When do you play your best?

In a tourney I usually get the 'first match jitters' for some reason I struggle a little in my first few matches then after that I relax and catch a gear, the higher I get in the tourney and the more pressure there is the better I shoot but I have to force my way through the first few matches to get there.
 
When people try to punk me out.

Fortunately, it happened on a rubber match, semi-finals for the local city tournament; after pocketing the eight ball winning the game, my opponent decided to fling my pocket marker to the floor using his cue.

This made me squeeze my focus and channel all of my energy, as I was then determined to play my best. This, to me, became a showdown.

The guy was cool after that, and we did talk, during and after the match, but nothing was said about the incident. My teammates said that they wanted to speak to a TD about the issue, but IMO the only way to respond appropriately was to bring my best game, and do everything I could to win.
 
For me its when I get plenty of sleep and how recently I've been practicing on far, across the table shots. I have astigmatism and shooting a ball on the other side of the table is harder for my eyes to focus on.
 
I agree....

Gregg said:
When people try to punk me out.

Fortunately, it happened on a rubber match, semi-finals for the local city tournament; after pocketing the eight ball winning the game, my opponent decided to fling my pocket marker to the floor using his cue.

This made me squeeze my focus and channel all of my energy, as I was then determined to play my best. This, to me, became a showdown.

The guy was cool after that, and we did talk, during and after the match, but nothing was said about the incident. My teammates said that they wanted to speak to a TD about the issue, but IMO the only way to respond appropriately was to bring my best game, and do everything I could to win.
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with you and a few others here. It can help when you have "a bone to chew" with someone you're playing. It reminds me of a tourney I played in last year. I tend to play on the slower side.... my eyes, contacts, and clarity are not close to stellar, and I have tremors to boot... the combination keeps me from 'feeling' the shot very quickly. Anyway, some kid I am playing starts whining that I am trying to shark him by 'slow playin' to get him out of his rythm. So his 'reverse' shark works on me and he puts me into the losers. I was fuming, and determined to get him back and met him in the finals for the double dip.. races to 5. I think he may have gotten to shoot at an actual shot one game when I left him a jawed 7 ball. The rest was runouts, safes, and I had my best game. 5-0, 5-1 for the win. One of my sweeter moments. :)

td
 
catpool9 said:
I play my best while gambling after 6 hrs., and drinking 6 or 8 beers with a shot or two of tequila!, then I'm set for about 12 more hours of playing awesome pool.


David Harcrow
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Ditto. After a few hours of play and blowin a .18. Over .22 and I'm lint. Fine line.
 
Lea A said:
I'm jealous of all you people who play best under pressure or against someone you don't like! That's where I want to be...or better yet, to the point where I just play my best all the time.
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There just not betting enough lol :D
 
Gambling, practice, or tournaments when im playing for nothing with friends or my dad i cant stay focused.
 
Lea A said:
Is it while you're playing in tournaments, practicing, gambling, playing in league? Why do you personally play differently in different situations? What sorts of things affect your game? I personally play my best practicing at night after I've warmed up a few hours...I'm working on trying to clear my head in tournaments (i.e. trying to get rid of the choke stroke!).
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After a good round of golf. The best I've ever played in tournament settings is the same Saturday that I shot a 68 in my normal (5:45AM) Saturday group (6 birdies and 2 bogeys); pool tourney started at 11 AM - played til 1 AM. Luckily my good play carried over to the rest of the tourney on Sunday. It was a league tourney to qualify for nationals (Vegas).

I have also found having a song stuck in your head (that fits your natural tempo), is great for both endevors too (golf and pool).

I think the lack of thinking helps in both of my examples. I'm not worrying about coming up short for shape, or getting hooked behind a ball, etc. etc. etc. I hate when those thoughts pop into my head, and those negative things do all the time. Don't shoot this too hard, or what if the breakout doesn't come out well, and such. When I'm not thinking about that, it seems the negative stuff doesn't happen nearly as often. Best way to answer the OPs question is....when my head doesn't get in my way!! :p
 
trustyrusty said:
I have also found having a song stuck in your head (that fits your natural tempo), is great for both endevors too (golf and pool).

I think the lack of thinking helps in both of my examples. I'm not worrying about coming up short for shape, or getting hooked behind a ball, etc. etc. etc. I hate when those thoughts pop into my head, and those negative things do all the time. Don't shoot this too hard, or what if the breakout doesn't come out well, and such. When I'm not thinking about that, it seems the negative stuff doesn't happen nearly as often. Best way to answer the OPs question is....when my head doesn't get in my way!! :p
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Excellent suggestions! There was an article in Scientific American about choking (umm..I mean...the mental aspects of various sports and other activities) that you and others might find interesting. Someone posted a link on the forum at some point and I bookmarked it :) I'm on my phone right now but when I get to a computer I'll post a link.
 
Lea A said:
Excellent suggestions! There was an article in Scientific American about choking (umm..I mean...the mental aspects of various sports and other activities) that you and others might find interesting. Someone posted a link on the forum at some point and I bookmarked it :) I'm on my phone right now but when I get to a computer I'll post a link.
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I'm UBER-competitive and have been my whole life. I HATE losing at anything, even if someone is MUCH better than me, but I HATE playing badly even more (I may not play pool at a HIGH level, but have played at pretty high levels in other sports). I don't think outside pressures effect me very much at all, but the pressure I put on myself may be BIG but it's CONTROLLABLE - I learned this a long time ago! If missing a shot cost me $1 or $1000 it's the same shot to me....1) I don't play for something I "CAN'T" lose, and 2) I'd rather play really well, and lose than play very badly and win. That can't be said by everyone, so taking my advice certainly isn't for everybody :p lol
 
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trustyrusty said:
I'd rather play really well, and lose than play very badly and win. That can't be said by everyone, so taking my advice certainly isn't for everybody :p lol
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I despise playing badly and winning, but don't mind losing (so much) if I've played well (in my own opinion of my own game)...okay, here's the link, for those interested: choking article. It never mentions pool specifically (although it does mention golf), but it was helpful to me and could definitely be helpful to others.
 
When I'm playing for my case money. And a couple of times when I played "on ass". I didn't have the money to pay if I lost, so I had to win. And I did! :wink:
 
I haven't ever played my best...hopefully, that's yet to come! :) (edit)...yeah, I'm probably dreaming, but optimism never hurts, right?
 
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I play my best for 20 a game. I think the jukebox or stereo can be distracting because different songs change your mood or feel... at least for me. If bartram or deuel watch me while I am playing it makes me not play as good.
 
When I have 6 weeks to prepare for an event that I am excited about.

I'm really not very good, but Motivation + Desire + Prep Time + Determination = me pretending to be good

Luck always helps

I am still amazed at the number of times that I have seen determination beat out skill, what a silly little game we all play
 
donny mills said:
I think the jukebox or stereo can be distracting because different songs change your mood or feel
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It sure the hell distracted me when someone played a loud heavy metal song then the jukebox went to silence because no one else played anything afterwards.
 
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