Once in a while, and always unexpectedly, I experience being in “dead stroke.” If you’re unfamiliar with this term, the most accurate definition I have found is from the BilliardsForum.info website. It defines dead stroke as: Similar to playing on autopilot where a player is at peak playing level and is playing without any conscious effort or thought. Dead stroke is a sustained period of play where the specific player is in stroke. In simple terms, dead stroke is where a player is performing so flawlessly that he or she just cannot miss. To a player who is experiencing dead stroke, the game seems effortless.

Let’s break it down. Have you ever broke and ran without even attempting to play position but getting your cue ball perfectly in line for each shot? Something comes over you; almost like you’re having an outer-body experience and you could feel the contact point with little to no effort. You just knew the ball was going into the hole, without even trying. “You cannot miss” and “the game seems effortless.” These are both things that we would love to experience all the time, right?

Well, not necessarily. The part of this definition that concerns me is, “similar to playing on autopilot.” This means that we enter a zone where something else takes over and we’re practically unconscious. Don’t get me wrong, its fun when it happens and I try to take full advantage of it when I experience it.

However, one of my least favorite things about experiencing dead stroke is that after it’s over, I don’t remember a thing. I can’t remember the super runs I made or how it felt when I made them. The other thing I find myself doing is getting careless. When you feel like you can make anything from anywhere, you forget that you should still try to play position. I find myself making the shots but getting into much more trouble.

Some instructors may disagree with this theory, but I believe there is a difference between “Dead Stroke” and simply being “In Stroke.” You see, when you’re in stroke, you’re well-prepared both mentally and physically. You are properly trained. You feel confident and decisive, yet you are not “playing without any conscious effort or thought.” You’re fully aware of your actions and executive each one deliberately.

Being in stroke is being in control. To me, that’s the difference between the two. Being in dead stroke is a “sustained period” that may come and go without warning. Being in stroke is managing your own actions and not being on autopilot. It means that even when the conditions are not ideal and your opponent is driving you bonkers, you maintain your sense of awareness and grind through it. You aren’t oblivious to it. You trust in your stroke and force yourself to stay down and follow through, no matter how uncomfortable you may feel.

Most importantly, you’re living and experiencing each shot. Don’t be on autopilot. Be in control.

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