So as of late, when I'm shooting, I find myself going into this weird place. I'm seeing my shot before I ever get down, and nothing in the world seems to be able to reach me. I just know what I need to do, step to the shot and fire. Almost like I'm in a trance. I'm making most (90% or better with a clean shot) of what I'm firing at. I'm extremely confident in my shooting right now, but I still need work on my position and pattern play.
I'm fairly consistant at getting out playing 9 or 10 ball on a bar box, but I'm struggling with 8ball like crazy. I HATE 8 ball. Can't get my break working well, can't seem to find the right pattern to get out, make positional errors out of frustration, etc.
Two problems right there:
1. You "HATE" 8-ball. How can you expect yourself to play a game well that you despise? In the back of your mind, you're going, "yuck, I have to play this game that I 'HATE' and can't play well in the first place." So what do you do? You confirm and reinforce this voice by going out there and playing it bad as well. You're just following your inner voice.
2. You can't get your break working well (which is a problem all its own), and possibly linked to this frustration, you can't find the right patterns to get out. One problem links to another, and to another, and to another, etc. You need to break this chain.
If my opponent shoots 3-4 balls in and misses I'm out 80-90% of the time. With a full rack I'm struggling bad! BB 8-ball is THE game around here, and I can't stand it. How do I get better at this game, with out playing it preferably...
You mean, in other words, "how can I get rich quick, without doing any work?" It won't happen. All cue games have to be worked at, if you expect any kind of proficiency.
I see two more problems:
3. While you can get out if your opponent makes it "easy" for you (i.e. he/she clears his/her soldiers off the table), you have a heck of a time navigating the table when most of both players' balls are still on the table. You seem to have a problem with PRECISE navigation of the cue ball, and, you seem to have a problem with solving the puzzle (i.e. viewing the table and solving for the pattern you need to either run out, or play a precise safety that has your opponent kicking).
4. When you encounter a table that has most of both players' balls still on the table, you are reinforcing your belief that you "HATE" the game, and therefore, you're going half-assedly at properly solving the pattern -- taking the time before you get down on your first shot -- to know what's the proper first shot, second shot, third shot, etc. -- as far as you can go without cueing the ball. Then, when you do cue the ball, it's a half-hearted attempt.
In other words (for both cases 3 and 4 above), you're RELYING on "plan B" and the existence of alternate patterns, instead of your accuracy to stick to plan A. I've definitely seen this before in my area, from short-rack rotation devotees who "hate" 8-ball -- or any game where they are forced to solve the pattern on their own and not have the balls themselves force them not to think. And what do they do? They don't practice these very games they're having problems with. When you see them practice, what are they doing? They're putting balls 10-15 back into the ball tray, throwing balls 1-9 onto the table, and practicing 9-ball, 9-ball, 9-ball, over and over and over again.
What I know is that I have issues with Position, and Pattern. Should I be looking for another issue or should I just focus on these?
Nope, it sounds like your pattern play (pattern-selection choice, probably), and your cue ball control seems to be the issue.
I know my aim and stroke are not the problem right now. And I'm kinda lost at how to fix the problem. I'm hitting balls whenever I can.
And when you're "hitting those balls," what exactly are you practicing? 9-ball?
Pry 4-6 nights a week atleast hour or more. I'm gain by leaps and bounds at ever game except for 8 ball.
I LOVE to play 1 pocket, straight pool, banks, and any rotation game, so why is this 1 game beating me????
8-ball is unique, in that there's usually only a couple patterns (especially in the small constraints of a barbox) that will successfully solve the problem all the way down to the 8-ball. Think of it as a "mini 14.1" game -- except in 8-ball, you have blockers (i.e. the opponents balls, which are off-limits to you). In 1-pocket, banks, and even 14.1, you can alter your pattern continuously if you miss position. Especially on 9-foot tables. But on a barbox? On a barbox, you have the same size balls, same number of balls, same number of pockets (same size, in some cases), same number of rails, but HALF (or less) of table real estate to navigate around. You have the same 15 balls, same size, on half the table real estate. Another way to put that, is that you're shooting 8-ball inside a phone booth. You have to be extremely precise with your cue ball -- much, much more so than on a 9-footer. This is probably the one thing you're overlooking. You haven't mentioned whether you're playing 8-ball on a 9-footer (for comparison's sake), but I bet if you did, you'd have an easier time of it.
ALL INPUT IS WELCOME AND WANTED. I NEED THIS MONKEY OFF MY BACK!!!!!!!
Solution: you need to practice 8-ball on a barbox. 8-ball on a 9-footer will only get you so far. You could try to place all 15 balls in the lower-half of a 9-footer and practice navigating around / shooting the balls into the lower 4 pockets, but there's no substitute for real barbox practice with this game. You just have to do it. Swallow that "I HATE this game" thing, pony up to the bar, and put your time in on a barbox. There's no substitute.
You did mention that you don't think there's something wrong with your stroke, but how about your "touch" -- i.e. your precision stroke to move the cue ball exactly to where you want it to go.
A final thought -- remember that the cue ball on a barbox is very different from the cue ball you'd find on a 9-footer. Most often on a Valley barbox, these are "gaff" cue balls that do not match the object balls in any way -- i.e. they may be heavier (as in the Aramith Red Dot Dynamo -- a full ounce heavier than the object balls), or are slugged / metal-foil-wrapped magnetic balls (as in the Aramith green "S"-logo'ed ball), or even larger (as in the classic "big ball" cue ball). Cueing those is a little different than you're used to, and require practice.
One reference you might be interested in, is R.Givens' "8-ball Bible: Learn the Secrets of Top-Flight Bar Table 8-ball":
http://8-ballbible.com/
I can't recommend this tome enough -- really overhauled my barbox 8-ball game for sure!
I apologize if any of this sounds "pointy," but I hope it's helpful!
-Sean
