06-15-2002, 06:44 PM
I played in my 4th handicap tournament Thur. The 5 handicap that beat me last week wanted to practice around 7:10. The tournaments are scheduled to start at 8:00 and you can practice for free from 7:00. We played and he started out winning either 3-1 or 5-2. Then I started catching up. He was still outshooting me. But I was winning more games. Then it seemed as if I was breaking more and more. Maybe I was shooting about even with him now. And about 8:10 I said that's all for me. Thanks for giving me the good practice. Good luck tonight. I think I won about 3 or 4 more games then he did.
And usually the tournaments start about 8:20 or 8:30 the latest. I like to wipe off my stick with a paper towel. Or I use the Q Wiz burnishing side and then wipe it off with a paper towel. Then I was my hands and wait for the start. I payed a 4 1/2. He beat me 4 to 1. Again it seemed like I was the first table finished.
I watched for a couple hours. I talked with a few players I know now. This 6 1/2 was playing another 6 1/2. The first is the better player and better shooter. More consistant. Better capable or running a rack. A little better position player. And he seems to get shooting good a little more often then the other player. I did learn a little from this. Early in racks he would often play safe instead of trying to make a makeable, but not easy bank shot or a difficult but makable shot. He said against someone like this, that is capable of running them, I never try to run the table unless they break and settle really well and wide open.
I definitely don't play like that. When we played in our games in the 60s, everyone almost always tried to make anything. But we weren't that good. And we usually played 9 ball on the weekends with 3 or 4 players. Shows how bad we all were. But everything we played back then, we would almost always try to make a shot. Except in straight pool. That was the only game we used any safety play. It was just considered poor sportmanship or worst to play safe in 9 ball games. Maybe I should get that out of my head. But it wouldn't feel right if I started playing safe in 9 ball, especially against the 4, 5, or 6 handicaps. Maybe I will need to change that attitude. But I think what I really need most right now is to get in more time shooting. By myself or agains someone. It doesn't matter now. I only was able to get in one, 5 hour practice session in the 3 weeks since I started watching and playing in these tournaments. And then in the 4 tournaments I usually practice for a 1/2 hour or 45 minutes before the start. Then I clean up. And I've been getting eliminated quickly. So I get less then 1 1/2 hours playing only twice a week. That's definitely not enough right now for me. I often see some of the losers get on one of the open unused tables after they lose. And they play by themselves for a couple hours without paying. But I don't know if it is supposed to be that way. It doesn't seem right. And the owner usually has one of the counter workers go collect the balls from the tables that won't be being used in the tournament any more. But I even see some of the older men in the open tournament quickly grab an open table or just keep playing on their table if it won't be used. This is after they lose. But I just watch some of the games or maybe talk a little to a couple of the players or young counter guys I'm getting to know. My funds are really too limited right now to just pay $5 an hour to practice for a few hours after I lose. That's why when I practice I wait for one of the daily specials here or at the other place I started out practicing at. Here I can play from 2:00 am til 8:00 am for $10. But those hours are completely dead and I didn't feel comfortable the one time I played then. And from 8:00 am til 5:00 pm is only $5 here. My my stomach is often unsettled in the morning hours and I can't seem to make it then too much. And the other place I was practicing at only charges $6 on Mon to Fri from 12:00 pm until 8:00 pm. But I just haven't been able to make it with all my wife's and my doctor's appointments, and my leagal appotintments lately. Maybe I'm just being to cheap. But money is tight and will be getting tighter soon. I may just have to settle for playing just the tournaments or maybe only once a week for a few months. And then with some luck I might get the time to put in my needed playing & practicing.
And usually the tournaments start about 8:20 or 8:30 the latest. I like to wipe off my stick with a paper towel. Or I use the Q Wiz burnishing side and then wipe it off with a paper towel. Then I was my hands and wait for the start. I payed a 4 1/2. He beat me 4 to 1. Again it seemed like I was the first table finished.
I watched for a couple hours. I talked with a few players I know now. This 6 1/2 was playing another 6 1/2. The first is the better player and better shooter. More consistant. Better capable or running a rack. A little better position player. And he seems to get shooting good a little more often then the other player. I did learn a little from this. Early in racks he would often play safe instead of trying to make a makeable, but not easy bank shot or a difficult but makable shot. He said against someone like this, that is capable of running them, I never try to run the table unless they break and settle really well and wide open.
I definitely don't play like that. When we played in our games in the 60s, everyone almost always tried to make anything. But we weren't that good. And we usually played 9 ball on the weekends with 3 or 4 players. Shows how bad we all were. But everything we played back then, we would almost always try to make a shot. Except in straight pool. That was the only game we used any safety play. It was just considered poor sportmanship or worst to play safe in 9 ball games. Maybe I should get that out of my head. But it wouldn't feel right if I started playing safe in 9 ball, especially against the 4, 5, or 6 handicaps. Maybe I will need to change that attitude. But I think what I really need most right now is to get in more time shooting. By myself or agains someone. It doesn't matter now. I only was able to get in one, 5 hour practice session in the 3 weeks since I started watching and playing in these tournaments. And then in the 4 tournaments I usually practice for a 1/2 hour or 45 minutes before the start. Then I clean up. And I've been getting eliminated quickly. So I get less then 1 1/2 hours playing only twice a week. That's definitely not enough right now for me. I often see some of the losers get on one of the open unused tables after they lose. And they play by themselves for a couple hours without paying. But I don't know if it is supposed to be that way. It doesn't seem right. And the owner usually has one of the counter workers go collect the balls from the tables that won't be being used in the tournament any more. But I even see some of the older men in the open tournament quickly grab an open table or just keep playing on their table if it won't be used. This is after they lose. But I just watch some of the games or maybe talk a little to a couple of the players or young counter guys I'm getting to know. My funds are really too limited right now to just pay $5 an hour to practice for a few hours after I lose. That's why when I practice I wait for one of the daily specials here or at the other place I started out practicing at. Here I can play from 2:00 am til 8:00 am for $10. But those hours are completely dead and I didn't feel comfortable the one time I played then. And from 8:00 am til 5:00 pm is only $5 here. My my stomach is often unsettled in the morning hours and I can't seem to make it then too much. And the other place I was practicing at only charges $6 on Mon to Fri from 12:00 pm until 8:00 pm. But I just haven't been able to make it with all my wife's and my doctor's appointments, and my leagal appotintments lately. Maybe I'm just being to cheap. But money is tight and will be getting tighter soon. I may just have to settle for playing just the tournaments or maybe only once a week for a few months. And then with some luck I might get the time to put in my needed playing & practicing.