Getting better at gambling *POLL*

[SakuJack]

5 or 7 usually.

Oh, okay then. I was going to make the point that I often see people playing longer sets when gambling than in tournaments.

The weekly tournament in my area play races to 7, but when I play with a couple of people for money (low stakes), we generally race to 21. It makes a big difference.

 

[CreeDo]

Guys, if it's Chris Banks, you should be encouraging him by green repping intelligent, non-controversial posts. Not red-repping when you don't even know for sure who you're blindly bashing.

Anyway, good question. If your goal is to dog it less while gambling, then you just gotta get in the box more. Probably that means more sets for smaller amounts. And if you can't get a game to happen with a spot, you might as well play even just for the practice of playing under pressure.

If you CAN get a spot, then you take away all excuses for losing, and that is a good kind of pressure to add. ...You are not allowed to give up halfway through and say "well, I made this game knowing I had the worst of it, we shouldn't be playing even. I guess I'll just take my beating like a man." ...with the spot you have no excuses and must try hard through the whole set.

 

[9baller90]

Guys, if it's Chris Banks, you should be encouraging him by green repping intelligent, non-controversial posts. Not red-repping when you don't even know for sure who you're blindly bashing.

Anyway, good question. If your goal is to dog it less while gambling, then you just gotta get in the box more. Probably that means more sets for smaller amounts. And if you can't get a game to happen with a spot, you might as well play even just for the practice of playing under pressure.

If you CAN get a spot, then you take away all excuses for losing, and that is a good kind of pressure to add. ...You are not allowed to give up halfway through and say "well, I made this game knowing I had the worst of it, we shouldn't be playing even. I guess I'll just take my beating like a man." ...with the spot you have no excuses and must try hard through the whole set.

Makes sense... Thanks for your answer and thanks for making the point that softshot is blindly bashing....

I guess making a poll with a valuable question as my first post just screams that I must be Chrisbanks. Sheesh!

 

[SakuJack]

Guys, if it's Chris Banks, you should be encouraging him by green repping intelligent, non-controversial posts. Not red-repping when you don't even know for sure who you're blindly bashing.

I agree with this. I see nothing wrong with this thread and red repping because of it is playing the man, not the ball, in my opinion.

Then again, softshot red-repped me, too. Not sure why.

I find there's nothing worse than getting a spot (we generally play with games on the wire) against a better player, and them making it up in next to no time. When you're racing to 21 and getting, for instance, 5 games, and your opponent wins 5 of the first 6 games, it's pretty disheartening and can really throw you off your game.

 

[vapoolplayer]

I agree with this. I see nothing wrong with this thread and red repping because of it is playing the man, not the ball, in my opinion.

Then again, softshot red-repped me, too. Not sure why.

I find there's nothing worse than getting a spot (we generally play with games on the wire) against a better player, and them making it up in next to no time. When you're racing to 21 and getting, for instance, 5 games, and your opponent wins 5 of the first 6 games, it's pretty disheartening and can really throw you off your game.

And it doesn't throw you off your game when you start out 0-0, he wins 5 out of 6 and its 5-1?

 

[vapoolplayer]

I agree with this. I see nothing wrong with this thread and red repping because of it is playing the man, not the ball, in my opinion.

Then again, softshot red-repped me, too. Not sure why.

I find there's nothing worse than getting a spot (we generally play with games on the wire) against a better player, and them making it up in next to no time. When you're racing to 21 and getting, for instance, 5 games, and your opponent wins 5 of the first 6 games, it's pretty disheartening and can really throw you off your game.

Also, if you're playing someone who is winning 5/6 games.....5 on the wire isn't enough.

 

[SakuJack]

And it doesn't throw you off your game when you start out 0-0, he wins 5 out of 6 and its 5-1?

Oddly, I actually find that a lot easier to cope with. If we start even and I find myself having to make up a five game deficit it doesn't throw me off in itself, whereas starting out with a spot and finding myself even in next to no time does.

Like I said, though, I generally play just to get better, or for the sheer competition, instead of for the money itself, so that may have something to do with it.

 

[vapoolplayer]

I guess making a poll with a valuable question as my first post just screams that I must be Chrisbanks. Sheesh!

By that theory, you should be assumed to be the complete opposite of chrisbanks.

 

[SakuJack]

Also, if you're playing someone who is winning 5/6 games.....5 on the wire isn't enough.

Haha, I see your point, but I tend to get stronger as sets go on, particularly if they get scrappy. Starting slowly is definitely a weak point I have, but I've had a lot of hill/hill or near hill/hill races to 21 with the same person who often builds up a decent lead against me.

 

[prewarhero]

For me, I never gable at pool in the hopes of beating someone out of their money. When i do gamble I do so for the following purposes:
1) to get in the box more with someone else
2) to play with someone better than me to learn

therefore I always consider it money spent on lessons and not gambling. I also always expect the person I play with to play their full speed. If they won't for any myriad of reasons I won’t play with them for $$. If I think they are holding back on purpose I'll just move on.

With that in mind, I don't mind a spot. I would pick a spot that is not meant to make the game even but just enough that I have a chance of keeping it close. The way I see it if I am losing sets 7 to 1 or 7-0 the discouragement and the sitting in the chair simply kills the mood. Secondly, without one I may not break enough times to absorb that practice.
If I am playing with someone to watch and learn, getting the 7 doesn't diminish what they do on the table but it does make it more interesting for both of us.