Tip Of The Week

Number: 30 Jim Tellier January 2012

TOPIC: The Most Important Shot of The Game

CATEGORY: All Skill Levels

INTRODUCTION:

[This is going to sound sappy on a certain level, but bear with me! Theres really something useful to take away from this! Capn Carom]

A surprising number of players tend to think that the 8-ball is the most important shot of the game. So much so, that they will approach it differently even nervously compared to all the shots that lead up to the end-game.

Others will say, well, the lag is most important since it will get you the break, and then, of course, the break becomes the next big shot.

But what does this kind of thinking really do to help anyone? I say: nothing!

TECHNIQUE:

The problem with putting too much importance on the lag, or the break, is this: if you mess it up, and things dont work out well youre planting the seeds of negative thought in your mind, which will grow during the game --- unless you do something to stop them. Thats fine. But why not just preclude them in the first place?

The strategy is simple: treat each and every shot with the same respect, care and effort think of each shot as the one that will allow me to win this game. By doing this, you free your subconscious mind to work on useful things, like technique, strategy, tactics and FUN! You dont put the pressure on yourself by having to build up to a big finale event, like sinking the 8-ball. Its just another ball!!!! Really!

One way that you can build this mentality is to practice just sinking balls forget about practicing 8-ball per se just run one ball after another. When you get into a real match, youll have to pay attention to stripes vs. solids, but subconsciously you will begin to view the process as theyre just balls, all I need to do is make one after another. Its a subtle thing, and I hope Im explaining it well enough that you can at least see the direction Im headed in.

Now, backing up a bit how many times have you ever approached the table, picked a shot, and thought to yourself, well, if I miss this its no big deal because ____ (fill in the blank)? Even when you have a situation where you believe that you have the upper hand (maybe your opponent has a couple of clusters to deal with, or for whatever reason, just wont be able to run the table), you need to treat every time you get at the table as valuable either improve your own situation, or make your opponents worse! If you dont do that, youre losing the initiative and it may end up costing you the game (or even the match).

Shoot well! Have fun doing it!