Hello,
I am fairly new to this game, have only played competitively for 4 years. Just last year I learned the joy and satisfaction of cue ball control versus poke and hope. I've really slowed my stroke down and made it much softer. I mainly play 8 ball (that is where the leagues and tourneys are, so that is what I play) on bar boxes. I can run tables (3-4 in an hour) but not consistently. I still make stupid mistakes and a lot of times don't get position for the last suited ball or the 8 ball (6-7 balls and miss position). I am getting good at banks, kicks, combos etc. I played in the top city league and held my own, helping take 2nd in league and 2nd in a regional team tourney. I had 2nd high average on team (no handicap system) but I think that is because I had the advantage in that people didn't want to loose to me and I can usually get a 6 or 7 minimum. I read every book I can find and watch every instructional video I can get my hands on to learn everything I can.
Here's my situation: I am still overlooked by the good players in town, even after coming back from 6-1 to win 7-6 against one of the top players in town (he put his cue away and baseball-batted his case into the side of the table and stormed away without shaking hands) and recently playing well in some tournaments.
I was playing in a small tourney last week and drew a top player to start out. I ran the first rack (race to 3). He broke and made 1 ball and then missed. I had 3 balls in a line aimed at a frozen combo that went up to the corner, so I played position on it first and then made the 5-ball combo to break everything up. I had one ball go up table along the rail (5 inches from rail) but the pocket ahead of it was blocked. I played my next shot hoping to get decent shape on the blocked ball and I put the cueball against the rail so I could shoot the ball in the cross corner straight in. I got out from there. Then I gave up the next three tough racks and he won.
When I made the combo, I heard the guy mumble "nice shot", but when I played the next shot and got pin-point position, he started raising holy hell bemoaning the fact the the combo busted the balls up and I was lucky to get postion on the trouble ball after that. I could hear him telling people that it was a lucky out because the combo broke things up nice and I was lucky to get on the trouble ball. He complained so much that it started getting in my head and I screwed up my next runout, which cost me the match.
Why do people get mad if someone beats them on a shot that inherently involves some luck)? Sure my 5 ball combo could have tied everything up again, but you run that risk on any shot where you are running in to balls. If I accidently bump a ball out of position, people don't come up to me and bemoan my luck that the ball doesn't go anymore. I don't get any sympathy cards if their ball hangs in the pocket and blocks 2 of my balls.
When I got position on my trouble ball, it was maybe a 5 in 10 shot for me to get position on, but does that mean I'm lucky to get it? My favorite shot these days is to carom a ball off another that is close to the pocket. These shots have to be hit exactly right and they are a medium or low percentage shot. Does that mean I'm lucky if I make one?
Another situation. If you shoot a shot up the rail and it goes in off another ball by the pocket unexpectedly, did you miss? How about if you mis a shot and the ball goes all the way around the table and goes in the correct pocket? To me that is luck, but where is the line?
If a 5-ball combo lines up, are you more/less lucky than if the table had broken wide open? Can I help it if I'm a B player that usually gets position on a tough 2 ball when I was going for position on the 1 ball?
Does anyone have any thoughts/stories on luck vs skill vs percentage shots?
I am fairly new to this game, have only played competitively for 4 years. Just last year I learned the joy and satisfaction of cue ball control versus poke and hope. I've really slowed my stroke down and made it much softer. I mainly play 8 ball (that is where the leagues and tourneys are, so that is what I play) on bar boxes. I can run tables (3-4 in an hour) but not consistently. I still make stupid mistakes and a lot of times don't get position for the last suited ball or the 8 ball (6-7 balls and miss position). I am getting good at banks, kicks, combos etc. I played in the top city league and held my own, helping take 2nd in league and 2nd in a regional team tourney. I had 2nd high average on team (no handicap system) but I think that is because I had the advantage in that people didn't want to loose to me and I can usually get a 6 or 7 minimum. I read every book I can find and watch every instructional video I can get my hands on to learn everything I can.
Here's my situation: I am still overlooked by the good players in town, even after coming back from 6-1 to win 7-6 against one of the top players in town (he put his cue away and baseball-batted his case into the side of the table and stormed away without shaking hands) and recently playing well in some tournaments.
I was playing in a small tourney last week and drew a top player to start out. I ran the first rack (race to 3). He broke and made 1 ball and then missed. I had 3 balls in a line aimed at a frozen combo that went up to the corner, so I played position on it first and then made the 5-ball combo to break everything up. I had one ball go up table along the rail (5 inches from rail) but the pocket ahead of it was blocked. I played my next shot hoping to get decent shape on the blocked ball and I put the cueball against the rail so I could shoot the ball in the cross corner straight in. I got out from there. Then I gave up the next three tough racks and he won.
When I made the combo, I heard the guy mumble "nice shot", but when I played the next shot and got pin-point position, he started raising holy hell bemoaning the fact the the combo busted the balls up and I was lucky to get postion on the trouble ball after that. I could hear him telling people that it was a lucky out because the combo broke things up nice and I was lucky to get on the trouble ball. He complained so much that it started getting in my head and I screwed up my next runout, which cost me the match.
Why do people get mad if someone beats them on a shot that inherently involves some luck)? Sure my 5 ball combo could have tied everything up again, but you run that risk on any shot where you are running in to balls. If I accidently bump a ball out of position, people don't come up to me and bemoan my luck that the ball doesn't go anymore. I don't get any sympathy cards if their ball hangs in the pocket and blocks 2 of my balls.
When I got position on my trouble ball, it was maybe a 5 in 10 shot for me to get position on, but does that mean I'm lucky to get it? My favorite shot these days is to carom a ball off another that is close to the pocket. These shots have to be hit exactly right and they are a medium or low percentage shot. Does that mean I'm lucky if I make one?
Another situation. If you shoot a shot up the rail and it goes in off another ball by the pocket unexpectedly, did you miss? How about if you mis a shot and the ball goes all the way around the table and goes in the correct pocket? To me that is luck, but where is the line?
If a 5-ball combo lines up, are you more/less lucky than if the table had broken wide open? Can I help it if I'm a B player that usually gets position on a tough 2 ball when I was going for position on the 1 ball?
Does anyone have any thoughts/stories on luck vs skill vs percentage shots?
. First off, nyce shooting even i didn't see it. For me, i wouldn't define it lucky, there are some that would say you were in the zone, some that might say you were lucky, and some that might say you were getting the rolls. Your opponent would be the lucky type, me i always think today just wasn't my day, and that you were in the zone. As no combo is easy, for me anyways. Five ball combo, thats six different angles right? Tough shot, even if it was perfectly lined up. Billiard shots, great shots also, thats the name of the game Billiards. And if those are your favorite shots, or the shots you like. Tells me you are a player that see's shots, and can make up a shot when there isn't one. There is this person in the leagues that is a player like that. A tough player, and a smart player. With alot of experience that is a deadly combo. So a few more years i think this player is going to be tougher, cause he's very hard to play nine ball against as he see's or creates a shot to win the game fast and easy. So i don't think you were lucky, and always Play the table not your opponent 
My teacher always told me its far better to be lucky than good! 
