The second face of the billiards puzzle is the realm of the mental. This is the second most focused on area of billiards by many writers and players, and it is often in the realm of the mind that matches are won or lost the most in. In reality, the talent levels between players at any level are in fact much closer than imagined (with a few exceptions of course. Some simply have great genius for cue sports that may never be matched). It has also been demonstrated that structured and repetitive practice, for even half an hour, can set up pool players to be relatively equal. So what is it that primarily sets one player apart from another?
The answer is quite simply, a player’s mind. How they think about the game, how they strategize, and even in some respects how they process emotions during a match can win or lose a pool player anything from their spot at the table to thousands of dollars. The game takes place in three phrases: Practice, Warm up, and Matches. The mental state of a player in these three phases can often be a major predictor in who will go far and win many games, and who is going to cave in after the first break and run. For example, let’s say we have two players practicing. One player simply throws a rack on the table and begins to shoot it out as if they were playing a real game. Not really paying attention to if they miss or hit the shot exactly as they want. The other player, by contrast, uses a series of drill shots, repeating shots over and over, practicing jump and bank shots, and repeat them even if they make the shot but are not satisfied with the quality of the shot. Both players practice this way for an hour a piece, then come back together to shoot a race to 5 racks for $100. Which person sounds more prepared for any outcome, and more serious about their quality of play? I would be willing to bet that unless the first person is someone like Johnny Archer who has played the game for 30 years and was once player of the decade, at least 8/10 times the more regimented player wins that race.
One of the most crucial parts of the mental side of the billiards puzzle is dealing with and processing emotions that may come up during a match. These emotions are not planned, but none the less they must be addressed if they ‘make and entrance’. For example, if an opponent runs four racks on you in a race to seven, that can be daunting for any player of any level. What separates the greats from the averages is that a great player says “That’s fine. Let them have their run. When they miss, it will be my turn, and I’ll run off at least four racks”. An average player may begin to panic, or feel the stress reach critical levels that they have already fallen too far behind, or if they miss again they have already lost. When a player begins to feel this way, it is called “throwing up the white flag”, and at that point they might almost as well unscrew the cue and shake hands. Obviously they are encouraged not to for sportsmanship reasons, but as soon as a player allows themselves to feel they have been defeated, those thoughts often turn into self fulfilling prophesies.
An example of someone who does not necessarily have full control of their mental game is a player such as Earl Strickland. Earl is a dedicated player, has more talent than many players will ever dream of, and has won the US Open 9 ball championship a record five times. However, due to his inability to control his emotions, or process them as they come up during a match, often one must simply take earl out of his rhythm during a match, and earl will almost give up and often act petulant or disgusted. While earl is already a hall of fame player and greatness, his image has been tarnished and his records could have been even greater if only he had been able to maintain his mental game rather than letting emotion rule him.
Stay alert, stay sharp, and stay focused on a shot by shot routine and pattern. If you do that, you won’t crack under pressure, and you will win the first of the battles in the mind. As a side note, it is very important to also begin studies early of patterns and position. It is not the person who shoots the best, but the person who plans the best and executes a shot by shot game that most often comes out on top at the end of the day.
So, what are some techniques to balancing and focusing the mental face? Take time when practicing to say each step to yourself. Turn off your cell phone when you play. Repeatedly tell yourself that all that matters is the moment in time you are in. Always tell yourself you are not out of the match until the last ball is sunk. Remember that there will always be another day, a loss (even a bad one) is not the end of the world. Find a mantra. This mantra is a small phrase that you repeat to yourself that brings you back into focus, spikes confidence, or calms nerves. These are just a few tips to help get you started on controlling your mind, and winning the mental battle of pool.