Playing a world class player.

GMAC

GMAC

Flip it.
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Guys, I would like some opinions on this.

You are in a tournament and you are playing great your CB is on a string and you have hardly missed a ball. To this point you have only played lesser players. Now you draw a champion and I mean a champion. A player who is so far above your talent level just looking at him you are in awe. He plays the game exactly how you wish you played.

I try my hardest to play the table but for some reason when I play someone of this cabliber I feel like they are sitting on my shoulder watching everything I do to see if I meet their standard of play. As comfortable as I felt against the weaker opponents is as uncomfortable as I feel against this opponent.

I dont completely fall apart when I play someone like this but my runs outs are poorly executed and my CB is all over the place but I fight and do get my games.

So my question is how do I ignore the 800 pound gorilla in the chair when I am at the table. I know everyone says play the table, but when you have such respect for a players accomplishements and dedication to the game how do you forget you are playing them.

Is there any other way to overcome this problem besides doing what is impossible for me, which is just play the table. Thanks for any opinions. If anyone has examples of themselves beating a world class player and how they dealt with their emotions that would be great too.
 
Unfortunately, I believe the only way to overcome this problem is to play this - or other - world class player as often as you can.

That means, continue to join tournaments where these players attend, or if you are lucky to play in a pool room with that kind of players, try to play against them as often as you can - just to get used to it. If that means spending some $ getting beaten, just look at it as money spent for lessons.
 
It's funny you should say that regarding your opponent watching you intently and "sizing" you up. That is EXACTLY what I do to everyone I play. I think that while you do play the table....you also play the player. For instance, on a weaker player, I am more apt to "go for it" on a run out or breakout shot. On a stronger player, I will look for the dead nuts safety even if I pass up straight in shots to do so. I would rather have ball in hand to address the balls that are tied up than try to break them out if I am not absolutely certain I will get out. Patience is a virtue but it will also allow you to win more games, build your confidence, frustrate your opponents, and take your game to the next level.
 
Just like in golf, you have to play your game and forget who you are playing. It is hard, but the more times you do it, the more proficient you will become.
 
GMAC said:
Guys, I would like some opinions on this.

You are in a tournament and you are playing great your CB is on a string and you have hardly missed a ball. To this point you have only played lesser players. Now you draw a champion and I mean a champion. A player who is so far above your talent level just looking at him you are in awe. He plays the game exactly how you wish you played.

I try my hardest to play the table but for some reason when I play someone of this cabliber I feel like they are sitting on my shoulder watching everything I do to see if I meet their standard of play. As comfortable as I felt against the weaker opponents is as uncomfortable as I feel against this opponent.

I dont completely fall apart when I play someone like this but my runs outs are poorly executed and my CB is all over the place but I fight and do get my games.

So my question is how do I ignore the 800 pound gorilla in the chair when I am at the table. I know everyone says play the table, but when you have such respect for a players accomplishements and dedication to the game how do you forget you are playing them.

Is there any other way to overcome this problem besides doing what is impossible for me, which is just play the table. Thanks for any opinions. If anyone has examples of themselves beating a world class player and how they dealt with their emotions that would be great too.
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It sounds to me like you have already lost the match in your mind. There is probably alot of pressure on them too, they SHOULD NOT lose to you. so they may have the same battles in their head as you have. Think if you get an early lead they are getting more worried about losing to you.

I think you should be actually in a great position because you are not supposed to win. Losing against a Champion has no shame, winning against a Champion his a great accomplishment. You are in a no lose situation. JMO
 
You need to have more confidence in your talent, skill and ability to play pool. As you said in your post, "...and you are playing great your CB is on a string and you have hardly missed a ball...", you can play the same way a champion plays. Just focus on your own game and have confidence in yourself on every shot, don't be intimidated by anyone sitting in their chair.
:p
 
wow, you seem to be much too worried about what a better player thinks of your game. I couldn't care less what someone "thinks" of mine. I wanna beat the guy - and I mean, from Joe Blow bar banger to SVB (or plug in whoever). If after the match they think negatively of my game (like I $hit in balls, or got rolls to leave them crappy, whatever); don't care. And, if they say as much, I'll tell them to enjoy the one loss side, or the ride home; whichever I just sent them to...lol. You can be in AWE of someones game and still want to beat them.
 
Funny thing

trustyrusty said:
wow, you seem to be much too worried about what a better player thinks of your game. I couldn't care less what someone "thinks" of mine. I wanna beat the guy - and I mean, from Joe Blow bar banger to SVB (or plug in whoever). If after the match they think negatively of my game (like I $hit in balls, or got rolls to leave them crappy, whatever); don't care. And, if they say as much, I'll tell them to enjoy the one loss side, or the ride home; whichever I just sent them to...lol. You can be in AWE of someones game and still want to beat them.
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Funny thing, is I agree with you I shouldn't care and neither should anybody else who plays one of these players. However, I watch good player after good player get up there and just faint. In fact, I watched world class players do it with Efren for years.

I think we all know what we are suppose to do when we play better players just not sure how to accomplish getting my emotions in check. I was hoping to get some advice.
 
Every time you come up against a monster, remember this.

He's not gonna wanna get beat by your caliber, and it's your time to shine. Beat one of these guys, and you can feel you can beat them all. Just once. One good set. This a an opportunity. Shine on, brother. After you knock a couple of these guys off, they'll be a little worried about you, too.
 
GMAC said:
Guys, I would like some opinions on this.

You are in a tournament and you are playing great your CB is on a string and you have hardly missed a ball. To this point you have only played lesser players. Now you draw a champion and I mean a champion. A player who is so far above your talent level just looking at him you are in awe. He plays the game exactly how you wish you played.

I try my hardest to play the table but for some reason when I play someone of this cabliber I feel like they are sitting on my shoulder watching everything I do to see if I meet their standard of play. As comfortable as I felt against the weaker opponents is as uncomfortable as I feel against this opponent.

I dont completely fall apart when I play someone like this but my runs outs are poorly executed and my CB is all over the place but I fight and do get my games.

So my question is how do I ignore the 800 pound gorilla in the chair when I am at the table. I know everyone says play the table, but when you have such respect for a players accomplishements and dedication to the game how do you forget you are playing them.

Is there any other way to overcome this problem besides doing what is impossible for me, which is just play the table. Thanks for any opinions. If anyone has examples of themselves beating a world class player and how they dealt with their emotions that would be great too.
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You can't ignore the 800 pound gorilla by telling yourself "Ignore the 800 pound gorilla." It's like me telling you not the think about pink elephants. You're going to think about pink elephants, if only for an instant. The negative ("don't") means nothing to your brain, only the object sticks ("pink elephants").

So you shouldn't bother telling yourself to forget about Mika Immonen. That will only make you think even more about Mika Immonen. Instead, since your brain doesn't deal in negatives, replace Mika Immonen with a positive. Instead of thinking "don't think about Mika Immonen", think "Visualize the CB spinning back off the rail for the 6". The only way to drown out what you shouldn't be thinking is to focus harder on what you should be thinking.

Stick to simple instructions to yourself. "Visualize the CB path." "See the aim point." "Step into the line." "5 in the corner." "Center of the pocket." Focus in on the details of the shot, giving yourself clear, concise mental instructions on how to execute it correctly. By doing this, you don't give yourself time to think about Mika Immonen, and you accomplish this without the counter-productive self-instructions to ignore Mika Immonen.

(I realize you didn't drop any names in your post, but you said "world class", "champion", and I see you're from Brooklyn, so I chose Mika.)

-Andrew
 
GMAC,

I think you gave your own solution- the trick is to execute what you know.

Waht I'm saying is that "just play the table" is the answer. You need to figure out why you aren't doing that against champions.

Is it because you are worried that your position routes won't meet their approval? Do you think they are critisizing how long you might take on a shot? Are you thinking that they would have never played safe there, when you prefer the safe?

I'm no champion, but those are some of the thoughts I had, playing against top players. The obvious answer is to ignore those thoughts and play the rack like you normally would. Yes, it's easier said than done, but that is what you need to do.

Who did you play? Mika? Ginky? Tony? Frankie? Flaco?


Eric
 
GMAC said:
Funny thing, is I agree with you I shouldn't care and neither should anybody else who plays one of these players. However, I watch good player after good player get up there and just faint. In fact, I watched world class players do it with Efren for years.

I think we all know what we are suppose to do when we play better players just not sure how to accomplish getting my emotions in check. I was hoping to get some advice.
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No, I get it...I've seen the 2nd to 100th plus best players in the world do the EXACT same thing when Tiger Woods is on or near the top of the leaderboard.

If they play their absolute best, you won't beat them, but you're not supposed to, so take advantage of every little mistake, or every opportunity they might give you.....I know I'd always remember beating them, so this is how I approach the situation.
 
It's hard to not think about who your playing when there champions. If your a "B" player and you draw SVB in a tourny, I'd chalk up the loss in my head before I start. Then I play the best game I can against them. If I was playing someone I knew like Buddy or Steve Cook I wouldn't be nervous at all. If I draw someone I never even met like SVB or Johnny A. You bet your ass I'm going to think of who I'm playing. The few times I drew champions in a tourny I went out to the car, took 3 or 4 good belts of Jack, went back inside and said, "bring it". I didn't win, but I was loose as a goose. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
It's hard to not think about who your playing when there champions. If your a "B" player and you draw SVB in a tourny, I'd chalk up the loss in my head before I start. Then I play the best game I can against them. If I was playing someone I knew like Buddy or Steve Cook I wouldn't be nervous at all. If I draw someone I never even met like SVB or Johnny A. You bet your ass I'm going to think of who I'm playing. The few times I drew champions in a tourny I went out to the car, took 3 or 4 good belts of Jack, went back inside and said, "bring it". I didn't win, but I was loose as a goose. Johnnyt
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atta boy Johnny - for the BRING IT quote! Everyone is beatable....like the lotto saying, someone has to win, might as well be you (even if the odds are lotto-like...lol).
 
I was playing with *arguably*:wink: the World's best player once and- first shot- I fired a ball that was 5" away from the pocket right into the rail...about about 6" away from the pocket.

My buddy says to me: he gets to the table lots because he's Jose Parica.

Like c-fish says, while the guy might play better than you, all the pressure is actually on him because he is supposed to win. If he does, 'twas expected.

Certainly lots depends on your skill level, but not having missed it sounds like the proficiency is there to beat a bully sooner or later.

crawfish said:
Every time you come up against a monster, remember this.

He's not gonna wanna get beat by your caliber, and it's your time to shine. Beat one of these guys, and you can feel you can beat them all. Just once. One good set. This a an opportunity. Shine on, brother. After you knock a couple of these guys off, they'll be a little worried about you, too.
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I played what I believe to be a world class player some cheap one pocket games (10 a rack) the other day and ended up breaking even. He was giving me 10-7 and even though I didn't win anything I sure felt like I won. I was nervous at first but after I won the first game running 3 and out from a tough back cut bank I didn't feel so nervous anymore.

BVal
 
Player classifications such as A,B,C player or rating systems are pools way of keeping the "lesser" from becoming something more. Kinda like "know your roll" gabroni! It's all bull@#$% so don't buy into it!

How do you think SVB went from bar banger to CHAMPION anyway...he stepped up and refused to accept his "roll" and continued to change his self perception and that his peers had of him by playing "his" game and putting it up in competition against the players who held the title of "superior" or "professional"! The second you believe you cannot compete or don't deserve to against a player is the second you have lost the match.

Champions aren't born brother...they are made...by stickin' themselves in the fire and experiencing many deaths until the thought of losing isn't an option! It's just another match between two competitors and the superior at the moment will come out on top. We will all die on the tables many times over, yet if we rise above other's expectations we shall also have moments of glory that are unforgettable and we can fall back on those memories the next time we have to face....A CHAMPION!

Go get 'em brotha!
 
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Thanks

Sam Waltz said:
Player classifications such as A,B,C player or rating systems are pools way of keeping the "lesser" from becoming something more. Kinda like "know your roll" gabroni! It's all bull@#$% so don't buy into it!

How do you think SVB went from bar banger to CHAMPION anyway...he stepped up and refused to accept his "roll" and continued to change his self perception and that his peers had of him by playing "his" game and putting it up in competition against the players who held the title of "superior" or "professional" players! The second you believe you cannot compete or don't deserve to against a player is the second you have lost the match.

Champions aren't born brother...they are made...by stickin' themselves in the fire and experiencing many deaths until the thought of losing isn't an option! It's just another match between two competitors and the superior at the moment will come out on top. We will all die on the tables many times over, yet if we rise above other's expectations we shall also have moments of glory that are unforgettable and we can fall back on those memories the next time we have to face....A CHAMPION!

Go get 'em brotha!
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Could be the best post I every read. Thanks this one helped a lot.
 
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