physical representation of something I must address. No single game or match or week can convey what type of player I am, positive or negative. All of it is me. The only thing I can do is try and give each shot my best effort with the highest expectations in mind and smile while doing it.

I take responsibility for what happens. Every time I lose, it's a credit to my opponent's ability but also an illustration of what I need to improve. Losing is what motivates me. So, after each loss, I take a deep breath, give my opponent a small smile and shake her/his hand. I hope they understand that I always let it all out so losing is always emotional for me. However, I'll be back in the room the very next day working on the material my victorious opponent provided for me, oftentimes with a much bigger smile.

In sum, I feel like I'm part of a much bigger thing. Amsterdam Billiards has just become this huge machine that is producing pool players at an astonishing rate. I'm merely its product. Steve and Gina Lipsky, Chris Lynch, Tony Robles, Rolando Aravena, Danny Barouty, SJM and Jim Gottier are amazing leaders, motivators and examples for how to play the game right and the list goes on. I can literally run off dozens of names and I'm so happy to know them, to compete against them and with them, to travel to Vegas with them, to root for them and have them there, rooting for me. I simply can't begin to tell you how much fun I'm having!
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Very happy for you Jude, congratulations on working towards and achieving such a high standard. With the clear focus and positive attitude you show in your post it's no wonder you're there and still advancing! :)

DCP should print your comments and memorize them.

A COLD BEER FOR YOU BUDDY...........
cold beer.jpg
 
Williebetmore said:
Steve,
I am only familiar with the play of a few New Yorker's. Could you tell us where some of these players would fall on the scale: sjm, you, your wife, Liz Ford, Jeanette Lee, NYCcuedude, Danny Barouty (I think that covers all of the New Yorker's I've seen play)????
Click to expand...

If you think I'm outing these players on a public forum, you're nuts! :)

- Steve
 
Congradulations Jude. Now that I have read the whole thread I have a better understanding for your accomplishment. WOW

Couple of questions and I think others might find the answers interesting too.

In the last few years how many hours a week do you play?

How many hours do you practice?

Do you think that a change of emphasis from pocketing balls to position play is part of the reason you improved so much?

It makes sense that your willingness to play "all out" is one of the sources of your improvement. Are there other attitudinal changes that helped?

If you had to name one thing that most contributed to your improved ability, what would it be?

Thanks for taking the time to consider these questions that may help many of us improve our game.
 
kol hakavod (if that's appropriate)... you are lucky to be in such a pro area (and probably straight pool heaven), but it can't all be luck to reach open status. Congrats.
 
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Congrats. I've only seen you play here and there, but the one time I saw you play seriously was a few months ago. If memory serves me correctly it was after the Strickland/Robles showdown.

Some of the Broadway Billiards crew came down (myself included) and you called out Spanish Eddie. There was barking outside, and you offered him the 7-ball on the front table. You'd even had a few drinks in you, and didn't offer it as an excuse when negotiating the weight. He tried all his typical sharking techniques (chalking/squeaking his cue tip on your shot, pacing in your line of shot, whining, etc). And despite all this, you were man enough to both 1.) call him on it, and 2.) beat him the set. He had two backers that night, who were sure he'd beat you giving him the 7-ball. And you beat him, despite his sharking. And he then proceeded to refuse a second set. It was sort of pathetic, since had backers and couldn't work the nerve to play a second set getting that weight.

On a number of fronts, I have a lot of respect for you. So congrats, and may you continue to improve.
 
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