The Hunger Factor

[THE SILENCER]

there are many reasons why a person can win a tournament. they felt "good" walking into it. they felt comfortable in their clothes, (shoes, shirt,socks etc.) they felt confident with their new high performance tip. they felt the handicap they were given was more than fair. they got good rolls. their break was working. they played smart safes at the correct time. etc. etc. etc. but here is the point of my thread, possibly the biggest reason why, a person wins a tournament, is the hunger factor. if you go to a resturant, order the steak, with oversized onion rings, a beer, and some great rich dessert, and then a half hour after the meal, your buddy say's "let's go eat" you will not eat a lot. why? it's simple, your NOT hungry, you just ate! the same theory is true for winning pool tournaments. efren reyes is still one of the greatest pool players alive. however, he rarly gets hungry. his thing, is if ou hears, there is a new tournament, it's gonna be HUGE everyone from around the world will be there, and the prize is the biggest ever, efren will be there trying to prove to the world, "i'm efren reyes the best there is, don't mess with me" he will win, and prove, wow, he still got it. now, invite efren back the next year, for there second tournament, and watch him fail horribly, why? he was full! he had no desire to win it, he already ate, sort of speak. no on the other hand, you have the complete opposite person , francisco bustmante. this cat, is never full, that's one of the reasons he's so bloody dangerous! no matter how many tournaments he won recently, he still wants to win! now that gives him a huge edge, and is one of the main reasons why he wins so often. yes, it's his great playing skills but for the most part, he's always hungry. the deep burning desire, to eat, is what makes a person win. i am one of these players like effren, once i win, i have very little desire to win again, that particular tournament. what is your hunger about? do you get full, and say, alright, i won here, my work is done? or are you a wolf, who is ALWAYS hungry, like bustamante? answering these questions will give you good insight, why we win, and why we do not.

 

[drivermaker]

I think it also has to do with killer instinct. Many players think they have it, but they really don't. I don't know if you're just born with it or it's developed through competitive sports situations as you grow up, where not only do you HAVE to win, you want to annihilate your opponent and not let up or feel sorry. Some have it all their lives, but very few. Even the men/women that had it early in life and for part of their career, many just don't have the same intensity to destroy as they used to. It seems like once it starts slipping away or is gone, you can never regain it either. You won't necessarily become a bad player, you just won't have that extra special mental focus to carry it through to victory. It's like Ginky not getting any thrill from playing in tournaments and now going into poker...well, he's lost hunger/killer instinct, whatever you want to call it, and I don't think he'll EVER come back and be a force in pro pool. I think he can still play the game and possibly be a good money player because that could still be his big motivator and is quick, but to move all the way down through the brackets over the course of 3-4 days, I think he's history.

 

[sjm]

Hating to Lose

Agreed, being hungry is one of the things that wins tournaments, but don't forget "hating to lose", a quality that so many who are successful share. Mike Sigel and Earl Strickland are two good examples of players that hated to lose more than the next guy. Of course, neither touches John McEnroe in this department!