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In my recent interview with Hall of Famer Nick
Varner, he said:
“You're always liable to miss those
hard shots; you got to brush them off and just try to learn from
'em what you can as far as getting used to the table and stuff so
you don't miss the next shot you come up against. You try to not
let it become contagious. It becomes like cancer where you go from
bad to worse. That happens to a lot of players.”
Unfortunately, there is no antibiotic you can
take to keep this condition from progressing when you start to catch
a miss. It could be that the balls are just getting a little sticky
or maybe the air is humid and everything is reacting a little differently
than you’re expecting. The spin exaggerates and combinations
become much tougher.
When you start missing a shot here and there due
to the table conditions, it’s very common to start losing
confidence. That’s when, as Nick says, “it becomes like
a cancer where you go from bad to worse.” Once your confidence
is shaken, it’s very difficult to regain your composure and
that’s when we often make bad decisions too. It’s really
easy to start questioning your mechanics or abilities when you miss
a couple back to back shots. The key is to be aware of why you’re
missing so that you can make the appropriate adjustments.
It could be something mechanical or a variance
in the equipment. Whatever it is, this is where all those long hours
of practice come in handy. It’s so critical to be in tune
with your game so that when the conditions and the equipment are
slightly off, you can adjust quickly before it’s too late.
Pay close attention to what’s happening. If you know your
game, then you should know what the cue ball should be doing on
certain shots.
Home Remedy: Practice on as many
different tables and in as many different playing conditions as
possible. The only way to recognize when things go from bad to worse
is by experiencing it. Learning to adjust to various circumstances
will keep the cancer from spreading. When it starts happening in
a match, reduce your speed and use less english until you can make
the adjustment.
Remember, each time you approach the table, it’s
a new shot, a new opportunity to do your best, and anything that
happened before is now in the past. Learn from it, and then let
it go.
The above excerpt is from the article, “Nick
Varner: The Original Comeback Kid.” Go to AzBilliards.com
to read the complete interview and other Pro Vision interviews.
Samm Diep, “Cherry Bomb” (DenverCherryBomb.com)
House Pro at Rack ‘Em Billiards (Aurora, CO)
Author of “You Might Be A D Player If… (101 Classic
Moves That All Pool Players Can Appreciate)”
Player Representative for Chris Byrne Custom Cues, PoolDawg, Predator,
Jim Murnak Custom Cases, & Delta-13 Rack
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