Easy runout - Missing first shot late at night in tournament?

[Billy_Bob]

I've been playing better players lately (8-ball), and these guys wear me out mentally. I really have to think to win. Just one match against one of the best players will exhaust me, I win, don't get a break because it is toward the end of the tournament (down to one table), then am worn out for my next match and miss easy shots. This has happened twice this week.

Example: Later at night in the tournament, race to 2 match, my opponent breaks and runs in all 7 balls, then misses on the 8. Then I run in all my balls and make the 8 to win. Then next game is a protracted safety battle 'cause he is not going to let me win again. He wins second game. Then third game is again a protracted safety battle, but I win the game and the match. It is now late at night, I'm in 4th place at this point, and have to play again without a break.

I'm exhausted from the previous safety battles. After a little back and forth in the next game of the next match, I'm left with an easy 5 ball runout. Piece of cake - simple. I clearly see the whole thing. Then I miss on the first ball of the runout which is a straight in easy shot!

I've done this twice this week. Play fine all night, then toward the end of the tournament maybe be in 3rd place or whatever, then I will be exhausted and start missing easy shots.

Any advice?

 

[chefjeff]

I've been playing better players lately (8-ball), and these guys wear me out mentally. I really have to think to win. Just one match against one of the best players will exhaust me, I win, don't get a break because it is toward the end of the tournament (down to one table), then am worn out for my next match and miss easy shots. This has happened twice this week.

Example: Later at night in the tournament, race to 2 match, my opponent breaks and runs in all 7 balls, then misses on the 8. Then I run in all my balls and make the 8 to win. Then next game is a protracted safety battle 'cause he is not going to let me win again. He wins second game. Then third game is again a protracted safety battle, but I win the game and the match. It is now late at night, I'm in 4th place at this point, and have to play again without a break.

I'm exhausted from the previous safety battles. After a little back and forth in the next game of the next match, I'm left with an easy 5 ball runout. Piece of cake - simple. I clearly see the whole thing. Then I miss on the first ball of the runout which is a straight in easy shot!

I've done this twice this week. Play fine all night, then toward the end of the tournament maybe be in 3rd place or whatever, then I will be exhausted and start missing easy shots.

Any advice?

Nutrition.

Jeff Livingston

 

[greenkill]

Keep playing long hours and never stop thinking, never let up
eventually you'll condition yourself to last longer

 

[drivermaker]

Just one match against one of the best players will exhaust me, I win, don't get a break because it is toward the end of the tournament (down to one table), then am worn out for my next match and miss easy shots.

I'm exhausted from the previous safety battles. After a little back and forth in the next game of the next match, I'm left with an easy 5 ball runout. Piece of cake - simple. I clearly see the whole thing. Then I miss on the first ball of the runout which is a straight in easy shot!

Any advice?

Don't put so much pressure on yourself...be happy with 12th place so you can cut out earlier and get a good nights sleep. Zzzzzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Now you might have a better understanding as to why we used to pop uppers. Winning a tournament wasn't the motivator, but winning a lot of green sure was. You can't do that on coffee or vitamins.

 

[sjm]

Tournament play can be like distance running, and sometimes it turns into a marathon. Training yourself for a pool marathon is no different than training yourself for a distance race. To prepare yourself, you need to pracitce going the distance.

Ten ahead races against opponents who play about your speed are very good for this. Playing well for a few hours might not win you anything, and if you ever get either physically or mentally weary, you probably won't get the cash.

Wanna go the distance, BillyBob? Then train yourself to do just that. Long competitive practice sessions will prepare you for the grind we call tournament play.

 

[bobroberts]

You can either be content to know that you can beat most people on any given day or if you need to win for the ego then you need to train just like any athlete
in any other sport.

 

[sixpack]

I've been playing better players lately (8-ball), and these guys wear me out mentally. I really have to think to win. Just one match against one of the best players will exhaust me, I win, don't get a break because it is toward the end of the tournament (down to one table), then am worn out for my next match and miss easy shots. This has happened twice this week.

Example: Later at night in the tournament, race to 2 match, my opponent breaks and runs in all 7 balls, then misses on the 8. Then I run in all my balls and make the 8 to win. Then next game is a protracted safety battle 'cause he is not going to let me win again. He wins second game. Then third game is again a protracted safety battle, but I win the game and the match. It is now late at night, I'm in 4th place at this point, and have to play again without a break.

I'm exhausted from the previous safety battles. After a little back and forth in the next game of the next match, I'm left with an easy 5 ball runout. Piece of cake - simple. I clearly see the whole thing. Then I miss on the first ball of the runout which is a straight in easy shot!

I've done this twice this week. Play fine all night, then toward the end of the tournament maybe be in 3rd place or whatever, then I will be exhausted and start missing easy shots.

Any advice?

Also, take a page from sports psychology. When you start to feel yourself getting tired, do some physical things that will key your brain to focus. This could be stretching, jumping up from your chair, washing your face, whatever. It just needs to be a physical movement that you make that signals that you need to concentrate now.

When I was playing my best, I would have long practice sessions and whenever I noticed that my focus was lagging, I would sit down for a moment, take a drink of water, and then spring up out of my chair and act eager to get to the table. People thought I was nuts, but countless times late into tournaments where I've been in a funk, I've remembered to do this and it triggered top concentration and enabled me to win.

That was my key, try to find one that works for you. Move the body, the mind will follow.

Cheers,
Regas

 

[ceebee]

Nutrition.

Jeff Livingston

There is a product called "SPARK", distributed by Advocare, all across America. It is a great nutritional product. It is great brain food & has helped me stay in there. The box sells for $30 (30 packets).

About 30-40 minutes after mixing it with water & drinking it, "you are BACK..." The stuff is worth every penny.. I guarantee it.

 

[k-carson]

Don't put so much pressure on yourself...be happy with 12th place so you can cut out earlier and get a good nights sleep. Zzzzzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzzzzzzz
QUOTE]


actually this is exactly what he did .... its why so many people will make the shot of the day and turn around and miss an easy shot at the level you are now playing at you will have to learn that this is unexeptable or get used to going home early and getting a good night sleep
if you want to play to your potential you need to learn (train yourself) that every shot is important this is why so many intermediate players primarily miss on an easy shot

as for a mental game draining you hopefully this will change for you ,me personally i always get more pumped up after winning a safety battle
than i get from a break and run

 

[chefjeff]

There is a product called "SPARK", distributed by Advocare, all across America. It is a great nutritional product. It is great brain food & has helped me stay in there. The box sells for $30 (30 packets).

About 30-40 minutes after mixing it with water & drinking it, "you are BACK..." The stuff is worth every penny.. I guarantee it.

Thanks, CeeBee, I'm sure it works for you, but I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pool cue. I checked their web site for this product and it says "sugar free." Then I look a the first ingredient and it is...sugar!

Also, it's missing a lot of basic nutrition and it is overloaded with the inexpensive ingredients, something very common in dietary supplements, sad to say.

Jeff Livingston