I'm a bad loser

[Stunrunthru]

Our local league has a knockout competition for singles and doubles as well as the usual weekly team match.

I lost my singles match 2-1 last night. I got home at 8.30pm and was in a foul mood and have been like that ever since. I've also been very quiet at work all day and not in the best of moods.

I think I was amongst the favourites to win the singles.

I lost to a chap who I was expected to beat comfortably. Basically the balls went very scrappy in every single frame and in frame two nine reds were behind the baulk line.

I couldn't get into any sort of rhythm and had top breaks of just 20 and 19. I was 18 down in the last frame with just blue pink and black left. I was left with a chance to clear and force a respot but pot the blue and missed a simple pink to the centre pocket.

Anyway as I said I lost but can't seem to get over the fact that I missed a simple pink and the fact that the chap who I played was not that good.


I am I a bad loser??

I have been the most consistent player on our team this season and also have the highest break so far in the division and I try to think about these postives rather than my match last night but still don't feel any better.

Please advise.

[dannyd0g]

Get a grip, it wasnt the world championships.

[legod]

Snooker can be a very frustrating game at times. When the balls go 'scrappy' - it often levels the playing field in such short matches.
Either you get frustrated and get used to losing.
Or you learn to beat these players by exercising patience and developing your matchplay.
Frequently I come across canny players who seem to have a nack of tying up the pink and black so you can't score, and then making sure they leave the white on the cushion for you. I find the best way to combat this is by playing them at their own game. Rack up a few points by leaving them in snookers and watch them get frustrated. Tighten up your safety play, learn to play the percentages and the odds WILL fall in your favour.
That said, you can't do an awful lot about the flukes they get. Unfortunately, losing is all part of the game and good etiquette dictates that you just accept it and get on with it. Forget the last frame and get on with the next. That goes without saying whether or not you've just won or lost that frame.

[ADR147]

these things happen - its the same thing in quick local matches when even though you are playing well you never even get a shot because the other guy makes two frame winning visits! local league here is one match so in many cases you might aswell toss a coin.

[Blagonadezdins]

In frames like this, where it's clear scoring is going to be difficult, I gauge what would be an acceptable amount of points to come out with at any given situation. Alot of the time, I simply pot the red, and then leave the white somewhere safe-ish (you said the 9 reds were behind baulk) but tight on the cushion. I usually find that by doing this, I accumulate a fair few points because eventually you will pot a colour with these sinlge reds at least twice (i.e. red + colour, then later on red + colour).


Of course this does rely on a few things:

the balls have to be genuinely scrappy and difficult to score from (as opposed to you playing the frame as if they are when they're not)

your opponent has to be of a standard whereby breaks above 15-20 are out of his skill range, and breaks in and around 15-20 don't occur often;

patience when it comes to taking single reds and only going for colours that you know are realistic and able to pot, no silly shots. Reading of the situation. By taking single reds, you're also reducing taking away available points from your opponent and reducing his chances too.

Your safety has to be fairly decent. If you don't leave the white in a safe-ish position, and tight on the cushion, chances are he will simply pot single reds too. You actually want to gain some sort of advantage before the colours.

[ADR147]

In frames like this, where it's clear scoring is going to be difficult, I gauge what would be an acceptable amount of points to come out with at any given situation. Alot of the time, I simply pot the red, and then leave the white somewhere safe-ish (you said the 9 reds were behind baulk) but tight on the cushion. I usually find that by doing this, I accumulate a fair few points because eventually you will pot a colour with these sinlge reds at least twice (i.e. red + colour, then later on red + colour).


Of course this does rely on a few things:

the balls have to be genuinely scrappy and difficult to score from (as opposed to you playing the frame as if they are when they're not)

your opponent has to be of a standard whereby breaks above 15-20 are out of his skill range, and breaks in and around 15-20 don't occur often;

patience when it comes to taking single reds and only going for colours that you know are realistic and able to pot, no silly shots. Reading of the situation. By taking single reds, you're also reducing taking away available points from your opponent and reducing his chances too.

Your safety has to be fairly decent. If you don't leave the white in a safe-ish position, and tight on the cushion, chances are he will simply pot single reds too. You actually want to gain some sort of advantage before the colours.

this kind of game does not exist in scotland any more, i can't speak for the rest of the uk but from friends i believe it would not happen in wales either, i remember those sort of games but these days you never see them - if you leave that much on you will get punnished, there is nobody playing in the leagues with a 16-24 skill level anymore. if you can't make a 40-60 break you can't win . i know that sounds harsh but its the reality of the modern game. i have personally made a 72 break and lost the frame and to be fair the guy who beat me he earned it and good luck to him. if your best breaks these days are in the 30-40 range you are going to get beaten a lot!!

[Blagonadezdins]

Are you referring to league snooker in Scotland? Or league snooker all over the UK?

My best breaks are around 60, but I don't do that often enough to be honest.

[ADR147]

Are you referring to league snooker in Scotland? Or league snooker all over the UK?

My best breaks are around 60, but I don't do that often enough to be honest.

scotland - we all feel like that m8!!!

[Blagonadezdins]

Lol, true! It is just extremely annoying when you've lost a match, knowing that an extra 15-20 points on your break probably would have won it. Even more annoying when you know you're more than capable of obtaining those points.

Just read your tip guide by the way, it's a real help. Good job I found it too, my current tip doesn't look in good shape!

[hunt1]

this kind of game does not exist in scotland any more, i can't speak for the rest of the uk but from friends i believe it would not happen in wales either, i remember those sort of games but these days you never see them - if you leave that much on you will get punnished, there is nobody playing in the leagues with a 16-24 skill level anymore. if you can't make a 40-60 break you can't win . i know that sounds harsh but its the reality of the modern game. i have personally made a 72 break and lost the frame and to be fair the guy who beat me he earned it and good luck to him. if your best breaks these days are in the 30-40 range you are going to get beaten a lot!!

what?you made 72 break and you couldnt win the match?whos the player ure playing against?John higgins?or stephen maguire?well..it means in scotland there r lots of good players huh?

[ADR147]

yes there are a lot of good players in scotland, too cold to go outside! - but in this case it was mainly my frustration when getting snookered and playing like a donkey followed by a quality clear up.