Skill is relative. IMO, learning to win is as important as learning to pocket balls, playing shape, etc. Chris Bartrum comes to mind. He was never what anybody would compare to the elite players in terms of awe inspiring skill at the table, but the guy dropped champion after champion the way David dropped Goliath. He was simply more skilled at winning. The man simply had an innate ability to win.
Very wise! I agree wholeheartedly .
I think of all the people here, I'd understand exactly what you were talking about.
You were playing APA 9-ball and were on a ball count. You are stoked about playing a half massé and running five balls.
You're an SL 5 who just played like an SL 6 in APA 9-ball. If you were higher ranked, your story might read:
"I need to win the lag and hit him with a package before he steps up to the table. And none of this loose ducking $hit. I'm going to put him in jail if I'm leaving the table."
Freddie
Good read ! I haven't played in a few months and got my Azz handed to me in opening of league, Got knocked down Baaaad ! The Intent of this post was to gauge the general ability of "me", the person who beat you in a ficticious match by performing the skill of play mentioned. I was trying to get a general assessment of what speed/skill a player like that would be in a league or room in your particular part of the country.
Freddie, I will say "jammed" and "in jail" are the same thing. Growing up as a teen playing with older mature men, I am sure they were respectful and used a different term.
Pretty simple to estimate, with ball in hand, how many balls would you run out on average in 10 racks of 9 ball? If you had to play safe this many times it was either a messy rack or you got out of shape a lot and had to duck.
Games in my 9-ball match are usually 2-3 innings with safety play as a must. I did miss twice in the match: I over cut a hard angle 6 ball 2 diamonds away on the long rail, and I did rattle a 9-ball. (for shame!)
If I get a turn at the table ppl know I have a good chance of running out, so they bury me with a good safe shot. I am usually jammed with the CB less than a balls length away from a neutral(in 9-ball non-playable) ball. It comes down to who executes better: them at applying the safety, or me kicking out of the safety and not selling out.
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