why have i been losing?

seanjonsean

seanjonsean

Otanisan Cues
Silver Member
hi all ,ive been practicing evryday on my 8 ft table 2 to 4 hours my practice is good i run out sometimes and i play diffrent games and i try diffrent things i feel good after i practice and feel im ready to play but for the last 2 weeks wen i do compete i barely manage a run out or i barely make 3 or 4 balls ,we do play on a b box and ive had mynerves under control, last night i played a 6 im a 4 and he won 4 games i won just 1 btw that win was good one cuz i had 3 balls and left myself frozen to the 8 so i had to go to a rail with throw so i wouldnt touch the 8 and i made it woo hoo but that was it i think i left my best game on that 8 lol , do u guys think im in a slump?
 
All I can suggest is analyze WHY you are losing , are you missing shots? are getting out of position? are you making balls on the break? are you playing the correct patterns? then when you get that figured out , work on that ONLY in your practice sessions until you feel comfortable you have it straightened out.
 
If your playing on an 8' and then turn around and play on a bar box, there is the problem, useualy the cue ball is heavier and that will have an impact on your game.

I suspect this unless they leave the side open where you can retrieve the cue ball after a scratch, if the cue ball returns by itself, its heavier than your used to on the 8' likely.

I am assuming the 8' is a drop pocket, I have played on 8' bar boxes, so I am quessing.


SPINDOKTOR
 
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What's a slump? Is that something the pool gods impose, for no reason, out of the blue and out of your control?

Take it easy. It'll all even out if you just relax and accept the bad rolls and accept you had a bad night. Practice does not imply you'll win... just that over time you'll improve.
 
that's called pressure. playing and practicing alone is much more different than playing with someone for real. you might say that you held your nerves, but in reality, you're not mentally prepared yet. try practicing with somebody or better yet, play with someone for real. I tell you, the feeling is much more different. ;)
 
Hail Mary Shot said:
that's called pressure. playing and practicing alone is much more different than playing with someone for real. you might say that you held your nerves, but in reality, you're not mentally prepared yet. try practicing with somebody or better yet, play with someone for real. I tell you, the feeling is much more different. ;)
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Agreed. I've recently ensured that my games are consistent throughout from practice and matches. Although my wins have been slightly been a bit out of phase, I know in time my matches will yield better results.
Also, if it's not nerves or execution, you might want to think about ur shot selection.
 
selftaut said:
All I can suggest is analyze WHY you are losing , are you missing shots? are getting out of position? are you making balls on the break? are you playing the correct patterns? then when you get that figured out , work on that ONLY in your practice sessions until you feel comfortable you have it straightened out.
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Yep. Might want to keep a small pocket notebook handy. I jot down notes that I can work onto the practice field. Of course, try to ensure that u jot the notes after ur match, or have someone close to u do it.
 
A few thoughts from a fellow APA'er

You may need to change your practice. If you're a typical APA SL4, then my guess is that you know where to hit a ball for pocketing, you have some cue control, but you lack consistency in bringing it all together.

If this sounds like you, then maybe you need to divide your practice into segments; Warm-Up, Stroke Technique, Shot Making, Position Play, Pattern Play and Run-Outs. Use some of your practice time as a golf would use the driving range. Spend about 10-15 minutes in any one area, then move on.

When you actually play against other players (either practice or matches), focus on your game/match strategy. Let your stroke just come to you. And by all means, keep notes of matches and practice.

Hope this helps!
 
I mean, don't get me wrong, I love winning just as much as the next guy but losing has an important role in the learning process. If you're losing, that means you're challenging yourself and what's more, losing makes you remember your mistakes.

I consider my ability to be an accummulation of losses. Every time I lose, I look to correct something and I've lost A LOT over the years. The improvements can be subtle but in time, you look back and realize the reasons you lost a year or so ago have disappeared. Of course, and here's the kicker, plenty of new reasons will then appear!
 
seanjonsean said:
hi all ,ive been practicing evryday on my 8 ft table 2 to 4 hours my practice is good i run out sometimes and i play diffrent games and i try diffrent things i feel good after i practice and feel im ready to play but for the last 2 weeks wen i do compete i barely manage a run out or i barely make 3 or 4 balls ,we do play on a b box and ive had mynerves under control, last night i played a 6 im a 4 and he won 4 games i won just 1 btw that win was good one cuz i had 3 balls and left myself frozen to the 8 so i had to go to a rail with throw so i wouldnt touch the 8 and i made it woo hoo but that was it i think i left my best game on that 8 lol , do u guys think im in a slump?
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Same here bro....just lost my third match in a row last night, 5-4....trying to figure it out myself.....I do have some personal stuff going on right now....also, caught myself with the following thought just before I played - "wonder if I'm gonna lose tonight"....realistically, it was over then and there....

My two cents.....on an 8 or 9 footer, it's more precision pool, the pockets are typically tighter, and usually there is less clutter....leave is specific....IMHO, success on a barbox is an ability to play most of your leaves the the center of the table....if you are in the center of the table, you'll have an easy cut or an easy bank....also, the pockets are typically huge, avoid scratches like the plague, that will kill you....practice your banks and leaving in the middle of the table, you should be fine...

Also, what were the levels of the players you played each week? If they were all 5's or 6's, it might be that you are just playing better players :confused:
 
seanjonsean said:
i played a 6 im a 4 and he won 4 games i won just 1
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I captain an APA team, and it's pretty rare for an APA SL4 to beat a solid APA SL6.

Assuming both shooters you speak of are correctly handicapped, a good APA SL4 is a good shot maker, but only a decent at best position player. Likewise, a good SL6 can break and run on a bar table, say, once every 10-15 games on average (just a guesstimate and point of reference, don't hold me to this!@#), and can be a very strong position player.

Even with a the APA handicap system in place, it's not all too common for a SL4 to knock off a SL6. The higher SL player always has the advantage here.

My point is? My point is that winning and losing has everything to do with who you are competing against. It's funny how things happen; I've been an APA SL5 for about a year, and was winning a lot, until guys on our team started going down in SL, and now I'm one one of the highest SL guys on the team (not the best guy, just the highest current SL somehow), and nw draw other teams SL6 and SL7s like I have the past couple of weeks. I can usually best a SL4 in a 4/3 race, but only get a single game against a SL6, who is normally a much stronger shooter than I am.
 
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mr hail mary shot i think u nailed it im gonna work on that,and i kno if i play a higher ranked person theresa chance of losing but this guy wasnt a better defensive player or safty player than me he did pocket balls ok but he missed more than me but i gave him ball in hand alot cuz i keep forgetting to hit a bloody rail! but wat i did notic is this guy had headphones on and he was playing with alot more attention than me ,heres a scenerio i had 4 balls left pcketed 2 and i miscued and cue balls flys off table ball in hand he beats me rookie mistake ,well i had been doing that a feww weeks ago and i corrected that prob well under presurre i forgot to get a tight grip on my bridge and miscued ,so thats one of the prob i had ,so looks like i need to work on a few inner things ...
 
When changing from your 8x4 to a bar box, I think that is going to throw off your game pretty bad. It may just be the new atmospeare that your adjusting too. Keep going to the place your compeating at and get used to the tables, after that I think you'll do just fine. BTW I am totally jelous that you can run racks! That's my current goal.
 
thnxz 8 ball , i started running racks id say bout 2 months ago its a weird feling wen u do run a rack ,after ure first one it starts happening more and more now evrytime i play its like a walk n the park but then the rookie mistakes that i havent made in come back to haunt me
 
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