Nine ball run out question?

Question

when I break and have a good chance of running out and the balls are laying good it seem I run most of the balls and the rest are still laying good and I am still in line I get excited., loose focus get nervous or just have a brain f**t not sure but I mess up and miss a simple shot and ruin my break and run It happens mostly in competition I don,t mean every time I break I think I can run out but when I do break and get lucky and every thing lings up most of the time I mess up on the last two to four balls looking for suggestion's Hey johnny you got a answer you have help me lots in the past

Answer 1

Looks like my freinds here have it pretty well covered,Just two shots at a time where  the object ball is going and where do you want the cue ball to stop And dont get in a hurry the balls are waiting on you they aint going no where

Dont stay down on the table I dont care if you have 3 sitting in the pocket get up off every shot take a look at the table then shoot another one

A.K.A. Slow down and think about the table its yours act like it .

Answer 2

Most of billiards is mental -- any loss of focus will take you out of the game.  Loss of focus comes from distractions around you just as much as the little voice in your head worrying about your break and run.  Focus on the balls, read the table and play your best.  Nothing is better than a break and run, but remember the "W" in the win column is best!!  Stay Down & Good Luck!!

Answer 3

They are all correct. You have to stay in the moment. If you are thinking about what you have just done (6-7 ball run) or get your mind on what you are going to do (run the table) you are no longer focused on the shot at hand. I believe the monk put it like this in his book "If you have one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow. All you can do with today is p1ss on it." Wouldn't want that to happen would we? Good luck.

Answer 4

Lorianne is so right...don't think about doing a break and run...just focus on your current shot and block out everything else.  Thinking too much about the next shot (or the one after that) will mess you up and make you  lose your focus.  I also find if you have what you think is an "easy shot" it is so easy to miss because you may shoot too fast...treat every shot the same and FOCUS...that is the key.

Answer 5

I think that we all have this problem to some degree. With me it's all nerves, and no amount of focusing will correct it, so I make a few mechanical changes to compensate for my nerves.

1. I focus on position, not pocketing the ball. I try to be absolutely perfect with my cue ball control. I don't get mad if my position isn't perfect, but focusing on position instead of the object ball and pocket, tends to calm my nerves a bit, and smooth out my stroke.

2. Bridge closer to the cue ball and shorten the stroke. This lessens the effect of a breakdown in mechanics due to nerves.

3. Try to use the minimum amount of speed necessary to get the cue ball into position. Use english instead of power to move the cue ball around the table.

By following these three rules I take my focus off of the object ball, and put it instead on the cue ball. I practice this by trying to run racks while hitting the object ball just barely hard enough to get it to the pocket, and depending on english and positioning to get me around the table.

I still find myself missing shots under pressure, but it helps.

Answer 6

Like Loriann said, you don't want to be thinking about winning or what other people are thinking about your last or next shot or to go with the chicken or fish.  Just think about your shot and ball placement before you get down to shoot, then get down on your shot and focus only on your contact point of the object ball.  If your ID (point the way reference... good book) starts talking to you about anything, stand up take a walk around the table, do your preshot routine and reset yourself to accomplish what you are trying to do.  The more you are in "pressure" situations and over come your nerves, the better it gets, but even pros still feel it at times.  Good luck, and keep racken em up!

Answer 7

Shoot each shot like it's your first. Don't think about the fact that you're about to win or that you only have 3 balls left. Think about the task at hand. If you start thinking about the outcome before you've executed EACH shot, you're not focused. Stand up and walk around the table and gather your thoughts. Get back into focus --- breathe --- and take care of the task at hand by staying in the moment. Don't think about the outcome. Think about the shot and execute it. Whenever you lose focus ---- breathe --- chalk up, and go through your pre-shot routine, and get your head in the game. If you can't think 3 balls ahead ......just take care of one shot at a time. NEVER think about the outcome ---think about your strategy and go through the motions of consciously  executing your shots.

Know well, that if ever you start thinking about the outcome or how many balls you have left ----- you're sunk! It's a matter of self-discipline, FOCUS, and concentration.

As we say: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Good luck, pool player!

LAG