I hate pool! (long)

cuesblues

cuesblues

cue accumulator
Silver Member
I would practice more on the big tables, not just to prepare for a day of gambling at the pool hall. Also, this guy that can't run 4-balls has a better chance of winning on a bar box. The fact that you prepared yourself for this game tells me that you need to get your game together a whole lot more before you start gambling with anybody. When I got back into pool in 2001 after a 30+ year layoff, a guy at the pool hall several years older than me, told me "you shoot too hard, and don't play anybody in here for money". After practicing a lot, I still feel like I am the worst pool player ever, but I can assure you that on my worst day, a guy that can't run 4-balls on a bar box would not beat me in a race to 5 or more, no way, I don't care how bad I am shooting.

If you don't have natural ability, or live in a pool room, the way you practice is very important. Plus gambling is a different game also. and the idea that you practiced on a 9 ft. table just to prepare for this game tells me that you are not ready to gamble. Either you are a good enough player to gamble or you aren't. I just don't think you have spent enough time practicing correctly to get out there and gamble.
 
alstl

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jay helfert said:
Don't eat before you play and don't play for money. It puts too much pressure on you. Some day when you have more money, you can try again.
Start small, a dollar or two a game. Build your confidence slowly.

If you don't enjoy playing, you should quit for a while. You sound like a very unhappy man. I suspect other things in your life are not going well either. When you get your life straightened out, come back to pool. You'll enjoy it a lot more.
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I'm curious why you suggest not to eat before you play.
 
3andstop

3andstop

Focus
Silver Member
Hi. I think your pool game will be just fine. I'm more concerned with your paragraph structure in letters. :)

No, all kidding aside. Its not gambling. I'm sure you have no trouble gambling a 20 dollar bill in some ridiculous slot machine at a casino, or a lottery ticket at a food mart that gives you far less chance of winning. So, its not gambling. Don't try to address it as such or you will waste time barking up the wrong tree.

IMO tightening up while playing comes from a lack of confidence in what you are doing. I don't mean simply ball pocketing, I'm saying shot selection, position selection. and pier pressures that come from displaying your perceived lack of surety.

Time on the table will help this over time.

Lots of players try to compensate for insecurities in their play by attempting to "hotdog" a great shot in hopes their opponent will begin to worry. That only magnifies the troubles when you miss.

Remember your opponent is worried already to some degree even if you can't see or feel his emotions. The only way you can hope to tighten him up is to play a sound game.

Make sound decisions WITHIN YOUR ABILITY LEVEL before you get down on your shots. Be comfortable with your choices before you set to shoot, and mentally see your shot executed perfectly before you take your stance to shoot.

Use all the tools in your arsenal to win. This includes playing safe. If you do feel unsure of a shot, or a resulting position, don't shoot it with mere hopes it comes out right, remember you have safety options.

I don't think its the gamble, I think its concern for your performance and I think thats two different things. They seem the same but they are not. If you address it as a fear of gambling I think you may not overcome the problem. As I said, if its true that you can dump money on slots, or lottery or poker, or anything else and not feel crushed by losing, then its not the gamble.

Losing is easy to justify if you play for fun, even if only in your own mind since you can always use the excuse you weren't really trying. So losing when gambling takes that excuse away since no one wants to lose when they are trying, and anyone gambling is trying.

Its easy to blame it on the money or the gamble, but I contend it is much more specific than that. Address the game with a focus the solid play you are capable of and shoot the shots within your means only after your choice of shot and position have been defined in you head and don't worry about losing a few bucks shooting pool. Its more fun and probably cheap than that ride to the casino anyway. :)
 
S

Scottlucasi19

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have been gambling every since i started playing its all i know. My fault maybe I dunno. It's either put up or shut up. And thats just the way i cut my teeth. I gambled before i knew how to use a closed bridge. Lost alot of games for two bucks a game when i first started. So this "dunno if your ready to gamble" stuff is horse shit. Because I never had a chance not to be ready to gamble A year after i first started playing i was on the level of most of the locals and probly alittle better a short time after that. Then the past year i have dropped back down to there level and they have found a way to beat me. The only thing im disapointed in is that fact I have been on a losing streak for a long time now. And i cant seem to get out of it no matter what i do ive tried everything. Took weeks off, studied, watched matches. And it keeps going down hill when i gamble. I'm getting better i notice when im practicing, but when i match up my game gets worse. Nobody has never really taught me anything and far as inner aspects of the game maybe thats my problem maybe my mind just isnt right anymore.........And my life is going great outside of pool I just bought a brand new house, Getting a big raise in January. Most of my christmas shopping is done. So my life outside of pool is going smoothly right now. The only thing thats going bad is pool and when it goes bad it effects me 24/7, it tries to bring everything else down. I know everyone goes through slumps and plateu's. But this is getting sick guys its ridiculous.
 
M

mrpool06

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I know exactly how you feel....I've been there many times! I've also watched videos, read books, practiced for hours....& still play crappy at times. I think pool takes many years to get good at.

I went 0-4 in league last week (against the #1 team). Then last night, I looked at my player rankings....I've dropped down to #34 (was tied for 2nd, dropped to 3rd, 4th, 8th, 18th.....now to #34). In all honesty, it really doesn't matter. Maybe I can fight my way back into the top 10...that is my goal.

Very very frustrating....but I'm going to pick myself up again, & keep at it.

I would avoid gambling, something I never do. Or limit it to $1.00/game at most. Maybe you can just focus on playing people (friends) better than you to take your game up a level. Or look up Scott Lee for some instruction.

Keep plugging away!! If you love pool, you'll stick with it!
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
alstl said:
I'm curious why you suggest not to eat before you play.
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Eating well before you play is fine, just not within an hour or so of your match. The digestive functions do not help you settle down when playing. I think if you were to ask any top player, most will tell you not to eat too soon before a match.
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Scottlucasi19 said:
Thanks guys I knew some could relate. Im meeting that guy again today at 2:00. Today is a new day, and I feel confident. Im going to beat him like a drum. Im not going to let him win a game. Im going to treat everygame like its my last. Im going to quietly and calmly destroy this guy...And then im going to take my month off.
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Travis, is that you Travis? Travis, sit down and be a good boy please.
 
Blackjack

Blackjack

Illuminati Blacksmack
Silver Member
jay helfert said:
That has to be one of the stupidest things I've ever seen people doing! :)

And they call that "dancing"?
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Jay,
Late at night, in the lonely darkness of your secluded abode, you know you do.

:eek:
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Blackjack said:
Nope. I quit and I'm joining a touring Chicken Dance troop. I will travel the world to weddings, Quincineras, and Bar Mitzvahs learning to be the best at the lost art of Chicken Dancing.


My new Chicken Dance Instuctional DVD - Safe For Work

:p
.
.
.
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Yowser! That was a crackup. I know I don't have what it takes to be a great Chicken Dancer, so I'll aspire to be an accordionist who can play the chicken dance. Anybody have a used accordion for sale?
 
Billy_Bob

Billy_Bob

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I find that if I always play with the same cue (for years) - same brand tip, same hardness tip, and same tip shape (nickel/dime), then I get to be very consistent. I see other people get a new cue and their game goes out the window for awhile. Find the cue you like and tip you like, then stick with that forever.

If playing for money, only play against someone you KNOW you can win against at the time. If you are not playing well that evening, stop. Tomorrow is another day.

Don't play for just one game. Play for 5 games or 10 games. If you are a better player, you will win more games over time. With just one game, anyone can win. I always say it is not over until it is over. Anyone can win one game. I can win one game against the best pro. But with a race to 10, that pro will win the majority of games. And I have been beat by the worst players. But when playing many games, I win the majority.

Don't gamble with the rent or bill money. Use only money you can afford to lose. Assume you are going to lose this money. If you win, then you have more money to play with that month. If you lose, then end of gambling for that month. If I don't have enough money to pay my bills and someone wants to play me for money (even $1), I say NO! I don't have the money to spare as my fun money is spent for the month. So if no fun money, not even for one dollar! This is even if I KNOW I will win.

Then can you identify anything which happened in your playing which caused you to lose? Maybe getting angry and your playing going down hill from there? Specific shots? Missing shots? Strategy? Was the other player sharking you?

I've played against some people who can say certain things and this has caused me to play worse in the past (sharking). This was until I learned more about sharking and knew what they were trying to do. Now I am immune.
 
Billy_Bob

Billy_Bob

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Also being in a slump is a good thing! I and other players I know will do this when we learn new things. We go into a slump for awhile.

Then when we come out of the slump, we play better than ever! It never fails!

So have you learned new things recently?
 
R

RoadAgent

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Scottlucasi19 said:
I hate pool its the worst thing that has ever happened to my life. Tonight was another loss for me and my hard earned money. I lost to a guy who cant run 4 balls on a bar table playing 8 ball, I used to drill this guy he hasnt even been practicing HE DONT PRACTICE. I cant focus anymore. Looking back i've wasted so much time researching and buying books, watching pro matches going through cues. I had to talk this guy into playing me because their was not anyone else to play, and he beat me. Im a natural born loser anyone can beat me. I just drop down to their level and the slowly beat me just like always. These people probly dont even know how to use the internet. I practiced on a 9 foot table all week getting ready to go down to the pool hall and win some money. I read the entire book of the inner game of tennis. Watched hours of matches. I went in to the bar early to get alil practice in before everyone got there. I was shooting like GOD I have never shot so good in my life. I could get out from anywhere, I was in the zone. It felt great. So I leave to get something to eat and take a break, and come back later on. I get a game up with this guy, who I used to beat regular about 2 years ago. Well were playing 8 ball 10 bucks no big deal, i should make a quick 50 bucks before he quits. If I shoot like i was earlier this is going to be a breeze i thought. Because i have been losing money for the past 6 months every weekend its like a 100+ dollars of my hard earned money down the drain because i cant win no matter who i play. I thought that tonight was the night the i turned it all around and started winning alil bit, I dont want to get rich i just want to win every once in a while. But nope after that first game with him my head just turns into a fog the same shit start out strong in the beginning of the rack and at the end i become a choke artist then its a snowball going downhill from there when i start noticing Hes playing with a players sneaky pete, with a dirty ferrule, he croaches like a freaking praying mantis when he shoots, he cusses at himself/ hes negative towards himself. getting mad and slamming balls like a real loser except hes winning and im quite, well mannered and polite. and he takes off with my 100 dollars. So Im admitting to everyone here that im a natural born loser i cant win and ive learned to live with it, so im quitting pool for 1 month and i dont know if i will ever play again. sorry for being so long i just had to get it off my chest .
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This is easy. dont lay off pool .you dont have a gambling problem. CHANGE YOUR $HITY ATTITUDE. and you will play better.
 
5ballcharlie

5ballcharlie

GHOSTBUSTER
Silver Member
Scottlucasi19 said:
I hate pool its the worst thing that has ever happened to my life. Tonight was another loss for me and my hard earned money. I lost to a guy who cant run 4 balls on a bar table playing 8 ball, I used to drill this guy he hasnt even been practicing HE DONT PRACTICE. I cant focus anymore. Looking back i've wasted so much time researching and buying books, watching pro matches going through cues. I had to talk this guy into playing me because their was not anyone else to play, and he beat me. Im a natural born loser anyone can beat me. I just drop down to their level and the slowly beat me just like always. These people probly dont even know how to use the internet. I practiced on a 9 foot table all week getting ready to go down to the pool hall and win some money. I read the entire book of the inner game of tennis. Watched hours of matches. I went in to the bar early to get alil practice in before everyone got there. I was shooting like GOD I have never shot so good in my life. I could get out from anywhere, I was in the zone. It felt great. So I leave to get something to eat and take a break, and come back later on. I get a game up with this guy, who I used to beat regular about 2 years ago. Well were playing 8 ball 10 bucks no big deal, i should make a quick 50 bucks before he quits. If I shoot like i was earlier this is going to be a breeze i thought. Because i have been losing money for the past 6 months every weekend its like a 100+ dollars of my hard earned money down the drain because i cant win no matter who i play. I thought that tonight was the night the i turned it all around and started winning alil bit, I dont want to get rich i just want to win every once in a while. But nope after that first game with him my head just turns into a fog the same shit start out strong in the beginning of the rack and at the end i become a choke artist then its a snowball going downhill from there when i start noticing Hes playing with a players sneaky pete, with a dirty ferrule, he croaches like a freaking praying mantis when he shoots, he cusses at himself/ hes negative towards himself. getting mad and slamming balls like a real loser except hes winning and im quite, well mannered and polite. and he takes off with my 100 dollars. So Im admitting to everyone here that im a natural born loser i cant win and ive learned to live with it, so im quitting pool for 1 month and i dont know if i will ever play again. sorry for being so long i just had to get it off my chest .
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dude grow a heart and dont quit. Quit being so scared, man up and play. Hell the worst you can do is lose and trust me there is alot worse things in the world than loosin a few bucks on a pool game.
 
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Big Bad Bern

Big Bad Bern

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It sounds to me like you have not learned to transfer the skills you are improving in practice to your play, and as a result when you go to gamble you are practicing instead of playing and your true game is not comming out which is causing you frustration.

Practice is practice.
Play is play
You can't practice in play.
You can't play in practice.

There is a learning process involved in taking skills and knowledge learned in practice and utilizing them confidently in games. Relax it will come. I know, it took me two years to find my way.

Bern
 
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