Thinking ahead

Brandon H

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May 7, 2013
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From
Jupiter, FL
I'm relatively new to the game. I have a good foundation in other areas such as 9 ball and 8 ball. I've had a couple of lessons in one pocket. I said all that to say, I'm a novice 1pkt player.

I hear people compare the game to chess and thinking several moves ahead. I have tried to do this but I'm not sure I'm thinking at the level I should be. For instance, my opponent may have a ball near his pocket and I'm behind the stack. I think, should I try to kick at his ball and move it, put the cue ball up table, or leave him near his pocket? Thinking ahead I say to myself, if I leave him near his pocket he may be able to move another one over to his side and put me back in the same spot and now I have twice the problem. In that situation if there's nowhere up table to leave the ball, I would probably try to kick at the ball in front of his pocket.

So, the above scenario is a defensive one. What exactly are some situations where you are thinking ahead? Does anyone have any offensive examples? Thanks for your help!
 

androd

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Dec 10, 2008
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New Braunfels tx.
if there's a ball by the 1st diamond or so above his pocket, if you can place a ball by your pocket and hide him from his ball, then you may have a chance to get a bank at your pocket.
Rod.
P.S. Their are many scenarios like this, although I've never been able to predict more than one shot ahead. Too many options.
 

Brandon H

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May 7, 2013
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From
Jupiter, FL
if there's a ball by the 1st diamond or so above his pocket, if you can place a ball by your pocket and hide him from his ball, then you may have a chance to get a bank at your pocket.
Rod.
P.S. Their are many scenarios like this, although I've never been able to predict more than one shot ahead. Too many options.

Thanks! That's what I'm looking for. I know creativity is a big part of the game and thinking like that seems creative. I have a very analytical mind (I'm a scientist by trade). Stuff like this is tough for me to come up with on the fly, although, I have no problem memorizing a ton of information that I can recognize during a game. On the other hand, just knowing that concept of leaving your opponent in a position where he HAS to do something that may leave you a shot is powerful.
 

Tom Wirth

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Jul 5, 2004
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Delray Beach, Florida
Brandon, I think the best place to start is right here on this site. Do yourself a favor and go into the past wwyd threads. If you haven't done this before you will be pleasantly surprised by the wealth of information you will discover. If you have done some research of the various wwyd threads, do more and find a way to add your own scenarios into the mix.

The topic of thinking ahead is a common one here.

Good luck and happy shooting, :)

Tom
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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Nov 18, 2005
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Thanks! That's what I'm looking for. I know creativity is a big part of the game and thinking like that seems creative. I have a very analytical mind (I'm a scientist by trade). Stuff like this is tough for me to come up with on the fly, although, I have no problem memorizing a ton of information that I can recognize during a game. On the other hand, just knowing that concept of leaving your opponent in a position where he HAS to do something that may leave you a shot is powerful.
I will put you were every person should be. Once you reach your potential and your top ability. The only way you can keep improving is through thinking and learning. When you reach your top potential and and ability. You are at a stand still. And your shooting does not improve. Even if you practice night and day. The only way to improve from there in through knowledge learning and thinking. Its like you practice jumping. From age 15 to age 20. And you cannot jump high enough to dunk the basket ball no matter how hard you try. Because you have reached the highest you can jump. And your ability has reached the top. And your ability will not get better so you will not be able to duke the basketball. No matter how much you practice. Because you do not have the ability. Same playing pool If you want to be a champion that will not happen. Unless you have the ability and talent. I don't care if you Take A thousand lesions nothing will make you a champion. You can still become a good and smart player. Through knowledge and learning and thinking. To be a champion you have to have the ability to go with the knowledge. And the only way a champion can improve once he reaches his potential and ability is through knowledge. And the great shooters like Billy Buddy Efren Earle Shane Scott Cliff and many more. They no when they reached there top shooting potential. The only player out of all these players that would be a Question mark if he reached his potential would be Shane.If he has ant reached it yet . He is very close. Thinking is the greatest thing you can do to learn and improve.
 

NH Steve

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Apr 25, 2004
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New Hampshire
In watching DVD's -- or any video where you can pause and rewind as much as you want -- when something significant happens in a match that causes a swing in the game, take a look at the sequence of shots just prior. See if you can see how that key shot developed as an opportunity.

I say that, but when I play, I also mainly am trying to deal as best I can with the current moment, lol.

Granted, some situations are more obvious though -- like trying not to leave an easy opportunity for your opponent to put you behind the stack.
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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I will put you were every person should be. Once you reach your potential and your top ability. The only way you can keep improving is through thinking and learning. When you reach your top potential and and ability. You are at a stand still. And your shooting does not improve. Even if you practice night and day. The only way to improve from there in through knowledge learning and thinking. Its like you practice jumping. From age 15 to age 20. And you cannot jump high enough to dunk the basket ball no matter how hard you try. Because you have reached the highest you can jump. And your ability has reached the top. And your ability will not get better so you will not be able to duke the basketball. No matter how much you practice. Because you do not have the ability. Same playing pool If you want to be a champion that will not happen. Unless you have the ability and talent. I don't care if you Take A thousand lesions nothing will make you a champion. You can still become a good and smart player. Through knowledge and learning and thinking. To be a champion you have to have the ability to go with the knowledge. And the only way a champion can improve once he reaches his potential and ability is through knowledge. And the great shooters like Billy Buddy Efren Earle Shane Scott Cliff and many more. They no when they reached there top shooting potential. The only player out of all these players that would be a Question mark if he reached his potential would be Shane.If he has ant reached it yet . He is very close. Thinking is the greatest thing you can do to learn and improve.
All the answers are on the internet. All you have to do is find them record them in your mind . And learn them. Once you start thinking that way. You will get better and better. And any time I had a problem in life/ I would tell myself to think about it and find the answer. And I would keep thinking tell I found the correct answer. It doesn't hurt at tall.
 

vapros

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May 24, 2004
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baton rouge, la
Good advice from everyone. As far as a game plan, and looking ahead, there's not much of that in one-pocket. You'll find that, in general, your game plan will be different every time you come to the table, due to the movement of the balls. It is VERY important to know how the table will look to the incoming player, after you shoot. The aim of the game is to make him unhappy. There is no friendship or good will in one-pocket. Make your man regard you as a dirty bastard. :heh
 

bigshot

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Jan 19, 2014
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There are scenarios that happen a lot. Once you see them, you can see the common possibilites and get yourself ahead in the sequence.

For instance, my opponent may have a ball near his pocket and I'm behind the stack. I think, should I try to kick at his ball and move it, put the cue ball up table, or leave him near his pocket? Thinking ahead I say to myself, if I leave him near his pocket he may be able to move another one over to his side and put me back in the same spot and now I have twice the problem. In that situation if there's nowhere up table to leave the ball, I would probably try to kick at the ball in front of his pocket.

So, the above scenario is a defensive one. What exactly are some situations where you are thinking ahead? Does anyone have any offensive examples? Thanks for your help!
This is a very common sequence. As far as how to get out of it, you're just going to have to come with a shot (or several). Thinking ahead is about figuring out how you got there in the first place. For an example of a position leading up to this, if your opponent leaves you too low on the break and doesn't freeze the corner ball by your side, rather than just kicking safe, you can carom safe off the corner ball, which takes away the return kick into the stack by making the corner ball available to you and hidden. Simply kicking safe often ends up (as you well know :D) with multiple innings where the player defending the break will just smash into and freeze to the stack, leaving the attacking player a pointless, tree-topped soft kick.

Try to think along the lines of the real estate that you control and why you control it and you can begin to shoot shots that demand a specific response or at the very least limit their options. This allows you to predict what they must do rather than just being afraid what they might do.
 

GoldCrown

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Dec 9, 2013
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Lessons. Find a qualified instructor. If by chance you live near S. Florida contact Tom Wirth. He'll teach you the table. He pulls hats out of rabbits.
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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Nov 18, 2005
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Brandon, I think the best place to start is right here on this site. Do yourself a favor and go into the past wwyd threads. If you haven't done this before you will be pleasantly surprised by the wealth of information you will discover. If you have done some research of the various wwyd threads, do more and find a way to add your own scenarios into the mix.

The topic of thinking ahead is a common one here.

Good luck and happy shooting, :)

Tom
You can learn the game more and better by watching moviers than shooters. There are only a few movers now days. To me it looks like they all have become shooters. And that's how they want to win the game by shooting not moving. Even in the olden days most all players were shooters.Its easier to shoot then to have to think. And they don't even think about what the odds are to make the shot. They see a ball sticking out. The look to shoot and run 8 and out. Its like in baseball they look for the home run . And its looks better and they get paid more. Than a singles hitter. Learning the game takes hard work and a lot of time. Next time you watch someone practice. They don't practice movies. They practice shooting position. They mostly practice what they already no. Not what they should be learning. I am not a politician looking for your Vote. Just telling it like it is.
 

mr3cushion

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Sep 17, 2008
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From
Cocoa Beach, FL
You can learn the game more and better by watching moviers than shooters. There are only a few movers now days. To me it looks like they all have become shooters. And that's how they want to win the game by shooting not moving. Even in the olden days most all players were shooters.Its easier to shoot then to have to think. And they don't even think about what the odds are to make the shot. They see a ball sticking out. The look to shoot and run 8 and out. Its like in baseball they look for the home run . And its looks better and they get paid more. Than a singles hitter. Learning the game takes hard work and a lot of time. Next time you watch someone practice. They don't practice movies. They practice shooting position. They mostly practice what they already no. Not what they should be learning. I am not a politician looking for your Vote. Just telling it like it is.

Politician or not Artie, that's sound advise for any new and veteran players that play the game to adhere to! But, don't give ALL the gems away! lol
 

Brandon H

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May 7, 2013
Messages
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From
Jupiter, FL
Thanks a lot everyone. This is very helpful. Artie, great insight and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Tom, thanks and I plan on getting up with you soon. Work has kept me running around the state with very little time for anything else. I'm up in Jupiter. We met a couple months ago.
 

Tom Wirth

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Jul 5, 2004
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From
Delray Beach, Florida
You can learn the game more and better by watching moviers than shooters. There are only a few movers now days. To me it looks like they all have become shooters. And that's how they want to win the game by shooting not moving. Even in the olden days most all players were shooters.Its easier to shoot then to have to think. And they don't even think about what the odds are to make the shot. They see a ball sticking out. The look to shoot and run 8 and out. Its like in baseball they look for the home run . And its looks better and they get paid more. Than a singles hitter. Learning the game takes hard work and a lot of time. Next time you watch someone practice. They don't practice movies. They practice shooting position. They mostly practice what they already no. Not what they should be learning. I am not a politician looking for your Vote. Just telling it like it is.

Artie, You of course are correct in that learning the game is a matter of understanding the moves and getting the first shot. Getting the first shot will always be the first goal a player must seek to achieve. After that though, learning the patterns for running the balls becomes the paramount objective. The player who is capable of running out frequently with having earned but one open shot will beat the player who on average needs several "first shots" to win a game.

There is no substitute for making eight balls in your pocket! Moves only get you the opportunity to score. Shooting the balls in the pocket will always remain the overall objective.

Learn the moves of course that is the game within the game. Learn to be patient but aggressive. Learn to think ahead. This is not like chess though because the playing field changes so rapidly that usually thinking one of two shots ahead is sufficient. And learn the patterns for running the balls so you can maximize your inning and in so doing apply great pressure on your opponent. If you happen to be playing against someone who does not demonstrate an ability to run many balls then it stands to reason that you can then take more chances with that player then you could with the player who has great fire power but may not move as well.

Just my thoughts and philosophy toward the game.

Tom
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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Nov 18, 2005
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Thanks a lot everyone. This is very helpful. Artie, great insight and I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Tom, thanks and I plan on getting up with you soon. Work has kept me running around the state with very little time for anything else. I'm up in Jupiter. We met a couple months ago.
Work less and live more.
 
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