The humiliation of finding out your real level

CreeDo

CreeDo

Fargo Rating 597
Silver Member
Ever have one of those moments where you realize that no matter how well you think you play pool, you're really just a big fish in a small pond? Or maybe just a fish?

Mine happened today.

I was playing 10 ball with a buddy. I gotta be honest, I hate it. I recognize the skill in 9 and 10, but there are days where I feel like it's a coin flip who wins. If neither player can run out very often, it's usually one guy running 7 and the other guy cleaning up.

I wanted to illustrate this to him, because the coin kept coming up heads for him. I felt like he was getting a swollen head about it. So I had us alternate playing the ghost.

I swear to god in the first 10 racks, neither of us sunk the 3 ball. After 20ish, I had 2 outs and 1 near-out where I had to settle on the 10 and dogged it. He had 0 outs. About 80% of our games involved getting hooked on or missing the 3 ball. It feels like the layouts were just so tiresomely tricky. Getting from the 1 to the 2 involved moving around a maze of balls and a slight screw up and you either don't get on it, or get on it badly, or get half hidden by something.

I dunno, this makes me sound so much worse than I believe I am, I guess I'm wondering if I really could play THIS BAD. I don't know how you guys could possibly answer that. I expect to get out of, I dunno, half the racks in 10b with ball in hand to start. That's honestly where I thought I was at. Instead it's 10% or worse.

Maybe it's just how 10 ball is. The hard work is the first few tricky shots, and once a few balls are off the table, the lanes open up. If I got past the 5 I felt like I was out (though sometimes I wasn't... zzzz).

Anyone else get clobbered by that "I'm a total fish" realization?
 
I beat the 9 ball ghost pretty easily now but for me playing straight pool is humbling. Running 28+ balls is quite a chore even on an easy table. Granted, I don't get to play it often but when I do it exposes flaws in my position, shot making, decision making, and my concentration. I'm not going to quit though, I know I can do it just need a lot more practice at the game. I figure that once I'm able to run large amounts of balls regularly my overall performance on the pool table will go up.
 
CreeDo said:
Ever have one of those moments where you realize that no matter how well you think you play pool, you're really just a big fish in a small pond? Or maybe just a fish?

Mine happened today.

I was playing 10 ball with a buddy. I gotta be honest, I hate it. I recognize the skill in 9 and 10, but there are days where I feel like it's a coin flip who wins. If neither player can run out very often, it's usually one guy running 7 and the other guy cleaning up.

I wanted to illustrate this to him, because the coin kept coming up heads for him. I felt like he was getting a swollen head about it. So I had us alternate playing the ghost.

I swear to god in the first 10 racks, neither of us sunk the 3 ball. After 20ish, I had 2 outs and 1 near-out where I had to settle on the 10 and dogged it. He had 0 outs. About 80% of our games involved getting hooked on or missing the 3 ball. It feels like the layouts were just so tiresomely tricky. Getting from the 1 to the 2 involved moving around a maze of balls and a slight screw up and you either don't get on it, or get on it badly, or get half hidden by something.

I dunno, this makes me sound so much worse than I believe I am, I guess I'm wondering if I really could play THIS BAD. I don't know how you guys could possibly answer that. I expect to get out of, I dunno, half the racks in 10b with ball in hand to start. That's honestly where I thought I was at. Instead it's 10% or worse.

Maybe it's just how 10 ball is. The hard work is the first few tricky shots, and once a few balls are off the table, the lanes open up. If I got past the 5 I felt like I was out (though sometimes I wasn't... zzzz).

Anyone else get clobbered by that "I'm a total fish" realization?
Click to expand...

most days I see the line...some days I don't.. today was a day I don't..

I have faith in my mechanics.. I have faith in my technique..

when my game breaks down it always breaks down in the same place..

alignment....

I made a breakthrough a couple months or so ago and have been shooting really well since..

but today.... man o man... I could not find the line... the harmony that makes it work..

give yourself permission to have a bad day... getting over it will heal you faster than dwelling on it... trust me..


a mistake when you are shooting well can teach you something...

but when you are shooting poorly.. scrap it all ....break down the cue.. zip it up and go home..

those types of misses won't teach you anything but bad attitude..

sometime you just need to accept that today is not my day... and know that tomorrow might be the best shooting of my life:grin:
 
It's a big club

:shrug:I play bad. Some days are worse. I would deny it but there are too many witnesses.

I am an addict. Bad play is better than going without. I have no shame.

I feel better now. I thot I was alone in this. To play this bad and still want to go play any chance you get is irrational.

Man-I love this game.

3railkick

I quit for 25 years-now I'm hooked again
 
5ballcharlie said:
I beat the 9 ball ghost pretty easily now but for me playing straight pool is humbling. Running 28+ balls is quite a chore even on an easy table. Granted, I don't get to play it often but when I do it exposes flaws in my position, shot making, decision making, and my concentration. I'm not going to quit though, I know I can do it just need a lot more practice at the game. I figure that once I'm able to run large amounts of balls regularly my overall performance on the pool table will go up.
Click to expand...

I'd have to see it to believe it. i've met real strong players that don't have to beat casper. a lot of it has to do with the equipment
 
5ballcharlie said:
I beat the 9 ball ghost pretty easily now but for me playing straight pool is humbling. Running 28+ balls is quite a chore even on an easy table. Granted, I don't get to play it often but when I do it exposes flaws in my position, shot making, decision making, and my concentration. I'm not going to quit though, I know I can do it just need a lot more practice at the game. I figure that once I'm able to run large amounts of balls regularly my overall performance on the pool table will go up.
Click to expand...

I am the same way. Sadly I can say that I have run more consecutive racks and balls in 9 ball than straight pool. Straight pool is most definitely my weak game, but it is also the game I like the most.
 
I've had great weekends and I have had bad months, but I have never had a great month. I've never had happen what you are talking about because I am overly critical of my game. Turn this experience into a positive by realizing specific things to work on so you can match your game to your perception.
 
there is more than one way to skin a cat

There is more than one way to skin a cat. Seems like I have probably ran less racks in a row than 90% of the people on this forum. That might bother me if I hadn't beaten top players.

The ghost is an all offense game. The right defense is often an offensive move also, much like moves in chess. When you take away my ability to play defense you take well over half my game away.

Who are you beating most of the time? Who do you lose to most of the time? That is what really establishes your playing ability because over time where you fall in the pecking order reveals your total game, offense, defense, and your mental game. The ghost only establishes if you can pocket balls and move the cue ball around.

Hu


CreeDo said:
Ever have one of those moments where you realize that no matter how well you think you play pool, you're really just a big fish in a small pond? Or maybe just a fish?

Mine happened today.

I was playing 10 ball with a buddy. I gotta be honest, I hate it. I recognize the skill in 9 and 10, but there are days where I feel like it's a coin flip who wins. If neither player can run out very often, it's usually one guy running 7 and the other guy cleaning up.

I wanted to illustrate this to him, because the coin kept coming up heads for him. I felt like he was getting a swollen head about it. So I had us alternate playing the ghost.

I swear to god in the first 10 racks, neither of us sunk the 3 ball. After 20ish, I had 2 outs and 1 near-out where I had to settle on the 10 and dogged it. He had 0 outs. About 80% of our games involved getting hooked on or missing the 3 ball. It feels like the layouts were just so tiresomely tricky. Getting from the 1 to the 2 involved moving around a maze of balls and a slight screw up and you either don't get on it, or get on it badly, or get half hidden by something.

I dunno, this makes me sound so much worse than I believe I am, I guess I'm wondering if I really could play THIS BAD. I don't know how you guys could possibly answer that. I expect to get out of, I dunno, half the racks in 10b with ball in hand to start. That's honestly where I thought I was at. Instead it's 10% or worse.

Maybe it's just how 10 ball is. The hard work is the first few tricky shots, and once a few balls are off the table, the lanes open up. If I got past the 5 I felt like I was out (though sometimes I wasn't... zzzz).

Anyone else get clobbered by that "I'm a total fish" realization?
Click to expand...
 
I love 9-ball, but I love 10-ball better. More of a challenge. I grew up playing rotation with my dad starting at age 8 or so. He was good, but I learned to play smarter.

I'll try and not beat my chest about this, but I quit playing pool a few years ago, completely.
A friend asked me to play with him on a league for kicks and giggles. I hadn't hit a ball in maybe 3 years, even though I have a table within walking distance.

I purposely did NOT show up for practice, because I didn't want to practice bad habits.

I started slow, and then ran 3 racks of 9 ball, using a few caroms, and kicks, and got the old juices and fun going again. Center ball and speed, and an ancient Schmelke I had laying around with a conical shaft. 20 oz, too. After my match, I couldn't roll a marble in a man-hole with both hands. What happened? Went back to some old bad habits, mainly not staying down completely, AND did not have the competition to force me to focus.

So, I started my drills, very slow. Check stroke. Shoot to the long middle diamond until the cue comes back to your tip every time. Took an hour. After that, I played 2 ball, then 3, then 5. When I missed, I started the sequence over. I got to 6 ball, running 8 out of 10 scattering the balls, not breaking then I quit. This has happened to me in golf, too, more than once. Laying off a while, and you must start back to basics, and your bad moves aren't as automatic, I think. I'm thinking again, and playing the make it/ or it's a good safe shots. My eyes aren't any good any more, and I can't stand to wear glasses when I shoot. I'm good with my dominate eye, and almost blind with the other. No matter. I love beating the hot shot kids...........

Just a story from an old time player that might help some:) You know you got the bug again when you buy 2 new cues within a week:eek:
 
skill level

Hard racks are just that. I was watching Dominges VS Morra all weekend race to 100 10Ball in the first night thy played a total of 64 games and had a combined 5 break and run out. These are two PRO's who run circles arround 99.9% of all pool players. So obviously there's more than running out skills in ten ball (or 9-Ball) if your table layouts are constantly dificult. It also speaks volme to how important the break is. If you play top flight players with excellent breaks, who make one or two balls and a nice spread (SVB) the runouts are often amaizingly simple.
 
Im not sure of my level nor do i care i just love the game.I really think alot of us wonder what are level of play we really are .I start off shooting like a A and end up a Z,Not good.....Tell you a story back about a long time ago a road player came through our town and i ended up playing this guy.Him giving me the 7, i didnt win.This same guy just came here 3 weeks ago and i match up with him even,,,,,,About a 15 year gap since i last played him.Man i sound like im old and im young,,,,Anyway he didnt have fun like he had the first time,,,,

I still feel hes a better player than me,but i know what i did to my game to give me a chance,,,,

Besides practicing on things i was weak at....Hours and hours....
and really paying attention to the misses.
1.The stroke...
2.The break..........
3. Good decisions....

I still struggle on these but i keep working on it.....
 
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CreeDo said:
Ever have one of those moments where you realize that no matter how well you think you play pool, you're really just a big fish in a small pond? Or maybe just a fish?

Anyone else get clobbered by that "I'm a total fish" realization?
Click to expand...

I realize that I'm not even a wart on a real poolplayer's a$$ :o. I kinda always knew it, but then a fateful 9-ball tournament about six or seven weeks ago drove the point home for good: I was doing pretty good in league play. I had moved up a skill level in both APA 8-ball and 9-ball (thanks Randy G.) I'm a SL6 in both leagues. I had been working real hard on improving my game over the last couple of years by practicing for hours a day, watching video, reading books/magazines, taking a course by Randy G., etc. My play was slowly but steadily improving. I started beating the best players in my leagues (both 8 and 9-ball) and this is without the handicap. I was beating them straight-up.

So anyway, I head over to a neighboring town to play in a weekly 8-ball tournament that is held in this sports-bar every Friday night. There are usually some real good players there and I wanted to judge my improvement by playing some of them. Well, this week they were having a 9-ball tournament and I was seeing a lot of faces that weren't familiar to me. To shorten the story, I ended up playing a guy named Chen who is an "A" player to say the least. Probably one of the top ten non-pro players in North Texas. He had to win 7 games to my 5. He beat me 7 to 1 (I won the one game because he scratched with only 3 balls left on the table). His play was near-flawless. He moved the cueball around like a magician. It was a humbling experience. I then lost in the losers bracket 4 games to 3, playing a guy I knew and was one of the better "local" (meaning: from that bar) players there.

It was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. I got a firm realization that I will never have (at going on 57 y.o.) the abilities that a solid "A" player has, or even a good "B" player for that matter. So, I'm happy now knowing that on a GOOD day for me, I'm probably a "C" player at best (a low one at that). Pool has been and will always be a joy in my life. I know I pretty much suck at it (I was the recipient of the "Hoover" trophy at an AZB meet-and-greet tournament), but I'll keep on plugging away at it. I just know now where my place is in the pool kingdom. I'm a lowly servant (aka "rack-b*tch") :grin:!!!

Maniac
 
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In the late '70s I thought I was hot stuff. I matched up with a southern boy called the 'sniper'. He gave me the 7 and I thought I would be stealing candy from a baby. Here it is more then 30 years later and I still haven't grown back the skin he peeled from me.
 
8pack said:
Besides practicing on things i was weak at....Hours and hours....
and really paying attention to the misses.
1.The stroke...
2.The break..........
3. Good decisions....

I still struggle on these but i keep working on it.....
Click to expand...

These three things I too pay close attention to, with the addition of a #4: a well-played safety!!!

Maniac
 
theres only one secret to ten ball.... and thats good break. Its either you crush the rack like SVB or you learn how to freeze the cue ball in the middle of the table.
 
actually i think i have it worse than you. i know for a fact i'm capable of playing real well. i've done it before and i play pretty good in short bursts. the problem is those bursts are few and far between.

i know a lot (imo a lot that is) about the game and how things work but lately i just can't seem to put it together
 
gunzby said:
I am the same way. Sadly I can say that I have run more consecutive racks and balls in 9 ball than straight pool. Straight pool is most definitely my weak game, but it is also the game I like the most.
Click to expand...

Me to. I like straight pool just not really good at it yet. I seem to mess up mostly with my end ball patterns or just lack of concentration.
 
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