Billiards Instruction: CueTips #50 – Fundamentals of a Solid Mental Game
January 27, 2011
An unshakable mental game is what champions are made of: Shane Van Boening in the Diamond Pro 10-ball at the SBE
By NYC Grind Contributor, Mark Finkelstein
I hope you are following along with me and doing the drills. Improving comes with specific practice on the skills that you are weakest at and improving them a little at a time.
The last of our fundamentals is our mental game. The effort you put into this part of your game will help you to enjoy pool more, win more, and be a better competitor. You can practice your mental game anywhere, it doesn’t cost anything, and it is a proven way to increase your performance. Let’s get started.
The first major distinction to make is between practice time and play time. Practice time is where you focus on technique, is my bridge too long, or my grip too tight, and shoot various shots using different grips and bridges to see the results. We experiment, reset shots, repeat difficult shots often, talk to ourselves, and in general, use words to help us find weaknesses in our game to work on. In practice time, we look over notes from matches we played, diagrams of positions we had problems with (you do have a notebook don’t you?), and set up drills to help us with these skills.
Play time is different! Unfortunately, I see a lot of players bring the practice mindset to the table when they are competing. The competing mindset is very different. It is visualizing what you want the balls to do, feel the stroke in your arm, and then trust your body to do it. That’s really it. There really is no room for negative thoughts, a lot of words, anger, etc. See what you want, feel it and trust your body to do it. I know this is really hard, and the point of this article is to give you some tools for your mental tool box so that you can get to this quiet, focused place more often.
The first tool I want you to have is breathing. Athletes have used deep breathing for a long time to calm their nerves and help them focus on the task at hand. We breathe in two ways, one high in our chest, and the other way deep in our belly. The high panting breathes we take triggers our fight, freeze or flight response, and brings a lot of the blood in our body to our core and away from our extremities. We lose feel in our hand and our mind starts to race. I’m sure you’ve all been there.
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Tony Robles’ Predator Tour Kicks off 2011 Season at Cue Bar This Weekend
January 26, 2011
Predator Tour 2011
Pool players in the NYC area are getting ready to kick things into high gear as Tony Robles’ Predator Tour is preparing for its fourth season in running in 2011. This year’s tour opener will be held this weekend, January 29-30, at Cue Bar in Bayside, Queens, NY.
Cue Bar known as the location for one of the Predator Tour’s most successful and exciting events to date, the Michael Magro Foundation Charity Benefit Tournament which was held in August, 2008 and featured some of the biggest names in pool, including Jasmin Ouschan, Mika Immonen, Allison Fisher, Jeanette Lee, George SanSouci, Gerda Hofstatter, event winner Tony Robles, and more. Check out this video to see the action at the charity benefit.
Read on for the full press release on the Tour Opener and new changes for the Predator Tour’s 2011 Season…
2011 Predator Tour Press Release
I am proud to announce the National Amateur Pool League also known as the NAPL as the official co-title sponsor of the 2011 Predator Tour. Many thanks to Predator Cues for their amazing commitment to our beautiful sport as well as the tour. The 2011 schedule now available on the website along with some changes we’ve made for the 2011 season. Please visit our site for more information.
I am also happy to have the opportunity to work with CueSports International (CSI) again this year. CSI is giving the Predator Tour one spot for the U.S. Open 10-Ball held in May at the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. This one spot will be a paid entry fee & will go to the Open/Pro that is ranked # 1 after stop # 5, which will be held April 16-17 at Mr. Cue Billiards in Lindenhurst, NY. Many thanks to CSI for supporting the tour and for helping our sport to grow.
Stop # 1 of the 2011 Predator Tour will be taking place this Saturday & Sunday, January 29-30 at Cue Bar in Bayside, Queens, NY and as always, we will be using the incredible Delta-13 racks.
Click here to view the official flyer for Stop # 1 at Cue Bar.
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The Action is Hot at the Derby City Classic as Alex Pagulayan Snaps off the 9-ball Banks & Goes Undefeated into Round 5 of the One Pocket
January 26, 2011
Alex Pagulayan (Photo by Diana Hoppe)
By NYC Grind Contributor, Alison M. Fischer
Arguably the most anticipated and most talked-about pool event of the year, the Derby City Classic, is well underway at the Horseshoe Casino outside of Louisville, Kentucky. Each year, top-class players from around the world make their pilgrimage to the “Derby” for a wide range of events packed into one week, including 9-ball Banks, One Pocket, and 9-ball, along with additional events such as the Derby City 14.1 Challenge and the FATBOY 10-ball Challenge.
The 13th Annual Derby City Classic kicked off with the 9-Ball Banks division on Friday, January 21st with a massive field of 388 players. Former DCC Banks Champions including defending champ John Brumback, Jose Parica, Shannon Daulton, Stevie Moore, Larry Price, and Jason Miller were among the field, faced against other titans including Dennis Orcollo, Earl Strickland, Francisco Bustamante, Ralf Souquet, Lee Van Corteza, Mika Immonen, Jeanette Lee, Charlie Williams, and Buddy Hall, among many others.
John Brumback, who busted the Banks in both 2010 and 2009, was looking like the man to beat again in 2011. Brumback went undefeated through the first seven rounds until he was dealt a loss by Sylver Ochoa in Round 8, who also notably defeated ’07 Champion Stevie Moore in Round 5. Brumback would in fact be the only person to beat the eventual 2011 Banks Champion… Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan.
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Amsterdam Billiards Club Fall Team and Singles Winners Spotlight
January 24, 2011
Phil Hur, team captain of the winning Team 9-ball team "You Chalk Too Much" is presented with the prize money (Photo by Charles Eames)
By NYC Grind Contributor, Alison M. Fischer
On Monday, January 17, sixteen weeks of competition in the Amsterdam Billiards‘ Team 9-ball fall league season culminated when the final two teams faced off for the grand prize of $15,000. The champions for the Team 9-ball league would prove to be team “You Chalk Too Much”. This team has gone through a number of incarnations in the past few years since finishing 2nd in 2008, and finally broke through to take top prize, after defeating “OMGzilla” in the finals. And while everyone aimed high for the big prize, the last place finishing team “The ‘D’ List” was also awarded with a bonus $500 prize.
An unprecedented $26,000 in prize money was added to this season’s payout for the Team 9-ball League finalists… and ABC’s largest field of league teams got in the mix for a chance to cash in, as well as experience some of the most exciting team competition anywhere. Click here to see the photos from ABC’s Team 9-ball Finals and Straight Pool finals, by Charles Eames.
Check out our brand-new feature video to get an inside look at the action at Amsterdam… or watch the video on YouTube here.
The atmosphere at Amsterdam on league nights combines the team camaraderie vibe between teammates as well as between teams–making it a night that players look forward to each week. Not only in the Team 9-ball league, but many players also play on other nights for the Team 8-ball and Straight Pool leagues.
Teams are now gearing up for the kickoff of the Winter League season, which starts tonight… for players who still want to get involved, there may still be openings on teams.
Send an email to info@amsterdambilliards.com for more information. Read on for the full scoop on the final league winners, with summaries from each of the league directors: Team 9-ball – John Leyman, Team 8-ball – Chris Lynch, Straight Pool – Danny Barouty.
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Sandcastle Billiards Introduces “The Gauntlet” Monday Night 10-ball Tournament
January 24, 2011
"The Gauntlet" at Sandcastle
By NYC Grind Contributor, Alison M. Fischer
Sandcastle Billiards in Edison, NJ is becoming known as one of Jersey’s best hotspots for pool action, as it draws some of the biggest numbers to its weekly tournaments. Offering different levels of competition along with different formats, their player-friendly atmosphere keeps players coming back.
The newest event on Sandcastle’s weekly schedule is called “The Gauntlet“. Held every Monday night starting at 8pm, “The Gauntlet” is a double-elimination 10-ball tournament, limited to 32 players, and open to Pro/Open and A & B level players (using a “one ball” spot system), with a $40 entry fee.
Last week’s “Gauntlet” paid out $700 to winner Oscar Bonilla, followed by Jimmy Conn in 2nd with $480, and Dan Cintron in 3rd with $220.
To get in on the action in tonight’s “Gauntlet”, contact Ryan to sign up in advance at phone: (732) 261-6363. Read on to check out the flier and visit www.sandcastlebilliards.com to learn more.
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Billiards Instruction: CueTips #49 – Key Ingredients for Great Results
January 21, 2011
Jasmin Ouschan, winner of the recent WPBA Masters, is a student of high performance and getting great results
By NYC Grind Contributor, Mark Finkelstein
What I want to do this week is give you a look at what makes a good result at pool. We are not talking about skill level or knowledge here, but results. I want to look at what goes into a good performance. What I’m talking about here is what it takes to win! In the process of looking at what goes in to a good result, we will get a better idea of the things we need to work on to improve our performance and our results.
The first ingredient in performance is stamina. You have to be able to last the two days (or more) of the tournament to have a chance to win it. Nutrition, exercise, flexibility, and strength are key components of stamina. If you are lacking in this area, I’m not the person to give you advice, but this is one area directly under your control. Stamina is what will win you a late-night set or a late-tournament match. Playing for two days straight or all night is tough. Make sure you are physically prepared.
The next ingredient for a good performance is ball skills. How well do you pocket balls, how is your speed control, your knowledge of pattern play, safeties, strategy, and the equipment.
Can you draw the cue ball with precision, handle shots off the rail, use the bridge, shoot left handed, shoot jacked up, know how and when to play safeties? Be honest with yourself here and assess your skills. What do you need to work on? Looking at your skill set and what needs work is a great way to start designing a practice routine for your game. Having a set of skills to depend on is one of the key factors in winning pool.
The third ingredient for a good performance is mental skills. Do you have the mental ability to let your skill set shine through? This is what I think is the key component to winning pool. Many players have the skill set to do well, but have limited mental skills to bring out their best. Add a lack of stamina and you have a formula for frustration! “I know I can beat so and so….but I never seem to be able to win!” Are you tired or does your head get in the way of your performance? Do you have tools in your player’s skill bag to deal with anxiety, a racing heart, voices in your head, cold hands, frustration, anger and a lot of other mental things that block your skill set from coming out and shining.
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New Video – Mating Season “December” Featuring: DJ AK, DJ MessKid, Dimitry + “The Prime.Mates”
January 21, 2011
Mating Season December
Mating Season “December” – Featured DJ AK, Dimitry, DJ MessKid and “The Prime.Mates”. The December Edition of “Mating Season” continues to build buzz and momentum, as its December 16th party brought the wildest party animals together.
NYCgrind.com introduces the latest Mating Season Video!
Check it out below!
Brett Stottlemyer Goes Undefeated at Atlantic City Billiards to win the Mezz Tour Championships
January 21, 2011
Brett Stottlemyer (1st), AC Billiards Owner Gary Conover, Manny Chau (2nd)
The Mezz Pro-Am Tour Championships was hosted by Atlantic City Billiard Club on Jan 15th & 16th. A strong field of 53 players came out to play. Players like Matt Krah, Wali Muhammad, Bruce Nagle, Manny Chau, Rob Pole, Josh Brothers, Jeremy Sossei, Brett Stottlemyer, Derek Schwager, Randy Schwager, Sean Morgan, Oscar Bonilla, Phil Wines, Mike Miller, Trenton Marty Ciccia, Denise Reeve, Sharon O’Hanlon, Diana Rojas, and Sandi Patarino to name a few.
Leading the top half of the bracket was Brett Stotlemyer, with wins over Trenton Marty Ciccia 9-2, Randy Schwager 9-5, Soner Bulut 9-2, Joey Testa 9-4, and Phil Wines 9-7. Meanwhile, the bottom half of the bracket was dominated by Manny Chau with wins over Bill Smith Jr. 9-5, Michael Prasents 9-6, Jim O’Hara 9-4, Rob Pole 9-7, and Eddie Abraham 9-6.
Brett Stottlemyer and Manny Chau then faced off to see who would claim the “hot seat”. This was a great match that went hill-hill, and when it was all said and done, Brett Stottlemyer came away with the win 9-8, to send Manny Chau to the one-loss side.
The Long Island Pool Scene Loses a Big Name with the Passing of Jack Grimaldi, Founder of Thomas Grimaldi Billiards, Inc.
January 20, 2011
Jack Grimaldi
By NYC Grind Contributor, Geoff Conway “Pool Junkie”
Jack Grimaldi passed away on the 2nd of January 2011, after a five-year battle with a rare blood disorder. Jack is survived by his wife Augusta (Gussy), his two daughters, Debbie and Linda, and his son Tommy.
Jack was born in 1935 and was married to his wife Augusta in 1958. In keeping with having married a “Coney Island Girl”, they lived just two blocks from Nathan’s on Coney Island, where they lived until 1963 when they moved to Plainview, Long Island.
Jack was involved in the pool table scene even before he finished school, his father who had grown up learning his carpentry skills from his father, who had a company in Italy manufacturing furniture.
Jack’s father became a partner in a new company based in the Bowery, Lower Manhattan, that made pool tables under the name “Susser & Grimaldi”. The factory was one of the big three manufacturers of pool tables at that time.
By the early fifties, Jack’s father became involved with setting up Brunswick tables in new pool room locations in the Tri-State area. Jack, never being far from his father’s shirt tails, soon became expert at a very young age in the art of installing pool tables.
Dragon Promotions Celebrates its 10 Year Anniversary
January 19, 2011
Dragon Promotions
Dynamic, entertaining, engaging, and professional: Dragon Promotions has shown the world some of the most exciting high-level pool events in the industry over the last ten years.
Dragon Promotions has repeatedly impressed international audiences with their unique and stylish productions which have attracted some of the biggest names in pool, as well as featured other celebrity names. As DP celebrates their 10 Year Anniversary, they have shared with us a music slideshow of some of their favorite memories from the past decade.
Read on and check out the video…
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Orlando, Chicago, Seoul, Manila – Dragon Promotions, one of the world’s leading producers of international billiards events, celebrates a decade of promoting some of the sports greatest events. The company is led by its CEO Cindy Lee and her founding partner Charlie Williams, who also moonlights as one of the world’s top professional players.
Enjoy their 10 year anniversary video here: and enjoy the music and the moments!
Dragon Promotions has produced over a hundred events around the world over the past 10 years. Besides full scale international TV productions of championship events, DP’s range has been far and versatile including pro player management, billiard schools, exhibitions, and numerous charities and variety shows with musicians, actors, models, fighters, and comedians.
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