Whats Better For Improving Your Game Tournaments Or Action?

midwest__player

midwest__player

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Was just wondering what u guys thought about the subject i been playing a while now but have only played in a few small tournaments. I get in cheap action as often as possible because it makes me take the game a lot more serious. Was just wondering what you guys think will be more beneficial to my game cheap action or tourny's? thanks everyone
 
midwest__player said:
Was just wondering what u guys thought about the subject i been playing a while now but have only played in a few small tournaments. I get in cheap action as often as possible because it makes me take the game a lot more serious. Was just wondering what you guys think will be more beneficial to my game cheap action or tourny's? thanks everyone
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I you want to find out what you are made of, play someone much better than you and double the stakes.
 
If you have a little extra money to donate to players that are only a ball better than you and you have the disire to beat them or get better, I'd say try that. If you don't know if you have all the basics to start with you will never get as good as you could be. If this is the case, I'd say get some lessons first. As far as tournaments verse action or play, play, everyone is different there. I use to do poorly in most tournaments and win a good % of my match-ups. I knew guys that were just about unbeatable in their home room playing for $0000. But put $10 on the game and they fold like a house of cards. Being that you haven't been playing long, the best of these three is having a few bad basics that can be cured with lessons from a good instuctor. We have many right here posting on the forums. Good luck to you. If you want to get better and are honest with yourself you'll do fine. Johnnyt
 
tournament vs action

The answer must come from you....there are players who gamble well, usually because they find a game in their favor or out last their mark. I say it like that because most people don't gamble....they look for an edge in their favor, convince you it's a good deal and proceed to rob you. If done properly you'll leave making the statement "if I got just one roll or he got lucky so often" Tournaments are a different, you must shoot now, no adjusting, no out lasting, now. Good luck
 
Johnnyt said:
If you have a little extra money to donate to players that are only a ball better than you and you have the disire to beat them or get better, I'd say try that. If you don't know if you have all the basics to start with you will never get as good as you could be. If this is the case, I'd say get some lessons first. As far as tournaments verse action or play, play, everyone is different there. I use to do poorly in most tournaments and win a good % of my match-ups. I knew guys that were just about unbeatable in their home room playing for $0000. But put $10 on the game and they fold like a house of cards. Being that you haven't been playing long, the best of these three is having a few bad basics that can be cured with lessons from a good instuctor. We have many right here posting on the forums. Good luck to you. If you want to get better and are honest with yourself you'll do fine. Johnnyt
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Im taking lessons from lil joe once in a while and i got most of the basics and fundamentals down. I just never can seem to get to that next level and when i play for money no matter how much it is i play like i started yesterday. But thats good right so i can get over that pressure part of the game? Thanks
 
Big C said:
I you want to find out what you are made of, play someone much better than you and double the stakes.
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That is reckless and foolish. It will show nothing other than you like to give your money away.
To answer your question, it depends on how your personality is to begin with, and what you plan on doing more of.
If you are competetitive and want to see who is the best, tournament play will help you. There is enough pressure to test yourself there.
Playing for money is a different animal, there are people who will do the same thing and play for bragging rights etc. There are people who will try to get a lock because all they are after is the money. There are true gamblers who dont really care who has the best of it, they just want their cash in action..... When playing for money, you have to decide what your purpose is in doing it, and go down that road.
Chuck
 
Improving your game

Playing in tournaments is the best way to play against the better players and improve your game without it costing you very much money.

Action is more about you abililty to judge your speed against somebody elses. Playing real good players with big spots will not improve your game. When real good players outclass you the weight they give is more of an illusion to make the game look even.

That said the best way to improve your game is increasing you knowledge of the game (instructors, watching the better players player, etc) and PRACTICE, PRACTICE PRACTICE.
 
talk to Joe

midwest__player said:
Im taking lessons from lil joe once in a while and i got most of the basics and fundamentals down. I just never can seem to get to that next level and when i play for money no matter how much it is i play like i started yesterday. But thats good right so i can get over that pressure part of the game? Thanks
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You have access to Joe, ask him which will serve you better. My opinion is that if you want to play in tournaments, play in every tournament they will let you in and you can afford. If you want to gamble, wade on in! Start the bet off small and raise slowly if the other player is trying to raise the bet. If you are being hustled they will let you win or win enough to keep you there. You can spend most of the time playing on their money and lose very little even if they are better than you and any spot offered. If they aren't hustling playing for small stakes gets you in some games with people that won't play for free.

Hu
 
RiverCity said:
That is reckless and foolish. It will show nothing other than you like to give your money away.
To answer your question, it depends on how your personality is to begin with, and what you plan on doing more of.
If you are competetitive and want to see who is the best, tournament play will help you. There is enough pressure to test yourself there.
Playing for money is a different animal, there are people who will do the same thing and play for bragging rights etc. There are people who will try to get a lock because all they are after is the money. There are true gamblers who dont really care who has the best of it, they just want their cash in action..... When playing for money, you have to decide what your purpose is in doing it, and go down that road.
Chuck
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I play to improve my game and i put money on the game so i will take it serious instead of just banging balls and going no where.Most of the games i get into are with people my level playing even.
 
you'll get there

Gambling is difficult when you are not used to it. Those who have never gambled before shake like a leaf and that is something that must be mastered and overcome if you are going to be worth a damn on the table.

You have to spend a lot of time 'in action'. Just get used to it by spending more time in action than 'hitting balls' and you will become comfortable with it.

Trust me, you'll get there. You just gotta trust in yourself.
 
well i only find myself in a room with any players once a week but i play close to 12 hours on that one day and try to gamble the whole time.
 
I think that most everything else that has been posted in this thread is good advice, I will add that pool is an individual sport What works for one guy may not work for another. If you have solid fundamentals (mechanics) then develop your game to suit you. I have played in many bars against good and bad players and at some point I started using more english then was needed or drawing the ball 8ft when something simpler would have worked. After doing this for so long it works for me. I have a tendency to place my cue ball using english more often then I do with angle. By most teachings this is opposite of what is right, but it works for me. Many players play primarily running english while others play reverse. If you feel you play better gambling then do that while you work on improving your tournament play, sooner or later your style and preferences will develop themselves.
 
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Well you posted on my first thread so ill return the favor. All I can really tell you is how I look at things. I try to make friends with all the "Gamblers". Example. Met a guy "Gary" really nice gambles quite a bit. I dont really gamble and now he knows that, so now when hes not playing someone we will shoot some racks and he gives me free pointers. I think primarily because he knows I just want to get better im not really looking to move in on his gambling scene so he must figure "no harm no foul".

I play in tournaments mostly usually 2-3 times a week and I usually play 3-5 times a week. So for me, I can notice that after many hours of practice things just start to come naturally.

Other then that I am no good. I am a fair to moderate player at best. I will leave you with probably the best thing I have been told so far about pool and I just keep this in my head while playing, "Your not playing the person across from you, your simply playing the layout of the table."
 
RiverCity said:
That is reckless and foolish. It will show nothing other than you like to give your money away.
To answer your question, it depends on how your personality is to begin with, and what you plan on doing more of.
If you are competetitive and want to see who is the best, tournament play will help you. There is enough pressure to test yourself there.
Playing for money is a different animal, there are people who will do the same thing and play for bragging rights etc. There are people who will try to get a lock because all they are after is the money. There are true gamblers who dont really care who has the best of it, they just want their cash in action..... When playing for money, you have to decide what your purpose is in doing it, and go down that road.
Chuck
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I suppose to some people it seems foolish, but you don't speak for everyone. One thing is certain. The fear of losing is greater that the will to win. Playing cheap sets and tournaments isn't going to help change that. Only by putting pressure on your game will you overcome that fear, or not.
 
what do the people playing you know that you don't?

midwest__player said:
I play to improve my game and i put money on the game so i will take it serious instead of just banging balls and going no where.Most of the games i get into are with people my level playing even.
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The problem with playing people at your level or below is that your opponents tend to know and not know the same things that you do. Playing a better player even with weight makes you work a little harder plus you will see them do things you never considered. Watch the patterns they play, the way they move the cue ball around the table, the shots they take. You may not know exactly how they did something but if you know about where the balls were and how the cueball came off of the object ball you can usually find how they did something by trial and error.

Don't be a pest or a lapdog but make friends with the better players. A good chance that one will help you grow after they get to know you. I spent many hours a week in one pool hall when I was a kid. The owner started coming over, usually once or twice a day, and showing me one thing. Often he showed it to somebody near me instead of me. However whenever I used what he had shown later that day or a visit soon after I could look his way and catch a grin. An old hustler himself, he didn't miss much that happened in his room.

Hu
 
midwest__player said:
Was just wondering what u guys thought about the subject i been playing a while now but have only played in a few small tournaments. I get in cheap action as often as possible because it makes me take the game a lot more serious. Was just wondering what you guys think will be more beneficial to my game cheap action or tourny's? thanks everyone
Click to expand...

Tournaments are a great experience, but action, especially cheap action, definitely is more available than tournaments, and it's great for building experience and having fun table time.

Practicing makes you better. Playing for something makes you compete better.

All the good players I know got good by practicing and then playing for something whenever and whereever they could. Never be ashamed of the stake as long as it's enough to make you play. If it's too cheap, then there is no pressure.

Chris
 
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The Rich Inc said:
Well you posted on my first thread so ill return the favor. All I can really tell you is how I look at things. I try to make friends with all the "Gamblers". Example. Met a guy "Gary" really nice gambles quite a bit. I dont really gamble and now he knows that, so now when hes not playing someone we will shoot some racks and he gives me free pointers. I think primarily because he knows I just want to get better im not really looking to move in on his gambling scene so he must figure "no harm no foul".

I play in tournaments mostly usually 2-3 times a week and I usually play 3-5 times a week. So for me, I can notice that after many hours of practice things just start to come naturally.

Other then that I am no good. I am a fair to moderate player at best. I will leave you with probably the best thing I have been told so far about pool and I just keep this in my head while playing, "Your not playing the person across from you, your simply playing the layout of the table."
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There is some truth to that, but the table doesn't punish you when you make a mistake.
 
Big C said:
There is some truth to that, but the table doesn't punish you when you make a mistake.
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No but the way I look at it is I made the mistake noone made me. So I work on whatever the mistake was so that I will not make it again.
 
ShootingArts said:
The problem with playing people at your level or below is that your opponents tend to know and not know the same things that you do. Playing a better player even with weight makes you work a little harder plus you will see them do things you never considered. Watch the patterns they play, the way they move the cue ball around the table, the shots they take. You may not know exactly how they did something but if you know about where the balls were and how the cueball came off of the object ball you can usually find how they did something by trial and error.

Don't be a pest or a lapdog but make friends with the better players. A good chance that one will help you grow after they get to know you. I spent many hours a week in one pool hall when I was a kid. The owner started coming over, usually once or twice a day, and showing me one thing. Often he showed it to somebody near me instead of me. However whenever I used what he had shown later that day or a visit soon after I could look his way and catch a grin. An old hustler himself, he didn't miss much that happened in his room.

Hu
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Good Point i will look around tommorow night and see if theres any better players who are willing to give up a fair amount of weight so im not donating. Makes sense that playing same level players wont learn much. I still have to get the money back i lost last time i was in the room then i will look around for a better player.thanks for the good advice
 
The Rich Inc said:
No but the way I look at it is I made the mistake noone made me. So I work on whatever the mistake was so that I will not make it again.
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That's kind of like walking a tightrope 2 ft above foam. You will get it down after a few spills, but try that 40 ft in the air without a net. Same rope, but a much different feel with much dire consequences. Nothing like the real thing to put a little fear in your heart.
 
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