What I Have learned
Having a pool table in your home can turn you into a hermit if you are not careful. What happens is that you never get out anymore. You need competition and opposition so that you can get to that next level. If you have the luxury of a home table, do not underestimate the importance of getting out of the house every so often. All tables play and react differently. Get to know as many tables as you can. Take notes on tables as well as you opponents. Playing well on your home table under no pressure is different than going into a pool hall and playing on a commercial table under pressure. Learn how the pockets react, learn the speed, and know how the rails react on different tables.
Play everybody and anybody. Familiarize yourself with different players and their styles. Educate yourself on the do’s and don’ts with different opponents. Learn how to identify when you are out of your league. Know that in pool, anything can happen. You can squeak out victories from people that should beat you. I know, I’ve done it and you probably have too. The one thing predictable about pool, is that it is unpredictable.
