Gambling makes you a better player

Any and all

Our best play comes out when we have the proper amount of motivation. This is a physiological thing.

The proper motivation maybe $5.00 per game, $500.00 per game, or a league game. It is different for all of us.

Too much motivation and we choke (physiologically we fail) too little and don't play our best.

Any motivation that makes us play our best points out our weaknesses and if we work on them we become better players.

Gambling, tournaments, or leagues can all "make us better players".

My $.02.
 
Maniac said:
Yeah, like Ralf Souquet, Allison Fisher and others. I guess they're the exceptions to the rule, huh?

Maniac
Click to expand...


these two do not gamble, true

but what they do is - put their respective skills out on the table for all to see. they 'perform under the intense pressure' clause. they compete against the best 'for money'

read again what Cleary says in his multiple posts, he understands

... and a lot of the European players DO gamble especially when they come to the states. I can vouch for this ... when I was active in the pool scene anyway

test yourself anyway you can Maniac but in my opinion the competition that you indulge in 'has to have meaning'

all the best with your game
 
Gambling makes you a better gambler.

How good of a player you are is not a straightforward question with an easy method of measurement. How good of a tournament player are you? How good of a $ player are you? Two separate questions, and each heavily influenced by how much time you spend doing that activity.

What I always say, though, is that money play and tournament play are just two forms of competition, and therefore both can make you a better competitor.

Aaron
 
pwd72s said:
I'm a chump...strictly playing for fun. Nothing against those who play for money, but it's not my bag. But who is the chump here? I have a nice investment portfolio, my home on a small acreage is paid for, paid cash for my Bullit Mustang, and pretty much do as I want when I want.

How'd I get to such a nice retirement gig? I worked, saved, invested. Yeah, I know...only suckers do that.
Click to expand...

And if my memory serves me right, the winner of the master's singles and master's scotch in the 8b regional also doesn't gamble. Like CreeDo said, playing for money(substantial to the person), teaches the person to play under pressure. If somebody can't play their best unless gambling, they're either a born hustler or they have a problem. I can slack off much easier when not playing for anything, but I also feel free to let my game loose without the distraction of money.

Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum. What might be right for you, may not be right for some. It takes Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.

(And what Aaron said - it makes you a better gambler.. hopefully!)
 
Scott Lee said:
Pool school WILL make you a better player. Gambling will, in almost all circumstances, only make you a better gambler...not a better player.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...


Pool instruction will make you a better player, I agree. But how much better without testing your skills that you are trying to hone? Practicing in the basement by your lonesome can only do so much

"Gambling will, in almost all circumstances, only make you a better gambler ...not a better player"

This is very incorrect in my opinion. Smart gambling and/or intense tournament play WILL DEFINATELY make one a better player.

Showcase what you got. Show the world your respective skills. Don't hide them, don't talk about it, do it.

Performing under pressure is the way to go imo
 
Last edited:
billy said:
... and a lot of the European players DO gamble especially when they come to the states. I can vouch for this ... when I was active in the pool scene anyway
Click to expand...

British players gamble. I don't know about the big boys but gambling is pretty central to the game at lower levels.

Like it or not, pool appeals to a certain demographic, who place a higher 'value' on easy money than other demographics do. In short, pool attracts losers who cannot earn money like other people.

I don't mind gambling per se, but find it distasteful when players cream themselves over robbing someone blind. Gambling is classless.
 
I've seen gambling turn some players into better players. Not a lot, but some.

I've never seen gambling turn a player into a better person. In fact, I've seen more of the opposite. So is it worth the price?
 
Scott Lee said:
Pool school WILL make you a better player. Gambling will, in almost all circumstances, only make you a better gambler...not a better player.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

For many, the best pool school is gambling.
it's not for everyone by any means. The gambling simply adds to the seasoning process and speeds the learning more quickly. If not, you go broke.
i understand why people take the stamce agaomst gambling. The many reasons are very obvious. But, again, it depends on what you want from pool.
one of my best friends was as talented as amyone to play the game. he was one of the best $5 9 ball players on the planet. For $20 he couldn't run out if yu opened every door in the building.
I really don't see it as the big issue in pool anymore. There really isn't that much gambling going on. Pool has been lost since TV bailed on us. That had nothing to do with gambling.
 
Prestigious

For those who read the whole thread...

When was the prestige removed from billiards for the general public ? Don't be ridiculous. The world was in technicolor back then too. Wearing a suit is just window dressing. In either case the 8-ball was still black :)
 
Lonestar_jim said:
When was the prestige removed from billiards for the general public ?
Click to expand...

The minute people started to utter death threats over not being allowed to wear their pants hanging by their ankles. They never seem to get onto a golf course or a black tie dinner that way though.

Gambling's not bad either, I enjoy watching some of the action, I just don't *need* it to play better.
 
OP wrote "If poker did not have money involved they would not watch that either", I don't really believe that it is the only reason for poker's popularity. It's also because every person who has ever played poker thinks that they can 'win' playing poker. Pool is different in this aspect. A mediocre player in pool knows that they have no shot in winning any big tourney, and I know a lot of mediocre poker players that think they can win it all.

Gambling on other hand does improve mental aspect of your game, but if a player is looking to jump from B to A level just by gambling, i highly doubt that it's going to happen. Back in the days gambling was one of the popular ways to learn pool, but now we got books, dvd's, matches on youtube and sites like azbilliards. If someone is determined to learn pool these different methods as i mentioned provide a lot easier route than gambling your entire bankroll.
 
billy said:
Performing under pressure is the way to go imo
Click to expand...

It's necessary if one wants to succeed at pool. What I disagree with is the blanket statement that "Gambling makes you a better player". It may make some people better players, this much I can agree with.

Your statement that "performing under pressure is the way to go" I can 100% agree with. If one can learn to amp up their game with something (anything) on the line, this will lead to better overall play. Performing under pressure can mean different things to different people though. Bill Gates shooting pool for $10,000-a-game is zero pressure for him. OTOH, I still witness APA league players so nervous before/during their matches that their hands are shaking and their palms are sweaty. So, some people are under intense pressure in something as simple as a league match. Gambling doesn't have to be involved for someone to feel like they're in a pressure cooker.

Shoot 'em in the hole, my friend!!!

Maniac
 
What makes a better player?

I feel it is something inside of an individual. That lil something that wants to be better than the oponent.
If you have a competitive spirit and a burning fire to be the best, and an absolute hatred of losing, maybe you can be a good pool player.
Playing good pool requires time to practice what you have learned. Shooting a certain shot over and over until you know you can do it in your sleep.

Playing for funsies is ok, but if you want to be good at pool, your going to have to bear down and practice. Then you will have to throw yourself into tournaments, gambling, or whatever will put you under some pressure. During these outings, remember a key shot that helped you win or lose. Go home and practice that shot over and over........

All the really great pool players love the game, they also hate pool for all the hours it takes to get to their level. It's a real love/hate relationship. Pool is a drug that keeps us coming back for more.....:thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top