When do you play at your best?

[tim913]

When I was younger I played my best when there was a lot of money on the game.
Now it’s just when the occasional niece brings their “ think they’re God league player boyfriends “ over to show her uncle how to play. The last one even brought his business cards, cause he gave lessons.
I remember when they left he kept yelling at her ..”you set me up!” .. “you set me up!”
She replied, “you sure you don’t want his card?” Evil little girl!

 

[eg9327]

When I am winning I am outthinking my opponent. When I'm losing I've let some old flaw creep back into my game. The best games to watch are one pocket and 8 ball. I think it is valuable to watch the losers. Watch what they do and decide what cost them the game. What should they have done? Naturally everyone misses, but too often their downfall is poor strategy. Strategy must come before shot making. This is true of 9 ball, but in that game more often the strategy is dictated by the lay of the table.

 

[SeniorTom]

This might be slightly off topic, sorry if it is, but I become my best when I seek out better players than myself and game some racks with them. This helps me shoot my best because I tried to be like a sponge and absorb all the learning these games give me.

 

[khessler]

In my short time playing, I have constantly been thinking about how I am playing and how I can improve. What can I learn from other players during a game? When am I playing my best? Is it against better, or worse opposition? Is it against myself? Do I play better when I know I am playing a machine, or when I am care-free playing nobody? I feel I've made a lot of improvement since I switched to playing pool a year ago. I certainly am a far better pool player than I ever was at snooker.

Personally, I think when playing better players I often up my game as a result of there being no expectation of coming close to winning. But my best shotmaking comes in these games where you have less pressure.

When (under what circumstance) do others think they play better?

I imagine a lot of Americans might say when there's $$$ on the line, but I don't find that to be the case for me (not when I can converse in the same language as the opponent anyway)

Who is the best player who has given you a proper smashing?

Wang Hung-Hsiang made me question why I bother playing this game... take my single rack and hold onto that... Don't even think he was firing on all cylinders. Amazing to watch. Spent a lot of time in the chair.

Who is the best player you've beat?

Zhu Xi He, which I wrote about a while ago. He was clearly sick, but I'll take it, as I felt I played well on the day. It was actually the first time I had the 'Oh my God, what is happening' feeling.

Who is the best player you've watched?

Dennis Orcullo playing 10-ball for money. An absolute weapon. Past his best many say, but I have never seen anything like that in person before.

How often/what do you practice or drill?

I am mostly playing games for table fees or petty cash, as it's more fun than solo practice. Solo practice is basically ghost play 9-ball, or long, stun shots moving progressively closer to rails, and a line drill (cutting balls in numerical order and moving between ends of the table). Both recommended to me by Shaw (think he said Hossein Vafei recommended to him, and doing both of these seemed simple, and not time-consuming. Both are simple enough to build confidence and reinforcing good habits in my game). I occasionally do the 'Magic X' but get bored pretty quickly of that.

I play best for $1.00 a game. There's no pressure just beat me !!!

 

[Flakeandrun]

This might be slightly off topic, sorry if it is, but I become my best when I seek out better players than myself and game some racks with them. This helps me shoot my best because I tried to be like a sponge and absorb all the learning these games give me.

Agree with you. That is also something I tried really hard to do when I first started playing on the American table. There was a lot to learn strategy wise. Sure having a solid foundation helped me, but there was lots to take on, and also somethings to unlearn from snooker, that were not really relevant to pool.

 

[Flakeandrun]

I play best for $1.00 a game. There's no pressure just beat me !!!

ok, ok. Let's go!

 

[Flakeandrun]

Strategy must come before shot making.

Completely agree. I would say my 8-ball game is a step up from my 9/10-ball game. AS being situated where I am, it is what primarily gets played.

This is true of 9 ball, but in that game more often the strategy is dictated by the lay of the table.

Absolutely, and my game improved quickly when I started to play, watch and learn from much better players. Making a choice to play more 9/10-ball and working on being able to assess more quickly. Looking at the two or three shots available at the lay of the table, and choosing the highest percentage that fits my style of play. Not the version of perfect I imagine, or have seen performed by others.

 

[Poolmanis]

Completely agree. I would say my 8-ball game is a step up from my 9/10-ball game. AS being situated where I am, it is what primarily gets played.

Absolutely, and my game improved quickly when I started to play, watch and learn from much better players. Making a choice to play more 9/10-ball and working on being able to assess more quickly. Looking at the two or three shots available at the lay of the table, and choosing the highest percentage that fits my style of play. Not the version of perfect I imagine, or have seen performed by others.

Yeah. That’s good way to improve.
Choise of shot is very important. I learned it again when started playing 3-cushion. I play often with old Korean pro level player and he give me sometimes advice and tips. He said "Number one most important thing in 3-cushion is Choise. If your choise is not good you never can't be good player."
I agree that 100 %
Making shots that are in your playing style is good, but if you see very good player choose different way on same situtation you should ask from yourself was that way better way to play that shot. If answer is YES, then you should practice that shot in the way he did shoot it. And add new weapon in your arsenal. That way you keep getting better and more choises in your arsenal.

 

[Flakeandrun]

That way you keep getting better and more choises in your arsenal.

Completely agree with you (and the 3c player). Knowing you have multiple options or ways to play can only make you better and better. You are right, there is an art to measuring up; skill level/playing style/the best shot - then making the highest percentage shot from those available.

 

[Mensabum]

I play my best when I don't have any expectations. This usually comes about when there's a dramatic skill difference--either I'm way ahead or way behind. In either case I'm not concerned and so I just...play. If I'm much better--I already know I will win--I'm not really concerned that the other guy will run out (I'm a C+ player so the only way I can be "much" better is if the other guy can't run more than a couple balls). If I'm much worse then there's a "nothing to lose" attitude--I already "know" I will lose. Those are the only times in competition I play as well as I do just playing the ghost on my home table. BnRs go up, shotmaking goes up, and decisions are quicker and clearer.

But once the specters of "you can win, you should win, you could win" start entering the equation I just get tense. I'm less confident. I'm second-guessing. I'm trying too hard to be perfect. I'm hard on myself when I do make a mistake (and then am more likely to make more). I start having self-defeating albeit accurate thoughts while shooting like "hey, if you miss this shot you will lose the rack" instead of just focusing on lining up and executing the shot.

Unfortunately, as I get better this anxious mindset now gets carried with me into even more matches. I just got in the mail today "The Inner Game of Tennis" which I've heard is a good read at dealing with the mental side of competition. Fingers crossed it helps. I'm not much of a drug guy, so I have to find other ways of dealing with that lump between my ears.

Stress and insecure thoughts will jam up an otherwise smooth stroke. It's like throwing sand in the gears. Lol.

 

[Mensabum]

In my short time playing, I have constantly been thinking about how I am playing and how I can improve. What can I learn from other players during a game? When am I playing my best? Is it against better, or worse opposition? Is it against myself? Do I play better when I know I am playing a machine, or when I am care-free playing nobody? I feel I've made a lot of improvement since I switched to playing pool a year ago. I certainly am a far better pool player than I ever was at snooker.

Personally, I think when playing better players I often up my game as a result of there being no expectation of coming close to winning. But my best shotmaking comes in these games where you have less pressure.

When (under what circumstance) do others think they play better?

I imagine a lot of Americans might say when there's $$$ on the line, but I don't find that to be the case for me (not when I can converse in the same language as the opponent anyway)

Who is the best player who has given you a proper smashing?

Wang Hung-Hsiang made me question why I bother playing this game... take my single rack and hold onto that... Don't even think he was firing on all cylinders. Amazing to watch. Spent a lot of time in the chair.

Who is the best player you've beat?

Zhu Xi He, which I wrote about a while ago. He was clearly sick, but I'll take it, as I felt I played well on the day. It was actually the first time I had the 'Oh my God, what is happening' feeling.

Who is the best player you've watched?

Dennis Orcullo playing 10-ball for money. An absolute weapon. Past his best many say, but I have never seen anything like that in person before.

How often/what do you practice or drill?

I am mostly playing games for table fees or petty cash, as it's more fun than solo practice. Solo practice is basically ghost play 9-ball, or long, stun shots moving progressively closer to rails, and a line drill (cutting balls in numerical order and moving between ends of the table). Both recommended to me by Shaw (think he said Hossein Vafei recommended to him, and doing both of these seemed simple, and not time-consuming. Both are simple enough to build confidence and reinforcing good habits in my game). I occasionally do the 'Magic X' but get bored pretty quickly of that.

Depending on where you live, if there's an old road dawg around, you might approach and offer to pay his table time, or buy him a soda, something to break the Ice. Be respectful and listen and I guarantee he will be giving you the keys to the kingdom sooner than later, as these type players don't wanna go out without passing on what they know. I'm speaking of personal experience here. You want to get better fast?? Don't be afraid to pay one of these guys for the experience. We can do for you in a week what it would take you a year to figure out. Nuff said.