Shelly Barnes is the House Pro at Corner Pocket in Albuquerque, NM, a BCA-Certified Instructor, and a WPBA Touring Professional. Shelly's past columns are archived here. Visit Shelly's Website at http://www.flash.net/~shelly5/
	The Name of the Game By Shelly Barnes He banged his cue stick on the side of the pool table. Then he cursed himself, the ball, and the table! A civilian (non-pool player) might have thought he had just lost all his worldly possessions or missed a ball that cost him his life! He was agonizing . . . . because he missed a ball and he thought the game was over. Nevertheless, when he got another turn at the table, he was in such a state of fury and frustration that he couldn’t win the game if it was a "stop shot" runout (meaning the shooter does not have to move the cue ball around for position). This frustration can be all-consuming because every player knows that they can make that shot; they have made it before, why don’t they make it every time? I have had my share of temper tantrums over the years, so I know exactly how that frustration feels. However, later I realized that it most probably hurt my game. I might have been able to salvage some part of the match or the game. Sometimes we need to let ourselves off the hook. If I gave it 100% effort, then that’s all I can do. It is pretty difficult to play pool one-legged, while kicking yourself in the butt with the other. If those "dogged" shots are given too much energy, then it will be twice as difficult to make the shot the next time it rears its ugly head, probably in the middle of a "case" game (with all your teammates, opponents, and spectators holding their breath). It is natural to be competitive and want to win. However, sometimes we do ourselves more harm than good when we focus on the win, the money, or the fame instead of playing the game to the best of our ability. We learned to play pool because we love the game. When we lose the love for the game, we lose our relaxed disposition. When we don’t enjoy where we are or what we are doing, winning becomes the only important thing because that reward feeds our ego. Sometimes financial considerations are at risk and sometimes it is our pride or self-image at stake. Whatever the reason, our focus is no longer on "playing the game," it is on fulfilling that desire. The name of the game is fun; relax and have a good time. Having fun does not mean that you are not a serious pool player nor does it mean you must whoop and holler in order to prove you’re relaxed. However, practice concentrating on the game (not your performance) and enjoy being where you are and what you are doing. The results are awesome!   All copyrights are owned by Shelly Barnes. No duplication is allowed without her permission.