Deadstroke stories...

P

poormanintexas

Remember ..Sticky Side up
I have 2 of my own. Monday i play apa 8 ball im a sl7. I believe i achieved dead stroke because i broke and ran a 2 pack without remembering the run at all..It was really wierd. Basically i was on autopilot it felt like walking, very natural and fluid. I dont know if im explaining it right maybe someone here can put it in better words, all i know is it feels like a different level of play. I also had a deaddstroke moment last night when i ran a 3 pack on a friend without realizing it. Also can not remember that run either. Granted we had a magic rack on a 7 foot diamond table with tight pockets playing 9 ball. Anyway i would love to hear anyone elses deadstroke stories? thanks
 
Everyone has their own definition of Dead Stroke.

In 9- and 10-ball my definition is 4 consecutive balls. In 8-ball it's 6 consecutive.

It's rare, but it does happen.
 
I was playing one of NC's finest a race to 9 and he missed an early ball, leading 6-5. He did not shoot again that set.

I have plenty of moments at home, but they don't count.
 
bdorman said:
Everyone has their own definition of Dead Stroke.

In 9- and 10-ball my definition is 4 consecutive balls. In 8-ball it's 6 consecutive.

It's rare, but it does happen.
Click to expand...

Those are low standards bro...

Dead stroke by anyone's definition, should at least be running out and prolly stringing racks together too...

It's not like I've ever put a five pack together or anything and I'm lucky to average five balls an inning most nights but I still get all giddy when I run out on someone :grin-square:

I know everybody has their own skill level but dead stroke to most, would sounds more like the OP's description. IMHO...
 
Happens many times for me. Especially if it's my day. I just go on and can't miss anything. I pot everything, I make huge cuts flawlessly, position play is in tact, but I can make very difficult shots without any trouble. When I have this "mood" though :P...
 
I've only had a few fleeting glimpses of dead stroke...

It's odd really because it's true that you don't even really realize it at the time it's actually happening. Once you do notice you're in dead stroke it's no longer with you. Kind of a sad story...

It feels good looking back on it though. Just running through racks like it's not a big deal. Making killer cuts and getting spectacular break outs. Position coming off effortlessly with perfect speed on everything. Juicing whitey up good and watching that spin catch just right. Man! Gotta love it :joyful:

Alas I've only experienced such greatness for maybe 3 or 4 racks of my life. I wish I could give you more details but like most people's account of dead stroke. It's all kinda fuzzy really :shrug:
 
poormanintexas said:
I have 2 of my own. Monday i play apa 8 ball im a sl7. I believe i achieved dead stroke because i broke and ran a 2 pack without remembering the run at all..It was really wierd. Basically i was on autopilot it felt like walking, very natural and fluid. I dont know if im explaining it right maybe someone here can put it in better words, all i know is it feels like a different level of play. I also had a deaddstroke moment last night when i ran a 3 pack on a friend without realizing it. Also can not remember that run either. Granted we had a magic rack on a 7 foot diamond table with tight pockets playing 9 ball. Anyway i would love to hear anyone elses deadstroke stories? thanks
Click to expand...

I have a similar experience...when I'm in dead stroke, I'll run out and not really remember anything before the last couple of shots...everything is kind of a blur, living in the moment. You just kind of look up and surprise yourself. The cue ball goes where you want it to, without a whole lot of deliberation. You'll look at a straight in shot, but somehow you put some magic on the CB and it inexplicably drifts into line, and you can't really say how you made it happen, but there it is.
 
One I had most recently was in practice. I broke and ran a rack and said to my friend "finally a break and run!" with some sarcasm. He looks at me with a weird expression and said "You broke and ran the last one too......" I had to think about it and honestly don't remember anything about the previous break and run. Being in dead stroke is when you are able to filter out all of the information that isn't useful and focus on the task at hand. Only thing that matters is making the current shot. The one before that is history after it has been completed.

The best example I have seen of this in video was the finals at hard times between SVB and Dennis Orcollo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0H8UMyyQ3Y
Dennis makes a great out then breaks and runs the last two racks on one of the toughest tables anywhere to win the tournament. He goes to rack the balls again and they have to stop him and tell him the match is over. So focused he didn't even know he had just won the match. He just has a look on his face like he doesn't even know what just happened.
 
poormanintexas said:
I have 2 of my own. Monday i play apa 8 ball im a sl7. I believe i achieved dead stroke because i broke and ran a 2 pack without remembering the run at all..It was really wierd. Basically i was on autopilot it felt like walking, very natural and fluid. I dont know if im explaining it right maybe someone here can put it in better words, all i know is it feels like a different level of play. I also had a deaddstroke moment last night when i ran a 3 pack on a friend without realizing it. Also can not remember that run either. Granted we had a magic rack on a 7 foot diamond table with tight pockets playing 9 ball. Anyway i would love to hear anyone elses deadstroke stories? thanks
Click to expand...

If that's dead strike then I stay in it. I never remember where I played what.
Hmm I always thought it was the weed
 
A couple instances where I may have been in dead stroke.. first off, I am not that strong of a player. I am a 6 in APA 9 ball. The first time was in a league match, 9 ball, I beat my opponent 46-3. The other team asked to see my I.D. after the match.

The second time a friend of mine, who can be a loud mouth know-it-all decided he wanted to gamble (neither of us gamble much). 9 ball, race to 7 for $25. I play a little better than him, but not much. I offered a spot which he said he didn't need, then proceeded to quickly DESTROY him 7-0 with 3 break and runs. He got pissed and said something like "I guess it takes someone to put a little money on the table for you to wake up!". Didn't know I had it in me :D
 
poormanintexas said:
I have 2 of my own. Monday i play apa 8 ball im a sl7. I believe i achieved dead stroke because i broke and ran a 2 pack without remembering the run at all..It was really wierd. Basically i was on autopilot it felt like walking, very natural and fluid. I dont know if im explaining it right maybe someone here can put it in better words, all i know is it feels like a different level of play. I also had a deaddstroke moment last night when i ran a 3 pack on a friend without realizing it. Also can not remember that run either. Granted we had a magic rack on a 7 foot diamond table with tight pockets playing 9 ball. Anyway i would love to hear anyone elses deadstroke stories? thanks
Click to expand...


Time flies when your having fun . :D
 
These sound like a lot of fun. I have a hard time having that kind of carefree, natural experience with pool.

What do you guys think, do certain 'styles' or weaknesses prevent you from getting into dead stroke? I am constantly worried about missing balls, have doubt on lots of shots that other would call easy. I tend to get back up and line up shots with my cue a lot. I do make them, I can play somewhat (APA 8/7), but I don't feel relaxed at all. I worry my way through an entire rack.

If I run 2 in a row, it was not unconscious at all, it was being triple careful and worrying about every little detail. And 3 in a row is rare.

You figure I can ever get into the zone playing this way? I sometimes wonder if I should just try freewheeling more but now all that worrying is like... part of my preshot routine. I can't turn it off.
 
CreeDo said:
These sound like a lot of fun. I have a hard time having that kind of carefree, natural experience with pool.

What do you guys think, do certain 'styles' or weaknesses prevent you from getting into dead stroke? I am constantly worried about missing balls, have doubt on lots of shots that other would call easy. I tend to get back up and line up shots with my cue a lot. I do make them, I can play somewhat (APA 8/7), but I don't feel relaxed at all. I worry my way through an entire rack.

If I run 2 in a row, it was not unconscious at all, it was being triple careful and worrying about every little detail. And 3 in a row is rare.

You figure I can ever get into the zone playing this way? I sometimes wonder if I should just try freewheeling more but now all that worrying is like... part of my preshot routine. I can't turn it off.
Click to expand...

I do not think you will ever get into the zone playing that way. It sounds like you are too careful and need to build some confidence into your game. At times I have many of the same thoughts you do while playing. Try having more positive thoughts in your head instead of those negative ones. The zone is about blocking all of the negative stuff out and just letting it happen. You just need to let go and stop being so focused on the results. Try playing some and always go with your first instinct. Get up off the ball if something doesn't feel right. If it feels fine then just fire away.
 
In a local race to 4 last night I saw it and lost it. After a failed safe on the 3 I ranout. I ha blinders. I made 4 long difficult shots in a row. Next rack I broke dry but I didn't lose the edge. Lucky me the cue stopped behind the 5 and was trapped. After a pushout by my opponent I played safe and as safe became safe my blinders wore off. When I had 5,6,7,8,9 ahead of me on an open table my awareness kicked in. Each shot became more and more questioning on what to do. Eventually I missed a straight shot on the 9. Afterwards I came close to getting that back.

I left the hall feeling happy that I finally put my blinders on and just played to my best ability in a tournament.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top