The Art of War...

Icon of Sin

Icon of Sin

I can't fold, I need gold. I re-up and reload...
Silver Member
I have heard that a lot of pool players have read this to improve their mental part of the game to help them stay focused. I remember hearing Charlie Williams say Thorsten Hohmann ahs read it and he seems to be of the most focused players I have seen shoot.

Anyone here read this and recommend it?
 
I've read it and it certainly is worth of reading and not only once or twice. Read it, think about what it said and read it again and you'll find some other not that obvious meanings and ideas.
 
OK, But what about relating it to Pool... Any of you think it will help there?
 
Relation to pool is actually quite obvious; you are in charge of yourself and your aim is to win...just like in war. So read it and when doing that think how easily those things fall in correct places in your game.
 
Icon of Sin said:
OK, But what about relating it to Pool... Any of you think it will help there?
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Seems that people around these parts can relate just about anything to pool.
 
I think anything that has to deal with the human psyche can help with any game/sport. You can recognize situations, behavioral patterns and know how to control yourself or exude a certain persona. These all play a part in match dynamics to a certain degree.
 
Gregg said:
Seems that people around these parts can relate just about anything to pool.
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That is so true:D

But again back to that book. It really is not about war, it's not about pool - it's about life. read it with open mind and you'll be surprised of all that wisdom there is.
 
It's an interesting read, pool or no pool.

After this thread, I think I need to break out my copy and re-read it. :P
 
Icon of Sin said:
I have heard that a lot of pool players have read this to improve their mental part of the game to help them stay focused. I remember hearing Charlie Williams say Thorsten Hohmann ahs read it and he seems to be of the most focused players I have seen shoot.

Anyone here read this and recommend it?
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I've read it at least a dozen times, maybe almost twice that many.

Just one example of how it can be applied to pool (paraphrased):

Know yourself and your chance of victory is fifty percent. Know your enemy and your chance of victory is fifty percent. Know yourself and your enemy and your chance of victory is nearly certain. No neither yourself nor your enemy and you will surely be defeated.

Not everyone views certain kinds of shots as the same difficulty level. For some, combinations can be relatively hi percentage shots, but they can't bank well. Some may not like long thin cuts, while others might see them as simple shots.

When we play safeties and "two-way" shots, we need to be careful to leave shots our opponent finds difficult, whether we find it difficult or not.

When pushing, it is also important to try and place the cue ball somewhere where it leaves a shot you find fairly easy but your opponent finds difficult.

Sun Tzu's Leave last, arrive first concept is basicly the same reasoning behind leaving your balls near the pockets in 8 ball, which makes it easy for you to pocket your ball, but much more difficult for your opponent to pocket his balls.

I could go on, but it would be better for you to read the book a few times yourself.
 
pete-biker said:
That is so true:D

But again back to that book. It really is not about war, it's not about pool - it's about life. read it with open mind and you'll be surprised of all that wisdom there is.
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In our current times, the book would be more aptly referred to as The Tao of Conflict (Conflict not being restricted to violence). Sun Tzu was very much a Taoist.
 
Chris, i can't do else but agree with you. That definition of conflict is just as it is; one thing many people have forgotten and because of that they are afraid of coflicts and they are anyways a moment of growth too. About Taoism i'm not willing to discuss very deeply, since my knowledge is not on a level of deep through analysis of that.
 
I have a copy and re-read it occasionally. I think it relates to 8 ball and 1-pocket more than 9 ball, because there is really no strategy in 9 ball. The game really dictates the strategy (you have to shoot the 1, then the 2, etc). I know that there is minimal strategy in 9-ball but not nearly as much as the decisions that have to be made in 1-pocket and 8-ball.

It is a great read, and helps my killer instinct more than anything. I would certainly suggest that anyone interested in serious pool read the book. It certainly can't hurt.

Mike
 
Just bumping this one up again. At least i feel that this might be a thread that can create some interesting debates about psychologial aspects in sports and pool.
 
Want to read a decent pool book?

Go find yourself a book called 'the pleasure of small movements'
There you will find a pool book for the mind.
There is also a book that has something to do with tennis, but I can't remember the name of it.
 
hi-lighter said:
Go find yourself a book called 'the pleasure of small movements'
There you will find a pool book for the mind.
There is also a book that has something to do with tennis, but I can't remember the name of it.
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That is a good book, but you might have to read it twice to grasp what is being said.
 
The pleasure of small motions

This may be a good book about life but some of the basic concepts are anything but what you want to accept to be a winner. My biggest objection was the many times repeated concept of accepting your average play. BS! If you play your average game you had better be wading in the kiddie pool at a tournament or one of the many players that is trying to peak at a tournament is going to bury you.

There is some question as to what is meant by "average" but it really doesn't matter. Accept average and accept mediocrity. This may let you slide happily through life but it won't make you a winner.

Hu


PROG8R said:
That is a good book, but you might have to read it twice to grasp what is being said.
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Fart sniffer said:
"The Inner Game of Tennis" by someone whose name I forgot.
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W. Timothy Gallwey.

He also wrote the Inner Game of Golf which seems more applicable to pool. It's a very interesting book about dealing with your "inner thoughts" while playing.

Andy
 
You can apply some of the stuff in "The Art of War" to competition, sure. I've also done that with "Zen in the Art of Archery", which I think is even more helpful. I'm currently reading "Unfettered Mind."

Of course, never forget "Inner Game of Tennis" and "Pleasures of Small Motions." I heard "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect" is also good, but haven't purchased it yet.
 
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