Thanks Stu. Will do on the breakfast and practice.Sleep well and have breakfast and arrive early on tournament day. Warm up with sets, not by playing the ghost, so you get to practice both your offense and your defense.
At 45 minutes and a limited schedule. I can get there possibly twice for a couple hours before the days of the tournament. Do you think even that little bit will help? I've played on them before, but like I said...8ft stuff just makes the balls roll funny for me.
Your day will come, just keep working at your weakness and constantly challenge yourself mentally.Whelp, an update - I went two and out.
Very bummed out the rest of the weekend. No excuses for it, I just showed up not knowing how to play pool anymore.
The cloth was Brand spankin' new, done the night before. The balls were all clean and polished.
I missed so many easy balls, and missed position on far too many shots. It was a sad show to see.
Spent the rest of the weekend playing it off.
You might have put too much pressure on yourself.Whelp, an update - I went two and out.
Very bummed out the rest of the weekend. No excuses for it, I just showed up not knowing how to play pool anymore.
The cloth was Brand spankin' new, done the night before. The balls were all clean and polished.
I missed so many easy balls, and missed position on far too many shots. It was a sad show to see.
Spent the rest of the weekend playing it off.
Thanks man. That's exactly what happened. I wasn't shaking nervous, but was definitely feeling pressured about all the time I put in, which wasn't how I normally go at it. My biggest weakness is mentally, with people watching it gets worse. With thousands on the line and all the above, it gets much worse.You might have put too much pressure on yourself.
After all, you took the time to start a post about it which sort of signifies that you were a little nervous about it.
Everyone wants to win, but it is also about ENJOYING the competition and mingling with other players you know.
We've all gone two and out at some point in our playing lives.
Stroke it up to experience.
You need to get used to this new normal before it feels normal. Give it time, you will surprise yourself soon.Thanks man. That's exactly what happened. I wasn't shaking nervous, but was definitely feeling pressured about all the time I put in, which wasn't how I normally go at it. My biggest weakness is mentally, with people watching it gets worse. With thousands on the line and all the above, it gets much worse.
the Yips?? maybe...... glad I got to see some old pals though, and I did laugh my ass off a few times.
Can you explain what you mean in the first part?You need to get used to this new normal before it feels normal. Give it time, you will surprise yourself soon.
First big event I ever played in had new everything: cloth, balls, tables...Whelp, an update - I went two and out.
Very bummed out the rest of the weekend. No excuses for it, I just showed up not knowing how to play pool anymore.
The cloth was Brand spankin' new, done the night before. The balls were all clean and polished.
I missed so many easy balls, and missed position on far too many shots. It was a sad show to see.
Spent the rest of the weekend playing it off.
You are going into the tournament with a different preparation and a different mental outlook and attitude. You put in more work than usual, so you expect a better outcome.Can you explain what you mean in the first part?
Gotcha, thanks. It really is the big stuff that makes me uneasy. All the extra sets of eyes. The cash flow..... we all forget sometimes, that going into autopilot means playing WITHIN yourself, having fun. Making it fun. The more I do it, the less it will rattle me.You are going into the tournament with a different preparation and a different mental outlook and attitude. You put in more work than usual, so you expect a better outcome.
It puts an extra pressure on you.
Similarly, if you only play weekly tournaments all the time and then you sign up for a bigger one, $100+ entry. Your game and mental space is different the pressure is different. Now, you sign up and play in 3 or 4 more bigger tournaments.
It starts to feel normal, less pressure, you know what to expect fron yourself.
Yes, in my defense, we were ALL playing bad. I saw top players dog shots because of balls turning over weird. Or banks having that 'slide' that new cloth often affords. I mean, they were just done 12 hours prior.First big event I ever played in had new everything: cloth, balls, tables...
It was a real shock and also made me forget how to play pool.
I have no idea how an average person is supposed to prepare for that.
I don't know about all that. What you describe is akin to 'peaking' on lsd. No, wait....I mean as in a physically demanding sport.Another thing that hasn't been discussed yet is going or preparing for a tournament to win.
Many times a player plays leagues 1/2 times a week and plays the weekly or bigger tournament 1/2 a month. They don't prepare anymore than they would for a league match for the tournaments. Win some/ lose some, no bother just happy to play.
Now that same player wants to gear up for a tournament. Not just happy to be there, they want to win!
They have put in the work, eat right, have a plan, and come game day... Cant see the pattern, can't make a straight in ball, etc.
Preparing and showing up to win only to shit the bed and go 2 and out. When you do all this work it's a different pressure. Now when you play the guy you always lose to, it IS a big deal. You feel your in the game, you can win. It takes some getting used to.
I'm thinking more along the lines of " Pockets are too big? You're not betting enough"I don't know about all that. What you describe is akin to 'peaking' on lsd. No, wait....I mean as in a physically demanding sport.
Athletes will often target a specific event to be their best at and the way that is done is by not being fatigued at that event, whole still having near 100% fitness and muscle memory.
2/3 of those things are not really relevant in pool. All that matters in pool is knowledge and muscle memory.
Mmmkay.I'm thinking more along the lines of " Pockets are too big? You're not betting enough"
Betting small in a weekly vs. Betting big in a monthly.
And your comfort level changing based on experience or wallet respectively.