Ever play someone and after you beat them they say you played over your head? Is it really playing over your head if your the one that did it? It clearly means that you have the ability to play at that particular level you just don't do it often. I guess we play in the middle of our ability more than at the highest level and sometimes we play below our average ability. Not so much a question just want to hear some thoughts on what you all think about this.
Playing over your head
- Thread starter Socopool79
- Start date
It just means you caught a gear that you can't normally catch on command...at least that's what your opponent is telling you, since he can't believe you caught that gear against him! 
It just means you caught a gear that you can't normally catch on command...at least that's what your opponent is telling you, since he can't believe you caught that gear against him!
And your opponent usually gets pissed that your playing well and over your head! I'm happy for the guy if this happens!
My 2 cents worth! All humans are chemical production facilities, we produce so many different chemicals to keep balance of our heart rate, blood pressure, control breathing, muscles reactions/movement coordination...etc
Thing that we eat, drink, stress, excitement, happiness, sleep, tired, alcohol, drugs, sex...exercise, weight lifting to name a few are responsible for varying the chemical balance, at times it is good for improving focus, and good thought process, at times it destroys it. Sure luck is also a big factor, but its influence diminishes when you have high focus and clear mind.
I think those pool players that control these variables will have much better chance of reaching higher level of play.
every now and again everypart of your game just klicks. match that with the balls opening up well when you break and you have yourself a magical night.
this happened to me and a friend of mine one night a few years ago. we could have been playing on espn we were hitting 'em so f'n straight. no joke it was like a 2 pack per player kind of thing. nobody's run ended unless they broke dry. i mus thave used up all my focus because i felt drained and couldn't make more than 3 balls in a row for a few days.
those are the days we play for. all the other frustrations we fade playing this game we love all seem to not matter because of that few hours of play
And we pool players often match up thinking we play as well as we do when we play 'over our head'.
Danger-danger.
Danger-danger.
I know what that means. I am an APA 6 in 9 ball. That is a fair assessment of my skill. I have played matches (like 2) where I firmly believe no one in the world could have beat me that day. I was just that on.
I have been playing this game since I was a kid and playing competitively for 13 years. I know what I am doing when it comes to pool. My low rank is not due to lack of knowledge, it is straight lack of skill. I don't get to play enough to maintain a high level game. This tends to mean my play can be hot and cold.
My goal in the next year is play more and get my game more consistent. I hate showing up and playing like crap. It ruins my night and it let's my team down. I would like to get to a 6/7 as well but I think that will come naturally with my other goal. I am not worried about my ranking as much as playing a consistent solid game for my team.
I have been playing this game since I was a kid and playing competitively for 13 years. I know what I am doing when it comes to pool. My low rank is not due to lack of knowledge, it is straight lack of skill. I don't get to play enough to maintain a high level game. This tends to mean my play can be hot and cold.
My goal in the next year is play more and get my game more consistent. I hate showing up and playing like crap. It ruins my night and it let's my team down. I would like to get to a 6/7 as well but I think that will come naturally with my other goal. I am not worried about my ranking as much as playing a consistent solid game for my team.
I agree but it always seems my worst game shows up as soon as I realize I just played my best game, or somebody tells me I am shooting over my head!
the human mind is a puzzle sometimes
I know my state of mind really affects how well I play... If I'm stressed about something outside of pool, I know I probably shouldn't play pool to gamble....
Other things I have noticed is that if I just play my game without thinking about or knowing the other guy's ability (specifically if he is at a higher level than me), I play well; however, if I am intimidated by the other guy's level of ability, I will probably play bad. Also, I have noticed that when 2 players of about the same ability play each other, the one who is playing stronger seems to make the other guy play weaker...
I know my state of mind really affects how well I play... If I'm stressed about something outside of pool, I know I probably shouldn't play pool to gamble....
Other things I have noticed is that if I just play my game without thinking about or knowing the other guy's ability (specifically if he is at a higher level than me), I play well; however, if I am intimidated by the other guy's level of ability, I will probably play bad. Also, I have noticed that when 2 players of about the same ability play each other, the one who is playing stronger seems to make the other guy play weaker...
Sour grapes
Some people just can't stand it when they loose. Usually they're mad at themselves but they externalize it and look for someone or something to blame. The pockets are too tight or too big. It was a bigger or smaller table then they're used to. It was too loud or too quiet and so on.
If you're playing at the high end of your game that should be celebrated.
If someone can't get those kind of words out of their clenched jaw then they should just stomp away from the table, slam the door, and speed off while choking back the tears.
It's impossible to "play above your head". Obviously you can do it if you just !@#ing did it.
Some people just can't stand it when they loose. Usually they're mad at themselves but they externalize it and look for someone or something to blame. The pockets are too tight or too big. It was a bigger or smaller table then they're used to. It was too loud or too quiet and so on.
If you're playing at the high end of your game that should be celebrated.
If someone can't get those kind of words out of their clenched jaw then they should just stomp away from the table, slam the door, and speed off while choking back the tears.
It's impossible to "play above your head". Obviously you can do it if you just !@#ing did it.
If you know knowledge and skill, the main factor in pool that vary much is focus, players have to adjust the length of time to get exact focus; not every day you can pick up focus quick, at days when you are tired, take more time to focus; do not listen to those that say oh just go down and shoot, sure you will make some shots, but you will lack consistency.
yep
Focus is important for sure; I remember someone telling me about 3 levels of awareness....
1) You see the table and the balls and the railbirds and your opponent around the perimeter of the table and even what's beyond that, around the room...
2) You see the table and the balls and the immediate railbirds and your opponent around the perimeter of the table...
3) You see only the balls and the table, and the table only as far as the inside of the rails as the boundary; and this is the focus you need to shoot at...
Focus is important for sure; I remember someone telling me about 3 levels of awareness....
1) You see the table and the balls and the railbirds and your opponent around the perimeter of the table and even what's beyond that, around the room...
2) You see the table and the balls and the immediate railbirds and your opponent around the perimeter of the table...
3) You see only the balls and the table, and the table only as far as the inside of the rails as the boundary; and this is the focus you need to shoot at...
The proof that you're capable of a higher than normal level of play (when you do play "over your head") is when it actually happens. The key is consistency or really the lack there of. Better players/pros are simply more consistent. I imagine that really is a combination of skill/knowledge and the ability to focus like a laser beam on an ongoing basis. Regardless of your ability level it is truly exhilerating when you catch that gear and everything is rolling your way. Remember when Fast Eddie was telling Fats in their last game words to the effect ... I got a feelin' that this table is mine, I can't miss. That ever happen to you Fats?
There are lots of pieces to the puzzle of pool. We all own varied amounts of those pieces. When the ones we own all fall in place at the same time, we are playing to the best of our individual ability.
When it happens, usually its the mental, focus, and concentration that click allowing the execution to be right on.
All parts of the game need to be practiced, especially the focus and concentration. Rotation games IMO don't provide as good an opportunity to practice that aspect of the game as straight pool does.
There two reasons for this. One is the mindless shoot by number restriction, and two is the short inning time at the table.
The longer period of time you can experience focused creative concentration, the sooner the feeling becomes more natural.
This opinion comes after playing pool for over 50 years. The younger players that only slam around rotation games would speed up their learning curve if they practiced straight pool.
Warning though, it may be an awakening to just how lacking focus and concentration are for you. Lots of pretty good 9 ball players can't make it through two racks of straight pool.
Anyway, I believe this practice will put you closer to your best game more often.
When it happens, usually its the mental, focus, and concentration that click allowing the execution to be right on.
All parts of the game need to be practiced, especially the focus and concentration. Rotation games IMO don't provide as good an opportunity to practice that aspect of the game as straight pool does.
There two reasons for this. One is the mindless shoot by number restriction, and two is the short inning time at the table.
The longer period of time you can experience focused creative concentration, the sooner the feeling becomes more natural.
This opinion comes after playing pool for over 50 years. The younger players that only slam around rotation games would speed up their learning curve if they practiced straight pool.
Warning though, it may be an awakening to just how lacking focus and concentration are for you. Lots of pretty good 9 ball players can't make it through two racks of straight pool.
Anyway, I believe this practice will put you closer to your best game more often.
Pool players have a much shorter way of saying this. We call it getting the mix right.
i hear you, but you leave it open to speculation, either the fast mix or slow mix, and some might ask what is "the mix"