I'm not being so nice. It's working. Decision time

[CaptainJR]

I'm trying to come to the table with a more serious attitude and it is helping my concentration. Sure enough, with having my concentration better, I'm playing better. I've always had so much fun talking with my opponents.

The decision? Is playing better more fun than talking and fooling around? Hard decision!

I'm even thinking about this in the basement when practicing. I use to just simply play games against myself. (ghost) I enjoyed that and could do it for quite a while. Now I'm doing exercises. The L pattern exercise and one of my teachers own exercises. This is not fun, it is frustrating. Of course if it wasn't frustrating then I probably wouldn't be learning anything. Again, when I go to the basement, do I want to have fun or work on my game?

Decisions, decisions, they never end.

 

[Williebetmore]

The decision? Is playing better more fun than talking and fooling around? Hard decision!

.

Captain,
I am not sure that you can't do both. I play with 2 professionals that are basically totally silent while they play (and I mean even in a 6 or 8 hour session). They say that I can talk to them, but they probably won't respond because they are just focused on the pool. I definitely do not want to emulate that aspect of their game; I also enjoy talking and joking while playing. I use Lee Trevino as my role model (at golf and pool). He was able to talk and joke continuously BETWEEN shots (not while he or his opponent are "shooting"). This has always served me well in golf - I think you can learn to focus when it is your turn to shoot, and be loose in between turns. I think in many ways this gives you an advantage over a very serious opponent who is trying to maintain his focus and seriousness for hours on end, while you get a nice refreshing break between your turns. Of course it is hard not to distract your opponent, but I think it is possible to enjoy yourself and still play at a high level. I have seen Mike Sigel, Lou Butera, and Keith McCready all play at a high level while maintaining a conversation - maybe not at the highest level they are capable of, but certainly at a level that is good enough for me.

 

[cut shot]

Hi Captain I hear you! A lot of these Pros are naturals, i.e. gifted. There are probebly very few Pros in any sport that were able to work their way to the top by just working harder at it. They do exist.. however, I bet you can count them on one hand. They can talk, walk and chew gum at the same time.

 

[greenkill]

I get like this also, during games, my friends like to talk smack and insult me to try to break my concentration, but when i'm playing, i hear nothing. I tune everything out and only concentrate on the table and layout. Being able to run out, or shoot consistently good is fun to me. Of course when i'm taking a break, i'm talking, smiling and having fun, a different kind of fun..

If you get frustrated, make sure you don't let it affect the way you are playing. If you consistently get frustrated, to the point where you get mad, go take a break. clear your head and come back. if you continue to play, where you get go through the loops of getting frustrated, mad, frustrated mad and it continues to snowball, you could end up defeating yourself and hating the game.

 

[bsmutz]

I encounter this dilemma, also. When playing one on one in a pool hall or at home with no drinking involved for bragging rights, I can concentrate pretty good. When playing family/friends for fun, I am torn between playing my best and making sure the opponent gets enough shots so they don't get dejected and want to quit prematurely. When playing in a bar while drinking, all bets are off after the 4th or 5th beer and I kind of feel like a ball banger. When playing in league games, I tend to overanalyze, feel less confident, and play more tentatively unless I get mad; then I have always run the table. I play on a 9 ft. table at home and either 9' pool or 10' snooker table at the hall. I feel very confident on any of these tables. When I get to the bar box, I almost always feel less confident for some reason. I like playing softly and am thrown off by the large, heavy cue ball and badly rolling tables. So, for me, it's kind of a toss up. I like the comraderie and crap talking of the bar game, but I also like to shoot well and be complimented for my ability. Ideally, I would like to be able to play extremely well in either situation. I have a very competitive nature and for me, losing is never fun. If I had to choose, I think I would go with the hard core, deep concentration, give it all you got situation. It just seems to be more personally satisfying.