When Are You Playing Your Best Pool?

[ShootingArts]

I play best when I like the background music in the poolroom.

The music doesn't really matter to me unless it is really obnoxious. A song like this is just fine once. One night somebody was playing this three or four times an hour all evening. After a few hours I was singing it myself, which was a punishment to everyone around me. I am hearing impaired and tone death so I don't normally inflict my singing on others. I sing alone in a vehicle or sitting on a very understanding horse!

Getting annoyed has taken me out of my game sometimes but I am more likely to feed off of my annoyance, kicking my game up a notch. When people play something to try to distract me I may put five dollars or so of Hank and Lefty on, maybe a little Mel. Anybody that doesn't like Marty Robbins deserves to suffer too. With internet juke boxes I can add Anita Carter and a few more to the list that were never on a traditional jukebox. Maybe even a little Floyd Tolston, a song writing friend of mine.

Hu

 

[JusticeNJ]

Late night/early AM, wife/kids/dogs are asleep, podcast on in the background.

I play 14.1 almost exclusively on my home table and unless I'm videoing it, I rarely keep track of the runs anymore. I just like the mental state I get into. It's like a warm blanket.

 

[straightline]

Never lost big money match

Me either...


(says the guy who's biggest game was a 7-set for 500RMB )

Respex ta boat uh yuz...

 

[Flakeandrun]

Late night/early AM, wife/kids/dogs are asleep, podcast on in the background.

I play 14.1 almost exclusively on my home table and unless I'm videoing it, I rarely keep track of the runs anymore. I just like the mental state I get into. It's like a warm blanket.

Wholesome AF

 

[Biloxi Boy]

years ago,
late night
early morning
chemical mix
on rich

 

[VarmintKong]

Late night/early AM, wife/kids/dogs are asleep, podcast on in the background.

I play 14.1 almost exclusively on my home table and unless I'm videoing it, I rarely keep track of the runs anymore. I just like the mental state I get into. It's like a warm blanket.

Ooh yeah. Early Sunday morning when I know there’s nobody stirring for a couple hours and I don’t want to preemptively wake anyone up and have to make breakfast and get kids ready; this is my time.

I just try to focus on the shuffle of my feet, the scratch of the chalk, click of the balls, and the back of the pocket. Shuffle my feet, scratch the chalk, click the balls, and back of the pocket.

Swear to Gawd, I only played a few racks. Whaddya mean I have to get dressed and drive to church. I thought this was the sermon.

 

[Biloxi Boy]

The catch when wanting to use it in competition is that the unconscious can be on the spot or a bit stubborn to wake up. There are tricks to help and the zone is always closely allied with the unconscious.

My take: good pool sessions can produce a zen state which I refer to as "the zone". Time, place, etc., dissolve into the rhythm of assessing, shooting, and drawing shapes, and no external stimuli seem capable of interrupting or affecting the process in which I am completely immersed. I believe that escaping the influence of the consciousness allows my real ability to emerge. One cannot "think" the ball into the pocket,

 

[SEB]

Ideal items for a big match (playing your best pool):

I take a multivitamin for a few days in a row leading up to it. Double dose each day.

Get 8-11 hours of sleep the night before.

Avoid energy drinks the day of.

Take a benzo or opiod the night before. It steadies the nervous system and increases the mind-body connection. You do not want to take it the day of competition because it’ll dull your nerves or get you high.

Eat sparingly.

Hit balls for 2-3 hours before the match

 

[gerard soriano]

I only play once a week. So I have 2 goals, first is to enjoy the day and second is to run racks . I always do at least one.
I find I catch a gear when I just focus on the process and not the outcome. I learned this from the book
With winning in Mind by Lanny Bassham (Highly Recommend Reading)
14.1 Greatest Game Ever ! IMHO

 

[Pushout]

For 9 ball - in a ring game.
A different mind set, or maybe lack thereof.

I knew a guy like that, now no longer with us. Head to head he was ok but get him in a ring game and it was a whole other story. He could win in a ring game against much better players.

 

[Zerksies]

When I'm not tired I play very good. The only issue is I'm tired alot or i can't maintain not being tired.

 

[Island Drive]

I often remember days or matches where I was playing my best possible pool and ask myself what the actual difference was on that specific day. And it's always the little things, like being awake and fresh, feeling good, being hungry for playing pool, and just enjoying playing, that eventually lead to just letting everything happen automatically. In those moments, I am just deciding what outcome I want to have, and the rest is automatically done by my body.

I've tried to capture this in a video to help other players: youtu.be/Tfk8cRHmhTQ

But I also would love to hear from you: When you are playing your best possible pool - what's differe

From 2am on, when the room quiets down, the drunks are gone, the air changes, I settle in and ''smooth out''.

bm

 

[ak1975]

I play best when it doesn't matter, usually in the evening while sipping some good burbon.

 

[Cameron Smith]

I think it’s when I have a mixture of a quiet mind that can focus on what’s in front of me, a lack of tension in the body and a bit of luck. As I’ve thought about it, I think one of the biggest differences between good days and great days is that the layouts favour your skill set and the shots you make 30-50% of the time are going in. Though perhaps my preferred explanation is that we all have a 700+ player deep inside of us desperate to get out.

 

[lakeman77]

25 years ago

 

[snookered_again]

after I got laid the night before ;-)

 

[JolietJames]

In a bar after work. At a casino after the state tourney. In Vegas at nationals. At home on my 9 footer alone.
There is nothing in common but my mindset.

 

[RacerX750]

When Are You Playing Your Best Pool?​

In my dreams

When all decisions are made while standing over the shot, especially where the cue ball has to be for shape on the next ball. If I accomplish that, my confidence is good and execution is devoid of doubt. As others have said, all the technique is applied automatically as if someone else is shooting. Emotions need to be subdued or they affect your muscles in a negative way and you won't stay still, or won't pause on the backstroke or will grip too tight with your cueing hand. Empty your mind when down on the shot.

 

[snookered_again]

i agree that any negative greatly emotions affect play and confidence is associated.
although not always possible, avoiding the peripheral vision of the shooter helps the person. I try to recognize that and be polite about it. I dont want to win a game by using those sorts of tactics, I'm also not playing at a competitive level.

as mentioned above, people play better when they are "on a run" in snooker sometimes that means assisting to get the color ball back on the table so the shooter is able to continue without breaking his/her pace. It may be less common to be assisting your opponent in a more serious level. I play for fun, not money or fame.

often Ill see people laughing and shooting, of course laughter also can throw a shot. If your belly is moving you arent; very stable, but the shooter can also wait a moment when that's the case , so long as he isn't in the middle of his stroke.
I think that trying to omit the humor from the poolroom may be more important at a more serious level but it also helps to have an enjoyable atmosphere. Having enough real belly laughs is good for your mental health ! doing that solo is difficult. If the whole room benefits from a nice atmosphere It's a positive thing in my opinion.

 

[hang-the-9]

I think I play best in two situations. A new place to me playing new players, or a place I know well with people I like. Anything in the middle I am on my B game LOL One thing that I have noticed makes me focus better, if there are people I have tought watching. Then I want to show them that the time I spent with them is not wasted and I want them to see a good game to emulate since I know they are paying attention to the shots I do.