I'm scared of the 8

Ok,there were times when I had an itch about always screwing up on making the money ball, the dirt, the oscuro bola , the pit and the pendelum... ok, I gotta stop with the dumbness. Seriously, it's all in your mind when it comes down to making that last ball. It's like this... imagine that last ball as if it were a little puppy or a baby (get it... get it... visualize the field -- waterboy lol). If you make the last shot, kudos to ya... if you miss it, you live and you learn until the opportunity strikes again and then you'll have your shot at victory. Practice!! Practice!!Practice!!
 
I sometimes play against a “league guy.” When I would get to the 8 ball, I would miss every time. When I played other people, I would not miss (well, not as much). After missing the 8 once, he told me that I changed the way I shot. He said that on other shots I would look at the OB, the pocket, setup and shoot. When I went for the 8, I would simply setup and shoot. I other words, I was shooting too fast.

When I got to the 8 again, I noticed that my heart rate increased, and the only thing going through my mind was, “I’m about to win!” Well, I now know I have to relax and carry on my normal routine as if I was shooting a regular shot.

It helps to know, but I still can’t help but get excited on the 8 when playing a far better player… I’m still working on that. One thing that helped last week was watching those guys play each other… I now think us non-league people are “fun” to pass the time away (and show pointers to) in between games. Lol… and maybe get some practice.
 
I think a lot of it (for me) has to do with rhythm. If you've ever read the book "The Pleasures of Small Motions"; or simply know that you you run balls with rhythm, then you must also note this.

If you are making 1 ball, another ball, and staying in rhythm; and then get to the money ball and kind have an "oh sh-t, this is important, let's break my own rhythm" moment. You're bound to miss it.

Shoot it like it was any other ball on the table and I guarantee you it will drop for you more often. I don't believe the optical illusion thing, none of that. Then again I have a slight bit better than 20/20 vision so I'm not sure if my eyes can be deceived ;)

Just my two cents as usual...
 
The pleasures of small motions is a great book. Everyone should own it (except my opponents...;-).

Anyways, you should know too, that once you finally sink that 8 ball for your first B&R, it will become much easier. Right now, it sounds like you really have a mental block on it. Don't get discouraged, because it sounds like once you break that barrier you're gonna be great.

The same thing happens in straight pool, by the way. Many many players have trouble breaking their high runs, or breaking 100 for the first time (or 50, or 2 racks...). So you are by no means alone in this one. I remember my first B&R in 8ball, I didn't realize it had happened. I asked the guy I was playing and he said, "yeah, you ran it." Then I made a bit of an *** out of myself because I was so happy.:)
 
The Inner Game of Tennis! I'm on the 4th chapter and can clearly see this is going to help me immensely.
 
I'll have to check the inner game of tennis out as well.

Might also have other insight that I'm missing out on...
 
what works for me is to pretend that you have to win twice as many games as you really are. That way you won't choke as much if you get to the last money ball to win the set b/c you still tell yourself you have a lot more games to go.
 
More reading on the mental game

I've noticed that the posters have mentioned a couple of excellent books, The Pleasure of Small Motions and The Inner Game of Tennis, which address the mental and emotional part of the game. I'd like to add Phil Capelle's A Mind for Pool and Bob Henning's The Pro Book to the must-read list.

Both books offer tremendous insight into the mental game, and they provide drills and exercises to improve your ability to reach and maintain a state of relaxed concentration. I could go on and on about the merits and contents of these two books, but I'll just say that if you read and practice the material in these books you will become a better, smarter, and stronger player!
 
Yeah, as far as the money ball, what worked for me (I no longer miss it with any more frequency than all the other balls :o - although I was never a big choker), and corroborating some of the earlier posts:

1) do your pre-shot routine exactly like all other shots - that way you don't spend any more or less time, stay in your rhythm, and you worry about process and your stick as opposed to results and what the balls are doing;

2) play pinpoint position as though the rack will continue indefinetely;

3) examine your attitude toward winning and losing and competition more generally. Not to be outdone by the others, I'll again suggest The Inner Game of Tennis and Pleasures of Small Motions.
 
What a simply fantastic thread. So many good things here!

Heck I won a tournament tonight simply by keeping myself happy and staying in the mental game. Even when missing a few very easily runnable racks...Who cares? :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top