Diagram of an Important Shot

I was watching a stream a couple of months ago.  Mostly because I was trying to see someone in the crowd, lol, not because I am still interested in watching pool.  Don't be shocked, friends!

But I'm glad I tuned in, though, as a great benefit came out of that.

I was watching a young player, I think from Mexico, who kept running racks.  I noticed he was deep in the tourney, and also the player he was beating was a top player, so I already knew he could play just based on the unexpected score of a guy I've never heard of, lol.

What I am about to point out is something I didn't learn for the first 15 years of playing pool.  I want to stress that this is VERY important, yet I had never been shown, told, or knew this for the first 15 years.

Now, I'm not saying it propelled me straight to earning trophies my very next tournament, but what it did do was give me a much better appreciation for the decision for shape and it DID help me immensely.  It makes so much sense and has helped me out so much, I sure wish I knew this earlier than 15 years into my pool journey, lol.

I remember distinctly I was just hitting a rack of 9 ball at Rusty's in Arlington one afternoon and one of the top players says, after I shoot the 8 ball, "Hey, why not shoot the 8ball instead like this, so the cue ball can come "into" the 9 ball."  And then he showed me what he meant.  My boyfriend at the time was standing there and he didn't say anything, but a HUGE lightbulb showed up above my head.  Ahhhhhhh!   HUGE learning experience.

And, when I saw this particular shot on the stream, it reminded me of that day about 7 years ago, and I have been itching to share this with you all!

So, as I hope you all do, too, as I was watching the stream, I think about what I would do or what I should shoot or how, while watching them play.

So, the guy gets to something like this:

And I presume he's going to either stun back for the 7 ball or go to the rail and come back to where he is about in a straight line with the 7 ball.

And then he would just draw back for the 9 ball.

But!  He surprised me and did something else.  Before you scroll more, what other option would you do?  Or, would you do the way I envisioned?

Don't cheat!  What would you do?

















Okay....

So what he did was just as I described in the intro about "coming into the next ball."  (that I had obviously forgot about lol.)  There are several benefits to this I will mention below, but let's see what he did that was smarter than my initial thoughts, too:

Instead of getting straight on the 7 ball to draw back for the 9 ball, he instead got UNDERNEATH the 7 ball to give him a good angle, something like this:

He then made the 7 ball and the cueball went to the top rail, side rail, and then down toward the 9 ball (ie, INTO the next ball).

I can't recall exactly where the balls were, but you get the drift of what I'm trying to show I hope.

"Coming into the next ball" is a more NATURAL way to get position.  Further, let's look at pros and cons:

Cons if you try and get straight on the 7:

• You may not get straight in the 7 ball and then have to maneuver the cue ball more than you expected.
• Drawing from the 7, you could over draw or under draw and then have a tough shot on the 9
• Or, drawing from the 7 you could even scratch in the side.

Pros of going three rails Into the 9ball:

• Less chance of scratching
• You have an entire area to shoot from as the cueball moves down the table, for a good shot on the 9ball
• Shooting 3 rails to get to the 9ball is a NATURAL pattern.  Drawing is not really a natural flow.  You aren't forcing anything or risking with draw, it's all natural rolling of the cueball.
• It's much easier to control a 3-rail shot than it is draw.  
• You have a larger area for the cue ball if it's going INTO the 9 ball.  With draw, the area to shoot from is much smaller.

Coming into the 9 ball like this guarantees you shape on the 9 ball.  Drawing is risky and doesn't guarantee you anything.

Sure, drawing it doesn't mean you will lose or miss, right?  BUT - going three rails ensure you will have a good shot left for the 9 ball. 

I'm probably not stating this all correctly, easy, or using the correct vernacular, but I hope my points came across.  

If you don't believe me....how about you set this shot up and try each way 10 times each.  See which one you can get on the 9 ball easiest, which gives you better shape, and which one gives you more confidence.

I bet I know the answer already!

ENJOY!!  

Mobile App for Showing Your Shots

There have been several options to show your friends a shot.

I have written about a few before:

• Napkin - link
• Drawing on your phone - link
• Online website - see an example I posted in another blog entry here

And there have been printed little notebooks, too.

And of course, now, there is an app for that.

If you haven't been shown this yet by any friends, let me introduce you to Shot Pad.

(Click image to enlarge)

You can download from any playstore via any mobile phone or device.

It's very easy to move the balls around and draw lines.  It also allows you to save the diagram to your gallery.  It's really cool!

Here is what the logo looks like, so you make sure the download the correct Shot Pad:

And here is an example of showing a shot:

 Enjoy!

What would You Do? Hill-Hill Shot

This was one of the shots, HILL-HILL, during my Sunday League playoffs, in the Finals!

What Would You Do?

My team was stripes.  Our opponent was at the table on the 8-ball.  He was accidentally left this shot, btw.

What Would You Do?

Everyone on the sidelines thought instead of going for the bank in the side (because he might sell out if he misses), to play safe and nestle the cueball behind the 9-ball as a safety.  He tried that, but was not successful.

We ended up winning.

TOUGH match.  Lots of unfortunate roles for the other team in this game, but my teammate prevailed over nerves and we won the playoffs hill-hill!

What Would You Have Done?

Think Ahead on Safeties

The other night at league, I found myself in this situation after my opponent missed her 7ball:  (click photos to enlarge)

I told myself that it meant MORE to hide the cueball, than to make the ten ball.  I had to slide over enough to NOT leave a shot on her 7-ball.

I WAS SO WRONG!

As soon as I focused more on the safe, and missed my bank, I saw that she could play a devilish safety on me.  And she did!  :(

Ugh.

I was able to hit my ten ball, but that still left her with another shot at the safety, to which she hit even better the second time.  That gave her ball in hand and an easy win.

This is a reminder to THINK AHEAD.

I normally do, but didn't this time.

I should have just nailed the bank, which would have given me a shot on the 8ball no matter where my cueball landed (or I could have played a safe then, if somehow I didn't have a shot on the 8ball).

Ugh.

Happy Birthday

In my previous blog, I alluded to the reason I went 6-0 was because of the team we were playing.  They aren't a top team, and they don't run out consistently, so my team had a lot of chances, I admit. 

In my first game, I was on a break and run!  I was so excited.  But I had a long shot on the 3 and was a worried about shape on the 8 and I missed.  Ugh!  Almost a B and R my first match!

As I sat there, I watched my opponent make ball after ball.  I couldn't believe it.  He was going to get out.... and I had my chance!  I REALLY wanted the win since I did so poorly the previous week so my miss was even more heartbreaking because he was getting out.  :(

He left himself this shot on the 8-ball:

And I knew I was dead meat.

But he missed!  OMG HE MISSED!

I couldn't believe it!

Wow.

Straight in, wow.

But, he left me this tough-ass shot:

I tried with all my might to make that tough cut (and also get shape on the 8 and not scratch), but it was just too far and just too thin to make.  And sure enough, I missed it.  :(

So, he was left with ANOTHER straight-in shot:

AND HE MISSED AGAIN!

Omg... really??

He missed two straight-in 8-balls and I could not believe it.  Well, no one could.  Not even him!

I made my 7 and 8 and won the game.

About a month ago, it was my  birthday ON league day (a Sunday).  After my opponent would miss, my team would tell me they missed because it was my birthday.  They must have said it 10 times that day lol.

So this day, I walk back to my teammates and ask, "Is it my birthday?"

They all laughed as we just couldn't believe those misses.

In my next match, I missed the 8-ball and my opponent has a very make-able shot on the 7 and he misses the shot!

OMG...

I made the 8 easily and won.  I'm 2-0 at this point.

I walk over and I shrug to my teammates as I tell Natalie I won.  The new guy on the team, Steven, says, maybe we should sing "Happy Birthday when someone gets lucky like that.

Everyone laughed, "Right?"

A few games later Steven has a great run but misses his 8 ball.  But then his opponent scratches with only two balls left!

"Happy Birthday," I thought in my mind.

Then we are watching the 5th to the last game and one of our top shooters misses the 8-ball.  Yikes.  It was tough, but make-able.  But then.... wait for it.....it rolled right between his opponents' last ball... and he had no shot at his last ball because the 8 is now in the way!

Steven turns to us and sings softly, "Happy Birthday to you..."

LOL.

Dirty Pool?

A really weird thing happened the other day during my team league playoffs

My teammate (I'll call him Cap) was shooting against Oscar Mayer (no, that's not his real name, either).  It was a pretty contentious game, as we HAD been up 8-3 in a race to 13 in the second set of the finals of our league playoffs, but we found ourselves down 10-12!

So, the next 3 games were MORE than crucial - we now needed ALL 3 games to win the playoffs.

So, Cap and Oscar Mayer are in a safety game.  Oscar Mayer is not the type of player to take risks when the pressure is on and he was playing safe after safe.

It was a good ploy at the time because Cap had two balls that were next to each other, but it was not a perfectly lined-up combo:

 
If you don't know this shot, it's actually very confusing imo, lol.  I learned how to make these 'off' combos from Phil Capelle and made a video dedicated to the combo:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YdszWlxrH0

Cap was solids and had that weird combo. 

Oscar Mayer kept playing safe, but Cap would play safe back.  Cap did not want to take any risks, either.

At one point, Oscar Mayer played another safe but he MOVED Cap's 2ball.  All of a sudden, the balls were WORSE!  Now, the 6ball couldn't even be combo'd in:

At this point, my whole team is talking about the situation, while watching what Cap and Oscar Mayer decide to do.

I figure that Cap should move the 2ball back to where it was.

Another teammate said he would move the 2ball but LINE up the combo dead.

What?

I was astonished. 

What do you mean you would line up the shot?

After some time, Cap moves the 2ball, back where it was.  Almost exactly.

I'm thinking, "that's what you are suppose to do - move it back, not leave it where it had accidentally been moved by Oscar Mayer." 

But then I was curious, did my teammate really suggest he would move the 2ball into a better position next to the 6?

I turned to him and asked him pointedly that question.  He replied, "Yes.  Oscar Mayer should never have moved that ball, and you are suppose to put it back "in the vicinity" of where it was."

I was shocked.

"Really?"

"Yes.  People do it all the time, too."

I agreed, as I have had someone do that to me before (that was quite horrific), but I didn't think it was right. Plus, if Cap had placed the 2ball where the combo now lined up, I think all the railbirds and the other team would think that was unsportsmanlike.

Instead, though, Cap moved it where it had been, and the game continued.  While Oscar Mayer have had the advantage, he played a bad safe that led to Cap playing a GREAT safe and was able to get out next inning with ball-in-and and put us closer to the win.

After he won, one of my OTHER teammates told him, "You won that game because you are too honest."

I was thinking, am I one of the few who thinks that was the RIGHT thing to do?  To put it back where is was?

I looked up the BCAPL rules right away on Monday and read no wording that you put the ball back in the "vicinity."  So, maybe that was a rule in the past?  I dunno. Not my cup of tea.  I think it's dirty pool.  If it's in the rules, someone share with us.  But I couldn't find it.




 

The Final Game of the Finals

I didn't share this many times in my blog, except mentioned it in my last post briefly, but I won the final game of the second set hill-hill for my ladies team to win the BCAPL Texas State Women's Team event.

I didn't mention it a lot because it was a team event, and the entire team won us the title!  So proud of my teammates!

A few people I did mention it to in passing, they told me that that will give me experience for the future.

To be honest, I fared well because of PAST experiences.

I'd like to explain.

With me being nervous and also upset that I was making some mistakes in the finals (both sets), I became nervous at the thought of playing the hill-hill game, lol. 

I started to pace and wondered how I would do.  I didn't think ahead about the what-ifs (thank goodness), but I did recognize I was nervous.

I took a shot of Jäger when the score was tied 7-7 in the short race to 9.  I needed to be calmed down, lol.  The deep breathing wasn't working.  I don't know if the Jäger helped or not, but I did win that final game and I wanted to share some things that I hope will help others when they find themselves in similar situations.

As I was playing the final match, I was also watching my teammates' game next to me.  Maria's match was taking a while due to safeties.  I secretly wished her match would take longer and I would finish first so everyone would have to watch her game instead of mine, lol.

However, she won her game while I was still playing mine, and I knew it was all left to me.

I never got nervous, though, in that final game.

I don't know why.

I was in this position at Nationals, but the difference was I was playing the hill-hill game in the finals of the first set.  I knew if I lost that game, we would just go to another set.  No pressure at all.  :)  THIS TIME however, was different.  The whole entire title was on the line because it was the second set and it was hill-hill.  My little game.

I still wasn't nervous, though.

After I broke, I knew I wanted to be stripes and liked my chances.  I missed a tricky shot in the side for my third ball, but I knew my opponent would have a tough run if I missed.  If she got out, then I still felt good with my choices.  I felt my teammates would understand if I lost and knew I gave it my all.

After a good safe by me a little later, no one clapped.  I was like, "WTH?  Did anyone not see that?" lol.  I need affirmations, but I still felt comfy with my decisions. 

She made a ball then had to play safe.  She accidentally left me a shot. tho!

Not only that, I had a freaking out!

As Phil Capelle says in his books, "it's execution time."

I saw the entire 5-ball plan already in my mind.  I had a run out!

I stayed down and stopped my cueball for the first ball (A).

I then sliced in the next ball (B).  Got lucky it went off her ball, but I knew that was a possibility.

On the third ball (C), all I had to do was make it for natural shape to ball D.  I made it!

However, ugh, I got funny on the ball before the 8ball (D).  I couldn't believe it!

I studied it and studied it.  My plan was to have a stop shot and then have a good shot on the 8, even though it wouldn't be the easiest shot in the world under pressure (although I felt no pressure).  I couldn't stun the cueball over because the other pocket was blocked.  I couldn't go forward, I might scratch.

I then saw if I was careful, I could draw the cueball past the side for now Option B, to make the 8 in the side.

I kept telling myself, I ONLY had to stay down and follow through.  I don't do well with draw shots, but my boyfriend recently told me to really clamp down on my bridge hand.  Not, clamp down on the cue, but to really tightened my bridge hand.  I knew these shots could wobble in the pocket and they have wobbled a thousand times on me.

I fully admit draw shots are not my friend.

I just really focused on taking my time and seeing the shot and staying down.

I freaking nailed it!!

It didn't wobble, and I drew it right past the side pocket for shape on the 8ball!

Everyone starts clapping, but I tell ya; it's not over.

But, inside I was elated it worked out as I had planned in my head.  :)

As I saw the 8 ball in the side, I could only think of one thing:  I had a similar shot in the side, in this same venue, for teams, that I DOGGED!  After I dogged it, I jumped up and up and up and down and said, "I am so nervous!"  I felt so bad and embarrassed, as that made it hill-hill instead of us winning (we won the final game luciky').

All I could think of was that before I did NOT stay down and I knew from that horrible experience that even under the circumstance, to "just stay down and make this ball, Melinda."

And.

I did!

OMG!  I was more excited than anyone!  I was so happy that all of the experiences led up to me being able to be there for my team!!

They all came up to me and hugged me and were so happy!

We were now Texas State Champs!

It felt good to finish off the match with a tough run under all that pressure. However, the entire team is responsible for our win!  If they wouldn't have gotten me there, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do what I did to close out the match.

We were streamed live on the Internet.  Here are a few screen captures of what I describe above:

(Click images to enlarge.)

Down on the shot before the 8ball.

 

Staying down well, watched the cueball glide nicely to the side rail.

 

Down on the 8ball

  

Me, jumping up and down!

 Teammates ran up to me and hugged me!

The bottom line is THIS is why I tell people to play in as many events as you can.  You can win hill hill matches due to experience.  You can play in front of a crowd due to experience.  The more times you put yourself out there, the better you will be for the next event.

I mean it when I say I only was able to NOT dog it because I have dogged it a thousand times before due to nerves.  We keep learning and learning and the more instances you have competing, the better you will become.  So, put yourself out there, Ladies!  (and gents)  Learning experiences go all long way in every aspect of life.

My Freak Shot

I wrote earlier about my worse shot, the shot I hated most.

So, thought I'd share my favorite shot.  :)

My shot isn't just a shot that I shoot well, it's my fav shot because well, it's kinda freakishly uncommon.  It's not one that is made by many people.  Not just because of the shot, but because of the English I put on it.

Just like everyone has a shot they hate, everyone has a freak shot they can make uncommonly well almost all the time.

Here is mine (a sharp cut shot):  What is yours?

Make the Shot You Hate Your Favorite

Everyone has that one shot they despise.

That one shot they hate.

That one shot they just can't seem to make.

That one shot when it comes up, you immediately get nervous, because you know it's your least favorite shot in the entire world, and you usually miss them.

My good friend June Walter gave me a tip a looooooooooooooong time ago about the shost you hate.  After I muttered to myself one day back in the mid 90s, "I hate this shot..."  my friend June told me, "Then make it your favorite."

Huh?

"Practice it to you love the shot."

Hmmm... okay.

So, I did.

And, it is now one of my fav shots.  And when I see it, I am confident and comfortable with it.

I no longer get nervous when I walk up to the shot; instead, I am confident in my ability with the it.

Build your weakness until they become your strengths. ~ Knute Rockne

This WAS the shot I hated:

Any angle even remotely to the shot above, made me petrified.

But, I practiced this backwards cut shot over and over, with different types of English... until she was right:  I liked the shot! 

It's pretty cool to despise a shot, and then not be afraid of it anymore.

If you have a shot you hate; that you hate to see in front of you; then do what my friend June suggested:  Practice it til you love it.  

Scotch With a Twist

Last weekend there was another Scotch Doubles tourney in the area that I played in, but this one was very different.

I'm really enjoying getting out and playing in these type of tourneys.  Gets me out of the house among friends and allows me to test my skills on the table.  And being 8ball, I love it even more!

This time we played at a new place, and the tourney was strictly held for a purpose:  to raise money for a league team.  I liked the idea, actually.  They took money out of each entry and also sold food to raise money for the team.  And yummmm - the tostadas were EXCELLENT!

We arrived at 11:30 but I don't think play started til about 1pm.  Next time we will show up at noon, the designated time, and not be so early.  As we waited for the tourney to start, I noticed that I didn't recognize a lot of the players.  So, I thought it was possible my boyfriend and I would place well.   But I also know in a race to 2, ANYTHING can happen.

Turns out it was APA rules (and that made more sense why we didn't know most of the players, b/c we don't play APA).  Besides slop counts, the rules were only slightly different than what I'm used to, but not much.  My main worry was scratching on the 8ball - that was a "loss of game" whether making the 8ball on the break or if missing the 8ball last and scratching. This rule made me a little nervous!

Only ten teams played.  We didn't know how much money they were taking out of each $30 entry to raise money for the team, but they were paying two spots.

Our first match went 2-1.  CLOSE!  The next match almost went 2-1.  A race to 2 was pretty tough!  We got our groove though as we normally do and found ourselves in the hotseat.  :)  We barely won that 2-1 and waited for the finals.

As we waited, one of the girls asked us if we "came to hustle their tournament."  My b/f and I just laughed and replied, "no, no."  I shared that we played in a scotch doubles tourney just last weekend and only placed 4th (implying there was no guarantee we would win).  She was a really sweet lady and told us we were welcome back.  I was happy she said that and explained to her I like to help teams raise money, and we like to test our scotch doubles skills, so it was great she would like to see us again.

As we walked back to our table to wait for the finals, I really did wonder if most of the people wanted us back, tho.  My b/f and I play pretty sporty together and they may not want us back again.  I know *I* wouldn't want us back again.

I know how I feel when I walk into a tourney and the best players in the city showed up, also.  I figured I had a chance til I saw them, lol. 

However, I also feel that we can help these players.  We will give them motivation to strive for better play and to practice, I'm hoping.  If we win some more, they will want to beat us even more.  That means they will work on their game and that will help them in the long run.

We ended up winning the tournament and I had to come with a long rail kick on the 8ball and the whole place went crazy!  It was so sweet and awesome.  They really seemed very enamored with our play and sincerely meant it when they said we played good.

(click to enlarge)

We found out they took out $10 PER entry to raise money, so that only left $200 for the payouts.  But, the bar added $75!  That was an awesome surprise!  We made $165 for First Place  :)

I hope they let us play again - it was a lot of fun meeting genuine people and playing the game we love. 

Negative Comments

It's amazing to me the comments people say.  Why say negative things?  Seriously?  Why?  Why point out obvious mistakes?

As usual, there are some unfortunate things that happen during tournaments.  But, that's the way competition goes. 

This year, I not only expressed myself more than usual, I also seriously evaluated more the "whys" of my feelings and thoughts.  While I despise negative comments, and while this blog is pretty much one big whine fest, I am still glad a lot of negative things have happened so I could try to control my thoughts better.

Practice makes perfect, right?

I found myself reacting, then moving on quickly.  I also found myself rationalizing the words I heard, which helped as well.

In other words, instead of just feeling and reacting (badly) to the raw, negative emotions from the negative words I heard, I instead tried to think about why I was bothered.  Then I tried to rationalize my feelings.  It really helped me overcome my downward spiraling thoughts.

And let's face it, we have enough pressure to play well and enough inner demons to deal with, so it's beneficial to our pool game to try and not let outside influences affect our mental game even more.

The reason for this blog entry:

Back in May, I watched a men's team (from my area) play in the BCAPL Open's Team event of the National Championships in Vegas.  I knew 2 of the guys on the team, but the other 4 I had never seen compete before.

I saw one of the teammates I didn't know (let's call him "NJ") verbally expressed his excitement for good shots, but also his discontent of his fellow teammates when they messed up.  I was MORTIFIED!  How does a teammate hit a wall after a fellow teammate misses?  How does he verbally assault his own player with crappy comments if they miss?

While I appreciated his enthusiasm and support of his teammates when they would get to the table, but God forbid you make a mistake because he WILL say something out loud.  To you.  In front of your teammates.  In front of the other team.  In front of all the bystanders.

After I witnessed this, I was VERY concerned about him watching our women's teams matches.  He had already watched a few games and I figured he might watch some more.  Sure enough, I saw NJ at breakfast in the Cafe on Friday morning and he wanted to know what time our match was so he could watch.

O.  M.   G.

I tried not to let it bother me.  I really did.  I tried not to even think that he *might* show up to the match.

I had even told one of my teammates as soon as I saw him act like that, "if he says anything during our matches, I'm gonna ask him to leave."  She replied, "do it if you have to."

Sure enough, NJ and a couple of his teammates show up to our first match of the second day of the Women's Open event.

I was up first and I admit I was proud of myself for not even thinking about him while at the table.  I have had MANY situations in the past where I'm standing at a table, and wondering what an audience member is thinking of my choices.  This time, I was only thinking about pool. I didn't care who was in the crowd.

I made a bad decision on my 3rd ball left and HOOKED myself on the 8ball.  I knew as soon as I shot the shot before, I had made the wrong decision.  I didn't listen to my gut.  And, so I got hooked with a bad shot.

Luckily, the ball before the 8ball was "in the hole" and I just had to a kick long rail bank to make it.  I felt no pressure and made it.

This left, however, for a VERY long straight-in, tough shot on the 8ball, with the cueball pretty much on the rail. 

I got down on the shot, took my time, stayed down, smooth stroke, and MADE IT!

I couldn't believe it!  I was so elated.  It really was a very tough shot!

High fives all around and then I sit down with my teammates, and I couldn't stop smiling.  :)

The smile quickly ended.

NJ says, "nice kick, but you should have shot the 2ball before the 5ball."

I interrupted, "Really?  You're gonna say that to me?  I'm in the middle of a match right here...."

He stopped talking and I was very upset.

I leaned to my teammate, "I'm gonna have to ask him to leave.  I don't want to be bothered by him when I'm trying to play.  I do NOT want to be thinking about being judged while I'm at the table."

"I'll support you, ask him to leave.  It wont bother me."

That was her way of saying without saying, that he can sometimes bother her, too.

I had to get more off my chest.  I told her," I'm serious.  If I think someone is questioning my decisions, I wont be able to play well and will be second guessing my choices," I confided.

I'm suppose to be the clutch player, I don't need anymore pressure than I already had!

Eventually, I guess he left because I never had to ask him to leave.

I just simply DO NOT GET IT.  Why freakin' say that to me?  Why point out a negative?  Why not wait and *maybe* discuss it with me later?  Is he trying to point out I'm wrong?  Or is he just trying to point out he's right?  Does he *really* think telling me what I did wrong and what I should have done will help me play better?

Listen, all it does it make me question myself.  Makes me contemplate what I *think* others *think* I should do.

I was already very aware I made a mistake.  Hello?  I HOOKED MYSELF!  Yes, I don't need to be pointed out what I did badly; I knew already.  Pointing it out does NOT make it better for me; or anyone.  No one that I know of plays better being told they messed up.  And then, to do it in front of people?  Is that really motivation?  No, it's just embarrassment.  Was he trying to show off that he knows best? 

I don't understand. 

Seriously. 

Why say something AT ALL like that?  Why not just clap and be thankful I even kicked the ball in and then made the tough shot?  Does it help his ego?  Does he think he's helping?  Seriously?

For the rest of my life, I will not ever like this guy watching me play pool.  Ever.

Even when a teammate expressed a mistake I made, it made me feel bad.  I do NOT thrive on people pointing out mistakes or negativity. 

I realize I've wrote about this before, but I'm still so shocked when it happens.  It takes such strong mental capacity for me to overcome things like this.

I am proud of myself, though.  I really handled my thoughts better during the women's team event.  I tried not to let things get to me like they used to in the past.  I tried to rationalize why I thought the way I was thinking, which helped me get over comments or situations faster than usual.

Sure, things still bothered me.  But, for some reason I overcame them with either methodical thinking, rational thinking, or by venting to someone.

My mental toughness became more solid as time went on during the event.  It's a great feeling.

Still - I don't like to be embarrassed or mistakes pointed out.  Duh!

I fully admit there IS a time and place for such things to improve and learn.  But in the middle of a match is not the place nor the time.

Timing and Good Shots

Sometimes timing is not our friend when we play pool.  If you lose a close match that you didn't play well in to begin with, it doesn't really matter who you see on the way out of the tourney room (where you go to sulk), you have to try and put your decent face on while in reality, you don't want to talk to anyone.  But being in a big tourney with a thousand players, you will run into people you know who want to say hi.  Or, if people know you from the internet, they want to say hi.  "Hi Trigger!"  So I stop and say hi and be nice.  It's an act, tho, after I lose a tough match.  If they happen to catch me after I win well, I will smile big and be more talkative. 

Timing is everything.

And the person just trying to say hi has no idea you might have just lost a tough match. They are just being friendly.  And I appreciate that.

However, during a match is another thing.

When I played my second 8ball match of the day on Monday at the ACS Nationals, I am down 2-1.  I won the first game beautifully, but the two wins my opponent earned are from a tough scratch by me and then a misshape by me.  She's at the table because I missed a tough shot, and she's on a run to clear the table. 

I'm sitting on the outside of the clothed table, instead of inside the "ring" next to the pool table.  A guy sits down and watches our match for just a minute and says to me, "What's the score?"

Really?  You are obviously here watching her (I presume) and I am about to be down 1-3 and you are asking me the score??

I barely look at him and respond sharply, "2-1, her."

I look back at her making more balls and he continues, "You're Melinda, right?"

I am perturbed.  And I'm in no mood to talk.  I'm in a very critical match, upset at myself, and this guy is bothering my concentration.  Now obviously, if I was winning, I *may* not be as perturbed, but I would still want to concentrate on my match.  But in this particular match, because I'm upset with myself for giving the games away and about to be down 1-3 in a race to 4, I'm really not in a talkative, friendly mood.

"Uh, yes, how do you know me?"

Not trying to be rude, but how do you know me?  AZB forums?  From Texas?  A friend?

He says, "I know Sophie and Kawania and you double dipped Kawania in the finals of the ACS Texas State. I'm from San Antonio."

"Oh, hi.  What is your name?"  I ask.

He tells me and then I turn back to the match to try to concentrate back on my game. 

He keeps talking to me, tho, and I am not happy about it.  I can't remember all that he said, because I was trying to focus on the game.

The girl gets out and it's my break.  On the way back, I sit down on the inside of the "ring" because I really don't want to be in a convo in the middle of my match.  While what he said sunk in, "I double dipped Kawania," I just wanted to focus on my fundamentals and get back into this race to 4.

I won a game and I'm inching closer. 

As I sit there while she breaks, I think to myself I need to apologize to this guy after the match for being quiet and rude.  I tell myself, "Even if you lose, you need to be the proper competitor and explain yourself and apologize, " even though if I lose I'm gonna want to leave the tourney room right away to vent to my b/f on the phone.

I win another game and tie the match up 3-3!

I try to run out but miss the 6 ball before the 8ball to get shape.  Ugh! 

She tries to runs out... but misses the 8ball!

She leaves me bad (i.e., good) lol.  I have to play safe or kick at my ball, but I don't see a good safe with her 8ball is hanging near a pocket. 

The "rule" is if the safe and the tough shot are about the same percentage-wise, then you are to go with the shot.  I would have to play an extremely soft, tricky safe to hope I hook her.  The other option, the kick, I know the 8ball makes the pocket bigger for my 6 ball.

I decide on the kick.

And I make it!!

I'm elated! 

The 6ball does indeed go off the 8ball, and so that little carom moves the 8ball up on the rail and now I have a backwards bank, but guess what?  That's one of my favorite shots.  :)

And I make it!!

I am so elated and excited, I went and quickly hugged the guy who was annoying me, lol.  I immediately sit down and apologize.  He said he understood, but I told him I just wasn't happy with myself and I was trying to concentrate.

He was cool about it.

He then took his cues out because we were on his table; turns out that's why he was sitting there:  his next match was on our table.  Duh!

I really hate that people bother me, but I try to be nice when I'm trying to concentrate in the middle of a match, but I admit it's not always easy for me to always be proper at all times.