Your progression from New/D player to...

[midnightpulp]

to B+ and beyond.

Since me and many others on here aspire to reach a high level in this game, I'd like to ask the better players out there how they progressed. When and how did it all come together? What were some of the hurdles experienced? How long did it take before you were at a high level on your home table and a high level in competition?

Personally, I was a strong B at about 17. Grew up my whole life with the table I currently play on, which is fortunately a quality 9 foot Brunswick Heirloom.


Played nothing but 8 ball in my pre-teen years. I was good for my age, but didn't really have an understanding of the game: position, the effects of English, etc... Just a pure shot maker, but consistently would run 3 to 4 balls and good enough to beat my Uncles and such, unless they were letting me win

At 10, my Dad stored our table at my Uncle's house to clear space in the garage to restore a 37 Chevy, so I got no table time for about 3 years.

When we got the table back (the car never got done) an older neighbor introduced me to 9 ball. I of course knew the game from TV, but never spent anytime with it. I hated it at first, because you had to play in rotation and I was clueless about position, so I would be lucky to run 3+ balls.

But I played and played, figuring things out on my own, using more English, watching the game on TV.

From 13 to 14, my game got quickly better. In my first summer before highschool, I played nothing but 9 ball and got to the point where I was able to consistently run 4 to 6 balls, if the lay out was favorable.

In that summer, I discovered Francisco Galindo's room a few blocks away. I wasn't a pool hall rat, but went down there a few times a week. My game got better and better, and I finally got my first 9 ball run in a game against a buddy on one of Francisco's Gold Crowns - a cool feeling.

And from then on, I just practiced. My comprehensive regimen was playing racks of 9 ball against myself. Looking back, for an aspiring player, this is like banging your head against the wall.

Still, I got pretty good. I started entering small tournies. In my first tourney, I beat a C+, B- player (I was deemed a C and got one on the wire). In my next match, I got the handicap again, until the player I just beat spoke up and said "that kid's good." So my game on the wire was deleted.

I lost my next match, but felt pretty good.

I steadily progressed throughout the next couple of years. The thing that helped the most was carefully watching players on TV, burning their play into my subconscious.

My game reached its highest point at 17. I was now able to break and run out, run out tough racks, more creative, etc. My basic offensive game, minus jump shot and banks, was at an A level. But since I was lacking a great break, safety play, kicking, and dealing with pressure, I was still a B. But I figured I would learn those, no problem. Encouraged by a 3rd place finish in one of the tournies (blew an easy 9 to get to the Finals. I would've lost anyway, since the first finalist was short-stop speed, but still...) I made it a goal to be a pro by my 20s.

Then I started getting into the social thing more heavily: girls, parties, raves, and slowly fell out of the game and haven't played seriously ever since. I think my last break and run in 9 ball on a 9ft was 3 years ago. (Last break and run in 8 ball, two days ago )

I'm 27 now, obviously not as good as I was, but much, much smarter about the game, and with the asset of all the information about the game that is so easily available, I hope to be an A player before 30.

Hope this doesn't bore anybody. Got carried away with nostalgia, but I would love to hear how you guys have progressed. Even if you've came from total ignorance about the game, barely able to hold a cue, and have reached a C level.

Thanks for reading.

 

[imissedthe9]

to B+ and beyond.

Since me and many others on here aspire to reach a high level in this game, I'd like to ask the better players out there how they progressed. When and how did it all come together? What were some of the hurdles experienced? How long did it take before you were at a high level on your home table and a high level in competition?

Personally, I was a strong B at about 17. Grew up my whole life with the table I currently play on, which is fortunately a quality 9 foot Brunswick Heirloom.


Played nothing but 8 ball in my pre-teen years. I was good for my age, but didn't really have an understanding of the game: position, the effects of English, etc... Just a pure shot maker, but consistently would run 3 to 4 balls and good enough to beat my Uncles and such, unless they were letting me win

At 10, my Dad stored our table at my Uncle's house to clear space in the garage to restore a 37 Chevy, so I got no table time for about 3 years.

When we got the table back (the car never got done) an older neighbor introduced me to 9 ball. I of course knew the game from TV, but never spent anytime with it. I hated it at first, because you had to play in rotation and I was clueless about position, so I would be lucky to run 3+ balls.

But I played and played, figuring things out on my own, using more English, watching the game on TV.

From 13 to 14, my game got quickly better. In my first summer before highschool, I played nothing but 9 ball and got to the point where I was able to consistently run 4 to 6 balls, if the lay out was favorable.

In that summer, I discovered Francisco Galindo's room a few blocks away. I wasn't a pool hall rat, but went down there a few times a week. My game got better and better, and I finally got my first 9 ball run in a game against a buddy on one of Francisco's Gold Crowns - a cool feeling.

And from then on, I just practiced. My comprehensive regimen was playing racks of 9 ball against myself. Looking back, for an aspiring player, this is like banging your head against the wall.

Still, I got pretty good. I started entering small tournies. In my first tourney, I beat a C+, B- player (I was deemed a C and got one on the wire). In my next match, I got the handicap again, until the player I just beat spoke up and said "that kid's good." So my game on the wire was deleted.

I lost my next match, but felt pretty good.

I steadily progressed throughout the next couple of years. The thing that helped the most was carefully watching players on TV, burning their play into my subconscious.

My game reached its highest point at 17. I was now able to break and run out, run out tough racks, more creative, etc. My basic offensive game, minus jump shot and banks, was at an A level. But since I was lacking a great break, safety play, kicking, and dealing with pressure, I was still a B. But I figured I would learn those, no problem. Encouraged by a 3rd place finish in one of the tournies (blew an easy 9 to get to the Finals. I would've lost anyway, since the first finalist was short-stop speed, but still...) I made it a goal to be a pro by my 20s.

Then I started getting into the social thing more heavily: girls, parties, raves, and slowly fell out of the game and haven't played seriously ever since. I think my last break and run in 9 ball on a 9ft was 3 years ago. (Last break and run in 8 ball, two days ago )

I'm 27 now, obviously not as good as I was, but much, much smarter about the game, and with the asset of all the information about the game that is so easily available, I hope to be an A player before 30.

Hope this doesn't bore anybody. Got carried away with nostalgia, but I would love to hear how you guys have progressed. Even if you've came from total ignorance about the game, barely able to hold a cue, and have reached a C level.

Thanks for reading.

hang in there and keep practicing :]

17 when i started 19 now and am a A player

but ive spent my last 2 years practically living in a pool hall

 

[midnightpulp]

Thanks.

Looking back, I wished I lived in that pool hall.

Pretty quick progression for you. When you started, were you totally new, or did you have a little stroke and just needed to become smarter about the game?

You stick with it as well. Don't, I repeat, do not get distracted by a girlfriend, unless she digs your lifestyle

 

[Mark Avlon]

Since me and many others on here aspire to reach a high level in this game, I'd like to ask the better players out there how they progressed. When and how did it all come together? What were some of the hurdles experienced? How long did it take before you were at a high level on your home table and a high level in competition?

How long depends on your sources of information and how well you practice.

I was a ball banger for many years before I found Robert Bryne's Standard Book of Pool and Billiards. I learned many things, but I still wasn't winning as many games as I though I should. I then took my first lesson from a well respected BCA instructor. The three day lesson changed my game dramatically. I hadn't known what I didn't know. My mechanics were poor. I practiced, and still practice, what I learned so that it is there without thinking about it. Fixing my mechanics greatly improved my accuracy and consistency, and I was winning those games.

Find a qualified instructor to help you get started on the right track. You might be surprised what it will do for you.

 

[softshot]

I started at 7 years old. My grandfather used to bartend at the local VFW on Sunday mornings and would bring me along to basically give my mom a break.

The game was 14.1 on an old beat up 9' I would watch and play with grizzled old WWII vets who had cue ball control that would drop Mosconi's jaw. If I hit hard they'd smack me in the back of the head and say shoot soft and follow through. if I tried a bank or kick they'd smack me in the back of the head and say the rails are there to keep the balls from falling on the floor. if you need a rail to make a ball then its your mistake for getting out of position.

later once I could shoot straight they began showing me how to use the rails to get position. but never to sink a ball.

one of my friends had a smaller table in his basement and we would play everyday. mostly goofing off at first then more seriously as we both got better. but Sunday mornings with grandpa were like school that I actually wanted to go to. We did that till I was 14.

My Teen years were spent at an arcade that had a couple barboxes and the game was 8 ball. but no one ever wanted to play me because I kept running out. They got sick of paying to watch me shoot pool.

I finally just stopped trying to get games. I would play straight pool with grandpa once in a while but his health was deteriorating and those games became few and far between. and I eventually just stopped playing. except for the occasional bar game.

Fast forward to 2006 Grown man 36 years old and a friend was looking for players for his VNEA 8-ball team. so I said yea what the hell. I got spanked my first season ended the year with a 6 average, worst on the team.

I decided I needed to get my stroke back and began practicing 2 hours a day. I now am a 9 average and playing the best pool of my life. as soon as I can get a home table up and running my boys have a few smacks to the back of the head in their future LOL

I feel bad that the game those old men taught me is all but gone and even when it is played its rarely played Old School style like I was taught.

Its a shame the game of pool has degenerated into Jack'em and smack'em 9ball with 4 rail position and 6 rail kicks. almost none of todays top players could even carry the cue's of the old straight pool masters. The only one I see holding his own would be Efren and he'd be middle of the pack.

sorry for the length I had some time to kill LOL

 

[Russ Chewning]

I feel bad that the game those old men taught me is all but gone and even when it is played its rarely played Old School style like I was taught.

Its a shame the game of pool has degenerated into Jack'em and smack'em 9ball with 4 rail position and 6 rail kicks. almost none of todays top players could even carry the cue's of the old straight pool masters. The only one I see holding his own would be Efren and he'd be middle of the pack.

sorry for the length I had some time to kill LOL

Sigh.... This is the way of things.. The older generation grows up with things a certain way... Things change, and in the eyes of the older man, are automatically worse.

It takes a lot of skill, sir.. On some of those 4 rail position shots.. To those that know the game of 9 ball, it is just as beautiful a game.

I started out with 8 ball myself, progressed to 9 ball, and actually did play some 14.1. One thing I do know, is that 14.1 is notinherently harder than 9 ball, it just requires a different set of skills. Yes, 3 and 4 rail position is quite often necessary. If the old 14.1 masters can show me a consistent way to get back down table 8 feet for the next ball by using one rail, then I am all for it..

Russ

 

[softshot]

Sigh.... This is the way of things.. The older generation grows up with things a certain way... Things change, and in the eyes of the older man, are automatically worse.

It takes a lot of skill, sir.. On some of those 4 rail position shots.. To those that know the game of 9 ball, it is just as beautiful a game.

I started out with 8 ball myself, progressed to 9 ball, and actually did play some 14.1. One thing I do know, is that 14.1 is notinherently harder than 9 ball, it just requires a different set of skills. Yes, 3 and 4 rail position is quite often necessary. If the old 14.1 masters can show me a consistent way to get back down table 8 feet for the next ball by using one rail, then I am all for it..

Russ

I respect your position on this, but all American pocket billiards games are derivatives of straight pool. I'll put it this way in 9ball if you run 9 balls you did well.. in straight pool if you run only 9 balls you probably don't belong there competing you need a lot more practice. I understand the rotation and achieving difficult position on some shots, but in all honesty the "acceptable landing area" for most 9 ball shots is 2-4 square feet. in straight pool it can be a few square inches to as small as a dime.

Another example all the 9 ball players bent out of shape over the soft break the soft break in 9ball is what the old timers called finding the dead one. The cluster (rack) is consistent so the dead ball is also consistent. just shows you that just one of the "different skills" in straight pool can reduce nine ball to a pretty boring game.

I'd be willing to bet that only a small percentage of AZB'ers would be able to find the dead ball in a 12 or 13 ball cluster.

I get 9 ball I really do I play it as part of my usual rotation in practice ( I play a different game every day) it has lessons that improve one's overall game. but it is not a champions game never was intended to be. its a fast paced gambling game for mid level players.

I have more respect for a 7' 8 ball champion than I do for a 9 ball champion.

 

[RiverCity]

I grew up playing in bars at a very young age. Ran my first rack of 8 ball before I was 10, and remember that feeling well.
Same kinda thing, started by learning to pocket balls and got good at it..... but hadnt learned the first thing about position. My grandpa was a rotation player who taught me about playing position, and the easiest ways to do so. Early teen years, I got into 9 ball, and dreamed of getting good enough to beat guys like Varner, Sigel and Earl...... hasnt happened yet. But Ill be on the lookout for their best game when they are in their 80s-90s and on canes and walkers...... I may have a chance at that point
Chuck

 

[CreeDo]

wtf long

pretty cool thread

I used to work at a KFC and had a buddy named Dan. He was heavily into the church and 'soulwinning' and you couldn't cuss around him. He played pool at our local pool hall, which has a good rep as a place you can bring your kids because it's run by a super nice devout mormon. Coincidentally it used to be a church. So that's probably why Dan felt cool going there. And one day he dragged me and some other friends along.

We banged 'em around on the bar box (we took too long to finish a rack to play on the big hourly tables) and I felt like I might have a knack for it. I got a little credit from my friends for getting as good as them pretty quickly. That means maybe making two balls instead of one, lol. So I decided I wanted to give a serious shot at playing pool.

That's probably how anyone gets good at something... they do it just a tiny bit better than the average beginner, but some friends or family notice and pump them up about it a little, and they decide they want to take it to an even higher level to keep that feeling.

Around this time, my dad took me into the pool hall once and acted impressed (or was impressed, but probably he just wanted to encourage me). Weirdly he never came with me again, and I don't think he played much when he was younger. He wasn't aware of 8 ball and 9 ball and I had to explain the rules to him. Anyway I was already hooked at this point and I got my first pool book, the 99 Critical Shots. That's when I started to get really competitive about it.

I already had an idea of what it meant to be competitive and good at something, I used to be a little video gaming freak who played first the Street Fighter games and later the Virtua Fighter series. I got into newsgroups, then a forum like this one, and got serious about it and travelled to canada and around the USA to meet with other serious players. We played in informal gatherings and in tournaments.

So I wanted to apply the same thinking to pool and I found it worked pretty well for me. Focus, playing well under pressure, and creativity seem to translate across the board. My buddies and I didn't really gamble but for a short time, poker pool became a hit at the pool hall and the real shooters were playing it on 9 footers, so we played for a quarter per card. I discovered that the instant any money was on the game, whether it was enough to care about or not, I played really hard and got really pissed if I failed. I also got the shakes even though I was playing for like a dollar, lol. To this day I don't gamble much but I don't shake really anymore and I don't flip out when I lose. But you can still rattle me by whispering "dollar" just before I shoot =) Around this time I got hustled for the first time, getting 20 in a race to 100 in straight pool against a guy who could have given me 70 and still won. Later I got hustled again getting the 8 from a guy who I really needed the 7 from. I beat him once, got beat, then got beat again and pulled up. Later I found out he didn't have a dime.

At this point the pool hall owner was already helping me, answering my questions, and teaching me, and I would try to talk my buddies into the 9 footers, because that's what I'd train on. I'd say I got to maybe C level, then maybe B. I ran my first rack of 8 ball and hardly ever played 9 ball despite seeing it on TV. I decided early on that any game where you didn't call shots was crap, and I was pretty opinionated about it... tho I lightened up and came to understand later. I remember my first 8 ball run but not the first 9b.

So then I met my future wife after she broke up with my buddy Dan, who was starting to get less religious and starting to have trouble keeping it in his pants. We dated for 2 years and I played less and less. Then we moved so we could be closer to school and I ended up playing less because the nearest pool hall was further away and less fun. In fact it was outright depressing. Then we moved to another state and that pool hall was better but even further away, and I didn't have many friends to shoot there. My game was stagnating at B level. I'd already burned through a bunch of other pool books, understood english decently, and ran out every so often, but there was no competitive spirit and my wife was riding me pretty hard to get out of the pool hall.

After we got married I more or less took a 3 year break from pool. Of course, I say that like I literally didn't play, but it probably only felt that way. In reality I probably dropped from 6 days a week to 1 day a week, or once every other week. Whatever, it wasn't enough. She and I eventually split and I started coming in all the time again, and now I'm back up to 5-6 days a week. I guess being single has its advantages, but it's a shame I can't apparently have both a stroke and a sex life =P

I just sort of very gradually over 2 years went from B to A and now I put up two packs pretty much every night, occasional 3 packs in 8 ball. I'm happy with my level and I'm glad I never turned into one of those guys who shoots and says "yeah, I used to be really good" or who feel like they've reached their limit in skill. I feel like I'm still slowly getting better and I'm enjoying my time at the table.

K that was long, thanks for reading if you got this far. You can pass out now.

 

[midnightpulp]

Thanks Creedo for taking the time to write that!

I hope to read more of these type of detailed stories.

PS. I'm a big fan of the VF series as well. However, I don't have a PS2, so never got a chance to play EVO; nor do I have any of the Next Gen systems to play VF5. I was lurking around Virtua Fighter.com a few months ago and felt totally stupid at what expert players can do, how they use frame data, etc... It's a shame Tekken is the mainstream darling as VF is infinitely deeper.

 

[gromulan]

I first played pool when I was about 9 or 10, but I first walked into a poolroom when I was 16. I don't remember exactly why my friends and I decided to go to the place, but from that night on I was hooked. I think I just loved the look of all the tables lined up in a perfect row and the musky smell that reminded me of all of the battles that must have taken place over the years.

Anyways, I was pretty much a banger for a while, then I got a book from the library on pool and snooker and started to improve. For the next four years or so, whenever I wasn't sleeping or working, I was in the pool hall either playing or watching. I'm not exactly sure when I hit the 'A' level (probably when I was about 21 or so when I cashing fairly regularly in tournaments) but no matter how good I felt like I was playing it was never good enough for me. I was obsessed with finding new shots and better strokes, and eventually I started moving around looking for more and better competition. Fifteen years later I've stopped moving and I still feel the obsession to get better, even though I could probably give my 21-year-old self the seven ball.

Hell of a ride, now that I look back at it. Lot of hours spent in pool rooms. Lot of hours watching people play, not just the good players, but the weak ones too. Lots of time at home watching tapes or just thinking about the game. Not 100% obsession but for sure an unbridled passion. I'm still not totally sure it was worth it, but I sure got to see a lot of neat things and meet a lot of neat people.

 

[skiflyer]

I feel bad that the game those old men taught me is all but gone and even when it is played its rarely played Old School style like I was taught.

Where do you play? I was playing in Manhattan recently and everyone who wasn't on a date or playing a league game was playing straight pool.

Chicago, where I live, can't get a straight pool game to save my life... though through this board I've found a club that plays it and am hoping to check it out next week.

The game is not dead, it's just that pool has always been a regional sport and depending where you live you're going to find different local rules (in the kitch vs. ball in hand... sink the 8 for a win or a loss or a re-rack) or just completely different games. Personally, I hate 9 ball, but that's just cause I'm really bad at it... it's a great game if you play it well (which I used to, hoping to get back to form, since I think that a good player can play all the games... remember Fast Eddie playing billiards?)

 

[SPINDOKTOR]

My progression soared when I started to travel, it seemed I learned something from every player I encountered... I was all over the place, seeking people to dominate, whats really strange is that it seemed the harder I played and the more I won the more help was offered.. I also at the age of 18 had the oportunity to run a small game room with total access to coin op 7's all day, and I practiced hard, I even created a trick Shot or two...


I did seek instruction when I first started playing, I learned the importance of a solid foundation, aiming fundamentals, and mind set, while out there visiting every nook and crany I could find, I did test myself as well as my fundamentals to the limmit. I didnt subject myself to emotion, and playing people I didnt know was a huge help.


SPINDOKTOR

 

[KMRUNOUT]

Here is the quick summary:

Age 20: Begin going to the local bar illegally. Pool was the game in the back. There was the bangers table, the so-so table, and the "experts" table. I played every time I was there and showed some aptitude. Played when I saw a pool table, but didn't really "go out to play pool"

Age 22ish: Was asked to join the APA team for above bar. Stared as a SL3. So was able to hold on to the "expert" table for a night, thus causing me to re-evaluate my concept of "expert". Spent about 1-2 seasons at SL3, moved up to 4.

Within a couple of years after that: Became interested and read eveything I could on pool. Bought my own cue, a fabulous Brunswick (manufactured by Joss) that I still think plays 1/2 way decent today for $96. Began winning consistently and moved up to 5. Soon bought a Samsara cue and took some lessons.

Around 25-26: Had moved up to a 6 and bought a table for my house. Worked on drills a LOT. Developed a good power break, stong stroke, etc. Did lots of drills for everything. Began playing competetive 9-ball. (I had primarily played only 8 ball to that point.)

Soon after that: Moved up to a 7, began to dominate my league, started playing in more weekly 9-ball tournaments. At this stage, I was almost ready to be a B player. Realized that I needed to stop missing. Purchased "Pocket Pro" pocket reducers.

Soon after that: got over the frustration of missing with the pocket reducers and developed the ability to accurately pocket balls. Soon became a good B player.

Around age 32-now (age 34): Have progressed to a strong B player, frequently play at A speed. About to be an A player. Have been refining my control, shot selection, position routes, and MENTAL GAME. The mental game is currently my biggest limiting factor. If I could rememeber to try my hardest on every shot, I would be an A player.

That's my story,

Kerry

 

[Jimbojim]

wow memories!


First time I ever held a cue I was about 11 years old and played with my dad at the arcade on a 7'. I used to live with my mother back then so every 2 week-end I would go visit my dad and every saturday he would bring me to the arcade and gave me 5$ worth of quarters and let me play while he was gambling his paycheck money on the poker machines (really bad). I met some other kids there playing too and I started having fun with them while playing pool.

At 12 years old I moved to my father's place and started to go to highschool. I arrived late at the school ( one or 2 weeks late) so I didn't have any friends and I was shy so I quickly became a reject and was getting beaten up at school. Ultimately to avoid the violence towards me, I found a place to hide after school so they wouldn't find me, it was a youth center and in the basement they had a pool table so I stayed there monday to friday playing pool for free until 3pm to 6pm(waiting for my father to finish work). You had to put your name on a board and it was winner stays on the table and I clearly remember that I stayed from 3 to 6 undefeated sometimes but I was just a shot maker and trying to put a backspin on every shot to impress people.


I did that for 2 years and then I moved back with my mom because I didn't like the town. From 14 years old to 22 I played casually once a month and one day (2 years ago) I woke up and decided that I would like to play more seriously and that night I went to play with my roommate and I met one of his colleague and I told him that I would like to play more seriously like 4 times a week and learn. He was like 'Oh yeah? I just had a lesson with Danny Hewitt and I played like for 6 hours today practicing what he gave me to do, I love pool! I replied ' Lucky you, I don't know any serious player that I could practice with' he said 'well I'm here' We exchanged email and phone number and we started to play regularly together, talking for hours o n msn about pool, watch pool movies or videos on youtube.

Initially he was better than me but I caught up with him really fast and I started to take lessons with Danny too and soon was winning a lot more often against my new friend. Over these part 2 years we practiced like crazy and I watched A LOT of pro matches on the internet or would go hangout with the pros and other good players at the skratch and play with them. I started to make some money in handicaped weekly 9ball tournament at the local poolhall and joined the federation in the C class (C-B-A-AA-AAA-Semi-Pro). This year I won the provincial championship in the B class and bubbled right before the money in A class.