Something that I've found over the years watching players (I always like to watch players…it' was my part-time job for many years) that have played for a few years, up to many years that can make shots well and play position medium to good, but can't seem to get to that next level. They play too fast. Most take easy shots for granted, the angle for the next shots position for granted, and tend to be lazy pool players.
What I mean by lazy pool players is that they don't think 3 balls a head, don't figure how to get position on breaking out the higher balls that are tied up early in the run (any game). They will very rarely go for the bridge or a cue extension, but stretch and miss-cue, miss the shot, or not get anywhere near the right angle for position for the next ball. On some shots they'll go around the table three to five rails when a stun-shot or reverse the QB off the rail will put them right on the next shot a foot away. They hardly ever walk around the table to see where the OB needs to go after it hits the OB. What path they have to take with the QB after making the OB when the natural path is blocked. They just try to MAYBE get lucky and miss the big ball in their way. (Bad GAMBLE) Pool is a game of fractions of an inch, not "the QB should go about there)
I know and I'm sure others on here know pool players that have been playing many hours a week for ten years or more that never get past a certain point, wheather that point is "C", "B", or in some cases a very talented natural lower "A" player that has been stuck there forever. I wish all of them would try to slow their game down a bit. I'm not saying slow like in I want to hit you in the back of the head with my cue, but slow it down in so you know where the QB is going and what angle (track) you need to be on. Practice slowing your game playing 14.1 or at least racking and breaking 15 balls. Walk around the table, think 3 ahead, and if you don't feel good about the shot when you're pre-stroking, for God sake get up and take another look at it. Never pull the trigger on anything unless you feel confident that you can make the shot. I am not a good teacher because I don't have the patients for it, and I don't like to teach anything. But I can just about guarantee you if you try to practice 14.1 or 15-ball racks at a slower pace and thinking before every shot instead of practicing 8-ball, 9-ball, or 10-ball, you will be surprised how good you really are. You will be running more racks than you ever imagined you could.
When you see how easy it really is to run 15 balls or more, go to the game you like (maybe 9-ball). Play the ghost and be amazed how you kick his ass. BIH to start with…let's not get too carried away. Johnnyt
What I mean by lazy pool players is that they don't think 3 balls a head, don't figure how to get position on breaking out the higher balls that are tied up early in the run (any game). They will very rarely go for the bridge or a cue extension, but stretch and miss-cue, miss the shot, or not get anywhere near the right angle for position for the next ball. On some shots they'll go around the table three to five rails when a stun-shot or reverse the QB off the rail will put them right on the next shot a foot away. They hardly ever walk around the table to see where the OB needs to go after it hits the OB. What path they have to take with the QB after making the OB when the natural path is blocked. They just try to MAYBE get lucky and miss the big ball in their way. (Bad GAMBLE) Pool is a game of fractions of an inch, not "the QB should go about there)
I know and I'm sure others on here know pool players that have been playing many hours a week for ten years or more that never get past a certain point, wheather that point is "C", "B", or in some cases a very talented natural lower "A" player that has been stuck there forever. I wish all of them would try to slow their game down a bit. I'm not saying slow like in I want to hit you in the back of the head with my cue, but slow it down in so you know where the QB is going and what angle (track) you need to be on. Practice slowing your game playing 14.1 or at least racking and breaking 15 balls. Walk around the table, think 3 ahead, and if you don't feel good about the shot when you're pre-stroking, for God sake get up and take another look at it. Never pull the trigger on anything unless you feel confident that you can make the shot. I am not a good teacher because I don't have the patients for it, and I don't like to teach anything. But I can just about guarantee you if you try to practice 14.1 or 15-ball racks at a slower pace and thinking before every shot instead of practicing 8-ball, 9-ball, or 10-ball, you will be surprised how good you really are. You will be running more racks than you ever imagined you could.
When you see how easy it really is to run 15 balls or more, go to the game you like (maybe 9-ball). Play the ghost and be amazed how you kick his ass. BIH to start with…let's not get too carried away. Johnnyt
