Sometimes, being the clear favorite to win in a match can feel like just as much pressure as when you’re the underdog. Many times you and your opponent are pretty evenly matched but there are other times when there’s a clear favorite. And when that favorite is you, there’s a natural expectation to feel you should win. Often times those expectations can result in unnecessary pressure.

What can you do to remain the favorite? Keep reading…

How do you identify the lower-level player? Usually, he/she is the one who:

• Makes more mistakes.
• Does not break as well.
• Is often careless.
• Rushes shots.
• Is more aggressive.
• Plays fewer safeties.
• Misses more.

The time will come when you lose a match where you felt you should’ve won. These are those matches where, instead of getting beat, you feel like you beat yourself. Your opponent has nothing to lose. They may not even expect to win.

It could’ve been that you underestimated your opponent or maybe you put too much pressure on yourself to win. Whatever the case may be, you were technically the more skilled player but you did not perform to your potential. It can take just as much discipline and concentration to defeat a weaker opponent as it does the tougher one. If you don’t take them and the match just as seriously, you’ll find yourself as the weaker of the two.

Here are three simple tips to help you remain the favorite in a match:

1. Challenge yourself not to give up one single game. Watching your opponent miss and scratch can be contagious. If you begin to get careless, that three game lead can easily turn into a hill-hill match. Don’t let the match be closer than it should. When you feel like you should win, don’t just win. See if you can play a perfect set.
2. Do not change your game. There are few things worse than a false sense of security. It can be very easy to take your opponent for granted and start making aggressive decisions. Have the discipline to play the safety versus the fun, low percentage shot.
3. Be thankful for the opportunity to warm up. Instead of getting hasty, really bear down and be deliberate with your decisions and execution. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Utilize this match as an opportunity to get in stroke for your next match.

When you’re the better player, more often than not you will come away the victor. The less experienced players reveal flaws that will eventually cost them games and then the match. In most cases, the player that demonstrates the fewest weaknesses is the one that prevails. The next time you find yourself the clear favorite in a match, keep these three tips in mind to ensure you remain the favorite.

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In science, the “divide and conquer” algorithm refers to breaking down a problem into more manageable smaller problems until they become simple enough to solve directly. This same concept can be applied to understanding our pool game and conquering those errors during competition.

With nationals just around the corner, who couldn’t use a little help in conquering those errors?

How many times have you been in a match where it seemed like nothing was going right for you? No matter what you did, it wasn’t working. It can often feel overwhelming when that happens. You make one little mistake and the next thing you know all the errors start snowballing. When you look back on that match, you might be able to pinpoint one or two specific things that resulted in your downward spiral.

If only you could identify it when it starts happening… You couldn’t because all the combined errors clouded the real reason you weren’t getting out. You were looking at the big problem instead of dividing it into smaller ones that you could attack.

Here’s a perfect example:

You lost your match because you missed too many key shots. You missed those shots because you were too tentative and did not deliver a confident stroke. Without confidence you weren’t following through. You didn’t follow through because in the very first rack of the match you over-stroked a draw shot and hooked yourself. Now, instead of adjusting to the table, you’ve managed to make a mountain of a loss out of the molehill of the table speed. If only you were able to recognize what was happening while it was happening.

My personal biggest weakness is when the balls are really dirty. As soon as I’d over-spin that first shot, it would ultimately make me so uncomfortable, it would cause me to jump up or misaim. When you’re not comfortable, it’s difficult to stay down. You just want the shot to be over with.

My point is that if you’re able to break down the equation and quickly identify the problem, it makes it much easier to conquer it.  Sometimes confidence can win as many matches as skill. If you can’t figure out what’s causing you to feel uncomfortable, you’ll never be able to feel confident. When a match takes a turn for the worse, break it down and conquer it! Figure out what’s happening and regain your confidence.

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Well, it’s official! I’m excited to announce that Marc and I are bringing the USA Pool League to Denver!

The Rocky Mountain USA Pool League will be kicking off in September 2011 and hopes to offer a fun, competitive alternative to the traditional league options in the mile high city.

See these links for more details:
Press Release on AzBilliards.com
July ad in the Cue Times
RockyMountainPool.com (the official website)

Since this is still my personal pool blog, I feel I can write candidly here about why we’ve chosen to do this.

1. With our recent marriage, Marc and I have been looking for something a little more stable to keep us grounded because we have plans for starting a family.
2. Without settling, we’ve been looking for a product/business that we believe in to promote and grow. The USAPL league system is based on the M8 Pool League system which I recently participated in and loved so this is a great fit.
3. The USAPL offers the most fair and accurate handicapping format of all the leagues that I’ve played in. 70% of matches go hill-hill.
4. As players ourselves, we understand that it’s much more enjoyable playing competitive heads up one-on-one matches against an opponent versus playing one game and sitting around for 45 minutes before your next game.
5. USAPL is backed by CSIPool who also brings us the BCA Pool League. BCAPL has been around for 35 years and has over 60,000 members. Their reputation speaks for itself.

To find out about joining a USAPL team in the Denver metro area or if you’re a room owner looking to bring USAPL teams to your establishment, go to RockyMountainPool.com or call us at 303.667.8000

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Pool team? Check!
Time off from work? Check!
Practicing? Check!
Everything else? Keep reading…

Which national event(s) are you attending?

Are you driving?

If so, AAA has a handy little Fuel Cost Calculator where you select your starting city, final destination, and vehicle year, make, and model to determine the estimated fuel cost for one-way or round trips based on the average fuel cost for each part of your trip, based on your car’s fuel consumption.

Are you flying?

If so, are you aware of the current airline fees for checking your bag or changing your ticket? See the complete list of major airlines and their fees compiled by USA TODAY.

While you’re at it, be sure to check out the Pool Player’s Guide to Savvy Air Travel.

Do you have a bag for your cues?

If you’re flying, you’ll want to make sure you keep the checked bags to a minimum, especially with today’s airline fees. A great way to do that is with an extra long duffel that can fit both your clothes and your cues in one.

Be careful, with all that extra room it’s easy to go over 50lbs.

Find a variety of them at SammsPocket.com starting from $79.95.

A special travel treat recipe just for you…

Recipe for Coconut Choco-Cherry Bomb Protein Bars

Ingredients: Rolled Oats, Unsweetened Applesauce, Shredded Coconut, Dried Cherries, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, Lite Maple Syrup, Peanut Butter, Protein, Flax Seeds, Chia Seeds, Cinnamon, and Vanilla Extract

They are super yummy and great for road trips. Enjoy!

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Nicole Keeney was a Meanie in Texas

Nicole & Ming from 2009 RTC Championships

Denver is not the same without her around here but she’s off havin’ fun, rompin’ around Texas.

Fortunately for her, the OB Cues Tour made this past weekend’s stop the WPBA Texas State Championship so she was able to play. Of the 30-something player field she met up with Ming Ng in the finals in a race to 7. Nicole was down 6-1. Ming 3-fouled her to get on the hill. Apparently, Nicole didn’t like that. She won the next 6 games and came back to win 7-6.

She is seriously hitting the ball so great right now! Looking forward to seeing how she’ll do this weekend in Texas.

Aimee Peterson Pummels the Field at the APA Allstars

Aimee Peterson, Ladies Top Gun & Allstars Top Gun champion

I was also very happy to hear that one of my very own students and just all-around sweetest people in pool (we’re working on breaking her of that at the table), Aimee Peterson plowed through the coed field of 40 players, undefeated, to take the Allstars Top Gun tournament this weekend.

I first met Aimee and her perfect mechanics in 2007 at the preliminary round for the US Amateur Championships. I’d never seen her before and initially took her lightly before I realized she could get out. I also played her in the finals this year for the same event.

In1998, she was the only lady to qualify in Denver for the Camel Pro Tour. She was on the raise when life and its other priorities stepped and has since delayed her progress. “I feel like I was asleep from 1998 until now,” she says. “You were, but now we’ve awakened the sleeping bear,” I told her.

Aimee and her husband have been huge supporters of mine and one of my favorite couples in pool. She also qualified for singles in Vegas next month so we’re doing everything we can this week to get her ready. I’m so excited for her!!

My Husband is still my Hero

Marc, my cowboy

Marc finished runner-up this weekend at the Golden Fleece in Seattle for the CSI U.S. Open One Pocket qualifier. That’s two back to back qualifiers now. It was a 40-player field, race to 3, with approx 10 tables. Yeah, you know where this is going.

Marc was up by 8a.m. on Sunday morning to hit balls before his 1 o’clock match that was delayed by two hours where he finally won hill-hill four hours later. Then, he played a beautiful set for the hot seat ending in an unfortunate scratch on his final ball at hill-hill resulting in another four hour hill-hill match against the same previous player to make it to the finals at 5 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING! I’m so glad I don’t play one pocket. There’s no way I have the patience for all that.

By 5 in the morning, the poor guy was completely exhausted and had given it all he had just to get there. Everyone else left, the tournament director, the streaming crew, and the spectators. They really should’ve rescheduled the finals match, and probably the one before that. Needless to say, he didn’t win the final match but I still love him for not giving up. Summer and I stayed up until 5 watching his semi-finals match.

Though he didn’t win the tournament, he won $600 which covers his entry fee that we already paid plus some of our expenses. For that, he deserves a chicken dinner with the rest of us.

Live Streaming was provided by Rail2Rail on uStream.tv.

Tom Ross Shines

Dr. Dave and me

Chris Byrne, my favorite cue maker

Todd and Anne

Being silly with Summer

There was a billiard show and benefit for Tom Ross at Greenfields on Sunday. The man of the hour made an appearance and is looking better and better each time I see him. Even Dr. Dave was there! He was selling his Video Encyclopedia of Pool and donating the proceeds to Tom. For all the work that Tom has done for our sport, he too deserves a chicken dinner.

Here’s the complete album:

Billiard Show and Tom Ross Benefit

Greenfields Bar
April 17, 2011

40 Photos

My Adventures in Bar Table Land

I had the most fun time on Saturday, hangin’ with more of my favorite girls in pool: Summer, Chris, & Kathy.

I used to play on a team with Chris and Kathy and don’t get to see much of them these days. Summer is my silliness outlet. When she’s around I just become a goofy middle schooler. It’s completely involuntary.

Oh, right. I was there for a pool tournament. We don’t get many non-handicapped, non-league-player-only ladies-only pool tournaments around these parts. So, when I heard about this one and happened to be in town and not doing anything else, I figured, “What the heck?” I know, I know, I’m hiatusing, but it’s a bar table, you’re never supposed to miss on a bar table, right?

It was only $10 entry. I donated a $20 gift certificate to my online store and supported the room with a couple meals.

Anyway, there were 27 ladies (which is sadly impressive for a ladies tournament out here) and it was a pretty fair race to 4/3. I was pretty pleased with how I was playing, considering I had pretty much hung up my cues for a while outside of lessons and clinics. I won four matches on the winner-side before losing the driver’s seat match to a strong player, Angela Jackson.

In the match before Angela’s, I had this pretty sporty shot in the first rack. I broke and ran down to my last ball before the 8 and got a little funny here. I remembered I was playing on a bar table with bucket pockets so I just played it off the 6 ball with speed for the 8. It hit between the first and second diamond and trickled in. That was fun!

14 ball off the 6 with position for the 8

After I lost to Angela, I had to play Summer. I was mad that I didn’t beat Angela so Summer and I could have a chance to chop first and second but now we had to play for 2nd/3rd instead. I ended up beating Summer and double-dipping Angela for all the marbles. That was pretty gratifying.

I was most proud of myself for overcoming all the excuses in my head for not playing well:

• Marc is back in Seattle
• I hadn’t been playing / practicing
• I don’t play on bar tables
• I have no idea where the heavy cue ball is going
• I was having way too much fun socializing out with all my friends to focus on pool
• I got a really bad cut right on my bridge knuckle the night before the tourney
• I really miss my husband…

Things I learned from Saturday:

• When you’re not in stroke, it really helps to just focus on the your mechanics. Back to basics!
• It’s inexcusable to miss a shot on a Valley bar table, no cut is too thin.
• Not practicing really forces me to focus on my mechanics on every shot.
• Follow is much easier to control than draw with a heavier cue ball.
• When you have nothing to lose and no expectations, you’re free of any pressures to win.

I want to give a big shout out to Love’s Shack (owned by Debbie Love) for adding money to our event and hosting us for the day. Love’s Shack used to be a strip joint and for a long time, had some of the poles up still. If you look closely, you can see it.

I also met Rich Montoya (super guy!) who ran the tournament all day for us for peanuts. He’s planning on having another one next month too.

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