Tag Archives: play pool

(FAQ) Pool Sharking, Gamesmanship, & Other Mind Games

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First of all, let’s properly describe the term “sharking”. To people who lose, their first complaint (and justification for losing) was that they were sharked. Let’s set aside that notion immediately – you were not sharked when losing against someone of superior skill. You just didn’t have enough shooting competence, plain and simple. Continue reading →

(FAQ) What is Gamesmanship & Sharking?

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Random House Dictionary definitions:
gamesmanship – 1. the use of methods, esp. in a sports contest, that are dubious or seemingly improper but not strictly illegal. 2. the technique or practice of manipulating people or events so as to gain an advantage or outwit one’s opponents or competitors.

shark – 1. (v) to obtain by trickery. 2. (n) a person regarded as ruthless.

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(FAQ) Do you perform a post-shot routine?

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If you watch players compete, there is one habit that the winners consistently have in common. Those are the shooters who always stop after a shot and appear to be momentarily frozen in time. What they are really doing is going over their shot, comparing the new table layout with what they were attempting to achieve. These are the players that learn from their mistakes. Continue reading →

(FAQ) How do you find a good pool instructor?

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It is surprising, but the vast majority of pool players have never taken any kind of lesson from a qualified pool instructor – not even a basic check on their fundamentals. They will spend hundreds (even thousands) of dollars on a cool cue stick. They aren’t willing to spend $20, $50, or $100 for lessons that will improve their game for the rest of their lives. They are perfectly happy to go on for years and years (and years) believing they are just too intelligent to need an instructor. Continue reading →

(FAQ) How can your shooting game go wrong?

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When your shooting game goes off into failure-land and your shooting results begin to significantly deviate from your intentions, something has gotten out of kilter – usually your fundamentals. The problem is – how long does it take before you notice that something is wrong and take corrective action? Generally, by the time you do wake up, the game count is tough. You might recover – but the struggle to win becomes a low probability proposition. Continue reading →

(FAQ) What are some good excuses for missing a pool shot?

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Many players need to have some handy excuses after missing a pool shot. Of course, your opponents don’t care – they’re just happy you screwed up and let them come to the table. For railbirds, player excuses for a missed pool shot can be quite entertaining. As an audience, they always appreciate the more outrageous explanations for screwing up. Continue reading →

(FAQ) What does it take to become a really, really good pool player?

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For such a small physical area of contention, played under well-light with well-defined specifications, the game of pocket billiards has a level of complexity for players at every level. Continue reading →

(FAQ) Can a guy mix family life with his pool passion?

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When a guy has decided to advance the human race by getting married and starting a family – there is a major lifestyle change. If he was a dedicated player before tying the knot, he may abandon pool passion for love (at least for a few years). Whether you are able to carry your pool nights forward into your new relationship or you wait a few years and decide to get back in the game, a lot depends on the expectations of your spouse. Continue reading →

(FAQ) What happens when you apply English (side-spin) to the cue ball?

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English is side spin that the cue tip applies to the cue ball on contact. It can occur only if you hit the cue ball on the left or right side of the vertical center line. FYI, contacting the cue ball on the center vertical line is NOT English. And another FYI, English (British) players call this “side”. My preference is to call it “side spin”. The term is more accurate. If you are talking with any player influenced by the former British Empire (England, Canada, Ireland, India, Australia etc.) the use of “side spin” won’t cause confusion. (It also makes sense to any player anywhere on the planet.) Continue reading →

(FAQ) How do energy cycles affect your pool playing?

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As in nature, the underlying natural operations of the human body go through a series of up and down cycles that look very similar to the patterns of a sine wave (see example).

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