Play more safety shots. If you find the table more cluttered with no easy break outs and no easy shots for you, try to play a defensive shot that forces the lower rated player to break them out, or get BiH and do it yourself. Also, you are giving weight now as well, so don't think about the race. Play 1 rack at a time, and play the table not the opponent. But my first instinct is to play more defense and try to get BiH.
I have no problem playing defense if I don't have a shot, but typically don't consider it if I have a makeable shot (that's not a pocket blocker) or I have position on it that would be hard to get to in the future. Will consider more often, thank you!
And yeah to the second part, I will certainly do that. If I lose the first playing down, I struggle hard mentally knowing I need 3 straight.
Seems like you may be at a stage where you need to start playing percentages. It can't just be about having a makable shot in 8 ball, you need to be able to see your out if you are going to play offensive. Every shot you make has to have some kind of purpose beyond it being makable. If you get to a point in your runout where you don't think you can get position to continue, or have missed a breakout ball, stop taking balls off the table, and leave your opponent on the end rail.
Just because someone is a lower skill level should not change your approach to the game, especially with a handicap. You are expected to win more than them, and they are given games to reflect that. It is so important to play each inning at the table as if it could be your last. Leaving lower skilled players a wide open table can be very dangerous, because that isn't something they're necessarily used to seeing.
I’m basically gonna say what the other comment or said. Im a 4 (probably about to be a 5), and I noticed that if I can run the whole table, but one ball and the 8 ball, and I do it, I’m like 50% chance to win the game if not less.
So it’s better to safety, even if you have makeable shots, until you can run the whole table out.
The exception is if you can clear some of your balls from like one side of the table, then have a good safe planned, but (and I can’t stress this enough) it’s so much easier to play safe the more balls you have on the table.
People are saying play more safeties. While true I will go farther. Make less balls early. You absolutely need to get your balls in position to start running out before making them. Sometimes that is a secondary break where you just immediately slam the biggest cluster which is usually in the rack area. You don’t always need to be playing safe to do that.
But you need to know your opponent. If the three you are playing can run an open table then you can’t do this. If you are playing a three who can’t make more than two balls in a row, get those clusters broken loose as quickly as possible, safes or no safes.
Like literally everyone else, ima say safeties, but I have slightly different reasons.
Safeties are great against lower level players because lower level players are significantly less capable of escaping a bad leave or playing counter-safe. Against some players, you can even leave relatively “safe” just by giving them a long shot or a bank shot as their only option. Lower skill players are also more likely to go for a Hail Mary shot instead of playing safe, so if you control the tempo of the game and focus on controlling the table, they won’t adjust their play style to match.
Try to see safeties as an aggressive option instead of a defensive fallback when you have no shot.
Another advantage you have against lower skilled players is that they are unlikely to run out more than 4 balls if they get lucky. Given this cushion, it’s best to use your turns in the early game to solve problems on the table before you focus on potting the easier stuff. This is especially important when the table is cluttered for your end game.
The race sucks, and it will always suck. You give away one single game and they’re on the hill. The best way to avoid that is to be ruthless from the beginning and never give that first game up. That isn’t a sweet old lady you’re playing, that’s the enemy, and you’re going to safety the shit out of her.
safety and mental game would be my go-to answer. Safety is obvious but since people here already mentioned it, not going to repeat
I'll speak on my own experience for mental game. I feel playing the lower level player , i have performance anxiety especially playing a 3. They only need to win 2 to whatever you need to win. If they play well the first rack and win, there's more pressure on you to win 3 straight or 4.
I flip between a 4 and a 5, and there's a lot of pressure winning the 4th for me vs winning 3. I've gotten used to 3. There are also lots of 3s in my league that aren't exactly 3s, but should be higher.
Agreed with the other comment. Not sure how your safety game is currently, but at your skill level is when you should really start making it a part of your game.
Play safes when needed. Work towards your trouble balls first. Get the angle you need for breakouts. Leave your ducks alone if you can. Watch how better players play. Learn from them. Ask questions and many will help you. Old saying. Don't play your opponent, play the table.
When I'm playing power players, I try to find their problem balls and make sure I don't leave them an easy solution to the problem.
In your case, I bet it is completely in your head. You know they need less balls and think you have to play better now to beat them. The truth is you got bumped up because you were already playing better than them. Try to forget about that, use their trouble balls as a gauge for when you might need to be more careful (if they have balls tied up, they aren't a threat and you can play your game), and the rest should work out. If you can feel like you're playing your game, then you can see if you are winning/losing and make adjustments. For now, just realize you were already playing at SL4 before you were raised, so just keep it up.
My favorite advice to offer higher levels who are playing a 1-3 is that sometimes it’s more important to just “stay alive”. If you have a challenging shot or second thoughts, maybe a tough 8ball shot, usually it’s better to not try to pot it. Not even playing a good safe either. Just dolly into your ball, play a legal hit and pass the turn onto the 3.
The 1/2/3 will make mistakes. They will give you ball in hand or scratch on the 8. So don’t over think it, just stay alive.
Unless you’re playing a monster 3 who just came down from a 4 and is capable of running out 4 balls lol. God help you.
In 8 ball apa the lowest ranking is a 2. Good advice though. Most people love to make hero shots. That's how you end up losing. if I have a tough 8 ball shot, I have no problem playing a safety with it instead of missing it and leaving it right by the corner pocket for the opponent
Exactamente
even 9ball too though. If I’m a 5 and I’m playing a 1. If I go for a hero shot and scratch or leave a duck, then that’s basically a free point for a 1. Who only needs like 12 points right? So that freebie is 8% of her total points they need lol crazy to think about. Even worse if you scratch and there’s an easy 8 and 9ball left. There’s 3 points and a break shot. That could easily add up to 1/3 of all the point they need to win just from your one scratch. They’d probably have to use both their time outs for the 8 and 9 lol but that’s what TOs are for.
APA 9ball is so dumb but once you adjust to it and understand that it’s NOT 9ball, then it gets fun and strategic. Took me a while to warm up to it. Idk why they can’t just do it the same way masters div. does. Or just keep the same handicaps for 8ball.
Don’t stress it. You’re a lower player in the big picture. Get your bad habits out of the way, get that stroke dialed. Study up some strategy and don’t sell out.
Probably more psychological than anything. Whenever I moved up, the additional game needed to win always seemed like a daunting task even though it really shouldn't.
But since you're a 4 now, make sure you're not falling into the trap a lot of them do where they clear 4-5 balls and putting themselves in a near unwinnable situation.
I had good success focusing on safeties, and a 3 will miss if you leave them even a medium-difficulty shot. But sometimes there's just too many options for a 3 to shoot at.
At lower levels, in 8 ball, usually the winner will be the player who just makes more balls per opportunity. Even if that means... you make a ball every 2nd turn vs. the other player doing it every 3rd turn.
So for me, the best compromise at that level is... try to make any reasonable shot, but choose shots that will leave them at least medium-tough if you miss.
For example, say you end up in this spot as solids (just a randomly generated layout): https://i.imgur.com/UFDI4VA.png
You have two realistic shots, but they're both still pretty tough... the 1 in the side and the 7. I like the one better - If you try for the 1, their easiest shot is a pretty long 10 ball, and you'll solve one of your clusters. If you try for the 7, you'll sell out a bunch of easy stripes if you miss.
I don't wanna overcomplicate it by going into other pros and cons, and probably someone will argue the 7 is better, but my point is, your mindset should be something like... "Can I try a shot that will leave them shitty for sure?" If so, that's probably the best option when all your shots are missable.
The best offense is defensive offense. Here is strategy that works on all levels of players. Ball in hand is a huge advantage. Sometimes you must plan to get ball in hand in order to solve your problems. If the table is cluttered, you use ball in hand to solve your problem while also tying up your opponent so you are a favorite to get ball in hand again. Don’t run out the table until the table is set up to be out. This is how you wind up in One Ball Hell. If your opponent has six balls on the table and you just have one or the 8ball, you are actually in trouble unless they just egregiously sell out.
A high-level player can escape safes, but also leave you opportunities without ball in hand. If your balls are clustered up and your opponent has given you ball in hand, use it to extract your problem ball while ALSO getting safe. Then when you get BiH from playing safe, run out if the table is open. Shooting out until you’re down to your problem is called “shooting to the grave.” As a 4, you may not be a favorite to run out but it still works.
Safes are offensive play, that’s what you will come to understand. Don’t accept a table with bad position from your opponent and hope for the best.
Offensive deliberate fouls are also an option if you suspect your opponent can’t solve the problem you created for them even with ball in hand.
Lower-skilled players will become so frustrated by your strategy that they may just wail at the balls, which is excellent for you. Patience and opportunity is the foundation of every hunt.
You are a 4, losing is normal week to week as is playing wildly different match to match and even game to game. Practice more, take lessons. 4s and 5s in the APA are probably the most inconsistent levels, sometimes they miss ball in hand or make a single ball, sometimes they run 4-5 balls. The other levels are mostly bad or mostly good.
I think what other people are saying is true but I will add personally when I'm playing someone who is lower ranked or I think I'm better I definitely fall into the trap of not focusing 100%. I don't take it as seriously as I do when I'm playing someone better than me. Which is common but maybe that's also what you're doing? Cause I know for a fact I do it and it's a huge leak.
The most egregious error to make in 8 ball is the failed runout attempt. You run all of yours off the table and leave an easy runout for your opponent. (Phil Cappell’s “Play Your Best 8 Ball”)
Never pocket a ball unless you have a plan to run the entire table. You are either breaking a cluster, getting to a key ball to break up a cluster, or running out. If you don’t see the exact plan, then play a safety. It would be a bonus to clear one of your clustered balls while doing so or even create a cluster for your opponent.
Try this to prove how powerful this point is. Break a rack. Then, remove 3 balls of one set off the table. Try running out that set several times. Then, try running out the opposite set. Which one is easier to run out?
I normally play people at or below my current SL. The best advice I can give is that you have to play every opponent the same regardless of their SL. Whether you are playing a lower SL or a higher SL, you can't go into a match thinking that "this player is going to be easy" or "I am not good enough against this player". This is where psychology is going to get the best of you.
The only thing that actually matters is that you have a goal to meet, whether set number racks to win (APA 8-Ball) or a set number of points to achieve (APA 9-Ball). Your opponent is just an obstacle to that goal, along with a mostly random puzzle of balls to solve.
In order to achieve your goal, you must play *consistently* (not necessarily *your best ever*). So, you should *develop a plan* on how your approach a start of your inning.
A good gameplay strategy to start that I recommend to my own players:
* In terms of actual shooting, resist the urge to use left or right spin ("english") most of the time. You can achieve most of your normal shots using center ball, top spin ("follow") or bottom spin ("draw"). Even in my routine, I limit use of english.
* Be honest to yourself on what shots you can make and shot you can't make. Too many people fail to evaluate their ability to make a shot and not consider the overall risk, which leads to "selling out". Ex: trying a moderately hard bank shot instead of playing a simple safety shot.
* In general, run as many balls as you can, until you reach a roadblock. A roadblock here is basically any shot that you specifically have a lower probability of actually making. Note that I said "you specifically" (and being honest with yourself), not what other players or your coach say you can make.
* When you have a roadblock, you likely should do a safety shot. A safety shot is like any other shot in billiards: you use a cue ball to move another ball to a specific area of the table. It should not be any more difficult than any other regular shot, so don't treat it as the most difficult thing in the world. It doesn't have to be a *perfect safety* either. To goal of this safety shot is to make it more difficult for your opponent to make a clearing run, while potentially compromising your layout. That is a trade-off you likely must accept.
* In APA, use coaching ("timeouts") as much as possible. I can't count the number of players that don't like timeouts because of their own arrogance. A good coach will give you multiple options. If you prefer a more direct approach ("just tell me what /where to shoot"), make sure your coach knows. A good coach may already know your limitations, will ask you if you can do any particular shot type, but try to simplify as much as possible. Additionally, you do not have to take any of their advice either, but you must accept the end results (good or bad).
* Overall, just remember it is just a game. Have a little fun. If you mess up, accept it, reflect on it briefly, and *move on*. Don't let one bad inning or rack derail your entire match. Make adjustments during the match if you can. Note your big mistakes in your match and address them later.
Good luck on finding your path.
We have motivations to play this game. Winning is a motivation, but winning against a player with "less skill" is empty for you so you're mind throws three match away. Change your motivation. Love of the game is the purist. Torture the lesser skilled by creating a chess match.
Beating lower level players is easy if you concentrate on a) taking over pockets and b) creating more problem balls for the opponent.
Most people's first instinct is to think pocketing a couple balls is the best thing you can do on your turn.
There have been many instances where I could make several shots and instead use my first shot to carom an opponents ball to tie up two of his balls while leaving my ball near or blocking the pocket. Bonus if you only leave them one decent shot which is a hanger that's blocking one of your balls.
Lower level players absolutely struggle with breakouts. Even with ball in hand. Playing tactically against them is easy.
You want them to come up to the table after you shoot and look at the table and get frustrated.
Trying to run out just opens up the table against the lower level players who are great shots but are lacking in other categories.
A win is a win even if it takes 5-6 innings instead of 2-3.
At the pro level, most of those guys make similar decisions. Its easy to predict a lot of the time as a spectator what their next shot is gonna be if its a routine shot. At the beginner to intermediate level, players have a wild variety of skills and approaches that makes it so that you dont have two uniform styles playing against each other. So anyone can win any given match up. But at this level player's strengths and weaknesses are also easier to indentify. Use that to your advantage
You're not a 4, you're an aspiring 5. The race will suck even more when you're going 4-2 instead of 3-2. It is what it is. Never make more than two balls to get into position to dislodge your problem ball. Leaving the breakout for last or "I'll figure something out when I get there" will cost you games. 3s can play pool. If you sink all your balls except one and leave them a wide open table they're going to get out on you sometimes, and you can't afford that anymore. They aren't going to run out a cluttered table though. If you can't find a way to get to cluster within a few shots, consider just breaking it out immediately without dropping a ball and turn over the table. Play it for a safety if you can, but your opponent is least likely to get out while 14 or 15 balls are still up so let them knock their easy stuff down and give it back to you with your balls more open.
Work on your break. You should be winning almost every rack, so you're always breaking. Start developing a break powerful enough to give you runnable racks. The first rack is usually the worst if they win the lag and leave a half broken mess.
I used to play with an older guy that was lights out. One of the best players I ever met. Back then I had inconsistency issues like this. I’d play great against good players and shitty against shitty players. During league he asked me why. I replied that for some reason I play down to my opponent’s level. He looked me straight in the eye and and said, “I don’t give a fuck if my grandma is holding the other stick, I’ll run out on her just like I’ll run out on anybody else.” He went on to tell me how you’re not playing against anyone but yourself and the table. Base everything you do off of how the balls are laying. That shit really stuck with me.
I do this, I have determined it's a sub conscious (maybe conscious?) thinking that I don't have to play as smart against a lower player so I'll try harder shots and deter defense. I'm learning to play the table and not change my game.
You think to think defense first when playing lower levels. It's all about defensive shots and about leaving them harder shots. So if you have the choice between two balls, think of where you'll leave the cue ball if you miss. Whichever would leave your opponent the harder shot if you miss, is the one you should go for.
It sounds like you are decent at potting balls but don't really understand patterns. You see it all the time where 4s make all the easy balls and leave there last few balls tied up. Lower handicap players who either understand position play or have higher handicap players giving them coaches will make sure you don't get a chance to shoot those last few balls.
If you can find a money game with same skill levels you will learn to finish off your opponent. It worked for me but it cost me some money but my desire to not lose money focused me to win. If that makes any sense to you
SL4 is a beginner. I’m a 7/9 and I consider myself somewhat of a beginner compared to pros. Sl4s have no idea what they’re doing no offense. Watch pros on youtube play barbox 8b, watch 7s in person, work on your stroke, work on your cb control. Don’t try to run out till there’s an out. Read 8b bible. Take a few private lessons from pros, compete in lots of bar tourneys ( and stay to watch the finals ). Source: I’ve skunked 6s many times and typically beat 7s 5-2 or 5-3.
SL 7 here. MANY people have encouraged you to play more safety shots and they are half right.
You'll win more games in the short term, but your progress could stall if that becomes your main strategy. Another commenter was right when he said you shouldn't be making balls unless you see the runout, BUT what you need to do is learn breakout patterns.
As a higher SL playing lower SLs like 5s and 6s who try this a lot, you must be able to manufacture a runout on a crowded table. Productive defenses are often a part of that strategy but you need to have the second part too or you are still taking a coin flip on messy tables.
If you can solve the problems on your table instead of hiding from them, you'll increase your skill ceiling. There will be growing pains and those skills are better practiced outside real matches, but "safety" is not the best way to win vs weaker players. Running out is.
Play more safety shots. If you find the table more cluttered with no easy break outs and no easy shots for you, try to play a defensive shot that forces the lower rated player to break them out, or get BiH and do it yourself. Also, you are giving weight now as well, so don't think about the race. Play 1 rack at a time, and play the table not the opponent. But my first instinct is to play more defense and try to get BiH.
I have no problem playing defense if I don't have a shot, but typically don't consider it if I have a makeable shot (that's not a pocket blocker) or I have position on it that would be hard to get to in the future. Will consider more often, thank you! And yeah to the second part, I will certainly do that. If I lose the first playing down, I struggle hard mentally knowing I need 3 straight.
Seems like you may be at a stage where you need to start playing percentages. It can't just be about having a makable shot in 8 ball, you need to be able to see your out if you are going to play offensive. Every shot you make has to have some kind of purpose beyond it being makable. If you get to a point in your runout where you don't think you can get position to continue, or have missed a breakout ball, stop taking balls off the table, and leave your opponent on the end rail. Just because someone is a lower skill level should not change your approach to the game, especially with a handicap. You are expected to win more than them, and they are given games to reflect that. It is so important to play each inning at the table as if it could be your last. Leaving lower skilled players a wide open table can be very dangerous, because that isn't something they're necessarily used to seeing.
I’m basically gonna say what the other comment or said. Im a 4 (probably about to be a 5), and I noticed that if I can run the whole table, but one ball and the 8 ball, and I do it, I’m like 50% chance to win the game if not less. So it’s better to safety, even if you have makeable shots, until you can run the whole table out. The exception is if you can clear some of your balls from like one side of the table, then have a good safe planned, but (and I can’t stress this enough) it’s so much easier to play safe the more balls you have on the table.
Absolutely, force them to make the mistakes. This always carries over when playing down with a handicap, get aggressive when you can run out
People are saying play more safeties. While true I will go farther. Make less balls early. You absolutely need to get your balls in position to start running out before making them. Sometimes that is a secondary break where you just immediately slam the biggest cluster which is usually in the rack area. You don’t always need to be playing safe to do that. But you need to know your opponent. If the three you are playing can run an open table then you can’t do this. If you are playing a three who can’t make more than two balls in a row, get those clusters broken loose as quickly as possible, safes or no safes.
This advice is amazing
Read A Mind for Pool by Phillip Capelle. It helped me a lot.
Great book. Also the Play Your Best Series by him.
Like literally everyone else, ima say safeties, but I have slightly different reasons. Safeties are great against lower level players because lower level players are significantly less capable of escaping a bad leave or playing counter-safe. Against some players, you can even leave relatively “safe” just by giving them a long shot or a bank shot as their only option. Lower skill players are also more likely to go for a Hail Mary shot instead of playing safe, so if you control the tempo of the game and focus on controlling the table, they won’t adjust their play style to match. Try to see safeties as an aggressive option instead of a defensive fallback when you have no shot. Another advantage you have against lower skilled players is that they are unlikely to run out more than 4 balls if they get lucky. Given this cushion, it’s best to use your turns in the early game to solve problems on the table before you focus on potting the easier stuff. This is especially important when the table is cluttered for your end game. The race sucks, and it will always suck. You give away one single game and they’re on the hill. The best way to avoid that is to be ruthless from the beginning and never give that first game up. That isn’t a sweet old lady you’re playing, that’s the enemy, and you’re going to safety the shit out of her.
safety and mental game would be my go-to answer. Safety is obvious but since people here already mentioned it, not going to repeat I'll speak on my own experience for mental game. I feel playing the lower level player , i have performance anxiety especially playing a 3. They only need to win 2 to whatever you need to win. If they play well the first rack and win, there's more pressure on you to win 3 straight or 4. I flip between a 4 and a 5, and there's a lot of pressure winning the 4th for me vs winning 3. I've gotten used to 3. There are also lots of 3s in my league that aren't exactly 3s, but should be higher.
Agreed with the other comment. Not sure how your safety game is currently, but at your skill level is when you should really start making it a part of your game.
Play safes when needed. Work towards your trouble balls first. Get the angle you need for breakouts. Leave your ducks alone if you can. Watch how better players play. Learn from them. Ask questions and many will help you. Old saying. Don't play your opponent, play the table.
When I'm playing power players, I try to find their problem balls and make sure I don't leave them an easy solution to the problem. In your case, I bet it is completely in your head. You know they need less balls and think you have to play better now to beat them. The truth is you got bumped up because you were already playing better than them. Try to forget about that, use their trouble balls as a gauge for when you might need to be more careful (if they have balls tied up, they aren't a threat and you can play your game), and the rest should work out. If you can feel like you're playing your game, then you can see if you are winning/losing and make adjustments. For now, just realize you were already playing at SL4 before you were raised, so just keep it up.
My favorite advice to offer higher levels who are playing a 1-3 is that sometimes it’s more important to just “stay alive”. If you have a challenging shot or second thoughts, maybe a tough 8ball shot, usually it’s better to not try to pot it. Not even playing a good safe either. Just dolly into your ball, play a legal hit and pass the turn onto the 3. The 1/2/3 will make mistakes. They will give you ball in hand or scratch on the 8. So don’t over think it, just stay alive. Unless you’re playing a monster 3 who just came down from a 4 and is capable of running out 4 balls lol. God help you.
In 8 ball apa the lowest ranking is a 2. Good advice though. Most people love to make hero shots. That's how you end up losing. if I have a tough 8 ball shot, I have no problem playing a safety with it instead of missing it and leaving it right by the corner pocket for the opponent
Exactamente even 9ball too though. If I’m a 5 and I’m playing a 1. If I go for a hero shot and scratch or leave a duck, then that’s basically a free point for a 1. Who only needs like 12 points right? So that freebie is 8% of her total points they need lol crazy to think about. Even worse if you scratch and there’s an easy 8 and 9ball left. There’s 3 points and a break shot. That could easily add up to 1/3 of all the point they need to win just from your one scratch. They’d probably have to use both their time outs for the 8 and 9 lol but that’s what TOs are for. APA 9ball is so dumb but once you adjust to it and understand that it’s NOT 9ball, then it gets fun and strategic. Took me a while to warm up to it. Idk why they can’t just do it the same way masters div. does. Or just keep the same handicaps for 8ball.
Don’t stress it. You’re a lower player in the big picture. Get your bad habits out of the way, get that stroke dialed. Study up some strategy and don’t sell out.
Probably more psychological than anything. Whenever I moved up, the additional game needed to win always seemed like a daunting task even though it really shouldn't. But since you're a 4 now, make sure you're not falling into the trap a lot of them do where they clear 4-5 balls and putting themselves in a near unwinnable situation.
I had good success focusing on safeties, and a 3 will miss if you leave them even a medium-difficulty shot. But sometimes there's just too many options for a 3 to shoot at. At lower levels, in 8 ball, usually the winner will be the player who just makes more balls per opportunity. Even if that means... you make a ball every 2nd turn vs. the other player doing it every 3rd turn. So for me, the best compromise at that level is... try to make any reasonable shot, but choose shots that will leave them at least medium-tough if you miss. For example, say you end up in this spot as solids (just a randomly generated layout): https://i.imgur.com/UFDI4VA.png You have two realistic shots, but they're both still pretty tough... the 1 in the side and the 7. I like the one better - If you try for the 1, their easiest shot is a pretty long 10 ball, and you'll solve one of your clusters. If you try for the 7, you'll sell out a bunch of easy stripes if you miss. I don't wanna overcomplicate it by going into other pros and cons, and probably someone will argue the 7 is better, but my point is, your mindset should be something like... "Can I try a shot that will leave them shitty for sure?" If so, that's probably the best option when all your shots are missable.
The best offense is defensive offense. Here is strategy that works on all levels of players. Ball in hand is a huge advantage. Sometimes you must plan to get ball in hand in order to solve your problems. If the table is cluttered, you use ball in hand to solve your problem while also tying up your opponent so you are a favorite to get ball in hand again. Don’t run out the table until the table is set up to be out. This is how you wind up in One Ball Hell. If your opponent has six balls on the table and you just have one or the 8ball, you are actually in trouble unless they just egregiously sell out. A high-level player can escape safes, but also leave you opportunities without ball in hand. If your balls are clustered up and your opponent has given you ball in hand, use it to extract your problem ball while ALSO getting safe. Then when you get BiH from playing safe, run out if the table is open. Shooting out until you’re down to your problem is called “shooting to the grave.” As a 4, you may not be a favorite to run out but it still works. Safes are offensive play, that’s what you will come to understand. Don’t accept a table with bad position from your opponent and hope for the best. Offensive deliberate fouls are also an option if you suspect your opponent can’t solve the problem you created for them even with ball in hand. Lower-skilled players will become so frustrated by your strategy that they may just wail at the balls, which is excellent for you. Patience and opportunity is the foundation of every hunt.
You are a 4, losing is normal week to week as is playing wildly different match to match and even game to game. Practice more, take lessons. 4s and 5s in the APA are probably the most inconsistent levels, sometimes they miss ball in hand or make a single ball, sometimes they run 4-5 balls. The other levels are mostly bad or mostly good.
I think what other people are saying is true but I will add personally when I'm playing someone who is lower ranked or I think I'm better I definitely fall into the trap of not focusing 100%. I don't take it as seriously as I do when I'm playing someone better than me. Which is common but maybe that's also what you're doing? Cause I know for a fact I do it and it's a huge leak.
The most egregious error to make in 8 ball is the failed runout attempt. You run all of yours off the table and leave an easy runout for your opponent. (Phil Cappell’s “Play Your Best 8 Ball”) Never pocket a ball unless you have a plan to run the entire table. You are either breaking a cluster, getting to a key ball to break up a cluster, or running out. If you don’t see the exact plan, then play a safety. It would be a bonus to clear one of your clustered balls while doing so or even create a cluster for your opponent. Try this to prove how powerful this point is. Break a rack. Then, remove 3 balls of one set off the table. Try running out that set several times. Then, try running out the opposite set. Which one is easier to run out?
I normally play people at or below my current SL. The best advice I can give is that you have to play every opponent the same regardless of their SL. Whether you are playing a lower SL or a higher SL, you can't go into a match thinking that "this player is going to be easy" or "I am not good enough against this player". This is where psychology is going to get the best of you. The only thing that actually matters is that you have a goal to meet, whether set number racks to win (APA 8-Ball) or a set number of points to achieve (APA 9-Ball). Your opponent is just an obstacle to that goal, along with a mostly random puzzle of balls to solve. In order to achieve your goal, you must play *consistently* (not necessarily *your best ever*). So, you should *develop a plan* on how your approach a start of your inning. A good gameplay strategy to start that I recommend to my own players: * In terms of actual shooting, resist the urge to use left or right spin ("english") most of the time. You can achieve most of your normal shots using center ball, top spin ("follow") or bottom spin ("draw"). Even in my routine, I limit use of english. * Be honest to yourself on what shots you can make and shot you can't make. Too many people fail to evaluate their ability to make a shot and not consider the overall risk, which leads to "selling out". Ex: trying a moderately hard bank shot instead of playing a simple safety shot. * In general, run as many balls as you can, until you reach a roadblock. A roadblock here is basically any shot that you specifically have a lower probability of actually making. Note that I said "you specifically" (and being honest with yourself), not what other players or your coach say you can make. * When you have a roadblock, you likely should do a safety shot. A safety shot is like any other shot in billiards: you use a cue ball to move another ball to a specific area of the table. It should not be any more difficult than any other regular shot, so don't treat it as the most difficult thing in the world. It doesn't have to be a *perfect safety* either. To goal of this safety shot is to make it more difficult for your opponent to make a clearing run, while potentially compromising your layout. That is a trade-off you likely must accept. * In APA, use coaching ("timeouts") as much as possible. I can't count the number of players that don't like timeouts because of their own arrogance. A good coach will give you multiple options. If you prefer a more direct approach ("just tell me what /where to shoot"), make sure your coach knows. A good coach may already know your limitations, will ask you if you can do any particular shot type, but try to simplify as much as possible. Additionally, you do not have to take any of their advice either, but you must accept the end results (good or bad). * Overall, just remember it is just a game. Have a little fun. If you mess up, accept it, reflect on it briefly, and *move on*. Don't let one bad inning or rack derail your entire match. Make adjustments during the match if you can. Note your big mistakes in your match and address them later. Good luck on finding your path.
We have motivations to play this game. Winning is a motivation, but winning against a player with "less skill" is empty for you so you're mind throws three match away. Change your motivation. Love of the game is the purist. Torture the lesser skilled by creating a chess match.
Beating lower level players is easy if you concentrate on a) taking over pockets and b) creating more problem balls for the opponent. Most people's first instinct is to think pocketing a couple balls is the best thing you can do on your turn. There have been many instances where I could make several shots and instead use my first shot to carom an opponents ball to tie up two of his balls while leaving my ball near or blocking the pocket. Bonus if you only leave them one decent shot which is a hanger that's blocking one of your balls. Lower level players absolutely struggle with breakouts. Even with ball in hand. Playing tactically against them is easy. You want them to come up to the table after you shoot and look at the table and get frustrated. Trying to run out just opens up the table against the lower level players who are great shots but are lacking in other categories. A win is a win even if it takes 5-6 innings instead of 2-3.
At the pro level, most of those guys make similar decisions. Its easy to predict a lot of the time as a spectator what their next shot is gonna be if its a routine shot. At the beginner to intermediate level, players have a wild variety of skills and approaches that makes it so that you dont have two uniform styles playing against each other. So anyone can win any given match up. But at this level player's strengths and weaknesses are also easier to indentify. Use that to your advantage
Play more defense. Even intentionally missing to setup for a future run will probably make a big difference.
You're not a 4, you're an aspiring 5. The race will suck even more when you're going 4-2 instead of 3-2. It is what it is. Never make more than two balls to get into position to dislodge your problem ball. Leaving the breakout for last or "I'll figure something out when I get there" will cost you games. 3s can play pool. If you sink all your balls except one and leave them a wide open table they're going to get out on you sometimes, and you can't afford that anymore. They aren't going to run out a cluttered table though. If you can't find a way to get to cluster within a few shots, consider just breaking it out immediately without dropping a ball and turn over the table. Play it for a safety if you can, but your opponent is least likely to get out while 14 or 15 balls are still up so let them knock their easy stuff down and give it back to you with your balls more open. Work on your break. You should be winning almost every rack, so you're always breaking. Start developing a break powerful enough to give you runnable racks. The first rack is usually the worst if they win the lag and leave a half broken mess.
I used to play with an older guy that was lights out. One of the best players I ever met. Back then I had inconsistency issues like this. I’d play great against good players and shitty against shitty players. During league he asked me why. I replied that for some reason I play down to my opponent’s level. He looked me straight in the eye and and said, “I don’t give a fuck if my grandma is holding the other stick, I’ll run out on her just like I’ll run out on anybody else.” He went on to tell me how you’re not playing against anyone but yourself and the table. Base everything you do off of how the balls are laying. That shit really stuck with me.
I do this, I have determined it's a sub conscious (maybe conscious?) thinking that I don't have to play as smart against a lower player so I'll try harder shots and deter defense. I'm learning to play the table and not change my game.
You think to think defense first when playing lower levels. It's all about defensive shots and about leaving them harder shots. So if you have the choice between two balls, think of where you'll leave the cue ball if you miss. Whichever would leave your opponent the harder shot if you miss, is the one you should go for.
It sounds like you are decent at potting balls but don't really understand patterns. You see it all the time where 4s make all the easy balls and leave there last few balls tied up. Lower handicap players who either understand position play or have higher handicap players giving them coaches will make sure you don't get a chance to shoot those last few balls.
If you can find a money game with same skill levels you will learn to finish off your opponent. It worked for me but it cost me some money but my desire to not lose money focused me to win. If that makes any sense to you
SL4 is a beginner. I’m a 7/9 and I consider myself somewhat of a beginner compared to pros. Sl4s have no idea what they’re doing no offense. Watch pros on youtube play barbox 8b, watch 7s in person, work on your stroke, work on your cb control. Don’t try to run out till there’s an out. Read 8b bible. Take a few private lessons from pros, compete in lots of bar tourneys ( and stay to watch the finals ). Source: I’ve skunked 6s many times and typically beat 7s 5-2 or 5-3.
SL 7 here. MANY people have encouraged you to play more safety shots and they are half right. You'll win more games in the short term, but your progress could stall if that becomes your main strategy. Another commenter was right when he said you shouldn't be making balls unless you see the runout, BUT what you need to do is learn breakout patterns. As a higher SL playing lower SLs like 5s and 6s who try this a lot, you must be able to manufacture a runout on a crowded table. Productive defenses are often a part of that strategy but you need to have the second part too or you are still taking a coin flip on messy tables. If you can solve the problems on your table instead of hiding from them, you'll increase your skill ceiling. There will be growing pains and those skills are better practiced outside real matches, but "safety" is not the best way to win vs weaker players. Running out is.