Mistakes

kybill9

kybill9

Banned
Tuesday night Mrs Kentucky and I went to see the World Champion San Francisco Giants at the beautiful Pac Bell Park. San Diego was ahead 4-zip in the bottom of the sixth inning with the Giants batting. Two men got on for the Giants, with one runner each at 2nd and 3rd. The batter stroked a weak ball towards first and the first baseman fielded it. He was close to first and started towards first about two steps away. The runner at third was threatening to run home and instead of getting the easy out at first, the fielder threw wildly towards home. The ball went to the backstop. Two runs scored and the batter ended at second. SOOOOO, instead of one out and the runner at stuck at second and a run scored, you have no outs and a man at second.
The reason I bring this up is because I play a lot of one pocket. I'm not very good but watching this professional make this blunder instead of a simple play, reminded me immediately of how easy a game can turn around on one event.
There was a nine ball tournament this weekend and I played. I don't normally play tournaments, especially nine ball, but this was a benefit for a friend.
On Saturday I concentrated very hard on not missing any nine balls. I was very successful and got to come back Sunday. Sunday was different. I was very tired and played poorly. In 12 games, I had a chance to win every game. I won 4.
Mistakes, blunders, lack of concentration, being lazy, all can be very costly in any game. :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
Sorry to hear that. At the start of a match, I play very well. But if the match is long, and I get tired, I lose my magic and become a ball banger. Good luck in your future matches.
 
Playing pool for me means several hours of walking and stretching over a big table. The only way I'm going to be focused on my game is if my body is in good enough physical condition to fade this.

I work a job in the construction field and still find time to work out two to four nights a week. You need to get enough exercise to have any chance of being able to play deep into a tournament or to be competitive with your league opponents.

The benefit of exercising is maintaining the mental edge necessary to play at your highest level. When fatigue starts to set in, your game goes South and your adversary wants to raise the bet. On a side note, if you're off the couch, you won't have time to eat that bag of Cheetos while you're reading this forum. Sorry, Mike H. :grin:

Best,
Mike
 
I agree 100%.
I was playing in a rated tournament even against a guy I know plays at least a ball better than me. he knew it too.
It was a race to 5 and the first 3 games he plays perfect.
He has me completely demoralized and just wanting it to be over and has an easy cut in the corner and come straight back down table for shape on the 9. As long as he makes the 8 he will always have a shot on the 9 and the better his speed , the easier the shot.
Instead he decides to go 3 rails around for position.
The shot is not natural this way and he has to overcome the angle with draw.
He hits it great but brings the corner pocket into play and the cueball trickles in it . Score 3 to 1.
The next game hes still playing well but about the 6 ball he lets up on a shot a little and gets a little funny on the next ball. i could tell at that moment he was thinking about scratching the last game and his ego told him not to cinch the ball and take a slightly harder shot, and he goes all out to make the stroke shot . He misses the ball. score 3 to 2. I make a nice runout the 3rd game and it's 3 to 3. I make a mistake , it's 4 to 3 him. He makes a mistake 4 to 4. He runs down to the 7 and overruns the object ball and sees he has a low percentage out. He makes the 7 then plays safe on the 8 ball leaving the cueball near the side pocket almost on the rail and the object ball just off the rail on the other side about halfway between the side pocket and the head rail. The problem is , the 9 ball is on the other end of the table.
For me it's a real low percentage shot but I figured I wasn;t even supposed to have this chance to win , so I get up and shoot it right in the hole , no rail, draw my cueball across table just above the side then on down and get real unlucky and get right next to the 9 ball. I barely thought about the shot and just back cut it in the corner and win!
I ended up beating 2 more guys I might beat 1 out of 5 or more times and win the tournament. I never did play well that day, other than a game here and there.
It is just proof of what you are talking about.
One small error and I went from a 30 to 1 underdog to winner.
 
Yesterday my lack of concentrate cost me three games. For some reason I kept losingbtrack of how many ballls I had. It's weird because I usually know exactly how many both payers have. Today's a big day. One pocket, $200 a game.
 
such a little thing

book collector said:
I agree 100%.
I was playing in a rated tournament even against a guy I know plays at least a ball better than me. he knew it too.
It was a race to 5 and the first 3 games he plays perfect.
He has me completely demoralized and just wanting it to be over and has an easy cut in the corner and come straight back down table for shape on the 9. As long as he makes the 8 he will always have a shot on the 9 and the better his speed , the easier the shot.
Instead he decides to go 3 rails around for position.
The shot is not natural this way and he has to overcome the angle with draw.
He hits it great but brings the corner pocket into play and the cueball trickles in it . Score 3 to 1.
The next game hes still playing well but about the 6 ball he lets up on a shot a little and gets a little funny on the next ball. i could tell at that moment he was thinking about scratching the last game and his ego told him not to cinch the ball and take a slightly harder shot, and he goes all out to make the stroke shot . He misses the ball. score 3 to 2. I make a nice runout the 3rd game and it's 3 to 3. I make a mistake , it's 4 to 3 him. He makes a mistake 4 to 4. He runs down to the 7 and overruns the object ball and sees he has a low percentage out. He makes the 7 then plays safe on the 8 ball leaving the cueball near the side pocket almost on the rail and the object ball just off the rail on the other side about halfway between the side pocket and the head rail. The problem is , the 9 ball is on the other end of the table.
For me it's a real low percentage shot but I figured I wasn;t even supposed to have this chance to win , so I get up and shoot it right in the hole , no rail, draw my cueball across table just above the side then on down and get real unlucky and get right next to the 9 ball. I barely thought about the shot and just back cut it in the corner and win!
I ended up beating 2 more guys I might beat 1 out of 5 or more times and win the tournament. I never did play well that day, other than a game here and there.
It is just proof of what you are talking about.
One small error and I went from a 30 to 1 underdog to winner.
Click to expand...

Perspective is such a little thing to make such a big difference. Your first opponent let a mistake become a boulder in the middle of the highway he couldn't see past. You considered your mistakes like pebbles in the highway. A strong mental game won the tournament for you despite minor setbacks.

We all make mistakes, large or small. We can often win after making a large mistake if we put it behind us or we can let a small mistake crush us if we dwell on it.

Congratulations on the tourney win!

Hu
 
kybill9 said:
...Sunday was different. I was very tired and played poorly. In 12 games, I had a chance to win every game. I won 4...
Click to expand...

That's the Kentucky I want to play, not the mistake free KY :thumbup:. Nice post with some excellent points.

Dave
 
12squared said:
That's the Kentucky I want to play, not the mistake free KY :thumbup:. Nice post with some excellent points.

Dave
Click to expand...

I got some glasses and it took me a few weeks to get used to them. Plus I was trying to hit the wrong mark on the ball my eyes were so bad. Yesterday after my lapses playing someone else, :thumbup::thumbup: I torched Rick. Heading to the Phul room, it's payday! Friday.
 
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