I played strictly 8 ball in bars off and on until in my early 50's when I joined a bcapl 8 ball league. It took a lil while to adjust to the rules and once I accepted the use of playing safes I rose to a 7. During that time the league operator asked if i was willing to play another night and said yes. He did not bother to tell me it was 9 ball which i absolutely hated due ti the slop factor. Less than a year later I quit pool entirely for 4 years being a 7 in 8 ball and still a 3 in 9 ball.
4 years later a friend asked me to join her league team . Found out after I joined it was apa. Guess after the bcapl 9 ball stint I should have learned fo ask what i was getting myself into before saying yes.
It was double jeopardy...8 and 9 ball both the same night. I hated it at first...slop in both 8 and 9 ball ...damn. Once I changed my way of thinking and decided allowing an opponent slop shots was like spotting them balls it became easier to accept slop and realized that you very seldom see slop from 5's and above and hardly anyone takes fliers at warp speed in 8 ball like they do in 9 ball for fear of making an early 8.
Truth be told though it still galls my ass to see good players take fliers at warp speed in 9 ball hoping something falls somewhere.
With the back-story explained its now time for what this post is really about.
Due to always having played in bars I love 8 ball and prefer it over 9 and my win / loss record in both reflected that.
I became a 6 in apa 8 ball 2 years after joining and was a 4 in 9 ball at the same time. Then something strange started happening . My 8 ball game deteriorated and my 9 ball game improved. I moved back fo a 5 in 8 ball and have been stuck there for the last 5 years. Meanwhile my 9 ball game has improved to where j am now a 6.
I have really racked my brain over this and it seems that my critical thinking in 8 ball has deteriorated due to old age...64. and complications from vertigo...high blood pressure and sometimes high blood sugar though not a diabetic as far as I know. Many time after a shot I realize I selected the wrong pattern ...very seldom did that before.
And as for 9 ball it seems that as my cue ball control and learning more about English...self taught so far it less a thinking mans game and more on connecting the dots. The major thing that seems to be holding me back from Improving even more in 9 ball is my break. It has always sucked and became real evident last night when mg opponent asked to use the magic rack after we had trouble getting a tight rack. I went from having 3 innings a rack on average to 2 and a half racks in one inning once I broke with the magic rack . I reached my required points halfway through the third rack .
Even with my lousy break I am 7-2 this session in 9 ball and 3-5 in 8 ball. I realize one session dies not mean much but I have noticed a steady decline over the last 2 years . still love 8 ball more though.
4 years later a friend asked me to join her league team . Found out after I joined it was apa. Guess after the bcapl 9 ball stint I should have learned fo ask what i was getting myself into before saying yes.
It was double jeopardy...8 and 9 ball both the same night. I hated it at first...slop in both 8 and 9 ball ...damn. Once I changed my way of thinking and decided allowing an opponent slop shots was like spotting them balls it became easier to accept slop and realized that you very seldom see slop from 5's and above and hardly anyone takes fliers at warp speed in 8 ball like they do in 9 ball for fear of making an early 8.
Truth be told though it still galls my ass to see good players take fliers at warp speed in 9 ball hoping something falls somewhere.
With the back-story explained its now time for what this post is really about.
Due to always having played in bars I love 8 ball and prefer it over 9 and my win / loss record in both reflected that.
I became a 6 in apa 8 ball 2 years after joining and was a 4 in 9 ball at the same time. Then something strange started happening . My 8 ball game deteriorated and my 9 ball game improved. I moved back fo a 5 in 8 ball and have been stuck there for the last 5 years. Meanwhile my 9 ball game has improved to where j am now a 6.
I have really racked my brain over this and it seems that my critical thinking in 8 ball has deteriorated due to old age...64. and complications from vertigo...high blood pressure and sometimes high blood sugar though not a diabetic as far as I know. Many time after a shot I realize I selected the wrong pattern ...very seldom did that before.
And as for 9 ball it seems that as my cue ball control and learning more about English...self taught so far it less a thinking mans game and more on connecting the dots. The major thing that seems to be holding me back from Improving even more in 9 ball is my break. It has always sucked and became real evident last night when mg opponent asked to use the magic rack after we had trouble getting a tight rack. I went from having 3 innings a rack on average to 2 and a half racks in one inning once I broke with the magic rack . I reached my required points halfway through the third rack .
Even with my lousy break I am 7-2 this session in 9 ball and 3-5 in 8 ball. I realize one session dies not mean much but I have noticed a steady decline over the last 2 years . still love 8 ball more though.
