Warmup=Intimidation?

[J Soto]

I was playing in a tournament recently. Right before my match with my opponent, he was warming up and shooting shots that really don't comeup that often (i.e. 4-5 rail kick shots, 3 rail banks). Whenever he kicked at a ball multiple rails he would look in my direction to see if I saw him. Was he trying to intimidate me? He was a real good kicker so when I played safe I really tried to freeze him up on a ball. I think his tactics backfired on him. Do any of you use the warmup time for that reason. I use it to loosen up my shooting arm.

 

[mapman72]

I was playing in a tournament recently. Right before my match with my opponent, he was warming up and shooting shots that really don't comeup that often (i.e. 4-5 rail kick shots, 3 rail banks). Whenever he kicked at a ball multiple rails he would look in my direction to see if I saw him. Was he trying to intimidate me? He was a real good kicker so when I played safe I really tried to freeze him up on a ball. I think his tactics backfired on him. Do any of you use the warmup time for that reason. I use it to loosen up my shooting arm.

There are all kinds of clowns in this game. My favorite is the guy that fires the first game winning ball in the pocket at 600 mph. I think you're right on point with your warmup methods. I tried to shoot as many shots as possible during warmups, even if they're similar. I particular work on the center ball, one rail, back to the center of the table shots, since those will come up most often if you're playing well.

 

[Tin Man]

my favorite warm up

minor hijack- sorry- I'll circle back.

I was at a tournament and this guy says that he needs to hit a rack of balls. He takes like 10 minutes while I am waiting and carefully checks all of the kicking tracks and roll offs, etc. Finally he asks me if I want to hit a rack.

I set up one shot, the one where you cut the object ball down the rail into the corner and leap the bounce the cue ball off the back of the side pocket back onto the table to avoid the scratch. I set up up, one stroked it, hit it perfect, then said, "ok, I'm ready"...

Anyway, when I warm up the last thing that I am thinking about is my opponent. I just want to get a sense of how easy the ball draws and about how the rails play.

One last thought: If the guy doesn't know you, could you do the opposite? Set up a fairly routine shot, and miss it. Again, and again. Get a little frustrated. Finally make it and say your ready. Then ask if you have to rack the 9 in the middle. By the time that he realizes your a player you've got him stuck 4-0...just a thought I've had...

 

[dr2112]

I was playing in a tournament recently. Right before my match with my opponent, he was warming up and shooting shots that really don't comeup that often (i.e. 4-5 rail kick shots, 3 rail banks). Whenever he kicked at a ball multiple rails he would look in my direction to see if I saw him. Was he trying to intimidate me? He was a real good kicker so when I played safe I really tried to freeze him up on a ball. I think his tactics backfired on him. Do any of you use the warmup time for that reason. I use it to loosen up my shooting arm.

When the opponent shoots a 4 rail kick shot in practice tell him that he better practice that same shot locked up by a couple balls :wink:

 

[Andrew Manning]

I was playing in a tournament recently. Right before my match with my opponent, he was warming up and shooting shots that really don't comeup that often (i.e. 4-5 rail kick shots, 3 rail banks). Whenever he kicked at a ball multiple rails he would look in my direction to see if I saw him. Was he trying to intimidate me? He was a real good kicker so when I played safe I really tried to freeze him up on a ball. I think his tactics backfired on him. Do any of you use the warmup time for that reason. I use it to loosen up my shooting arm.

Loosening up is the key in the pre-match warm-up.

I like to get there early enough to do some real work before the event begins. Throw the balls out and run all 15 (like straight pool, but without leaving a break shot) just to get the brain warmed up to the idea of pocketing balls. Then drills, and focusing in on some shots I've been missing lately and need to build confidence on. Then I practice running some racks ghost-style.

Then immediately before a match, I like to set up a progression of very easy to moderate-but-still-easy shots, with the easiest first. My goal is to shoot a sequence of shots without missing any, building confidence and relaxing myself. I stop before I get to anything difficult enough that I'm going to miss.

-Andrew

 

[pooltchr]

I try to use my warm up time to do a quick check of the table. Do my speed drill to find out how fast or slow the table is, then hit a couple of balls along my kicking track lines to see if the table plays short or long.

Hopefully, my practice time has developed my stroke, so the only thing I really need to know is how the table is playing.

Steve

 

[alstl]

minor hijack- sorry- I'll circle back.

I was at a tournament and this guy says that he needs to hit a rack of balls. He takes like 10 minutes while I am waiting and carefully checks all of the kicking tracks and roll offs, etc. Finally he asks me if I want to hit a rack.

I set up one shot, the one where you cut the object ball down the rail into the corner and leap the bounce the cue ball off the back of the side pocket back onto the table to avoid the scratch. I set up up, one stroked it, hit it perfect, then said, "ok, I'm ready"...

Anyway, when I warm up the last thing that I am thinking about is my opponent. I just want to get a sense of how easy the ball draws and about how the rails play.

One last thought: If the guy doesn't know you, could you do the opposite? Set up a fairly routine shot, and miss it. Again, and again. Get a little frustrated. Finally make it and say your ready. Then ask if you have to rack the 9 in the middle. By the time that he realizes your a player you've got him stuck 4-0...just a thought I've had...

Ask him what the rules of 9 ball are before you start.