I was always told that gambling at pool helped your game more than just doing drills or banging balks around. Is this true? And why or why not?
Does gambling improve your game?
- Thread starter Sw10balltour
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So far, what little gambling I've done hasn't improved my game because I end up focusing on the money instead of what I need to focus on...so it actually hurts my game.
But playing against better players definitely improves my game. I can practice and shoot pretty good (not "good" good...we're talking running 15-20 balls when practicing straight...but then missing some stupid easy shots...its a focus issue). When I shoot against an opponent, the level of my game goes up a notch...and it does help my overall game. I believe that shooting against a better player forces me to focus more than when practicing.
However, it also sometimes backfires. If the player I am playing is too good (so far ahead, I don't have a prayer of catching up), then my game ends up getting much worse. I end up frustrated and can't seem to bring my game to the level it needs to be to compete.
At my age, I've just accepted the fact that it is what it is. I'll never be a world class player. Call it accepting your limitations. So, for me, I don't gamble much and it hasn't helped me much.
John
But playing against better players definitely improves my game. I can practice and shoot pretty good (not "good" good...we're talking running 15-20 balls when practicing straight...but then missing some stupid easy shots...its a focus issue). When I shoot against an opponent, the level of my game goes up a notch...and it does help my overall game. I believe that shooting against a better player forces me to focus more than when practicing.
However, it also sometimes backfires. If the player I am playing is too good (so far ahead, I don't have a prayer of catching up), then my game ends up getting much worse. I end up frustrated and can't seem to bring my game to the level it needs to be to compete.
At my age, I've just accepted the fact that it is what it is. I'll never be a world class player. Call it accepting your limitations. So, for me, I don't gamble much and it hasn't helped me much.
John
For me knowing the fact that I will have money riding on my pool game improves my practice because it adds a little emphasis to needing to improve certain areas... It is a bit hard to explain but it is kinda like this:
Suppose I have trouble with hard cuts when a ball is frozen to a rail.. (which I do)... If I'm just practicing because "I want to be better" it isn't such a big deal when you don't get a drastic improvement because you'll just practice again later and improve then. However, when you know this one shot may cause you to lose some money (tonight even), you can guarantee you'll get that shot right in practice and become fully comfortable with it.
Its almost like I get more out of practice now that I gamble than when I did back when I just played for fun... it seems to mean more and because of that I get much more out of it.
So my short answer, even though it will probably be unpopular, is: Yes, gambling has improved my game.
Suppose I have trouble with hard cuts when a ball is frozen to a rail.. (which I do)... If I'm just practicing because "I want to be better" it isn't such a big deal when you don't get a drastic improvement because you'll just practice again later and improve then. However, when you know this one shot may cause you to lose some money (tonight even), you can guarantee you'll get that shot right in practice and become fully comfortable with it.
Its almost like I get more out of practice now that I gamble than when I did back when I just played for fun... it seems to mean more and because of that I get much more out of it.
So my short answer, even though it will probably be unpopular, is: Yes, gambling has improved my game.
I'm not much of a gambler and there isn't much in the way of gambling going on in the hall.
I get excited over playing for a 5 dollar beer in the bar. It doesn't bother me obviously to buy someone a beer if I lose (Insert Big Gambler Here).
I do find that putting something on the line does make me pay a tad more attention than I might normally do. Even if it is just a drink.
Altho, I find even playing a League game is similar to gambling for me as
I tend to focus more as I want to win for my team.
Somewhat like yourself, I can play like a demon if its a fun game and I can choke easily on a league game. It can at times make me a bit more nervous. Depends on the night and who I am playing. Getting better at over coming that obstacle.
I get excited over playing for a 5 dollar beer in the bar. It doesn't bother me obviously to buy someone a beer if I lose (Insert Big Gambler Here).
I do find that putting something on the line does make me pay a tad more attention than I might normally do. Even if it is just a drink.
Altho, I find even playing a League game is similar to gambling for me as
I tend to focus more as I want to win for my team.
Somewhat like yourself, I can play like a demon if its a fun game and I can choke easily on a league game. It can at times make me a bit more nervous. Depends on the night and who I am playing. Getting better at over coming that obstacle.
Banging balls never helps period.
Playing for money as a way of improving your game is the favorite line of second rate small timers so they can make money off beginners.
Most of those guys will not come anywhere close to gambling with anyone who can take them on.
Just see what happens once you start beating them. Those guys don’t gamble, they want sure thing.
That said and done, playing for money will make one focus and try harder most of the time.
Ego like Neil said can be enough of a gamble, depends on personality.
However, practice and learning comes first.
One can become good with or without gambling.
It is all about desire and passion for the game.
Playing for money as a way of improving your game is the favorite line of second rate small timers so they can make money off beginners.
Most of those guys will not come anywhere close to gambling with anyone who can take them on.
Just see what happens once you start beating them. Those guys don’t gamble, they want sure thing.
That said and done, playing for money will make one focus and try harder most of the time.
Ego like Neil said can be enough of a gamble, depends on personality.
However, practice and learning comes first.
One can become good with or without gambling.
It is all about desire and passion for the game.
I can only speak from experience but my game didn't improve until I started gambling.
I agree. I don't believe that gambling IMPROVES your playing ability. It does however make the game worth playing. I don't enjoy playing pool for nothing for any longer than about an hour. After that, it's just boring.
That being said, it doesn't have to be money. That's why tournaments and leagues exist. It's a chance to play for SOMETHING so we're not just out for our jollies. By quantifying wins and losses somehow either through peer recognition, or financial motivation the game increases in enjoyment, longetivity and the drive to continue to practice and improve continues.
Without some sort of motivation it's only a matter of (short) time before one is likely to slip into just banging balls or not properly or carefully calculating shots.
That being said, it doesn't have to be money. That's why tournaments and leagues exist. It's a chance to play for SOMETHING so we're not just out for our jollies. By quantifying wins and losses somehow either through peer recognition, or financial motivation the game increases in enjoyment, longetivity and the drive to continue to practice and improve continues.
Without some sort of motivation it's only a matter of (short) time before one is likely to slip into just banging balls or not properly or carefully calculating shots.
Nah,won't help unless you want to be good under some kind of pressure sometime down the road..That's the only reason it will help.Now if all your
going to play Is (jolly) pool then you should be fine without bettin something.
John B.
One of the oldest...
Good instruction, dedicated, quality, practice and experience have helped my game way more than gambling ever did.
Funny how after you learn to play a little bit those nits don't pull that line on you anymore. I'm glad I didn't fall for it.
Instead of gambling your money...take lessons if you can from someone good. It will pay off a lot faster and much more pleasant.
Good instruction, dedicated, quality, practice and experience have helped my game way more than gambling ever did.
Funny how after you learn to play a little bit those nits don't pull that line on you anymore. I'm glad I didn't fall for it.
Instead of gambling your money...take lessons if you can from someone good. It will pay off a lot faster and much more pleasant.
ooooo nooooo
NOT AGAIN!
NOT AGAIN!
Im assuming the OP was referencing someone who has some ability, lets say like a 5 in APA trying to jump to a 7 in APA. No I dont think gambling will improve a novice but I do believe it will make someone jump a ball or 2 that already has some foundation
ooooo nooooo
NOT AGAIN!
Too funny...
you are confused
gambling does NOT improve your pool ability, only practice improves your ability and lots of it. what gambling does though however, is make you play with more focus and determination because of the consequences of losing. so anybody who thinks that gambling improves your game is confusing "improving your game" with just plain ol' "playing harder". the only "improvement", if you will, to your game, that gambling will provide you with, is the improved ability to play under duress. this however is really not an improvement in "pool ability" but an improvement in mental fortitude with the side benefit of better play on the table. i hope this clears this debate up for you all.
think of it like this....the last time any of you went to vegas and dropped some coin at the tables....did it improve your pool game any? didn't think so. and yes i know thats not gambling on my pool game. just saying
gambling does NOT improve your pool ability, only practice improves your ability and lots of it. what gambling does though however, is make you play with more focus and determination because of the consequences of losing. so anybody who thinks that gambling improves your game is confusing "improving your game" with just plain ol' "playing harder". the only "improvement", if you will, to your game, that gambling will provide you with, is the improved ability to play under duress. this however is really not an improvement in "pool ability" but an improvement in mental fortitude with the side benefit of better play on the table. i hope this clears this debate up for you all.
think of it like this....the last time any of you went to vegas and dropped some coin at the tables....did it improve your pool game any? didn't think so. and yes i know thats not gambling on my pool game. just saying
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If your able to create a reason NOT to miss that's what's needed. Playing for table time is a great motivator, especially for beginning players who really don't want to gamble but it gives bragging rights which often is way better than money.
My dad and his roomate from Northwestern, played $1 per hole golf their entire life, and to them, it was the hunt that counted more than the catch.
And for those few of us on this AZ board who might remember this man....his name was Otto Graham (Cleveland Browns).
In his 9 year record, he completed 1375 passes in 2417 attempts for 21,874 yards and 162 touchdowns.
My dad and his roomate from Northwestern, played $1 per hole golf their entire life, and to them, it was the hunt that counted more than the catch.
And for those few of us on this AZ board who might remember this man....his name was Otto Graham (Cleveland Browns).
In his 9 year record, he completed 1375 passes in 2417 attempts for 21,874 yards and 162 touchdowns.
Funny how this advice usually comes from Gamblers. Oh well.
Table time (lots of it) and hitting balls under some pressure will improve your game and probably lighten your wallet.
But, IMO, you can spend 3 months just gambling and still not be able to defeat someone that took lessons and practiced routinely and played in tournaments during that same 3 months.
Table time (lots of it) and hitting balls under some pressure will improve your game and probably lighten your wallet.
But, IMO, you can spend 3 months just gambling and still not be able to defeat someone that took lessons and practiced routinely and played in tournaments during that same 3 months.
Yes it does for sure................
I always loved it when a road player would come through Chippewa Falls, Wi. just before some big tourny.
If i was not in top stroke I would play them $100 to $200 sets the first day or 2. All this time I was getting comfortable playing against someone and playing for some cash.
About the third day I would be feeling pretty good about both of these aspects and would usually raise the bet. The results were usually pretty devastating for the road player. He would have to just sit there and watch me run out alot.
I don't know about anyone else but for me when I started to bet higher money it was a reason to really turn on the focus. But I kind of had to work my way up to it because I was sitting there in my home town not playing hardly anyone. But i was playing.
After this session with the road player I would usually just coast through the tourny I was going to that next weekend. I would be in tip top stroke.
And it didn't seem to matter who was in it either. They were all cruising for a bruising. In fact one tourny I won in 1998 in Olathe was a direct example of this. Evelyn that was running the Texas Expess tour back then told me after the tourny that weekend that she wouldn't have given me $5 for my spot in the tourny. Every player I had to play had won , one or 2 tour events that year already. She told me, You really head a tough brackett. I turned and replied, NO. They all had a tough brackett. She had to agree.
This was just one of many that i won after playing a road player for the cash the following week or during.
The money and the intensity would make me dig down to my inner depths of concentration and just get the job done. At this point you could have put 2 sticks of dynamite in my back pockets, light them and I could have run out and then went out and threw them granted the fuse was long enough.
But the bottom line was the cash seemed to get me there as I know it does so many players.
But until I'm there I knew my limits. $100 or $200. Maybe even $500 sets. But when I got there the money seemed like it was just to keep score but it kept the heat on my total concentration.
Have a great day geno.......
I always loved it when a road player would come through Chippewa Falls, Wi. just before some big tourny.
If i was not in top stroke I would play them $100 to $200 sets the first day or 2. All this time I was getting comfortable playing against someone and playing for some cash.
About the third day I would be feeling pretty good about both of these aspects and would usually raise the bet. The results were usually pretty devastating for the road player. He would have to just sit there and watch me run out alot.
I don't know about anyone else but for me when I started to bet higher money it was a reason to really turn on the focus. But I kind of had to work my way up to it because I was sitting there in my home town not playing hardly anyone. But i was playing.
After this session with the road player I would usually just coast through the tourny I was going to that next weekend. I would be in tip top stroke.
And it didn't seem to matter who was in it either. They were all cruising for a bruising. In fact one tourny I won in 1998 in Olathe was a direct example of this. Evelyn that was running the Texas Expess tour back then told me after the tourny that weekend that she wouldn't have given me $5 for my spot in the tourny. Every player I had to play had won , one or 2 tour events that year already. She told me, You really head a tough brackett. I turned and replied, NO. They all had a tough brackett. She had to agree.
This was just one of many that i won after playing a road player for the cash the following week or during.
The money and the intensity would make me dig down to my inner depths of concentration and just get the job done. At this point you could have put 2 sticks of dynamite in my back pockets, light them and I could have run out and then went out and threw them granted the fuse was long enough.
But the bottom line was the cash seemed to get me there as I know it does so many players.
But until I'm there I knew my limits. $100 or $200. Maybe even $500 sets. But when I got there the money seemed like it was just to keep score but it kept the heat on my total concentration.
Have a great day geno.......
Yep....works for me.
Kinda like that beer commercial where they just drive around the golf course and Instead of playing the hole,they just give each other birdies,eagles and then a hole In one.Got to have a reason to keep score Is what I'm getting at.John B.