August 15, 2005
In this Issue:
“Anatomy of a Runout” The Monk
“No Precision? Bad Position” Samm Diep
Detroit Was Fun
The Monk's Blog
“You know you’re a D Player if…”
The ShOW (Shot of the Week)
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I believe we deal with a special group of players. Our mailing list numbers several thousand yet not all readers open this newsletter. But I believe a special group does. And it is to these wonderful friends, I share my strengths, hopes and experiences. |
Anatomy of a Runout
When you break open a rack you must first deal with the shot that gives you the run out. This will be your primary point of interest. Our interest captures our ability to concentrate. In other words, you will focus on what is your greatest interest. Since your desire is to run the rack, you will place your attention on the problems that may keep you from your goals. Since you are concerned about a cluster of balls, make the decision that will allow you to solve that problem. Once your decision is made, you can then begin your run. Do not let this concern plague you while you are trying to make other shots. Since the cluster is your point of interest, you will then have to create new interest in other shots so you will be able to tap your concentration skills. In other words, you must then know that this shot, is all you have and is the key to running this rack. Place your interest on this shot, not the last shot or next shot.Sometimes we are more interested in the cluster than the shot we face. Stand in front of the shot until you are totally interested in it. Do not shoot any shot you are not interested in making. Each shot is a winning shot. Remember, we attend that which we are interested in.
All open racks offers’ you a key ball. You make this key shot and you are well on your way to running the table. Your interest level in the shot is keen, thus you concentration powers are at peak. You make the shot and the rest of the layout is a so-called road map to victory. You satisfied you focus of interest. Here is where you may be tempted to lose that intensity. You are not faced with a key shot. The rest is easy. You lose your ability to concentrate because your focus of interest has been satisfied and you miss position and the run is over. You failed because you were not interested enough. You broke up the cluster and you think you have won, but you still have three more shots.
When there is a tough key ball in the final three balls, we sometimes allow our interest skills to be overshadowed by our preoccupation with results. We fear bad position, or missing the shot to produce a “hanger”. We lose our keen interest in delivering the stroke that will pocket the ball. We must see this as an opportunity to win. No one is going to take it away from us. We must relax and be totally interested in pocketing the ball we are facing. I receive letters all the time by players who missed shots because they were not totally focused. Another way of saying this is they missed because they were not totally interested in the shot.
You are interested in delivering a good break stroke. You splatter the rack in all directions. A couple of balls drop into the pocket. You see a trouble ball you can take care of right away. You are keenly interested in taking care of this trouble ball. Once it is gone, you now see you can make your way to another key ball that has just one pocket. That key ball fills your mind with concern. But you are a professional player. There is work to be done first. You are interested in doing your job. So you focus on the next shot, and the next shot and the next shot, one at a time, and finally you end up with a nice shot on that key ball. You know your run is in hand now.
The only thing that will stop you from this run is not skill, not knowledge, not ability, not nerves, but concentration.
As long as you can keep your concentration, you will make the key ball and run the remaining balls. That is the way to run a table. That is the only way to run a table. It all comes down to interest and concentration. Develop the interest that will keep you focused on each shot. You have this shot, not last shot past shot next shot.
Precision Position Play
(A side note from Samm’s Side Pocket)
Now that we are familiar with the Anatomy of a Runout, let’s do it! In order to maneuver through a rack of 8 ball (or 9 ball, for that matter), it is critical that we take each and every shot seriously. Not only do we need to pocket the ball we’re shooting at, but we also need to decide where we want the cue ball to be.When we begin playing this game, our only concern is to pocket the ball. While doing so, if we’re able to keep the white ball on the table, then we’re happy. As we become more confident with pocketing the ball, we begin experimenting with various speeds and strokes to move the cue ball around. With this, we learn how to get straight in on our next ball. This now makes it easier to pocket two consecutive balls. However, we discover a dilemma. Our game is improving and we are learning that always being straight in makes it difficult to get to the next ball. Bingo!
The key to playing precision position is making sure we are in the correct line for our next shot. When playing your three ball pattern, many people have a rough idea of where they want the cue ball to be. If you are reading this article, a “rough idea” is not good enough for you. By physically walking over to where you want the cue ball to be and lining up for your third shot from your second shot, you know exactly which side of the ball you need to be on for every shot. If you do not pin point a position on the table, then you may as well go back to square one and just blindly pocket balls because you will get the same result.
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Making a decision for the specific spot on the table gives you a target to shoot for. You may not hit that target each time, but you will never hit it if you don’t even have one at all. The next time you are piling rocks (that’s what The Monk calls throwing 15 balls on the table and pocketing them in any order), look for three ball patterns before every shot and use your precision position play to run them out. Notice, when you get out of line, was it because you were not specific enough? |
Detroit Was Fun, Get Ready For The Big One
Orlando In September
Bogart’s Billiards is one of the finest pool halls in the Detroit area. This is the place where five hundred dollars a game is commonplace. Some of the finest road players in the country stop by this classic pool hall for some tough competition. Corn Bread Red and Grady Mathews routinely took on all players at Bogart’s Billiards.
Detroit Recap
Don't Miss The Orlando Finale
I will be doing my final workshop in Orlando Florida on September 30, Oct 1st and 2nd. The Monk is going in another direction and will no longer offer this hands on experience. It has been a great run, over fifteen years of travel and thousands of students, but the time has come to move on. The Orlando workshop is priced at more than half price for a three day seminar. The hotel is included in the tuition. I wanted to offer one final workshop for some special students/friends of mine. I have invited some additional teachers along so that this is a special time for all of us. There are still some openings left. click here to find out more about the Orlando workshop. I hope you will be able to attend this
special event.
At this special workshop, The Monk will deliver a message on The Four Points to Power and how we can move on to the next level by giving up some self defeating thoughts. This is a powerful presentation. Your game and life will be changed when you hear this dynamic talk. The Monk will be travelling around the world sharing this message of strength and hope for all pool players. Be part of the first unique experience in Orlando.
Check Out The Monk's Blog
The Monk has moved into the Blogosphere with an active blog available online at the Monkbilliardacadem-e.com website. Direct to Blog
The Monk's Blog is also available as an RSS feed direct to your desktop through Real Simple Syndication.
Have you been seeing orange RSS or XML buttons more and more, not knowing what they were? They are a way to keep up on the latest news from around the world.
Wow!
What is RSS?
RSS is an easy way for you to keep updated on your favorite websites.
Instead of you visiting these websites to see if they've written a new article etc. You can use RSS (Really Simple Syndication) to get the website to let know when they have something new for you to read.
The Monk now offers an RSS feed (sometimes called a channel) for his most recent articles etc.
How can I make use of RSS?
You will need to get hold of a program called a "News Reader", This displays the websites RSS feed on your computer.
RSS feeds are becoming a very popular way of finding out updates to your favorite sites as this information can be gathered in just one place!
Just click on RSS Feed.
Here's A Sample of My Blog:
Tiger Woods is among us
We have our own Tiger in our midst today. Tiger comes in the form of a blond woman.
Allison Fisher has been the most dominate player in any sport over the past ten years. She has won over ninety per cent of her games against the best competition from all over the world! When you watch her play, she is focused on her craft. Not once does she consider the records, or the past achievements or future goals. She is totally focused on the present, the here and now, the shot at hand. She is a genius master who deserves to be honored and almost revered for her ability to reach present moment awareness. Allison Fisher has conquered “self”.
I have never been to her school, but I would have no problem recommending that you attend if you get the chance. We won’t have Allison Fisher forever. She may move on to other things. If you can get your picture taken with her, do so. She is a master, a rare master.
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She deserves our complete respect when she is competing. Give her your positive thoughts. Cheer her on. Respect that enormous ability. Her greatest achievement is her approach to each and every shot. She sees the shot, knows the stroke and then shoots the shot. I am in awe of her enlightenment. She has done more for this sport than any other player.
I tip my hat off to this wonderful master, Allison Fisher.
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His room is McCue's Billiards & Sports Lounge in downtown Keene. The tournament is August 21st. You can contact Tom at www.nh8ball.com. Tell him The Monk sent you.
You know you’re a D Player when…
62. You are leaning against the table while your opponent is shooting.63. You offer to sell your cue during a match.
64. Failure to exhale while down on a shot results in a red face and light-headedness.
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IT’S ALMOST HERE!
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The shOW (Shot of the Week)
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This is lesson #160; entitled ""When to Duck" and can be found on page 252 in The Lesson. |
In the upcoming newsletters, I will be highlighting a series of defensive shots from The Lesson. Adding these defensive shots to your offensive auxiliary will truly make you lethal.
In league play, your winning percentage will increase if you avoid tough shots and offer them to your opponent. This bank shot is low percentage. If we miss, we leave it hanging in the pocket. And let’s face it, we would be lucky to make thirty percent of these bank shots. That is offering our opponent a seventy percent chance of winning.
We don’t want to do that, so we bank it to the long rail, put the cue ball on the opposite rail, and offer the thirty percent bank shot to our opponent. Then we are in the seventy percent winning mode. Experiment with your speed. Master this shot as it comes up many times over. .