A few weeks ago, I was being a railbird at a local weekly big table 8 ball tournament. This tournament is one of only a handful in town that is sure to draw in all big dogs. As I watched and noticed the choices many of these players made, I learned some new perspectives. However, I was also happy to discover I played many of the same patterns from my seat.

In a semi-finals match, my friend Kris had ball in hand with three balls left. One of them was tied up with his opponent’s only ball. The corner pocket nearest those two balls was blocked by the 8 ball. Another one of his balls was sitting near the neighboring side pocket. With ball in hand, he could’ve played that ball in the side and bumped the cluster and hoped for a shot. Or, he could’ve stroked a different ball into the opposite corner pocket and guaranteed a breakout with a shot at the ball in the side pocket.

Instead of either breakout, he chose a defensive shot. His safety ultimately led to winning the game, but afterwards I inquired about his shot selection. The stroke shot in the corner seemed logical to me. It was slightly aggressive but very make-able, especially with ball in hand. He responded that he had rattled a few balls in that corner pocket in earlier matches and it made him a bit nervous to have to stroke a ball in there.

I understood exactly what he was saying. Some may disagree, but I could completely appreciate his decision. When Monica Webb was recently in town, the biggest thing she emphasized to me was, “Know your own game.” Know your own stroke and capabilities. Basically, play your game and not someone else’s. In that moment, Kris saw the hairy corner pocket as a limitation and chose to play to his strengths. To him, shooting that ball in the corner for the breakout was, at the time, a low percentage shot. Instead, he chose the safety which he knew he could execute.

Of course, there’s always the “right” shot. That’s the shot that ties the entire run together. That’s the shot that if we just make it, the entire rack will fall into place and be that much easier. That’s the shot that in a room full of pool players, 9 out of 10 of them would agree on that shot. However, is the right shot really the right shot when we don’t have the confidence to execute it???

There comes a point when, once we reach a certain level, we don’t always choose the shots that the books/videos or our coach or our teammates want us to. When we’re at the table, there’s only one person that knows what the real “right” shot is for us in that moment, in that game. Regardless of who you’re playing or what the score is, choose the shot that you believe in and believe in the shot that you choose.

Samm Diep
House Pro at Table Steaks East in Aurora, Colorado
http://www.pooltipjar.com/