When playing/practicing with a lower skilled player - Do you change your strategy?

C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As the proprietor/manager of our Poolroom, when I can, I try to take the opportunity to play with our lesser skilled regulars that love the game, when they are playing by themselves.

Every opportunity to play I consider as a practice session for myself, so I try not to change my strategy, regardless of who I am playing. Whether playing 8-ball or 9-ball, just as if I was playing in a tournament or a $ session against a legitimate opponent, I will play defensive shots/safeties, if I feel that is the proper play.

In doing so, in addition to practicing those skills for my own benefit, I’m trying to teach my opponent the correct way to play to maximize their chances to win the game, as opposed to attempting low percentage shots when a defensive shot is obviously the better play.

When doing this, I usually try to explain to them as to why, so that hopefully they will understand the concept of doing everything they can to try to win, even though this is not how these lesser skilled recreational players ever consider playing when they are playing each other.

Just curious as to what others here do when they are playing / practicing against lesser skilled players in a non-tournament, non-gambling situation?
 
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I definitely try stuff I shouldn't. I don't focus as much, etc.

It is nice to teach the weaker players things, but it does nothing for your game, imho.

That's why I look forward to playing in Vegas, or similar situations, where I know nothing about the player and try my hardest to win every single game. Not knowing their speed makes it MUCH easier for me to focus at the highest level/play correctly.
 
In competition, I never do. Anyone can win a game of 8 ball, much too easy to lose if you don't play your best game always. In practice, sure, it's fun to mess around.

-dj
 
It depends of if it's someone I'm mentoring or someone I'm just killing time with. If it's just killing time I'll just play straight offense.

Someone I'm mentoring gets to learn the value of a safety.
 
In a friendly practice game with a lesser skilled player I never play top speed. They aren't there to watch me run out. But I do like to use my time to practice stuff I want. Take this example from last week...

Playing an average league player who can on very rare occasions run out, I didn't mind giving him innings at the table and just massaging balls around to give myself an easier out once I need it. In the meantime, I challenged myself to make tough shots by deliberately playing shape to be shooting over a ball or wrong siding myself and turning a simple soft roll shot to the next ball into a stroke shot requiring a good amount of cue power. Even if I run out this way, the guy gets a show as opposed to a boring out comprised of a series of easy shots. I work on some stuff for my game, he gets more innings at the table and feels involved in the game...win-win. If a guy is going to pay for table, he might as well actually get to play and feel involved in racks.

When playing with a lower ranking student it is a different story and I try to model the right way to play for them. I may still try to give them extra innings, but I will let them know what I should do, before doing the thing that increases their chances to come to the table.
 
An interesting corollary to this question would be to ask, When playing a higher skilled player, do you want them to change their strategy when playing you?
I like playing against a couple of friends that are better, because it acts as a barometer of my own skills. I also like when they offer some tips or suggestions when I made poor decisions. I find that I often only get one or two solid changes/upgrades to my game in these sessions, but they feel like big steps forward.
 
WobblyStroke said:
In a friendly practice game with a lesser skilled player I never play top speed. They aren't there to watch me run out. But I do like to use my time to practice stuff I want. Take this example from last week...

Playing an average league player who can on very rare occasions run out, I didn't mind giving him innings at the table and just massaging balls around to give myself an easier out once I need it. In the meantime, I challenged myself to make tough shots by deliberately playing shape to be shooting over a ball or wrong siding myself and turning a simple soft roll shot to the next ball into a stroke shot requiring a good amount of cue power. Even if I run out this way, the guy gets a show as opposed to a boring out comprised of a series of easy shots. I work on some stuff for my game, he gets more innings at the table and feels involved in the game...win-win. If a guy is going to pay for table, he might as well actually get to play and feel involved in racks.

When playing with a lower ranking student it is a different story and I try to model the right way to play for them. I may still try to give them extra innings, but I will let them know what I should do, before doing the thing that increases their chances to come to the table.
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I find that if someone asks me to play they expect to be run out on. Many times they get upset if I don't take it serious. They didn't ask me to play to watch me fk around. Ymmv
 
couldnthinkof01 said:
I find that if someone asks me to play they expect to be run out on. Many times they get upset if I don't take it serious. They didn't ask me to play to watch me fk around. Ymmv
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Ye depends on the guy really. How social it is also weighs into it. About once a month I play a scotch doubles practice with a friend's league team. I get paired with an SL2 and can pretty much play as well as I can. When she's not there tho, I either play unnecessarily fancy of just take out my contacts.
 
I generally try spin/kicks/bank's etc to learn myself playing pool and when I was playing snooker I gave a generous overspot whether 6 reds or full rack to play the game and not the opponent.
 
ChrisinNC said:
As the proprietor/manager of our Poolroom, when I can, I try to take the opportunity to play with our lesser skilled regulars that love the game, when they are playing by themselves.

Every opportunity to play I consider as a practice session for myself, so I try not to change my strategy, regardless of who I am playing. Whether playing 8-ball or 9-ball, just as if I was playing in a tournament or a $ session against a legitimate opponent, I will play defensive shots/safeties, if I feel that is the proper play.

In doing so, in addition to practicing those skills for my own benefit, I’m trying to teach my opponent the correct way to play to maximize their chances to win the game, as opposed to attempting low percentage shots when a defensive shot is obviously the better play.

When doing this, I usually try to explain to them as to why, so that hopefully they will understand the concept of doing everything they can to try to win, even though this is not how these lesser skilled recreational players ever consider playing when they are playing each other.

Just curious as to what others here do when they are playing / practicing against lesser skilled players in a non-tournament, non-gambling situation?
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I try to crush them like a ripe grape.

The thing is that the few guys I play that are out of my weight class are the guys willing to take a beating but still pay attention. I can tell this because eventually they start shooting the same offensive patterns I tend to favor, as well as the defensive moves. All of that kinda pisses me off, especially when they put me a trap I've shown them, but at least I know they're learning.

The young guys that are looking at their phone while I'm shooting, unless it's for money, those guys don't get played again.

Lou Figueroa
 
ChrisinNC said:
As the proprietor/manager of our Poolroom, when I can, I try to take the opportunity to play with our lesser skilled regulars that love the game, when they are playing by themselves.

Every opportunity to play I consider as a practice session for myself, so I try not to change my strategy, regardless of who I am playing. Whether playing 8-ball or 9-ball, just as if I was playing in a tournament or a $ session against a legitimate opponent, I will play defensive shots/safeties, if I feel that is the proper play.

In doing so, in addition to practicing those skills for my own benefit, I’m trying to teach my opponent the correct way to play to maximize their chances to win the game, as opposed to attempting low percentage shots when a defensive shot is obviously the better play.

When doing this, I usually try to explain to them as to why, so that hopefully they will understand the concept of doing everything they can to try to win, even though this is not how these lesser skilled recreational players ever consider playing when they are playing each other.

Just curious as to what others here do when they are playing / practicing against lesser skilled players in a non-tournament, non-gambling situation?
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Glad to hear you make time for young and up N coming players in your area. I had a ton of help from our local legends over the years for sure. Keep it up good man.

I agree with your logic and I usually point out to lesser players that goofing off with friends or "bad practice" is worse than not even playing, too many bad habits come about...

With this said, I believe the "strategy" is winning and that within that lies many sub-strategies. One of these is playing weaker opponents. Ever play a tourney where a player much lesser than yourself gets every roll in the book and you continually find yourself in the "trees" after every miss? When I play these people I generally focus my Pool IQ to reduce the somewhat risks that I may go after against others, safety play when a runout presents itself to be advanced, or more precise pattern play, you get the drift, don't beat yourself. I'd like to also point this isn't about teaching the newbies, that's something different, and I don't think this would hold water in a real pro setting either, I mean look at the W9 rankings, the difference between 1 and 17, Ruiz and Chang, who's the weaker, who knows? Although my money would go on Chang in anything over 50... lol

I guess my point is I believe winning is a learned skill that requires many techniques or strategies. Like that tourney player who performs well in most events but wets the bed every time in heads up action, just hasn't figured out how to maintain that tourney game all around.

Anyway, have a good day.
 
For me to be appreciably better than someone, they have to be a beginner. So I don't usually go full bore (safeties, especially) unless they're woofing at me, or we've been doing this a while. I might try some more questionable shots than I would otherwise, which is a learning experience for me, too. But I will still be "trying", cuz as someone else pointed out, I can tell when a better player than me isn't giving it their all. The guy that taught pool to me would do that occasionally, and it ticked me off. After that, I think he spent his time trying to find ways to let up without letting me realize it ;)
 
No.

Play the table.

Which means, play safe if an open shot is too risky.
If there is an open table, run it out.
 
I remember playing a 430 FargoRate on a 9ft table.
The guy spends huge money and is a Predator fanbois.
Race to 10.

I am 8-0 up and he is swearing, carrying on...
He says "How am I going to get better if I don't get a shot or table time?"

I replied with "It ain't a game of charity mate. Practice more by yourself when you have 100% table time. Watch my shot selection, how I am running out. Instead of carrying on like a pork chop"

I ran the last two games to give him a 10-0 donut.

A year later, he is still a FargoRate 430 ish.
Don't be like this type of guy.
 
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