Run Racks & Then Cant Run Three Balls

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DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Can any of you instructors offer advice on how i can be more consistent? As the title implies on some nights i can run racks (yes, more than two) of 9-Ball and then the next night, with layouts similar in difficulty, i cant hardly run three balls.

Its the inability to play well from one night to the next that frustrates me, and at this point is whats holding me back.

Mike
 
do you put in practice time and do you apply yourself as if it is your job while doing so?

If yes then its a mental thing

if no then you should be able to figure the answer

If its a mental thing.....


You have to ask yourself, "Why wont I let myself run racks?"

-Grey Ghost-
 
I'd be willing to be you don't have a finely-tuned pre-shot routine. You prob setup differently every time.

Consistency errors are almost always PSR. I also agree with the Grey Ghost that your mental game likely needs some work as well.
 
Well, the below is similar to what i do sometimes. i had just made a couple of really good shots to get on the 6-Ball, and had these four balls left. this is a "Helen" layout, as some would say. that being Helen Keller could get it out.

but instead of drawing back and leaving any kind of angle on the 7-Ball, i left the CB at Point A, straight in, near the rail. i did manage to jack up and draw back to Point B, but was left with the reverse cut on the 8-Ball - which i missed. i thought about just rolling the 7-Ball in and taking the long shot on the 8-Ball, but decided against it.

this is typical of how i mess up. about any spot except Point A and i can get finish running out this rack. but Point A was a killer for me, and thats where i got.

Mike

CueTable Help

 
Neil said:
Look at your layout. O.K., you got out of line and got straight in on the 7. Now, what line do you want to be on for the 8? You want to be close to straight in on the 8. Extend a line from the pocket for the 8 through the 8, all the way down the table. You want to be somewhere on that line.

If you draw back off the 7 about a foot, you are perfect. Longer shot than you initially wanted, but on the line. You chose to draw it back to the rail and back out. O.K. Let's say you did. Where is that going to put you? About one diamond closer to the 8.

Why work that hard to be a foot or less closer to the ball? If you can't make it at 6' away, you won't make it at 5' away either. Take what the table gives you, don't force things, and don't get too frustrated when you get out of line.

You can also learn to cheat the pocket on the 7 to get position on the 8.
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Neil,

all that ran through my head. i finally decided i would try and draw it back off the rail and back into the table and i didnt quite get the draw i wanted. another 3-4 inches and the shot on the 8 becomes a whole lot easier.

and i really am starting to believe the old 4 ball drill might be something that will help me. thats where you throw 4 balls out on the table in places where you should run them. then take CB in hand and have at it. seems like i get thru the hard part of racks, and then hose up the easy final balls - like i did above.

Consistency is my #1 enemy.....

Mike
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
Neil,

all that ran through my head. i finally decided i would try and draw it back off the rail and back into the table and i didnt quite get the draw i wanted. another 3-4 inches and the shot on the 8 becomes a whole lot easier.

and i really am starting to believe the old 4 ball drill might be something that will help me. thats where you throw 4 balls out on the table in places where you should run them. then take CB in hand and have at it. seems like i get thru the hard part of racks, and then hose up the easy final balls - like i did above.

Consistency is my #1 enemy.....

Mike
Click to expand...

DCP - I'm saying this with love in my heart for you...(going back several years here)

Consistency is not your #1 enemy, it's but one of many clues (symptoms) that are showing up.

Your mind is your #1 enemy.

Until you accept that and start to work from there, you will only fix symptoms and not the root cause.

Your luck is a product of your mind.

Your consistency is a product of your mind.

When I say mind, I mean a combination of attitude, concentration and approach.

You practice with the wrong attitude. You concentrate on the wrong things. Because of that your approach isn't conducive to playing great pool.

You are a great player. Who doesn't play great. That's all there is to it.

Because your mind gets involved, you start to question whether or not you're a great player. Then you start to ask really bad questions like "Why does this happen to me?" And "Why is my luck so bad?"

When you ask those questions, your mind, being the computer that it is, answers them. And then, your mind, being the human that it is, is invested in those answers being correct. So it affects your body and your pool game to make sure that those answers are correct. So when you start playing good, your mind interferes and starts making you play bad so that it can test it's theories on why you get bad luck. Or why you are inconsistent.

There are no shots you can't make. There is no position you can't make. There is no situation at the table that you don't know how to handle. I know. You've practiced thousands of hours and have no trouble running racks...until you think about it. Until you say those fatal words to yourself "I'm playing good tonight..."

Instantly your brain chimes in and that's when the pain starts.

Am I right?

To change this you need to start asking better questions. I've seen your questions on here "Can't run three balls?", "Why am I so unlucky?" "How could I miss this shot?".

Stop. Hit reset.

Ask. How can I get out from here? instead of "What will befall me on this game?

It takes a long time to reprogram and most never can. The champions are focused on what will happen when they run out. The others are focused on what will happen when they choke.

Be a champion. Make that decision.

You are a great player. Who doesn't play great.

So ask the question: "How can I play great?" instead of "How come I can't play great?". Your mind will answer either one and become invested in the outcome. Ask yourself both questions and let yourself sit with each answer.

I bet I know which one makes you feel better. And I damn sure know which one will make you play better.

~rc
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
seems like i get thru the hard part of racks, and then hose up the easy final balls - like i did above.

Mike
Click to expand...

That might be the root of the problem. What do you do when faced with a difficult shot that you don't do when looking at the easy shots???????????

You must treat every shot with the same respect. And that takes you back to your routines. Do you get excited when you see an "easy out" and change your tempo (start rushing through the shots)?

You are doing something differently if you don't have consistency. Figure out what it is. Consistency on the table starts with consistency in what you are doing.

Steve
 
sixpack said:
Any Progress here DCP?

~rc
Click to expand...

not yet, not been long enough yet.

but i have noticed what you say. when i start to fire on all cylinders i can run racks and can feel that confidence. when i break a rack of 9-Ball and get a ball or two down and have a decent spread i usually say to myself that this is going to be another runout.

but when the bad rolls start, or i miss and hose up a couiple of racks, thats when the problems start. even if i get a ball or two down, have a runnable rack, i think to myself "Well, how am i gonna screw this up?"

Maybe i need to play with a Boston Celtics jersey on? I remember following Larry Bird in the 1980s and somebody said once about his surrounding cast that "Once they put that Celtic uniform on, something just comes over them and they are different players!"

so, maybe i need to get a Celtics #33 and wear it while i practice..:eek:

Mike
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
not yet, not been long enough yet.

but i have noticed what you say. when i start to fire on all cylinders i can run racks and can feel that confidence. when i break a rack of 9-Ball and get a ball or two down and have a decent spread i usually say to myself that this is going to be another runout.

but when the bad rolls start, or i miss and hose up a couiple of racks, thats when the problems start. even if i get a ball or two down, have a runnable rack, i think to myself "Well, how am i gonna screw this up?"

Maybe i need to play with a Boston Celtics jersey on? I remember following Larry Bird in the 1980s and somebody said once about his surrounding cast that "Once they put that Celtic uniform on, something just comes over them and they are different players!"

so, maybe i need to get a Celtics #33 and wear it while i practice..:eek:

Mike
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I think you're on the right track.

Having a lucky Jersey is a great idea actually because it can be a trigger for top performance. Anything you do consistently to trigger excellent play is good. Whether it's jumping up from the chair to shoot when an opponent misses or wearing a lucky earring. If you have something in your routine or your gear that really helps you feel invincible. Something that you lean on a little. It can really make a difference.

~rc
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
but i have noticed what you say. when i start to fire on all cylinders i can run racks and can feel that confidence. when i break a rack of 9-Ball and get a ball or two down and have a decent spread i usually say to myself that this is going to be another runout.

but when the bad rolls start, or i miss and hose up a couiple of racks, thats when the problems start. even if i get a ball or two down, have a runnable rack, i think to myself "Well, how am i gonna screw this up?"
Click to expand...

sixpack is dead on. You need to challenge those negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.
 
I have had this problem for sometime and feel I am breaking through it. For me, it has been about these things:

1) Preshot routine. I was approaching the balls differently when I thought the shot was easy. I really had to look sat this long and hard, but it kind of just started to sink in that this was the problem.

2) Stance, Stroke, Warm Up - This sounds like #1 and it is, but when approacching a shot inconsistently, my eye was not in the same alignment with the cue and balls. I again, honed my stroke, stance etc, such that this is much less of a problem.

3) Unintended english. I used to be the guy who would shoot center ball shots about center ball and sometimes I was unintentionally using backhand english. By shooting at a piece of chalk on the end rail and watching my cue ball come back to my tip at like 10 different speeds, I found this. Now I'm doing this drill quite a bit to groove my stroke before practice. This is making a huge difference. I was taking this for granted before.

4) Coaching - It is easy to practice, do random drills, run groups of balls and you get some better. Using coaching techniques of logging results, identifying +'s and -'s every session, I can pick one minus and work on it for an hour and see real improvement in that area. It is key to make this a positive assessment. I also log what others say which could be interpretted as assessment language. End result is I can look back in the log. Find a single common weakness, consider what is it's root cause and develop a practice session around it like I would do for a soccer team. The keys are honest assessment, 1 item practices, and building practice sessions, with warm ups, technique drill, repetition drills and a chance to see results.
 
sixpack said:
Any Progress here DCP?

~rc
Click to expand...

Well, i came home last night and worked briefly on a few shots, then broke some 9-ball racks. ran a rack early, then messed up a couple. then the bad rolls started, then i messed another one up when i finally got another chance. so i quit and went and ate my supper.

after supper i decided to say the heck with it, fire away with confidence, and all of a sudden the racks started to fall. the balls cooperated a little bit, and i ran 3-4 racks after supper.

but i realize its like Jim Wych & Billy Incardona say on the US Open broadcasts - the balls dont stay loyal to anyone very long.

Mike
 
Well, i tried to keep a positive frame of mind tonight, tried to break some racks and then play/shoot with confidence. ran one, messed up a couple, but for the most part it was one of those nights where the balls just didnt cooperate - period. like i've always said, when there's nothing there, there's nothing there.

Tomorrow night is another night. i am going to play on this new cloth probably up till right after the Thanksgiving holiday and then go on a practice regimen. the 4-Ball drill will probably be part of that.

Now its time for a shower and to watch Cannon - starring William Conrad.

Mike
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
Well, i came home last night and worked briefly on a few shots, then broke some 9-ball racks. ran a rack early, then messed up a couple. then the bad rolls started, then i messed another one up when i finally got another chance. so i quit and went and ate my supper.

after supper i decided to say the heck with it, fire away with confidence, and all of a sudden the racks started to fall. the balls cooperated a little bit, and i ran 3-4 racks after supper.

but i realize its like Jim Wych & Billy Incardona say on the US Open broadcasts - the balls dont stay loyal to anyone very long.

Mike
Click to expand...

When I start missing stupid stuff I've been known to just shoot. Not caring where the CB goes. Not caring if I make a shot. But still trying to make them if that makes sense. I've played some of my best pool after doing this for a while. I think it helps detach the ANTS (Automatic Negative ThoughtS).

~rc
 
Ok, so, posters and instructors.....the below diagram is typical of how i mess things up, and that is what really frustrates me. i had this layout with three balls left last night and wasnt sure what to do here.

Anyway, it was a slight cut on the 7-Ball into the corner so i decided to try and draw the CB back ever so slightly and pocket it into the top right corner. instead i hit it with stun, and the CB floated over to Point A, up against the rail maybe 1/4 inch off the rail. i tried to jack up slightly and stun across to the opposite side to avoid the scratch but i missed the shot. and just so you will know, it looked like the scratch into the opposite side was dead on, so i had to do something.

How would you guys have played this? followed up just slightly for the 8-Ball into the opposite side? or followed all the way down to the short rail and back up for the 8-Ball into the bottom left corner?

Mike

CueTable Help

 
I would probably soft roll for pocket speed. That leaves the 8 for either the side or the top left corner depending on how far you follow the 7. Either makes it easy to get over to the other rail for the 9.

Steve
 
pooltchr said:
I would probably soft roll for pocket speed. That leaves the 8 for either the side or the top left corner depending on how far you follow the 7. Either makes it easy to get over to the other rail for the 9.

Steve
Click to expand...

Yep, this went through my mind too.

but its soooo amazing to me, that so many times there are alternatives and i say this outloud to myself:

"Well, as long as i dont leave the CB there, or end up there. Thats only in a worst case scenario and i wont end up there. Anywhere else and its fine, just not at that spot. I cant be that unlucky....."

and, of course, i end up at that exact worst spot. like Point A in the above diagram. just about anywhere but there and i am out. but i managed to get at Point A, just exactly what i didnt want. happens all the time.

Mike
 
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