What does "My game improved a 1/2 ball or a ball" mean?
- Thread starter Wedge
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I wish my game would improve by a ball!!! I usually play 8 ball, thats the most popular around here. I can run 7 balls like nobodies business but I always seem to hook myself or not be able to get the cue ball in position to pocket the 8 due to opponents balls.
Half a ball is huge
I see it a couple of ways. If the player can run, let's say 4 balls with BIH in 9 ball, but starts running 4.5 to 5 balls on average with the same BIH there is his boost. It typically comes from confidence, practice or training. Sometimes a combination of the 3.
I have seen it many times in APA, especially 9 ball. A lower skilled player gets a little luck or makes a few more balls than the higher player, their confidence is boosted and they get a win. All things considered, the higher skilled player should always win.
I apply it to one pocket more than 9 ball (simply because I like 1 pocket and hate 9 ball). I see guys all the time that can win 9-7 but cannot win 8-8. The difference to me is half a ball. If the same guy has a night where he wins the 8-8 battle, doesn't that mean his game technically improved half a ball (or the opponents game was off half a ball).
I see it a couple of ways. If the player can run, let's say 4 balls with BIH in 9 ball, but starts running 4.5 to 5 balls on average with the same BIH there is his boost. It typically comes from confidence, practice or training. Sometimes a combination of the 3.
I have seen it many times in APA, especially 9 ball. A lower skilled player gets a little luck or makes a few more balls than the higher player, their confidence is boosted and they get a win. All things considered, the higher skilled player should always win.
I apply it to one pocket more than 9 ball (simply because I like 1 pocket and hate 9 ball). I see guys all the time that can win 9-7 but cannot win 8-8. The difference to me is half a ball. If the same guy has a night where he wins the 8-8 battle, doesn't that mean his game technically improved half a ball (or the opponents game was off half a ball).
I think of it as what happens with a players TPA... If a player is usually making 6 balls for each mistake they would be shooting an 857 TPA....
If they started making 6.5 balls on average for each mistake they would move their TPA up to a 867....
If they move up to 7 mistakes per error then its now at 875...
As you get better the half ball jumps are not really noticeable but in the beginning it's a pretty big deal.....
If you average 2 shots for each mistake you are shooting 666 and this is local higher league player level... moving up half a ball to 2.5 per error has you shooting 714 and are likely doing pretty well in local competition...
At the high end like lets say Shane he makes 1 mistake per 9 balls pocketed and shoots a 900... If he plays a match a full ball better he makes 10shots per error and only moves up to a 909...
Makes it much harder as you get better to really notice the half ball increases.. They happen but the changes are not drastic and you normally don't see higher end players suddenly jumping up several balls and staying there but they may for a match or tournament and then they tend to fall back under the ceiling....
If they started making 6.5 balls on average for each mistake they would move their TPA up to a 867....
If they move up to 7 mistakes per error then its now at 875...
As you get better the half ball jumps are not really noticeable but in the beginning it's a pretty big deal.....
If you average 2 shots for each mistake you are shooting 666 and this is local higher league player level... moving up half a ball to 2.5 per error has you shooting 714 and are likely doing pretty well in local competition...
At the high end like lets say Shane he makes 1 mistake per 9 balls pocketed and shoots a 900... If he plays a match a full ball better he makes 10shots per error and only moves up to a 909...
Makes it much harder as you get better to really notice the half ball increases.. They happen but the changes are not drastic and you normally don't see higher end players suddenly jumping up several balls and staying there but they may for a match or tournament and then they tend to fall back under the ceiling....
Sure it's a subjective appraisal, but what they're really meaning by saying I got a ball better is "I could give my former self the 8 ball if I played myself"
Unless you're an APA 2, then it's a huge increase! :lmao: