Getting over the hump

Drew

Drew

Got a little dog in you?
Silver Member
I just lost 5 out of 6 sets with a very weak player. My opponent ran 4 balls to win one game the entire night. Every other game he won with a 1 or 2 ball out.

Why do I consistently miss the 6 or 7? Perfect position or not, I can't seem to make those balls. And when I'm giving someone the 7 and 8, this turns into a huge disadvantage. My runs were beautiful tonight, until I leave the 7 sitting in the jaws.

Maybe it's the green and brown. Maybe I just can't see those balls. I don't understand why I make every shot on the 4 and miss every shot on the 7. I don't have a problem with the 8 or 9 either. Only the 6 and 7. If I didn't have to shoot those balls, my b&r percentage would go through the roof.

Somebody help me out here...what am I doing wrong?
 
Try putting those two balls on the table, and two more of the same if you can get your hands on them. And just play to run them all out.

Sounds like a concentration lapse to me and hypnotizing yourself into believing you cant make specific colored balls.

Maybe by the time you get to those balls your focus is weakening and you are mistaking that for the color of the ball's fault.

Returning to basics and focusing on proper execution will help regain your confidence. Which is what I think is happening to you. The mental part of the game is interfering. Your inner "YOU" is torturing you. He isn't going away, so make friends with him. :)
 
Drew said:
I just lost 5 out of 6 sets with a very weak player. My opponent ran 4 balls to win one game the entire night. Every other game he won with a 1 or 2 ball out.

Why do I consistently miss the 6 or 7? Perfect position or not, I can't seem to make those balls. And when I'm giving someone the 7 and 8, this turns into a huge disadvantage. My runs were beautiful tonight, until I leave the 7 sitting in the jaws.

Maybe it's the green and brown. Maybe I just can't see those balls. I don't understand why I make every shot on the 4 and miss every shot on the 7. I don't have a problem with the 8 or 9 either. Only the 6 and 7. If I didn't have to shoot those balls, my b&r percentage would go through the roof.

Somebody help me out here...what am I doing wrong?
Click to expand...


I think you may be suffering from "sight of the finish line-itis". Often when people get down to the last three or four balls, their focus starts to shift from the execution to the goal. In concentrating so much on getting perfect on the 8 and 9, they forget to execute the shots in front of them. Just settle down and play like you normally do. Make the ball and give yourself the proper angle and distance on the second ball to naturally get to the third ball, and before you know it you'll be out.
 
VIProfessor said:
I think you may be suffering from "sight of the finish line-itis". Often when people get down to the last three or four balls, their focus starts to shift from the execution to the goal. In concentrating so much on getting perfect on the 8 and 9, they forget to execute the shots in front of them. Just settle down and play like you normally do. Make the ball and give yourself the proper angle and distance on the second ball to naturally get to the third ball, and before you know it you'll be out.
Click to expand...


That's an excellent observation VIP, and much more common an issue than most may think. I think you may be right on! A not too distant an affliction and more serious is the fear of winning. Both of those can be hard to overcome.
 
VIProfessor said:
I think you may be suffering from "sight of the finish line-itis". Often when people get down to the last three or four balls, their focus starts to shift from the execution to the goal. In concentrating so much on getting perfect on the 8 and 9, they forget to execute the shots in front of them.
Click to expand...

Excellent point. Many times I catch myself speeding up whenever I get to the last two or three balls. I have to mentally chastise myself and make myself slow down to the pace that was working for me on the previous shots. I think a lot of people fall into this trap and don't even realize it.

Maniac
 
Sorry, I don't have an answer. Years ago, I played a local player giving him the 8 ball. Seemed like every time we played, I would leave him the 8 or the 9, usually a hanger. I finally quit playing him and didn't play him again for about 2 years. One day I walked in and, as usual, he asked me to play. "Get your stick", I told him. He ran to his locker for his cue and we started to play, with me giving him the 8, just as we always played. I left him the 8 in the first game. That was the only game he won, in a race to 7. To the day he died, he never asked me to play again. The jinx was off and we both knew it. It should have been that way all the time, he wasn't supposed to win at that game and we both knew it. Similar to the stories I've heard over the years about people who couldn't beat certain players in tournaments, no matter how good they played.
 
Last edited:
Don't sweat it... you're playing 9 ball. If you're at level where you can't consistently run 9, the game kinda turns into a flip of the coin as to who wins. Some people feel even at expert level where both players can run out, it's a coin toss that depends on the luck of the break.

If 6 or 7 balls is near your max then you should just keep away from 9 ball until you reach a level where you can run them if they're wide open almost every time. Play the same guy in 8 ball and get your money back.
 
Just throw out the 6 through 9 and start with ball in hand. Do it over and over again until you can run them out 99% of the time. You will become more consistent and be able to fiish the rack more often.

Russ....
 
CreeDo said:
Don't sweat it... you're playing 9 ball. If you're at level where you can't consistently run 9, the game kinda turns into a flip of the coin as to who wins. Some people feel even at expert level where both players can run out, it's a coin toss that depends on the luck of the break.

If 6 or 7 balls is near your max then you should just keep away from 9 ball until you reach a level where you can run them if they're wide open almost every time. Play the same guy in 8 ball and get your money back.
Click to expand...

Hey Drew,

I know your game and what Creedo says is true, particularly at your level. Go back to throwing out 4 balls, 5 balls, etc....until you get it down.

Best,

Doug
 
ahhh sight of the finish line itis. i know it all too well, i reckon i've got that disease for life. :S lol
 
I have this problem from time to time. After awhile I realised it was all the fault of the 6 ball. The 6 ball is actually a sentient creature that hates me & will do whatever it can to ruin my run! Whenever I see it go in on the break I'm celebrating! Take that you little monster!!

LOL, it's all in the mind & once you realise one ball is the same as another the problem goes away. If you can play the shots to get you that far there's nothing to stop you going further. Take a deep breath, relax & make the next shot. It's worked for me lately, my B&R percentage has jumped up considerably.
 
Thank you thank you for all the advice.

I'll be the first to admit that I have "sight of finish line-itis" (I'm stealing this phrase btw). There have been more than a few occasions where I have a substantial lead on my opponent (6-1, 8-3) and somehow we end up hill-hill. The early stage at the final table is the weakest part of my poker game. And my chess game is the same way: strong in the beginning, weak in the end.

I'm sure if I were playing 10-ball, the problem would switch to the 8. Through the first few balls, I'm concerned about leaving a decent shot. But I'm not satisfied with mediocre on the last few balls. I'm so concerned about getting perfect on the 9, I lose sight of potting my object ball. And most of the time, I leave myself short on the 9 anyway.

Doug,
I hate the drill. I have the same problem regardless of the number of balls on the table. Running 4, 5, 6, 7, or 9, I just can't get out. But if I were playing the 7 ball ghost with 9 balls on the table, I'd get out every time...so long as I thought I had to make all 9.

The guy I played last night saw it too. At one point I missed a shot on the 6 and he missed and left me beautifully. As I get down to shoot he says, "That's alright, it's the 6,7,8, and 9 left. I like these balls." I shot too soft and it slow rolled right into the jaws. Ball in hand, he made his little two ball out.

BTW: It takes me more strokes to drop my ball once I'm on the green than it does for me to get to the green. This is a serious problem.
 
Like my old wrestling coach would say, "Dance with the girl who brought you.".

In other words, do the things that got you that lead in the first place. Try to find out what you are doing to yourself that makes you play below your ability.

I very much doubt that your your skill, knowledge, and experience disappears when you need it the most.

Also bear in mind that winning and losing has a lot to do with who you play with, as it sounds like you may be shooting some better players. The kind of people who have the skills to take advantage when you are not at your best. The kind of player who will improve your game.
 
Eightball but I was having a problem with the thirteen as I viewed it as 'unlucky' so I bought a keyring with a thirteen ball on it. Thirteen doesn't bug me now..fwiw:cool:..cause I developod a positive association with that number....
 
VIProfessor said:
I think you may be suffering from "sight of the finish line-itis". Often when people get down to the last three or four balls, their focus starts to shift from the execution to the goal. In concentrating so much on getting perfect on the 8 and 9, they forget to execute the shots in front of them. Just settle down and play like you normally do. Make the ball and give yourself the proper angle and distance on the second ball to naturally get to the third ball, and before you know it you'll be out.
Click to expand...

+1. Often the difference between a pro and an amateur is that on the 7-ball, the pro is thinking about the 7 and position, and the amateur is just seeing the 9-ball drop in his head. Shoot every shot the same way. Every instructor will tell you this. Think the same things, and do the same routine, in the same rhythm, with every shot, and you won't have this problem. Trouble is, it's a lot easier said than done. A good instructor will teach you how to train yourself to follow your routine ALL the time. That's what the majority of my recent lesson with Scott Lee was spent on. Still trying to fully ingrain that routine because I'm not getting to practice as often as I'd like, but it really is the best way.

-Andrew
 
To be giving up the seven and the eight, you'd better be pretty consistent. Try giving up games to seven to this fellow and get over the "giving up weight" part. I sometimes totally block out that I'm giving up "spot" balls. Try to just plain out think like you're playing even. Giving incredible spots is an art form. You have to be consistent and be able to fade the rolls. If you find yourself hanging spot balls up consistently, try a different opponent and play even. You're over thinking the shots, spots, and stressing on these balls. So, don't give them. Think of giving up spots this way..... If you give up a third of the rack, you are tripling his luck advantage, and you should be able to be 33% better than him just to even it out. Your runout percentage needs to be over twice as good for it to benefit you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top