Watching players warm up

[TheBook]

During warm ups I will do straight in shots and and the standard natural banks and kicks that I know.

Last night after my game my opponent said he knew that he couldn't hook me on a bank because of the way I was knocking them in during the warm up. So he played a agressive game instead of defensive which lead to bad choices and my win. I didn't want to tell him that I normally try to avoid banks and will do a cut over any bank.

Do you think warm ups show the ability of the player? Does it affect the way that you play against them? What do you look and watch for?

 

[Maniac]

What do you look and watch for?

In our APA league, we're usually watching to see if he/she is shooting like their SL3 rating says they should be, or if they're shooting like a SL5 !!!


Maniac

 

[satman]

I generally don't watch too much of another persons warmup, but it can affect the way I would play against them anyway. Most of the tournaments I play, I know most of the players and their strong and weak points. So naturally, if you know a person has a strong bank game, you don't push out a bank, or try to leave them a bank as a safety. Same thing with a guy who makes a lot of jump shots, but is a little weaker on banks.
I was recently told by a guy, that the first time he had to play me in a tournament, he watched me throw 7 balls up on the table and then banked all 7 in a row. he said he knew he had no chance.
Even during matches, I try to keep an eye on my opponent, so not to miss a foul if he don't tell me, but keep my mind occupied with other thoughts til it's my turn. Sam

 

[Cameron Smith]

During warm ups I will do straight in shots and and the standard natural banks and kicks that I know.

Last night after my game my opponent said he knew that he couldn't hook me on a bank because of the way I was knocking them in during the warm up. So he played a agressive game instead of defensive which lead to bad choices and my win. I didn't want to tell him that I normally try to avoid banks and will do a cut over any bank.

Do you think warm ups show the ability of the player? Does it affect the way that you play against them? What do you look and watch for?

I think it possibly displays your potential, but I don't take from it, that it IS how you play.

I watched a guy warming up and he broke and ran the very first rack of nine ball he played. He couldn't run two balls after that.

My point is that warming up and competing are two completely different things. Some players have the experiance to preform just as well under pressure but there are many that don't. I know a guy who is rated a D player in his league. However I have played him for fun and he was easily a strong C player whenever we played. But that doesn't mean the ranking wasn't accurate.

Put some money on the table or put him in a tournament format and he folds back into a D player.

I watch some of the league players warm up and they practice these specialty bank shots and kick shots that rarely come up, and they are pretty good at these shots. All this and they can't consistently pot three or four regular shots in a row.

Don't let yourself become defeated just because your opponent was doing some tough stuff in warm up. Try to identify what they aren't good at during the match rather than dwelling on what they are good at.

 

[Snapshot9]

Warming up

I think it indicates the skill level pretty much. The better the player, the harder 'tune up' shots he hits in warming up. He might hit a few general shots, but then will revert to harder shots and shape shots to see if his
'eye' is on.

Usually warming up, I test myself with bank shots. I find it a better barometer for tuning up than just regular cut shots. Particularly banks to the corner pockets on either side of the side pockets.

As far as I am concerned, if you have a decent stroke, a fairly good memory, and are paying attention, you should not forget how to make cut shots you make all the time. And most people I have known, do not make giant strides in their game right before they play a match, it is done before that.

 

[Shortside K]

During warm ups I will do straight in shots and and the standard natural banks and kicks that I know.

Last night after my game my opponent said he knew that he couldn't hook me on a bank because of the way I was knocking them in during the warm up. So he played a agressive game instead of defensive which lead to bad choices and my win. I didn't want to tell him that I normally try to avoid banks and will do a cut over any bank.

Do you think warm ups show the ability of the player? Does it affect the way that you play against them? What do you look and watch for?

What are you hoping to accomplish by watching them warm up? Are you trying to "shark" yourself by getting a feeling that they are great players if they look very good and smooth during their warm up? Or are you trying to get "overconfident" if they look bad during their warm up?
Just play "YOUR" game. Don't go "looking for trouble".

 

[Catahula]

Justt lookin' for trouble...

I got tired of my teammates telling me..."jeez did you see that shot"...."Holy S**t that guy just ran out from nowhere". I got to the point that I just forbid them from watching the opposing team during warmups.
Nothing breeds self-defeat quicker than a pre-conceived notion.

 

[quitecoolguy]

I generally just glance at a person stroke..if i see alot of movement in their stroke or it looks like their is no confidence in it..then i just tell myself.."Put a little bit of Presure on em and they will crack Tony" 9 times out of 10 im right

 

[Dead Money]

I don't like to watch them warm up before a match and I always play better against people I have never played before. It is easier not to let up because of thoughts like "oh...I have beat this guy before" etc. that may creep into my head. Most of the tournies I play are short races to 3 or 4 games per match so if you want to win many matches you gotta him them hard and fast and try and get the first two games right at the start!! You need to be aggressive...no time for thinking about how so and so looked like he might be easy to beat during the warmups

 

[Sensation]

Depending on your level of play and concentration, watching the opponent's warm up may be a good thing,a bad thing... or have absolutely no effect on your game.

I personally, I don't care about my opponent's warm up. Knowing if they have a jump cue (and can use it) always is interesting. Despite that, play your game and play it the best you can.

 

[TheConArtist]

i never really warm up, but i do like to watch players warm up. But watching a player who is just banging balls around does effect me a bit, i love to watch youtube clips of Efren playing before i go and play competitive, gives me that killer instinct LOL.

 

[rbgarmon]

to me you cant pay much attention to an opponent warming up because if he is really a great player and would like to coax someone into a game hes probably not gonna show anything warming up.

 

[Gregg]

Depending on your level of play and concentration, watching the opponent's warm up may be a good thing,a bad thing... or have absolutely no effect on your game.

I personally, I don't care about my opponent's warm up. Knowing if they have a jump cue (and can use it) always is interesting. Despite that, play your game and play it the best you can.

I agree, but some may want to clock someone's speed, as they may be sandbagging for thier handicap to be low. Not as commons people would like to think, but does happen.

 

[catscradle]

During warm ups I will do straight in shots and and the standard natural banks and kicks that I know.

Last night after my game my opponent said he knew that he couldn't hook me on a bank because of the way I was knocking them in during the warm up. So he played a agressive game instead of defensive which lead to bad choices and my win. I didn't want to tell him that I normally try to avoid banks and will do a cut over any bank.

Do you think warm ups show the ability of the player? Does it affect the way that you play against them? What do you look and watch for?

I think it is as often misleading as it is helpful. Generally I ignore my opponent's warmup and just play my normal game.
Incidentally at VF I watched Corey Duell warmup, taking wild shots really power stroking it. If somebody didn't know better he'd think this guy is a loose cannon, subsequently, in the match he played a near perfect game and tooled Mika. The warmup behaviour didn't mean a thing.