Jay,
We were playing for 40 a game. It's what my opponent asked to play for. He was putting me to sleep with his slow play and it showed in my game. Even though it took a few hours for him to win 3 games, I still don't like losing and I don't like giving in to playing poorly because of what someone else is doing. I don't mind losing if the other person plays better than I am capable of doing.. well, I still don't like losing but what I'm really trying to say is that I hate playing poorly and losing. I consider breaking even against a tough opponent a good day and a win a good day any day.
While I was playing and losing, bored out of my mind, disgusted more by the minute I realized that I had the power to change what I was doing and could do nothing about what he was doing. If I complained I could be considered a sore loser and I'm not that so I didn't want to whine and complain because he was otherwise a really nice guy to play. As I stood there watching him play so slowly, I had been thinking that I can beat this guy and then my thoughts went to.....well YOU'RE NOT WINNING....duh. In fact, you are losing your dough. I had been dissing this guy's game all the while he was beating on me and that made me laugh at myself. So I decided that he was three games up or maybe four, I asked him to raise the bet to 60 and he quickly agreed. I then decided that I didn't want to lose my dough any longer and I had to respect his game and play to win, whatever it took. I started taking more time to see what I could do to improve my level of play. I started paying more attention to the game and trying to stay competitive in the game rather than sitting on my high horse, whining to myself about how this guy plays so slow and thinking that he doesn't play any better than I do. I simply started playing better pool, make smarter decisions. I accepted the fact that he was a slower than normal player. That's about all I got.....
Still looking for ideas on how to deal with slow play and not let it get the best of you. ?????
Thanks,
JoeyA
Joey,
Good mindset change. You quit thinking in the negative and started thinking in the positive. You got there by being brutally honest with yourself and evaluating what you were doing. That is huge in my book.
That "high horse" problem is one that I've contended with. It initially crept up on me at the first "Last Call for 9-ball" tournament in Atlantic City. I'm up 8 to 3 in a race to 11 and dry break. My opponent has an open table but elects to play a safe. It was a good one and I foul. He fouled me out that game...and the next one.
Meanwhile, I was thinking, "Nobody can beat me 8 games to my 3." The next game he kept me kicking and while he didn't foul me out, he did win the game. 8 to 6 and now, I'm getting just a tad of nerves...but...I'm still thinking, "No one can beat me...blah..blah..blah."
Before my opponent breaks the next rack, he decides to take a bathroom break. While he was gone, an older gentleman, sitting in the bleachers across the aisleway, taps me on the shoulder. He says, "Man, if someone was playing me that way I'd be pissed. Are you getting pissed?" I replied that I wasn't but thought about what he said. I was actually a little put off that someone would talk to me while I was in a match.
Why wasn't I pissed? My opponent changed his tactics from playing not-winning pool to winning pool and I was just playing helpless pool letting him dictate the game. My attitude changed, I got down off the horse and I got new resolve to beat this style of play. I was not going to lose to this.
He comes back, breaks and makes a ball. Once again the rack is pretty open but he plays safe. My only hit is a 2-rail kick hitting the end rail and side rail. This time though, instead of trying to just make the hit, my attitude had changed to hitting the good side of the ball for a return safe. Also, the good side of the ball would also give me a chance of making it.
I made the kick and with this new resolve and concentration ran out and then put a two pack on him for the win.
I shook my opponents hand and turned to find the guy in the audience to thank him. He was gone and I never saw him again. I don't know if he was a great, wise, hard knocks player giving me advice in a round-a-bout way or was just taking a break from the casino. I like to think the former but whatever he was, it was his question that turned the match around for me.
From what I read from your post. For me, it was the high-horse thinking that was causing you to lose. The slow-play was just the side excuse for that thinking.
Not only did I learn a new tactic for play, one that I have used, more importantly, I learned the same things that you just posted.
1) Anyone can beat me at any time. Don't take anything for granted.
2) Work every single shot WITH CONFIDENCE and RESOLVE.
3) Close out the match when it's there to do.
4) I can only control my part of the game. I can't control my opponent.
5) Self-pissiness is a good thing and can keep me grounded.
6) I hate losing more than I like winning.
I haven't thought about that story for years and it was probably one of the most important lessons I ever had in this game.
Thanks for sharing your in depth thinking. I hope the stories help other players with thinking problems. We don't get to see enough of these kind of threads.
Good shooting and keep hitting them well JoeyA.
) waiting to get back to the table. It makes it even worse if you are adding emotional baggage about your opponent while waiting. 
