What is up with the eight ball!
- Thread starter Da Poet
- Start date
ask your opponent if you can switch the eight with the nine ball when you are on it. that way theres less pressure cus its not the eight, and its practice on the nine for when you play nine ball and the same problem comes up there. 
seriously all i can suggest is spending say ten fifteen minutes every now and again knocking in the eight from areas around the foot spot where the shots usually come up. put the white on the rails as well so you build up a bit of confidence on the slightly more awkward ones.
And relax a bit as well. Just say to yourself. It's just a normal ball, it's just a normal ball...
seriously all i can suggest is spending say ten fifteen minutes every now and again knocking in the eight from areas around the foot spot where the shots usually come up. put the white on the rails as well so you build up a bit of confidence on the slightly more awkward ones.
And relax a bit as well. Just say to yourself. It's just a normal ball, it's just a normal ball...
slampro
Looking for a shot
My best advice would be...
Roll a group of balls on the table(stripes or solids) with the 8 ball, I usuallly do all and play against myself-I never win.
If you want, make sure none are on rail, or tied up(I usually don't make a big deal of this as I like to try break-outs).
Run the rack.
When you get to the 8 ball, pause, chalk cue, take deep breath, look at shot, line up shot, get on the shot(now this is critical...if you have any doubt----GET OFF THE BALL!) Re-chalk, re-aim, just be comfortable. Practice how you play=play how you practice .
Give yourself that extra minute to relax before shooting the "pressure ball".
I do not know of any drills specifically for the "8 ball".
But when I get on it, I take a step back before lining it up, deep breath, chalk, and fire!
Roll a group of balls on the table(stripes or solids) with the 8 ball, I usuallly do all and play against myself-I never win.
If you want, make sure none are on rail, or tied up(I usually don't make a big deal of this as I like to try break-outs).
Run the rack.
When you get to the 8 ball, pause, chalk cue, take deep breath, look at shot, line up shot, get on the shot(now this is critical...if you have any doubt----GET OFF THE BALL!) Re-chalk, re-aim, just be comfortable. Practice how you play=play how you practice
. Give yourself that extra minute to relax before shooting the "pressure ball".
I do not know of any drills specifically for the "8 ball".
But when I get on it, I take a step back before lining it up, deep breath, chalk, and fire!
I always tell people who have this problem that one of the reasons they miss it might be because they might treat the shot differently than the other 7 shots that got them to the 8-ball. So, I suggest to them to play position, so that they're actually shooting the shot with the same thought process and pre-shot routine as the previous balls.Da Poet said:
Fred
Scared of the 8
Everyone has seen people that choke on the 8 ball. We have also seen people that are scared of the 9 ball too! I think someone already mentioned it.
One big thing that will take that pressure off is this. Pile Rocks! In otherwards put all the balls out on the table. Then take ball in hand for the first shot. Just shoot away, playing possition for your next shot. Don't worry what your shooting at, including the 8. After awhile of doing this, the 8 just becomes another ball. It looses all of it's importance when your just practicing.
Whatever you practice will eventually become part of your game. So eventually the 8 ball looses all of it's importance and just becomes another ball. I used to be scared of the 8 too, now it is just another ball and I just line up and take the shot.
Good Luck, and Good Rolls!!!!
Everyone has seen people that choke on the 8 ball. We have also seen people that are scared of the 9 ball too! I think someone already mentioned it.
One big thing that will take that pressure off is this. Pile Rocks! In otherwards put all the balls out on the table. Then take ball in hand for the first shot. Just shoot away, playing possition for your next shot. Don't worry what your shooting at, including the 8. After awhile of doing this, the 8 just becomes another ball. It looses all of it's importance when your just practicing.
Whatever you practice will eventually become part of your game. So eventually the 8 ball looses all of it's importance and just becomes another ball. I used to be scared of the 8 too, now it is just another ball and I just line up and take the shot.
Good Luck, and Good Rolls!!!!
Cornerman said:
Excellent advice here, IMO. Also, I've seen a lot of scratches on the 8-ball because people just weren't thinking about controlling the cue ball. Try playing it into the middle diamond on whatever rail is most convenient. From most places on the table, if you're sending the cue ball into the middle diamond of a rail, you're not going to scratch unless you hit it really hard or with a lot of juice.
And what slampro said is key. If you're down on the shot and your mind is centered on the fact that you're shooting the 8, your concentration is not where it needs to be. Stand up, calm down, and only shoot when you can focus on the shot, and not the fact that it's the 8.
-Andrew
Cornerman said:
Simple and Informative, Great Advice Fred. I never thought of it this way.
Cornerman said:
Yep. Absolutely. You are allowing your mind to be distracted by something and lose confidence because you shortened your routine. One good way to combat this is to plan out the 8 and the shot before the 8 well ahead of time (general 8-ball strategy, anyway). It will get you mentally prepared to shoot the shot before you have to instead of trying to reset your routine and focus solely on the money ball. Knowing where you came from helps tremendously.
DougT
Illustrated Principles
ditto the above advice.thoffen said:
I will add that as my eyes are aging, and maybe even before, it is HARDER TO SEE the 'spot' on the 8. I have to give extra attention to locating my target spot, and really focusing in on it. Sometimes I shoot at a general area, because it is harder to see.
SO for me, it was playing position following the shot, and paying extra attention to locating my target.
Hope this helps
DougT
I was an 8ball and 9 ball choke artist. If the 8 wasn't in the jaws I would choke.
After I discovered straight pool my 9 and 8 ball choke days were over. In 8 ball you do treat the 8 differently because it is the culmination of all the work you have done with the rack. Concentration also has a way of lapsing especially in a moment of pressure. Straight pool creates mental endurance and it teachs you that there is no money ball just a never ending series of shots that requires you to get exact position on every shot.
Try learning straight pool and play it exclusively for at least a month, when you go back to 8 ball there will be a profound difference.
Also read "Pleasure in small motions" great book for any sport.
After I discovered straight pool my 9 and 8 ball choke days were over. In 8 ball you do treat the 8 differently because it is the culmination of all the work you have done with the rack. Concentration also has a way of lapsing especially in a moment of pressure. Straight pool creates mental endurance and it teachs you that there is no money ball just a never ending series of shots that requires you to get exact position on every shot.
Try learning straight pool and play it exclusively for at least a month, when you go back to 8 ball there will be a profound difference.
Also read "Pleasure in small motions" great book for any sport.
Wow, thanks!
Thanks for the responses!
It's funny, the advice from cornerman is exactly what I preach and try to practice. I remember Tiger Woods saying he strives for an equal intensity level on every shot, and also to play through the hole, that is, imagine there are always more shots ahead. It's been a weird last couple weeks. I never ever had this happen before. At first it was no big deal, I just figured it was a stroke thing. Psychologically, I figured the more I worried about it the worse it will get anyway, so I honestly wasn't worried about it. Now, after this horrid string of misses, I guess I'd better start taking action.
I have read and will re-read all the responses. If someone wants to still chime in, that's cool. It may take a little time to shake this.
I specifically like the mix up and runout drill in no order concept. I will try that tonight.
I also realized I may have stopped doing something in practice in that when I drop the eight, I usually continue on to the remaining balls. Maybe that's part of it, I don't know.
Thanks again, it's nice having an army of advisors around!
Da Poet
Thanks for the responses!
It's funny, the advice from cornerman is exactly what I preach and try to practice. I remember Tiger Woods saying he strives for an equal intensity level on every shot, and also to play through the hole, that is, imagine there are always more shots ahead. It's been a weird last couple weeks. I never ever had this happen before. At first it was no big deal, I just figured it was a stroke thing. Psychologically, I figured the more I worried about it the worse it will get anyway, so I honestly wasn't worried about it. Now, after this horrid string of misses, I guess I'd better start taking action.
I have read and will re-read all the responses. If someone wants to still chime in, that's cool. It may take a little time to shake this.
I specifically like the mix up and runout drill in no order concept. I will try that tonight.
I also realized I may have stopped doing something in practice in that when I drop the eight, I usually continue on to the remaining balls. Maybe that's part of it, I don't know.
Thanks again, it's nice having an army of advisors around!
Da Poet