well im still young, 19 but i have a decently solid game. none of the guys at the hall i go to will play me even i always have to spot them, today i gave this guy a 2 game spot to 7. we played 8 ball which i never do (im a 9 ball shooter). and i was pretty sure i could win, now if it was for like 20 a set id be fine but we were playing $50 a set and every shot i took i would completely choke. its just i get this feeling in my stomach and i couldnt shoot because of it. he ended up winning the first 2 games but i went on a 7 games to 1 run and won the set. he wanted a one game spot for a race to 4 but then wasnt sure if he wanted to play anymore, my question is how to i get that feeling out of my system so i can play him with my peak potential. i played a guy $100 a set and lost only because i couldnt shoot even one shot without my stomach turning inside out....give me some good tips, mental boosts, anything, i know its all practice and eventually ill be fine if i do it enough but i want to knwo what else will help
dont play good on high money sets
- Thread starter Varsity2016
- Start date
You'll never get over this feeling as long as the money really means something to you. At age 19 even $20 is probably a large amount of money as evidenced by you're title post. It boils down to a matter of acclimation. You'll probably have to start with smaller wagers and work you're way up. The best gamblers only use money as a means to keep score. I've played for as much as $100 a game (chump change for some people) and have seen sets played for 20k.
Stay in school, get a good job, and then you can probably go down to the pool hall and win or lose a few hundred and it won't matter so much.
Regards,
Doug
Stay in school, get a good job, and then you can probably go down to the pool hall and win or lose a few hundred and it won't matter so much.
Regards,
Doug
The perevious post was exactly right, who hasn't been there.
Turn your wobbly nerves into something positive. Make your fears work for you. Turn it into focus. Once you have done that and able to focus on the correct machanics ( stay down, follow through) you will learn to love this feeling.
It is hard not to think about end results and in every day life it consumes many of us and if we really get honest, it is a waste of time. Pay attention to the details and the good results will come. Play the game. Play the table and shoot the shot that needs to be shot. The nerves will go away and the end result will take care of itself.
Good luck to you and never doubt your ability.
Turn your wobbly nerves into something positive. Make your fears work for you. Turn it into focus. Once you have done that and able to focus on the correct machanics ( stay down, follow through) you will learn to love this feeling.
It is hard not to think about end results and in every day life it consumes many of us and if we really get honest, it is a waste of time. Pay attention to the details and the good results will come. Play the game. Play the table and shoot the shot that needs to be shot. The nerves will go away and the end result will take care of itself.
Good luck to you and never doubt your ability.
Anything dealing with mental play is all inside your head, and YOU control your brain.
Think about that.... *any* mental problems with your game you have complete control over, there is no outside force controlling your mind, outside things only have power that you give to them.
Anyway, your mind knows the best way to fix whatever problems you have, you just need to let it do its thing and work hard on fixing it, and beleive that you truly can fix it(if you think you can't fix it by yourself or easily, than you wont... its all about controlling your mind).
Figure out what you need to do to keep focus, and then practice that training your mind.
The key though is to realise that it is actually very simple if you put your mind to it, because nothing is holding you back except yourself, if you think it is easy to get over this than it will be, simple as that.
Think about that.... *any* mental problems with your game you have complete control over, there is no outside force controlling your mind, outside things only have power that you give to them.
Anyway, your mind knows the best way to fix whatever problems you have, you just need to let it do its thing and work hard on fixing it, and beleive that you truly can fix it(if you think you can't fix it by yourself or easily, than you wont... its all about controlling your mind).
Figure out what you need to do to keep focus, and then practice that training your mind.
The key though is to realise that it is actually very simple if you put your mind to it, because nothing is holding you back except yourself, if you think it is easy to get over this than it will be, simple as that.
Salamander said:
I like this statement, its is SO true. That's the same motto I live by, and I don't play for money either.
Reminds me of the classic lines from Poolhall Junkies: "I'm a millionaire! If I lose $80,000 , I put in another $80,000 !!!"
If you're still in college, that means that you're not earning your keep, just think of how hard your parents have to work just to support your education...don't gamble their sweat and tears away.
that feeling is what it is about
if you don't .get that nervous feeling then it doesn't mean enough to you...one must learn to channel that feeling into positive addreline..if you can not do that you should quit as you will be a loser for ever......it is like getting it up for the hottest women of your dreams if you can't do that you shouldn't be a man
if you don't .get that nervous feeling then it doesn't mean enough to you...one must learn to channel that feeling into positive addreline..if you can not do that you should quit as you will be a loser for ever......it is like getting it up for the hottest women of your dreams if you can't do that you shouldn't be a man
Varsity2016 said:
Knowin how to win is the key he took u out your game and played his game u lost when u played his game .8 ball is not easy .for some 9-ball players .Lean how to play 8 before u give up games and money.
8 ball is great game, not many can play it not like 9 ball .<-- not luck or trick shots....
junior718 said:
That's the way I do it to junior. It's just like when you go to Vegas. You might limit yourself to so much a night. If you lose it you just get up and play again the next day. You have to ask yourself what's the most I can throw away?
Youve already gotten solid advice from the previous posters, so Ill just add one thing.
You have to learn to play to win instead of playing not to lose. I dont know you but it sounds like when you up the bet you get nervous because your thinking about what you might lose.
It sounds funny, but its true. There is a big difference between shooting a ball to make it and shooting a ball trying not to miss.
Woody
You have to learn to play to win instead of playing not to lose. I dont know you but it sounds like when you up the bet you get nervous because your thinking about what you might lose.
It sounds funny, but its true. There is a big difference between shooting a ball to make it and shooting a ball trying not to miss.
Woody
I find that the mind controls the body. Try and remember your thoughts when you were addressing the ball. Regardless of the amount bet or the tournament level you are at, you must never think about anything other than the shot. I try and focus on delivering the ball without touching the cushion. If I hit the rail and make the shot, mentally, I count it as a miss and focus that much harder on the next shot. This is how I work on total focus. Hope it helps.
"You'll never get over this feeling as long as the money really means something to you."
Don't know that I would agree.
When I was in high school, I went to work for a trucking company for the summer. Then the Teamsters went on strike and I was laid off. Started to play the horses at the one day meets in Southwestern Ontario twice a week. Made far more money than if I had been working. Did this for several years until I got a real job. With money coming in, it was not so important to preserve the bankroll. I found myself betting just to have a bet, and was losing money. So I quit the horses. Now my far larger bets are on stocks.
But it is important to preserve the bankroll so that you can take advantage of money making opportunities. Betting more than your comfort level can cause all sorts of stomach churning, even if it seems to be a cinch bet, with potentially disasterous results. The biggest bet I ever placed was on a horse that pulled out to make a charge at the leader around the final turn. It should have been all over with me stuffing my pockets. A hobble broke and wrapped around the front legs. The nag did a face plant and never finished the race.
Instead of making fat bets that will degrade your performance, bet your opposition that he can't make a difficult shot. Magnify his yips instead of your own.
Don't know that I would agree.
When I was in high school, I went to work for a trucking company for the summer. Then the Teamsters went on strike and I was laid off. Started to play the horses at the one day meets in Southwestern Ontario twice a week. Made far more money than if I had been working. Did this for several years until I got a real job. With money coming in, it was not so important to preserve the bankroll. I found myself betting just to have a bet, and was losing money. So I quit the horses. Now my far larger bets are on stocks.
But it is important to preserve the bankroll so that you can take advantage of money making opportunities. Betting more than your comfort level can cause all sorts of stomach churning, even if it seems to be a cinch bet, with potentially disasterous results. The biggest bet I ever placed was on a horse that pulled out to make a charge at the leader around the final turn. It should have been all over with me stuffing my pockets. A hobble broke and wrapped around the front legs. The nag did a face plant and never finished the race.
Instead of making fat bets that will degrade your performance, bet your opposition that he can't make a difficult shot. Magnify his yips instead of your own.
Yea man, It's just a gettin used to thing, no new age hippie mumbojumbo secret crap. The more you do it, the better you get at it.
I liken it to talking infront of an audience, some people do it well without thinking, others puke in the trash can!
I still get an adrenalin jump when making a game, that's the fun of it, makes you feel alive. I also had problems when I was green being too nervous, then one day I said, ENOUGH, I'm not losing anymore, and you find a way to cope. Some use drugs, wrong........some players talk, some clam up.....I just say to myself, this table is mine, I don't feel like spectating today, so I'm not gonna miss......whatever you do, don't forget your supposed to be having FUN!....Later.......Gerry
I liken it to talking infront of an audience, some people do it well without thinking, others puke in the trash can!
I still get an adrenalin jump when making a game, that's the fun of it, makes you feel alive. I also had problems when I was green being too nervous, then one day I said, ENOUGH, I'm not losing anymore, and you find a way to cope. Some use drugs, wrong........some players talk, some clam up.....I just say to myself, this table is mine, I don't feel like spectating today, so I'm not gonna miss......whatever you do, don't forget your supposed to be having FUN!
....Later.......Gerry
Very good posts here. If you're still only 19, I guess you don't have much experience in money games ? Meaning the larger ones. It's really difficult to find a natural money player, and also a true gambler who hasn't paid his dues. Take those sets as lessons, you're buying experience. There's saying about gambling I think applies very well here: "If an experienced player plays against a player with the money, the experienced player will walk away with the money and the player with the money will walk away with experience."
Maybe you've taken a few pool lessons along the way. How much did THEY cost? That's one way I look at gambling ... either you'll win some money or you'll get a lesson, you'll learn something (about the game or yourself), and it'll probably still be cheaper than a half-day lesson.
Gerry said:Yea man, It's just a gettin used to thing, no new age hippie mumbojumbo secret crap. The more you do it, the better you get at it.
I liken it to talking infront of an audience, some people do it well without thinking, others puke in the trash can!
Very good analogy Gerry!
Varsity2016 said:
That is a very old trick. Just coz you play 9b better than someone doesn't mean you will play all pool games better than that same person. You gonna bet your wad on 1-hole or snooker next?Varsity2016 said:
THat may have been a reason, but your opponent contributed to the victory too.Varsity2016 said:
In the end- you just gotta have an accurate opinion of the true level of your play and trust in that ability to play at that level.