Playing smarter

[TATE]

Here is my opinion based on 50+ years of playing and observing on reaching a certain level of play. Sooner or later almost every pool player will reach a certain level and remain there. This would be the highest level of the mechanical part of the game that you have reached-pocketing balls and position play. Now the only way to get better is to play smarter. You have to now realize your limits and know when a shot or an easy safe is your best option.There are many ways to play smarter I just gave one example. A "B" player can become an "A" player simply by playing smarter.
Also playing with a Lucasi and getting free water should help a little :thumbup:

The other thing is, most players practice offense a lot. On the practice table, how many do you see practicing safeties? I see a lot of players with A or B offenses and C safety games.

The safety game is a set of skills learned over many years of experience. There is very little in the way of teaching on how to spot a safety situation and how to execute them well. In fact I approached several teachers on the subject and very few had any kind of formal presentation on safety situations. The exception was Frank "the Barber" Almazna. He showed me six standard safeties. I wrote them down, then I made my own manual that I use to practice them - plus I added some additional ones - about a dozen safety situations, each requiring a certain feel and skill set to execute. I'm getting better at them and am getting more competitive as a result.

Safety skills are actually very advanced stuff and in my opinion are more difficult to "master " * because they involved controlling the speed on two balls and usually involve banking skills, multi rail position, and very accurate placement of the cue ball.

When you habitually practice safeties a lot, the situations become clearer on when to use them. I truly think that a lot of players can improve their win/loss percentage more by working on this aspect moreso than offense.

Chris

* I use the word "master" loosely - Efren seems to be the only player who truly has mastered the safety game.

 

[ShootingArts]

I improved vastly from the two to five year mark

If this is true, I'm doomed. To be stuck at this level of play for the rest of my life.... sigh. That's too depressing to think about.

I'm just gonna have to disagree with you Hu. in hopes that you're wrong. Because if you ain't, I'm in trouble.

A great deal of difference between stuck at a level and improving mechanical skills. After a couple years I could cut the paint off a ball and was a better than average kicker and banker, well able to hold my own in local circles which were admittedly pretty sad. By today's standards I might have been a high C or B player. I was hitting balls as accurately as I ever have or ever will.

That was at about the point that I had the revelation that pinpoint cue ball control was possible. Until then I had been playing fairly loose area shape. Just as natural offshoots of pinpoint cue ball control which took another three years or so to reach my highest level, I could now play outrageous safeties, break out balls, move balls around to help me or tangle up my opponent, totally control a table for hours at a time. My mechanical skills hadn't increased in the last three years but I was now a very legitimate shortstop judging by the people I defeated on a given day. I was a ridiculously successful gambler in this time period also because I used the pinpoint cue ball control to hang myself when I chose to, play patterns that seemed like total flukes since they weren't the reasonable routes, seem like a total dork on the table and the luckiest son of a gun that ever lived.

Almost all things became possible when I gained control of the cue ball. I didn't hit any more accurately or improve my physical skills much but I improved what I could do with the same skills so much it would be hard to quantify the improvement. I also jumped my mental game hugely in this time period. Saying that physical skills are peaked or near peaked doesn't mean there aren't huge gains to be made, just that in my opinion they will be made in other areas.

Hu

 

[8JIM9]

Here is my opinion based on 50+ years of playing and observing on reaching a certain level of play. Sooner or later almost every pool player will reach a certain level and remain there. This would be the highest level of the mechanical part of the game that you have reached-pocketing balls and position play. Now the only way to get better is to play smarter. You have to now realize your limits and know when a shot or an easy safe is your best option.There are many ways to play smarter I just gave one example. A "B" player can become an "A" player simply by playing smarter.
Also playing with a Lucasi and getting free water should help a little :thumbup:

I agree completely. After reading Jim Rydell's (The Owners Manual for the Complete Poolplayer), my win percentage went way up. He shows many situations where the "safety" isn't the obvious move, but it is the smartest move.
8JIM9

 

[Neil]

..............

 

[billy bones]

smarter play

I touched on this topic on another post recently. I have been playing for a spell too. There are 2 distinct philosophies in general in pool. The more aggressive Offensive philosophy & the more cautious Defensive philosophy. Each will defend it's position to the bitter end. To become a more well balanced player I am trying to come more to center of both philosophies.

Traditionally over my pool life I have been a predominately offensive player due to my ball pocketing abilities & the inherient confidence that inspires. Prior to leaving the game I had a safety game. But upon my recent return I realize is was lacking at best. Both in my ability to execute as a result of lack of confidence due to inexperience overall & I was lacking in my approach to safetly play as a game strategy.

There has been several references to 8 ball on this thread. I thought about that for a moment. The 2 smartest 8 ball players I knew in my life were Tommy Weinderfeller (Omaha) & Jimmy Reid. Both had advanced safety strategies in their gameplan & the abillity to execute that. Tommy's winning % was very good & Jimmy's is well known.

I will likely always favor offensive philosophy over defensive. But I want the ability to successfully employ safety play when not only NECESSARY, but also when simply advantagious to my position. I also want to be able to control the table when I cannot run out & place my opponent at a distinct disadvantage. To be able to force my opponent to play into my hands. I have seen many a match determined by who won the safety battle.

While I understand the premise that "Most Players" hit a plateau in their abilities to pocket balls & play position. I believe that is mainly due to a players unwillingness to do what is necessary to push through to another level. Once I have been playing for many years & I am somewhat comfortable with those abililties I may find it difficult to work really hard like I did when I was coming up. My fire doesn't likely burn as bright. My interest & priorities change & my staminia has changed. But if I am willing to put in the work I can substantially improve my skills. I believe that I don't have to reach the daunted "Point of diminishing returns" unless my physical body forces me to.

Most certainly one of the ways I can improve my game skills is to "Play Smarter". The mental portion of the game is as important as the physical ability to execute. Just some of my thoughts on the subject. Good thread fellows.

Good luck & good pool,

Billy Bones :thumbup:

 

[The Renfro]

Fast and loose should be if you can see it you shoot it.... If you have to invent it take a second to evaluate..... When everything is in flow you would be stupid to not shoot a shot that was begging you to shoot it.... pretty interesting when that same shot doesn't want to talk to you at all when something is on the line........

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

To my mind playing smarter isn't just about whether to go for it or punt on 3rd and long. It's a whole array of knowledge attained through experience and includes understanding patterns and playing natural routes of position, playing the percentages by playing routes along the line of position rather than across it, being able to see the finish position of everything when moving balls, understanding when pinpoint position is really necessary versus when simply being on the correct side should be of paramount importance, etc. It also involves technical skills other than potting such as spin and speed control.

I find that when a player plays smarter in ALL these areas, they face that 3rd and long, or difficult shot, situation a lot less. I think players would improve a lot when faced with a difficult shot to ask themselves "Why am I facing this difficult shot?" in addition to just asking themselves "should I shoot this or play safe?".

A player can improve significantly simply by improving in other areas. In other words, they don't always have to be able to make all the hard shots as often as a better player if they can reduce the frequency of facing these shots to the frequency of a better player.

Yes, pros are more skilled at making the difficult shot, but their bigger advantage is they face those shots a lot less than the average player. And this is not just because they are physically better but also because they play smarter.