How Do I Become an APA 6?

F

Fool 4 Pool

Registered
I have played APA 8-ball for over 2 years. I played as a 4 for 1 1/2 years, then moved up to a five. I make no bones about the fact that I want to move up to a 7. I have my own table at home, and play either my wife or a ghost 5 hours a week (I would practice more, but long hours at the restaurant prohibit that), then play a couple of hours on the practice table or during my match on league night.
My style during my match is slow and calculating. I am out for precision cue ball control on every shot. After every shot, I re-analyze the layout to see if I need to change my plan. When I'm in stroke (30 - 40% of the time?), I can run out the table from the break exactly to my plan.
The 6 on my team, a devoted 9-baller, flows from one shot to the next with great ease, breaking up clusters, fantastic draw shots, etc. The team captain, a 5, also plays very well, and goes from one shot to the next reasonably quickly, but his cue ball control is not nearly as good as the 6. I win 2 out of 10 games against the 6, and 5 -6 games against the 5.
Now that you know me, back to my question. The 6 and the 5 are telling me in eloquent terms that I am analyzing to much, that I need to play from my heart and stop trying to be perfect on every shot. I sincerely appreciate their input (that's why I joined APA, to learn from better players), but after reading several books, reading mag.'s, and watching events on TV, I have determined that the best way for me to improve is through discipline. This means keep working on precision cue ball control, determine a run-out plan at the outset and re-evaluate with each shot, and believe that eventually the discipline will pay off. Now I'm rethinking this growth plan.
Sorry for the long post. What are your thoughts?
Fool 4 Pool
 
Fool 4 Pool said:
The 6 and the 5 are telling me in eloquent terms that I am analyzing to much, that I need to play from my heart and stop trying to be perfect on every shot. I sincerely appreciate their input (that's why I joined APA, to learn from better players), but after reading several books, reading mag.'s, and watching events on TV, I have determined that the best way for me to improve is through discipline.
Click to expand...
I think if they watch you every week, and tell you that you are over-analyzing, then they'd have a better judgement on your game then we ever will.

There isn't an easy answer to your question. Especially since you say that you play 5 hours a day. Something is missing in your play & practice. Are you playing on a 9' table at home and a bar table in leagues? The play on them are strategicallyl different. Maybe in your over-analyizing, you skip over the correct patterns, or you try to do too much for you skillset. These plague all of us. And it could very well be that you have a stroke issue that rears its head once every four or five shots.

In 8-ball, you have to recognize what you need for position. And normally, it's about angles, not pinpoint areas.

Whatever the case, the saying goes "when the student is ready, a teacher will appear." I've sure there is a better player in your league that plays the way you want to play (the disciplined approach).

Fred
 
Words of wisdom from Sailor of Racine

..."When you practice strive for perfection,
in match play play to win"...
ruk
 
This suggestion is MY opinion only. Find someone who knows the game of Straight pool and ask them to teach/play with you. Straight pool will improve your 8 ball by leaps and bounds. THEN study the 8 ball books, tapes, etc.
 
Really, really want to be an APA SL6? Ask the league operator to move up a SL, that's how. I've seen it done. Too bad for him that the team found out about this, and he never shot a ball with them again. Ever.

What you should really focus on is how many wins you can get for your team as a SL5 before you move up. Then moving up will take care of itself.
 
Last edited:
about the overanalysing. I'm a 5 in 9ball and a 4 in 8ball. I know I should be higher but lately I just had a bad run. My angles got messed up and I just had a bad fluke or something. Which happens to many players. However recently my angles have come back and I've been shooting great. I'm not sure why but maybe something clicked again.

One thing I noticed is that when I had the bad runs my planning improved greatly. I'd miss easy shots but have pefect shape on my next ball. However if you miss it doesn't matter. On the up note my shots got accurate again and I still have the planning so I'm able to hang with 7 and 8s now (9ball).

I think just keep doing what feels right to you and even though your planning might not always work out. You'll eventually develope into it.
 
The difference between a SL 5 and an SL 6 is....

....safety play, in my opinion. Many SL 5 players can pocket balls just as well as an SL 6, but they try to get out everytime, or they pocket all their balls except for 1 or 2 and leave the table open to the opposition. Safety play is the most important aspect of improvement that I usually see, IMO. Always remember that your objective when you get to the table is not necessarily to pocket balls, it is to control the table. If you feel like you can get out, except for 1-2 balls, then play safe until you have an opportunity to break out those problem balls, and then get out.
 
Fool 4 Pool said:
My style during my match is slow and calculating. I am out for precision cue ball control on every shot. After every shot, I re-analyze the layout to see if I need to change my plan. When I'm in stroke (30 - 40% of the time?), I can run out the table from the break exactly to my plan.
Now that you know me, back to my question. The 6 and the 5 are telling me in eloquent terms that I am analyzing to much, that I need to play from my heart and stop trying to be perfect on every shot. I sincerely appreciate their input (that's why I joined APA, to learn from better players), but after reading several books, reading mag.'s, and watching events on TV, I have determined that the best way for me to improve is through discipline. This means keep working on precision cue ball control, determine a run-out plan at the outset and re-evaluate with each shot, and believe that eventually the discipline will pay off. Now I'm rethinking this growth plan.
Click to expand...

It's great that you're taking the time to think about your patterns. That's something that many of us should do more often.

You mentioned that your pace is slow and calculating, however, you haven't indicated how long it typically takes you to play a shot. When your team mates suggest that you are over-analytical, maybe they are politely suggesting that you are playing too slowly and need to speed up your pace?

Ask your team mates to time you to see how long it's taking you to play a shot. If you can keep it under 30-45 seconds, you're probably doing fine for your skill level.
 
Allen, I typically take 40 - 60 seconds between shots. My teammates are definitely trying to speed me up. When I'm playing at home, and practice with a faster pace, I do get into a rhythm easier, but then I will miss an easy shot, or screw myself by running off all but one ball, then leave the table open for my wife or ghost to run off. That's why I purposely slow down when league night rolls around. I would love to play quickly and naturally with no mistakes, but wouldn't we all?
 
Fool 4 Pool said:
Allen, I typically take 40 - 60 seconds between shots. My teammates are definitely trying to speed me up. When I'm playing at home, and practice with a faster pace, I do get into a rhythm easier, but then I will miss an easy shot, or screw myself by running off all but one ball, then leave the table open for my wife or ghost to run off. That's why I purposely slow down when league night rolls around. I would love to play quickly and naturally with no mistakes, but wouldn't we all?
Click to expand...

Man, you really do need to speed up. That is just way too long to to taking in between shots. It will also hurt you in the long run, I think. You need to develop a consistant rythm. In 8 ball I plan out the table at the beginning of the run and then start flowing. Just develop a consistant pre shot routine (one that takes less than a minute) and it should help you reduce the mistakes.
 
Definetly need to try and practice more, and like some have already suggested the 8-ball bible is worth its weight in gold.
 
whitewolf said:
Anyway, after harping on this strategy bit to my friend over and over, he began to see the light. I told him that once he really learns 8 ball strategy he will have his opponents beaten before the first ball is made.
Good luck, WW
Click to expand...

Very good information. Phil Capelle's book on eight ball calls what you are saying "The Failed Run out". He brings this topic up throughout his book.

Speaking as someone who has a small growing library of tapes, books and DVDs, it's my opinion that you can read all you want about failed run outs you want.

But if you really want to improve, you need to play against stronger players and experience for yourself first hand that breaking and running five or six balls, and then turning the (open) table to a more experienced player is usually a disaster.
 
I'm a 6 in apa 9ball anf a 6 in Tap 9ball. My adive is keep your innings as low as pssoible and like someone above said, make sure your team is recording all the safes and both teams paperwork reflects that at the end of the night.

Increase your break and runs, someone lonce told me that a break and run throws up a flag in the apa system for them to evaluate you manually. I wouldn't go complain to the division rep. Wait until they move you up automatically because then you will know that you genuinely achieved that status.

Not sure if you league is on barbox or not, but play on 9 footers as much as possibe. My apa league is on barbox and my tap league is on 9 footers, whenever I go to the pool hall I shoot on 9 footers, I have an 8 footer at home. The only times I shoot on a barbox is for competition like league, tournies, or gambling. Rarely will youu see me practice on one.
 
Bamacues said:
....safety play, in my opinion.
Click to expand...

I completely agree. To add to this, you also have to have the ability to get out once given the opportunity, or know when to duck again. Breaking clusters early and then either running if it's there or laying up safe....Safeties are vital to moving up in handicap.
 
I wouldn't worry so much about being a five or a six. Just practice some more, find some better players to shoot against and learn from, and improve your game. You'll end up a six when you end up a six, no sooner, no later. Until then, enjoy that one less game you have to win for the match. :D
 
Fool 4 Pool said:
Allen, I typically take 40 - 60 seconds between shots.
Click to expand...

:eek: I'd throw you off my team before you got killed!

I would love to play quickly and naturally with no mistakes, but wouldn't we all?
Click to expand...

Well, I suppose if you never shoot then you'll never make a mistake. But that's not how to become a SL 6.

Why do you want to be a SL 6, anyway? What does it mean to you?
 
ScottW said:
I wouldn't worry so much about being a five or a six. Just practice some more, find some better players to shoot against and learn from, and improve your game. You'll end up a six when you end up a six, no sooner, no later. Until then, enjoy that one less game you have to win for the match. :D
Click to expand...


Very good advice

I tell some friends all the time that Skill Ratings have nothing to do with actual skill. Its just a representation of the results of thier formula over
a short stretch of time.

Just try to improve your game. Sounds like your getting some sound advice. Sometimes trying to play perfect focus's you into too small of
a thought pattern.
An example would be figuring out a pattern that would be perfect but forgeting that 2 of the positions to leave the cueball are only 30% shots to
make the ball and get there. Sometimes you have to play to a larger window just to increase your overall runout %s.
Not onlu does the SL mean very little it does not guarantee victory or that you play any better than you do right now. I know lots of players rated
6s that should be 5s and many other levels that should be one SL lower.
Most people just look at the number as a STATUS symbol.

Just play to win and try and improve and everything will come out fine. You already have a leg up by trying to get better and seeking some advice from your peers.
Have fun
 
Fool 4 Pool said:
.... The 6 and the 5 are telling me in eloquent terms that I am analyzing to much, that I need to play from my heart and stop trying to be perfect on every shot. I sincerely appreciate their input (that's why I joined APA, to learn from better players), but after reading several books, reading mag.'s, and watching events on TV, I have determined that the best way for me to improve is through discipline...
Click to expand...

FWIW, I'm a 6 in APA 8-ball and 9-ball.
There is no reason why you can't analyze less and still execute with precision and discipline. Trust your instinct. I stopped over-analyzing and started taking a quick look at the whole table and making a decision. I now think 2 balls ahead or 3 at most and I find the patterns just emerge of their own accord. I make reference to this Scientific American article. It is basically about the manner in which the top chess players analyze the game, in essence it says they don't think about it too much, they've internalized it and just play. I once on an accu-stats tape heard Bill Incardona say the same thing about Efren Reyes. BI said he asked ER to vocalize what he thought about as he played, ER basically said "I don't think, I just play" (in broken English presumably). I think that is what you should strive for, don't over analyze, just play.
I would also suggest if you've the time read "The Tao of Sports".
BTW, if you speed up everybody in the league will appreciate it. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top