When do we stop making boneheaded mistakes?

S

Still_Learning

Shortstop in Training
Silver Member
Half serious quesion, half rhetorical question/vent.

Last night, I lost a match because, in the game that would have won it for me, I blew a fairly easy runout by scratching with ball in hand.

I recently watched Shane Van Boening lose what would have been a match-winning game for HIM by...you guessed it...scratching with ball in hand.

I'm not talking about bad rolls here. In both cases, the scratches were obvious paths, and the cue ball went straight to the pocket as if scratching had been the goal.

I don't know whether that makes me feel better, because even the greats do it, or worse, because no matter how good I get, I'll never stop making boneheaded mistakes.:confused:
 
Most

Players will never stop making bone-headed shoots until they have a brain transplant.

Actually, it is the decision-making process that trips them up. They do not know how to analyze a layout the right way, or worse yet, how to execute the plan. If you will notice, when a pro makes something look easy, in the analysis phase, he is considering everything, even the smallest detail, before he executes it. That means, being on the right side of the shot to make getting shape for future shots easier. Not setting himself up for a high-risk shot if he can help it. Insuring that the cue ball path he needs to take is open, or very maneuverable.

I, sometimes, see players make a shot, and take a very long high-risk shot for their next shot, only to miss it, or not able to get back in line, or to even hook themselves after making it, when they could have gone 2-3 rails for shape, and had that shot be a low-risk shot then, and would have almost guaranteed them a runout.

I have players that I play, that consistently make bad decisions in certain layouts, and therefore, a mistake every single time. They might even play well, but their mental mistakes is what ends up losing the match for them.

And I count on it when playing them.

Even though I played well before going into computers as a profession, I do credit some of my analysis abilities to the education I received for Programming and Systems Analysis courses I had.
 
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Still_Learning said:
I don't know whether that makes me feel better, because even the greats do it, or worse, because no matter how good I get, I'll never stop making boneheaded mistakes.:confused:
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It should make you feel better, if you look at it this way: Playing great pool does not mean becoming more than human or incapable of mistakes; playing great pool is not something that requires a perfection you could never achieve. Playing great pool means learning mental discipline, working hard on concentration, focusing training on improving consistency and control, and becoming the best human player you can be. No conversion to machine needed; Shanes, Efrens, Ralfs, and Ronnies are born crying and helpless, not manufactured in Stepford.

-Andrew
 
I know the only way that to stop all your bonehead mistakes on the green felt: quit pool.

Still_Learning said:
Half serious quesion, half rhetorical question/vent.

Last night, I lost a match because, in the game that would have won it for me, I blew a fairly easy runout by scratching with ball in hand.

I recently watched Shane Van Boening lose what would have been a match-winning game for HIM by...you guessed it...scratching with ball in hand.

I'm not talking about bad rolls here. In both cases, the scratches were obvious paths, and the cue ball went straight to the pocket as if scratching had been the goal.

I don't know whether that makes me feel better, because even the greats do it, or worse, because no matter how good I get, I'll never stop making boneheaded mistakes.:confused:
Click to expand...
 
The answer is simple, the doing is hard.
drinkbeer.gif
 
look further ahead

We all know the answer, we will quit making mistakes when they slam the lid on the box and start shoveling dirt.

However, here is a real way to reduce them. Plan further ahead. If you plan three balls now start planning four. When that is your comfort level add another ball until you are planning the whole rack before your first shot.

Since I had a plan I never had to think between shots or never forgot to think. If I got out of shape, it only took a moment to get a new plan. We really can see the whole run within seconds but it is an acquired skill. Work on it one ball at a time. Chess helps too, great mental exercise. One of those furrin guys that plays pretty good plays a lot of chess too.

Hu
 
ShootingArts said:
We all know the answer, we will quit making mistakes when they slam the lid on the box and start shoveling dirt.
Click to expand...

I truly hope to be done making mistakes at least a day or two before any dirt gets shoveled. If you don't quit making mistakes until the shoveling, I'd hate to think what that last mistake might have been. Perhaps taking a nap in a casket? :eek:

-Andrew
 
Another idea is a single work. FOCUS.

Meaning focus only on you pool game, when playing pool.

Leave all you trobles, etc, outside the pool room.
 
How about appreciating when things do go well?

Sometimes we take for granted the level of skill necessary to pocket a ball, and that, more often than not, we are up to the task.

And, as said, if a supremely talented, skilled, focused shooter on top of his game who is playing for his livelihood can make the same mistake you did, I wouldn't spend a lot of time dwelling on it.
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
Another idea is a single work. FOCUS.

Meaning focus only on you pool game, when playing pool.

Leave all you trobles, etc, outside the pool room.
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FOCUS? I have hard enought time just trying to breath regularly:p

S.
 
ShootingArts said:
However, here is a real way to reduce them. Plan further ahead. If you plan three balls now start planning four. When that is your comfort level add another ball until you are planning the whole rack before your first shot.

Since I had a plan I never had to think between shots or never forgot to think. If I got out of shape, it only took a moment to get a new plan. We really can see the whole run within seconds but it is an acquired skill. Work on it one ball at a time. Chess helps too, great mental exercise. One of those furrin guys that plays pretty good plays a lot of chess too.

Hu
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I totally agree. I start every trip to the table looking for the full runout. If I cannot see a runout due to table layout or too many tied up balls, I look for where I am going to play defense, and how I am going to get there. Then, I just start shooting. As long as I stay in line with my plan, I do not have to rethink or take time between each shot looking at the table.

Edit: Another focus/error time is on the money ball. I was told a long time ago to pick a spot for your cue ball to end up when shooting the 8(or 9 or 10 or whatever your money ball is). A lot of players scratch more on these balls than any other ball, because they are not paying as much attention to where the cue will go, since this is their last ball and they do not have to worry about shape on another ball. So pick a spot to place your cue ball before you shoot the shot. Otherwise you may end up making sure you dont scratch in the pocket next to the money ball, but you may go 1 or 2 rails and scratch somewhere else, because you were not concentrating on anything but not scratching in the first pocket.
 
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NEver...To err is human......look at how I spell, and I do my best.:) I have seen Efren miss BIH, alot of pros miss a straight in 9B from a foot away, its a mental hic-cup right when you pull the trigger.
 
Half serious quesion, half rhetorical question/vent.

Last night, I lost a match because, in the game that would have won it for me, I blew a fairly easy runout by scratching with ball in hand.

I recently watched Shane Van Boening lose what would have been a match-winning game for HIM by...you guessed it...scratching with ball in hand.

I'm not talking about bad rolls here. In both cases, the scratches were obvious paths, and the cue ball went straight to the pocket as if scratching had been the goal.

I don't know whether that makes me feel better, because even the greats do it, or worse, because no matter how good I get, I'll never stop making boneheaded mistakes.
Click to expand...

Lmao....
not to be pokin the fun...just cuz I been there,I am there and I'll visit often I suppose.
This one question in a way,defines the game...and it sweetness.
 
Not so fast here...

Now let's set the cart before the horse shall we...
Who the hell would want to live in a time and place where everyone learned from there mistakes. Just think of the dire consequences.
What would we ever have to talk about?
Who would be the designated "Rube for a Day" so that you could beat him out of a beer with a stupid prop bet on your local bar box?
Lawyers would be out of business overnight.
2nd and 3rd marriages would be a thing of the past.
And what...I ask you what would happen to the state of real humor if people learned from their mistakes? Gone, simply gone.
And alcohol...that great aider and abettor. Gone!
No my friends...give me true human nature, I've got a beer to drink.:D
 
I've seen many players screw up ball in hand for one very simple reason. When you approach most shots, your routine has you looking at the ball placement, deciding where you want the balls to go, what speed you need to shoot, what kind of spin, etc. You probably do this before you ever get down on the shot.

Ball in Hand...You think about all that stuff without even placing the cue ball on the table, then when you put the cue ball down, you get down and shoot.

What I do with BIH is plan my pattern, then place the cue ball where I want it. Once I do that I step back, and start my normal pre-shot routine, decide my angle, speed, spin, chalk my cue, check my line and basically treat it like any other shot. BIH will cause many players to get out of their routine. Force yourself to stick with what you do on any other shot. Consistancy! Consistancy! Consistancy!
Steve
 
You could add think about where cueball is going and where it will stop. Scratching on this shot is usually a result of concentrating on WHAT NOT to do-SCRATCH .
 
pooltchr said:
I've seen many players screw up ball in hand for one very simple reason....

What I do with BIH is plan my pattern, then place the cue ball where I want it. Once I do that I step back, and start my normal pre-shot routine, decide my angle, speed, spin, chalk my cue, check my line and basically treat it like any other shot. BIH will cause many players to get out of their routine. Force yourself to stick with what you do on any other shot. Consistancy! Consistancy! Consistancy!
Steve
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Wow, it's like you were in the audience that night. This is exactly what I did. I even take lessons from a BCA instructor, so I've got no one but myself to blame for not recognizing that I wasn't using my normal pre-shot routine.

The other thing I'm going to do from now on is force myself to think of three places where I could put the cue ball. On that shot, I practically ran to the table, thinking, "I know what to do here!"

So...I rushed every aspect of the play, big time.

This board needs an icon of Homer Simpson saying, "D'oh!" I'd sure use it here.

Thanks Steve. Hope to meet you one day. BTW, I googled "SPF" and "pool" but I still don't know what "SPF" is an acronym for...
 
pooltchr said:
I've seen many players screw up ball in hand for one very simple reason. When you approach most shots, your routine has you looking at the ball placement, deciding where you want the balls to go, what speed you need to shoot, what kind of spin, etc. You probably do this before you ever get down on the shot.

Ball in Hand...You think about all that stuff without even placing the cue ball on the table, then when you put the cue ball down, you get down and shoot.

What I do with BIH is plan my pattern, then place the cue ball where I want it. Once I do that I step back, and start my normal pre-shot routine, decide my angle, speed, spin, chalk my cue, check my line and basically treat it like any other shot. BIH will cause many players to get out of their routine. Force yourself to stick with what you do on any other shot. Consistancy! Consistancy! Consistancy!
Steve
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Yup, rushing shots is what does most people in with bih. Just my opinion, but I think people tend to over hit shots in this situation and hitting the shot too hard can cause a scratch.
 
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