When playing a good pool player do you shoot more safe shots than normal?

L

Lock N Load

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Meaning do you shoot more safe shots when you are playing a good pool player in a match? Or do you play the match like a regular match? When I am playing someone good I pay more attention to everything I do in each shot and each game. Did I say that right?

Your input may help a lot of people improve their pool game.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
As much as I would like to say that I play the table and not my opponent, I think I would have to admit that there are times when I play tighter/looser depending on the skill of my opponent. The basic strategy for me is to keep my number of errors to a minimum, which starts by evaluating percentages on each shot. The difference if I am playing a very skilled opponent is that I figure to be punished more severely for each mistake, and, in a situation where I am 70% to make the ball and come up with position, or 90% to lay down a good safety, I may be more inclined to go with the safety against a more skilled opponent than I would be against a lesser skilled one. This is especially true if I am trailing in the match. I find that most of my comeback wins against tough players occur when I tighten up my game and start playing more conservatively once I fall behind 2 or 3 games.

Aaron
 
Aaron_S said:
As much as I would like to say that I play the table and not my opponent, I think I would have to admit that there are times when I play tighter/looser depending on the skill of my opponent. The basic strategy for me is to keep my number of errors to a minimum, which starts by evaluating percentages on each shot. The difference if I am playing a very skilled opponent is that I figure to be punished more severely for each mistake, and, in a situation where I am 70% to make the ball and come up with position, or 90% to lay down a good safety, I may be more inclined to go with the safety against a more skilled opponent than I would be against a lesser skilled one. This is especially true if I am trailing in the match. I find that most of my comeback wins against tough players occur when I tighten up my game and start playing more conservatively once I fall behind 2 or 3 games.

Aaron
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Very, very good post. Written perfectly, worded well. My I like your input. Thanks.
Many Regards,
Lock n Load.
 
Lock N Load said:
Meaning do you shoot more safe shots when you are playing a good pool player in a match? Or do you play the match like a regular match? When I am playing someone good I pay more attention to everything I do in each shot and each game. Did I say that right?

Your input may help a lot of people improve their pool game.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

From what I've observed, most players don't and that contributes to their deficit. They take overly difficult shots because they "know" a good player would shoot them.

I believe that a good player can be stymied by an excellent safety game. However, I stress the word excellent because showing any piece of the OB is dangerous. Fact is, the best players I've played take two way shots when in doubt and make game winning safeties.

Most of us can run out, but a well rounded safety game, coupled with good decsion making, commands respect and is essential to being competitive with "A" level players and above.
 
TATE said:
From what I've observed, most players don't and that contributes to their deficit. They take overly difficult shots because they "know" a good player would shoot them.

I believe that a good player can be stymied by an excellent safety game. However, I stress the word excellent because showing any piece of the OB is dangerous. Fact is, the best players I've played take two way shots when in doubt and make game winning safeties.

Most of us can run out, but a well rounded safety game, coupled with good decsion making, commands respect and is essential to being competitive with "A" level players and above.
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Hello Tate,
What can I say about your post? It is excellent in all respects. Man you excelled all the way with your post.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
For me, really depends on the opponent.
Against good players, I watch to see what seems to make my opponent the most frustrated. If they miss a long shot and curse to themselves, I'll keep leaving those kind of shots, or if they get pissed if I leave them safe after a missed shot, then I'll start looking shooting more two-way shots, etc.
If your opponent starts getting negative then you've already won half the battle because confidence is everything in pool.

Against very strong players though, it's hard if not impossible to get them off their game, and playing safe will often end up in a safety battle that would be to their advantage, so unless I have a sure lockdown safety, I would rather try to make a ball and try to keep them off the table as much as possible.
 
I agree with Aaron. Ideally, you should play the percentages. But the opponent is always going to have some kind of effect on the play. It's only human.
 
victorl said:
For me, really depends on the opponent.
Against good players, I watch to see what seems to make my opponent the most frustrated. If they miss a long shot and curse to themselves, I'll keep leaving those kind of shots, or if they get pissed if I leave them safe after a missed shot, then I'll start looking shooting more two-way shots, etc.
If your opponent starts getting negative then you've already won half the battle because confidence is everything in pool.

Against very strong players though, it's hard if not impossible to get them off their game, and playing safe will often end up in a safety battle that would be to their advantage, so unless I have a sure lockdown safety, I would rather try to make a ball and try to keep them off the table as much as possible.
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Agreed.

:thumbup:
 
Lock N Load said:
Meaning do you shoot more safe shots when you are playing a good pool player in a match? Or do you play the match like a regular match? When I am playing someone good I pay more attention to everything I do in each shot and each game. Did I say that right?

Your input may help a lot of people improve their pool game.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
Click to expand...

I have a rule of thumb although others may disagree. When I play a weaker player, such as giving up weight I play very conservative. The reason is, I can count on them making mistakes in many cases just giving the games away. I have no need to take any risks.

Against an equal player or better player I may not be able to win playing tit for tap. I need to make things happen even play a little risky maybe. I can't depend on them making mistakes and may get the worst of any long safety contests.

This also applies to hard and easy tables. I will rather steer a weaker player on to an easy table. The easy table may help them a little but it can turn me into a world beater and I can steamroll over them. Against a very good player I would rather play on a fair but tougher table.

To show what I mean, I was backing a top player against a good local player giving up weight and they were playing on a front table in the room with shimmed pockets. They were dead even at the end of the first night. The next night I looked for the easiest table in the room and insisted they play there. Surprisingly the guy agreed. It was a massacre and even when they went back to the first table, as we knew they would want to, it didn't matter, they guy was already in shock.
 
Black-Balled said:
So you would disagree with the practice of attempting to expolit an opponent's weaknesses?
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I do. I look at it this way- If I'm trying to exploit his weaknesses, I have to let him get to the table. I have learned over the years, that no matter how good a safe you think you have, your opponent will find a way to pull something, a one in a million shot, out of their arse and stick it to you.

So...I like to play without an opponent in mind. Just me and the table, have a job to do, get 'er done. If that calls for a safe somewhere along the way, play the safe. If it calls for the runnout, go for the runnout. Your opponent is their to rack for you and pay half the time. No need to let him take your table time any more than you have to.
 
I try to play the right shot every time. Risk vs Reward. I grew up watching the old school players like Sigel, Hall, Varner, and Reyes. All of their shots generally were easy because of the shape they played. If they took a hard shot it was because the safety was equally hard to execute, and in that scenario you take the hard shot to give yourself a chance to win. Good thread!
 
They are better than me

You said good player. I am going to read into that I say "better player" as in better than I am. If this is the case then odds are they are better at safes and kicking out of safes better than I am. So I will typically play a little more aggressive. If I do find myself in a really difficult position I will attempt a lock up safe and hope for the chance to fight again.

Group Therapy
 
I honestly love it when weaker players try to play super conservative against me. I know that I have the best of it in a safety battle and they wont go for any flyers to add luck in to the game.

Against stronger players, I play to keep them from shooting as much as possible. If you have a difficult shot, just make it. Problem solved.
 
If I am playing someone that plays my speed or better, I play them like I would play against myself unless I can identify a significant weakness or strength or theirs to exploit or avoid. Against a significantly worse player, I will usually play more conservative and take advantage of their weaknesses, which usually means favoring weak defensive shots and two-way shots over aggressive shots where I could sell out, especially later in the rack (I'm assuming we're talking 9-ball here). If I'm giving up a spot and don't exploit my opponent's weaknesses, I'm missing the opportunity to make myself a favorite in the match.
 
softshot said:
if you let your opponent dictate your game... you have already lost
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Neil said:
I do. I look at it this way- If I'm trying to exploit his weaknesses, I have to let him get to the table. I have learned over the years, that no matter how good a safe you think you have, your opponent will find a way to pull something, a one in a million shot, out of their arse and stick it to you.

So...I like to play without an opponent in mind. Just me and the table, have a job to do, get 'er done. If that calls for a safe somewhere along the way, play the safe. If it calls for the runnout, go for the runnout. Your opponent is their to rack for you and pay half the time. No need to let him take your table time any more than you have to.
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I'll have to respectfully disagree with both of the above quotes.

Being mindful of your opponent and knowing their strengths and weaknesses is to your advantage and you should always take these things into consideration.
 
I hear "play the table" all the time, but I think there are certainly situations where your opponents abilities can play into your decision making. For instance, playing safe but leaving a makable jump shot. Some players I know can't jump well or at all, and some shoot the shot as if the jump was a straight in shot.
 
mohrt said:
I hear "play the table" all the time, but I think there are certainly situations where your opponents abilities can play into your decision making. For instance, playing safe but leaving a makable jump shot. Some players I know can't jump well or at all, and some shoot the shot as if the jump was a straight in shot.
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Yup...If I am 30% likely to make a bank and my opponent is 10% to make the bank I am gonna leave, well, she's gonna be making a trip to the table, cue in hand, bank on horizon.
 
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