Wouldn't Have Played it if I Were Gambling

[sjm]

How many times have you been playing some one and after a shot, either you or your opponent said “I wouldn’t have played that shot in a tournament or if we were gambling?” When my opponent says it, it always bothers me, because I want their best game, and I’m not of the opinion I should have to gamble to get it. When I say it, I can't help but wonder why I'm not playing my highest percentage game.

This, for me, raises the question: Assuming you’re not stalling, why play any differently during a practice match than in a tournament or gambling match? If I’m practicing for a tournament or for an action game, doesn’t it make the most sense if I play the same game with which I’ll soon compete?

I’ve heard people say that it’s OK to try shots you are working on in practice matches, but I feel that features should be added and shots developed during one’s solo practices, and gradually integrated into one’s game as these shots become within one’s comfort zone. When one plays a practice match, I believe, they should always play their highest percentage game. It is fully understood that what constitutes one’s highest percentage game will change over time as skills develop and features are added.

And so, my fellow posters, what are your views on whether one should play at their highest speed in a practice match?

 

[LastTwo]

How many times have you been playing some one and after a shot, either you or your opponent said “I wouldn’t have played that shot in a tournament or if we were gambling?” When my opponent says it, it always bothers me, because I want their best game, and I’m not of the opinion I should have to gamble to get it. When I say it, I can't help but wonder why I'm not playing my highest percentage game.

This, for me, raises the question: Assuming you’re not stalling, why play any differently during a practice match than in a tournament or gambling match? If I’m practicing for a tournament or for an action game, doesn’t it make the most sense if I play the same game with which I’ll soon compete?

I’ve heard people say that it’s OK to try shots you are working on in practice matches, but I feel that features should be added and shots developed during one’s solo practices, and gradually integrated into one’s game as these shots become within one’s comfort zone. When one plays a practice match, I believe, they should always play their highest percentage game. It is fully understood that what constitutes one’s highest percentage game will change over time as skills develop and features are added.

And so, my fellow posters, what are your views on whether one should play at their highest speed in a practice match?

No matter how hard I try, it is impossible for me unless something is on the line. That's only when I am just shooting around with someone (which I rarely do). Many people tell me that it is bad for your game to just shoot around for nothing. Unless you can totally focus and take everything seriously, I can understand why. In all honesty, I just hate to do it. Whenever a friend asks me to play, I usually say no. If I say yes, which is on a rare occasion, usually at first I am focused, since I am trying to be, but I just don't have that desire to win when it's for nothing. That causes me to become bored, and I lose focus, and stop playing seriously. Doing that can develop alot of bad habits. When I practice by myself (which I love to do) I always try to imagine that I am playing Efren. Sometimes 5 hours can go by and it only feels like 1. Yes, I've tried to imagine that the other person is Efren, but it's hard to do when they miss alot more often than he does.

 

[Side Pocket Kid]

I had that same problem. People always bothered me and never brought the best out of me. It was hard for me to pocket balls with players that couldnt sink in a striaght in shot, but when a really good player steps up I run the table.

Try to get the book A Mind for Pool by philip capelle, it brings the very best out of you and it helps you focus your mind on the table.

Helped me a lot... should help everyone else out the same.

 

[wayne]

And so, my fellow posters, what are your views on whether one should play at their highest speed in a practice match?

I, for one, could care less if me or my opponent plays their highest speed in a practice match. I can understand for some that it makes a difference but it makes absolutely no difference at all to me. In fact, if I am practicing for some reason with a weaker opponent, I am more likely to let them win, it may make them feel better and makes no difference to me. Also, I am going to be freewheeling, shooting low percentage shots rather than playing safe, going for everything both shotwise and position wise. I am certainly not going to go out of my way to make a kickshot, whereas, in a serious match (tournament or money) I am going to work a lot harder at it.

Wayne

 

[BeeMan]

When playing with friends for nothing, I always bring my best game..
However, I do try out more risky shots, for example, if I was playing a difficult shot in a tournament, I would play safe....But if faced with the same shot among a friendly game, I would tend to go for the 2/3/4 rail kick/bank....masse...whatever.

 

[Gerald]

I agree. I will definitely try a more difficult shot when playing with a friend. This is how I try to work new shots into my overall game.

 

[Snapshot9]

practice shots

I don't play practice matches, I only shoot for money unless it is league play, and I always bring my best game unless I am 2 speeds above or more and want to hustle a little.

Practice shots are for when you practice alone ..... period ... When you can go back and shoot it over and over until you know it backwards and forwards ...

Everytime you match up, it is a competition of one sort or another ... Do you think Basketball teams try something new in a game they haven't practiced by themselves ... of course not, and you should not either ... unless you are in a situation where you just don't know what to do and you are trying a 'hail Mary' solution just for the hell of it ...

"If you know yourself and your opponent, you will win most of your battles. If you know only yourself, you will win about half of your battles. If you do not know yourself or your opponent, you will lose almost all of your battles"

Sun Tzu (The foremost strategist that ever lived) from his book called
The Art of War)

Poolplayers could learn more about how to win by reading his book
than they could on the Pool table. Playing Good Pool and being
able to win most of your matches are not always the same thing.
How you think about the game and each shot selection is
extremely important plus knowing your opponents capabilities.
How many times have you lost because you made that one
mistake? Well, making that one mistake is what your opponent
counts on when playing you. What you need to work on is not
making that one mistake whether it is your break, your bad
banking, or not being able to go 2 or 3 rails and get shape. Why
continue using a 9 ball break that only leaves you a 1 ball shot
10% of the time? Find one that makes a ball and at least leaves
you a 1 ball shot 50% or greater of the time. The better you get,
the more your negative aspects of the game show up and will
defeat you. Work on individual aspects of the game until you
master each one, and then put them all together for a good
overall game. And figure it out, that a 70% safety is better than
a 15% shot if you want to win, especially when playing someone
that is better than you.