SPM Billiards Magazine Issue 32

To Think, or Not to Think, that is the Question!

By Steve Jennings

Steve Jennings SPF/ACS/PBIA Master Instructor

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It’s often been said that playing pool is as much a mental exercise as it is a physical effort. Different aspects of the game require different amounts of mental and physical effort. It becomes important to understand when and how to apply each aspect.

Different parts of the brain process information in different ways. Analytical thinking occurs primarily in the left side of the brain, while the right brain controls more creative thought. Accountants, architects, and engineers function primarily in their left brain, while artists, musicians, and actors are more often operating from the right brain. Playing pool requires us to be able move from left to right brain functions, depending on where we are in the shooting process.

We have 3 checklists we develop for various parts of our shooting routines. Basically, our studying checklist is where we decide what we want to accomplish. Our standing checklist is where we decide how we are going to do it. And our shooting checklist is where we execute our plan. The first two require analytical thinking. The third is when we have to stop thinking!

Let’s look a little more closely. Deciding what we want to do is pretty much big picture thinking. What is the best pattern I can see to reach my ultimate goal. Many pros will tell you to think 3 balls ahead. This is more easily done if you practice thinking backward. Where do I need to be for the best shot on the third ball? What is the best path to get there from my second ball? And how do I get there after making the first ball. As you complete the first shot, you now need to add another ball into the equation. This allows you to always have 3 balls in your plan. If you watch the better players, you will frequently see them touch their tip to a spot on the table. This is a way of verifying their intention for the end position for their cue ball at the conclusion of the shot. This isn’t a move of

showmanship like Babe Ruth pointing his bat toward the right-field fence. It’s part of their visualization process. It gives them a specific target for their cue ball. Visualization is a topic for another day, but it is a critical aspect for successful players. Creating a complete and precise mental image of the expected outcome helps ensure things turn out the way we plan.

So our first checklist to complete is our studying checklist. It is definitely an analytical period in our routine as we begin to lay the groundwork to complete a successful run-out. At this point, we still have more thinking to do before we get down to shoot. Now that we know what we want to do, our thought process shifts to how will we make our plan work. This is accomplished with our second or standing checklist.

We have taken a close look at the thought process for our studying checklist. This is the checklist we use to decide what our plan is going to be. We probably moved around the table enough to see things from different angles to get the complete picture and make sure what we want to accomplish is possible. We now find ourselves standing behind the cue ball, looking toward our target. Our thought process now shifts to how to move the balls according to our plan.

There are three things we have control over on any given shot, and we need to make decisions on all three. The first decision can be thought of as Angle or aim. The specific aim line creates a shot angle, so our control for this aspect comes from accurately positioning our cue stick for precise delivery

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of the cue ball to our target. Our thinking needs to be verifying that we have determined the correct angle or aim line, so we can make sure our cue stick will be placed at the correct position for the shot.

Our second factor we can control on every shot is the speed we apply to the cue ball. Obviously, we need to have proper cue ball speed to make sure the object ball reaches the pocket but then has enough energy to travel to the desired position for proper shape on the next ball. The final part of the shot we control is how much and what spin we will be applying to the cue ball. Too much, or too little spin, or the wrong kind of spin will prevent the cue ball from responding as we intended. Again, this can cause missed position for the next shot…or worse! There is really nothing else we can control on any shot, so it’s critical to make sure we consider all three on every shot. Cover your Angle or aim line, Speed, and Spin on all your shots. I’m sure you will find a very easy way to remember the 3 control factors.

At this point, it’s time to STOP THINKING! All of your necessary decisions have been made. There is nothing left to think about. It’s time for your shooting checklist. No thinking. Just execute the shot the way you have planned, relying solely on the fundamental stroke mechanics you have spent hours developing through practice, repetition, and muscle memory. The actual shot execution should be natural and thought-free. The legendary NY Yankees coach Yogi Berra often told his players, “You can’t think and hit the ball at the same time!”.

In other words, we need to Think before shooting, then shoot without thinking!Until next time

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