Strategies

[chefjeff]

This one concerns attitude, especially when comparing myself to others here...

LLW's post in the scoring section reminded me of this. He says:

LWW

Well I'm not going to make excuses and I may get hammered for some of my scores but WTF.


Don't worry about me hammering you; your score belongs to you...

Those of us who are human and not pool gods sometimes think that our lower scores make us somehow less than admirable or less than acceptable COMPARED TO OTHERS, so we think/say things like what LLW said, above. And some are so afraid of the comparison that they refuse to even play the game.

If there's one thing I learned last year in the DMMHT was that I am in competition with MYSELF, not the others here. Sure, I'd love to have the highest score, but I'm certainly not the best player here, so the odds of that happening are pretty small. Not trying to be negative with myself or paint a lousy vision for myself, but am trying to compare myself as I am now with my previous self, if that makes sense.

This also means that I can't cheat or else I'll get caught....by ME! I know where I am in my pool life and I choose not to pretend that I'm better than I actually am, even though I do visualize a better result than last year. If winning was all I cared about, I'd make up some really nice scores and post them, instead of the truth.

My goal this year is to be at least 20% better than I was last year. As long as I'm in a process of continually improving, I consider myself a winner.

Perhaps the best award for the DMMHT will be for most improved player, because isn't that why most of us are here anyway, to improve?

That's my attitude strategy. Can anyone help improve on these concepts?

Thanks,

Jeff Livingston

 

[uwate]

Agreed chefjeff. I have come to accept that there are players EVERYWHERE that can beat me, why would it be any different online? Anyone who posts low scores gets my admiration for stepping up, playing and then being honest about the results.

 

[chefjeff]

I noticed on another thread that someone said they played better when they were alternating racks with a friend. I was doing this before we started, but decided not to for the DMMHT as I thought it might be better to just do it alone.

Is anyone else playing with a sparring partner or are you simply doing this while alone? And do you think it makes a difference one way or the other?

Jeff Livingston

 

[Williebetmore]

CJ,
I've played it on several occasions with one of the best road players ever. I do better if he helps me (ie. tells me what balls to shoot, what English and force to use). If he sharks me and intimidates me, I get embarassed and do worse - go figure. I almost never play my usual game against the champions - its usually worse, occasionally much better than usual speed.

 

[breakup]

I dug up this old post regarding how well some can play this game, pretty amazing.

FYI and continued motivation, a few years ago when I first discovered the game and was talking to Hopkins about it, he told me something that didn't register on my pea brain at the time because of my lack of experience in the scoring and difficulty of the game itself. But he said that he had a number of the pro's play it and I THINK he said Parica, but it could have been someone else, scored 20 20's in a row. It wasn't until much later that I reflected back on the conversation and said to myself..."What...are you kidding me"?
These guys are GOOD!

Willee...why do you want to punish me after I presented such an interesting game?

 

[CaptainJR]

I'll probably again this year not get this completed. I do play a few racks of this sometimes and do fairly well, but I'm on a 7' Brunswick. One strategy that I thought I'd see here that I use a lot. I didn't see.

There are several people emphasizing the last 5 balls and you certainly have to. I try to decide which 5 are going to be my last, but to often it doesn't work out that way. If I understand the rules correctly there is no specific order required for the first 10 balls. There have been very frequent times when it was advantageous to start the rotation play at ball 8, 9 or 10 that set up the rest of the balls to play in rotation. If my plan for the last 5 goes to shit, I now watch for this and even may take a shot to set up starting the rotation early.

 

[shinyballs]

Williebetmore,

My principles for this game have almost all come from my instructor who plays a slightly more difficult Hopkins variant called "Bowlliards" - basically the same game except the first 9 balls are made in any order, the last 6 are in rotation, and a 9 point bonus for completing the entire rack (maximum 30 points per rack, played in sessions of 10 racks, thus "bowlliards" with a max of 300 points per game).

Actually, the real bowlliards is racked with 10 balls in no particular order (remove the back row) and a break and run is a strike and one miss is a spare. It's scored exactly like bowling. There is no rotation. I believe the rules are in the full size BCA rule book.

My apologies if someone posted this already, I didn't read the entire thread.

 

[chefjeff]

I figured out the FIRST strategy to master in this game: You gotta play! Is it irrational fear or what that keeps players away, I wonder?

Thanks to all who played because you helped me improve, as I used your scores (higher or lower than mine) as one of my personal motivations to do better. As others have indicted, this tourn. really does help one's game.

For those who refused, or couldn't take the time, to play: I'm sorry for your lost opportunity. I really am.

See ya at Thanksgiving!

Willie, when you get back from DCC are you going to compile the scores and give us a recap?

Jeff Livingston

 

[Jersey]

Tap, Tap, Tap...

This one concerns attitude, especially when comparing myself to others here...

LLW's post in the scoring section reminded me of this. He says:

LWW

Well I'm not going to make excuses and I may get hammered for some of my scores but WTF.


Don't worry about me hammering you; your score belongs to you...

Those of us who are human and not pool gods sometimes think that our lower scores make us somehow less than admirable or less than acceptable COMPARED TO OTHERS, so we think/say things like what LLW said, above. And some are so afraid of the comparison that they refuse to even play the game.

If there's one thing I learned last year in the DMMHT was that I am in competition with MYSELF, not the others here. Sure, I'd love to have the highest score, but I'm certainly not the best player here, so the odds of that happening are pretty small. Not trying to be negative with myself or paint a lousy vision for myself, but am trying to compare myself as I am now with my previous self, if that makes sense.

This also means that I can't cheat or else I'll get caught....by ME! I know where I am in my pool life and I choose not to pretend that I'm better than I actually am, even though I do visualize a better result than last year. If winning was all I cared about, I'd make up some really nice scores and post them, instead of the truth.

My goal this year is to be at least 20% better than I was last year. As long as I'm in a process of continually improving, I consider myself a winner.

Perhaps the best award for the DMMHT will be for most improved player, because isn't that why most of us are here anyway, to improve?

That's my attitude strategy. Can anyone help improve on these concepts?

Thanks,

Jeff Livingston

Couldn't agree more Jeff, at first I saw quite a few people posting multiple 20's, and immediately said to myself, 'hmm, my straight pool game is not good enough to post 20's', especially given the rotation aspect of the game. But like LWW, I said I'm going to just play and post the scores no matter what. What I found was, like you said, I was not in competition with anyone but myself, and it was only to be my own demons that kept me from performing to my best ability. I have to say that first session was quite disappointing, but that's what I scored. As I got in stroke I felt a score of 7-12 per rack was attainable, so set that as my goal for the remaining sets. The hardest thing to overcome was remaining patient and focused, especially when I saw my 'few' 20's present themselves! I was like, 'I could get out here!?', focus and close the deal. Overall it was very challenging and quite fun, and I did a lot better than my goal of 350-400.

Can't wait for next year-