Does your performance change depending of your opponent?

[Jimbojim]

Hi there,

We all have heard the saying "Play the table, not the player"
I manage to keep that mindset with everyone I play but ONE guy. He's pro speed and definitely has the skills and talent to compete against the world's best. When I play him, I lose my stroke, my aim, my fundamentals and my confidence. To break and run against him is almost impossible because I'm intimidated big time. I don't know if its because he's followed my progress since I first started to play seriously and he taught me the basics many years ago.

He's the only one that does that to me. Sometimes I go play some AAA and Semi-Pro tournaments and I win some matches because I just play the table. Even if I practice against other pros it doesn't affect my play.

Anyone like that in your entourage that make you look like a banger clown when you play them? How do I cure that?

 

[weakfingers]

I'm the opposite of you. When I play highly skilled players, I play better. For me, the difficulty is trying to be 'relentless' with weaker players. It's just difficult for me to lay the smackdown especially if they're friends or VERY weak players.

 

[Jimbojim]

I'm the opposite of you. When I play highly skilled players, I play better. For me, the difficulty is trying to be 'relentless' with weaker players. It's just difficult for me to lay the smackdown especially if they're friends or VERY weak players.

I usually play well against stronger opponents but I can't make 3 balls in a row against him.

 

[deanoc]

i tend to play better when i get more shots and the other guy can't get out

i tend to dog it when i pla6y people like cliff joymer,even though i got the break and 5 balls spot,i tended to sulk as i watched him shoot,and when he left me tough shots it caused me to look for an honorable way out of the game,I often find that paying off is the last resort

i had the same problem with craig stevens ,louie roberts,and mike massey in the 60s

i hope this helps
the only way to cure this is to ask for more weight,but that doesn't always work out

this is where i got the reputation for not playing good for the money
i find that the more i bet ,the more i worry about losing
this also hurts my game

if anyone needs more help feel free to ask

 

[MoneyBox]

I seem to play better against better opponents. I think a better player forces me to focus more.

 

[CreeDo]

I think that's just the normal effects of pressure. Playing with this guy watching is like playing in a tournament, for you.

In some ways you could think of it as useful, because you can get all of the challenge of playing under pressure without cracking your wallet.

The #1 cure for pressure is to put yourself in the pressure situation over and over again until it starts to feel routine. Then you can relax and play your normal game. Play with this person as often as possible, it's good for you.

Sometimes what helps me is to use the 'fake it til you make it' attitude and pretend like you don't care, at least on the outside. Chirp, make a few jokes, talk trash, get up there and try to hit balls instinctually (like you aren't really trying even though you are).

 

[Aaron_S]

Determining the cause of your anxiety may be the best first step here. The two most common causes anxiety when playing a much better player would probably be: a) fear of embarrassing yourself in front of someone who's skill you respect; b) wanting to beat the stronger player so badly that you undermine your own efforts.

If you believe it is the former, then you should just keep in mind that all players, regardless of skill level, struggle with the game at times. If this guy is pro speed, then he has definitely seen his fair share of times when his stuff just wasn't working. He has missed easy shots, and flubbed badly at times when he should have executed. In other words, he has embarrassed himself plenty of times too - it's just part of the game.

If you think you just want to win so badly that it negatively affects your performance, then I would recommend finding something benign to focus your mind on during matches. There are libraries full of books on the mental game, and most of the ones I hear people recommend focus on getting your mind out of the way so your body can do what you've trained it to. It is essentially the art of tricking your mind into focusing on something other than the stressful situation your body is in. What works for me is to think about my accu-stats rating for the match. It becomes a pure percentages thing for me, where I analyze each shot and try to pick the option that affords the best chance of success. I figure if I shoot a .900 or better, then the other guy (whether he is Efren or a local league player) is going to have to put up a good set to beat me. It gives me a goal that keeps my mind occupied, and I think my arm shakes less when I focus on this.

Good luck,
Aaron

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I adjust automatically to play just a bit worse than my opponent.

pj
chgo

 

[Black-Balled]

If you're scared, just say so!

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I do, seems like. Probably take the game a bit more seriously. :smile:

 

[ENGLISH!]

If you're scared, just say so!

But what is he scared of? Losing? Winning? Or beating his mentor & possibly embarrasing him?

Focus on the shot at hand & everthing else will take care of itself.

 

[bdorman]

Looking on the bright side:

You know what challenge you have to overcome.

You're not sure about how to climb the hill, but knowing the hill is there is a big advantage.

All the best.

 

[MoneyBox]

I adjust automatically to play just a bit worse than my opponent.

pj
chgo

I call this the "Auto-Handicap" feature.

 

[danomano]

Hi there,

We all have heard the saying "Play the table, not the player"
I manage to keep that mindset with everyone I play but ONE guy. He's pro speed and definitely has the skills and talent to compete against the world's best. When I play him, I lose my stroke, my aim, my fundamentals and my confidence. To break and run against him is almost impossible because I'm intimidated big time. I don't know if its because he's followed my progress since I first started to play seriously and he taught me the basics many years ago.

He's the only one that does that to me. Sometimes I go play some AAA and Semi-Pro tournaments and I win some matches because I just play the table. Even if I practice against other pros it doesn't affect my play.

Anyone like that in your entourage that make you look like a banger clown when you play them? How do I cure that?

We all have someone like that I think. There is one local guy that I just can't play my best against. I can do so against literal world champions, but this guy - probably a shortstop - just gets me out of my element. I try to find the positive in it though. If i am uncomfortabe playing against him, its good practice for high level tournament matches when i might feel a little uncomfortable as well.

 

[Jimbojim]

I like the idea of imagining my accu-stats rating.

I have been playing with him on and off for the last 6-7 years. He basically taught me how to stroke a ball and taught me the game. I didn't even know how to play a stop shot when I first met him. I improved fast in a short period and eventhough he knows that, I have never been able to "show" it against him.

Well maybe one time I played really well, it was my first pro tournament I ever played in. My friend asked me if I wanted to come and watch and instead I decided to play in it for the experience since it was a cheap entry fee for weak amateurs back then. He drove me there, we had breakfast together and I drew him first round. I played WAY above my head and I lost 8-11. After the match he hugged me and told me jokingly "don't scare me like that again"

I think Im trying to impress him or show him that I have really improved over the
years. Maybe if I stop trying to make him acknowledge my progress Ill do better
against him.

He still beats me 11-1~2 every time now. And that tournament I talked about was 3-4 years ago

 

[TheThaiger]

I like the idea of imagining my accu-stats rating.

I have been playing with him on and off for the last 6-7 years. He basically taught me how to stroke a ball and taught me the game. I didn't even know how to play a stop shot when I first met him. I improved fast in a short period and eventhough he knows that, I have never been able to "show" it against him.

Well maybe one time I played really well, it was my first pro tournament I ever played in. My friend asked me if I wanted to come and watch and instead I decided to play in it for the experience since it was a cheap entry fee for weak amateurs back then. He drove me there, we had breakfast together and I drew him first round. I played WAY above my head and I lost 8-11. After the match he hugged me and told me jokingly "don't scare me like that again"

I think Im trying to impress him or show him that I have really improved over the
years. Maybe if I stop trying to make him acknowledge my progress Ill do better
against him.

He still beats me 11-1~2 every time now. And that tournament I talked about was 3-4 years ago

If he's beating you 11- one or two, you need to forget all about him. You can only compare similar skill levels.

 

[PC_John]

But what is he scared of? Losing? Winning? Or beating his mentor & possibly embarrasing him?

Focus on the shot at hand & everthing else will take care of itself.

This!

I believe you have nailed it. I have never beaten the man that taught me to play over 40 years ago. If I thought I could beat him, I wouldn't. Why you ask? There are several reasons, but exactly why, I don't know.

Several years ago he taught me to play darts. I worked hard at it and eventually I beat him, I did not feel good about it at all, If I could take it back, he would never know that I could beat him. We are friends and will always be, but, we never play darts anymore.

 

[Maestro]

The better the opponent the better I play. Sadly the reverse often seems to be true as well. I enjoy playing these who are better and more experienced then I am and I learn from them as I observe what they do and how they think. When playing a banger, I have to focus on my own game and not be effected by the bad stroke and the random table.

 

[Scott Lee]

Great post! Tap, tap, tap! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Determining the cause of your anxiety may be the best first step here. The two most common causes anxiety when playing a much better player would probably be: a) fear of embarrassing yourself in front of someone who's skill you respect; b) wanting to beat the stronger player so badly that you undermine your own efforts.

If you believe it is the former, then you should just keep in mind that all players, regardless of skill level, struggle with the game at times. If this guy is pro speed, then he has definitely seen his fair share of times when his stuff just wasn't working. He has missed easy shots, and flubbed badly at times when he should have executed. In other words, he has embarrassed himself plenty of times too - it's just part of the game.

If you think you just want to win so badly that it negatively affects your performance, then I would recommend finding something benign to focus your mind on during matches. There are libraries full of books on the mental game, and most of the ones I hear people recommend focus on getting your mind out of the way so your body can do what you've trained it to. It is essentially the art of tricking your mind into focusing on something other than the stressful situation your body is in. What works for me is to think about my accu-stats rating for the match. It becomes a pure percentages thing for me, where I analyze each shot and try to pick the option that affords the best chance of success. I figure if I shoot a .900 or better, then the other guy (whether he is Efren or a local league player) is going to have to put up a good set to beat me. It gives me a goal that keeps my mind occupied, and I think my arm shakes less when I focus on this.

Good luck,
Aaron

 

[Jimbojim]

But what is he scared of? Losing? Winning? Or beating his mentor & possibly embarrasing him?

Focus on the shot at hand & everthing else will take care of itself.

I can't be scared of beating because he's way too good for me to beat him. He's international pro speed, only Alain Martel can beat him on an even
level (if I mention only local players).

I think what it is, is that I'm scared of disappointing him since he's the one who showed me how to play so I want to perform better so he's proud of me.

Its stupid because he knows I can play, he has seen me finish 3rd in the AA at the provincials last week.

I guess Ill have to focus on other things when I play him.