How to treat your opponet as enemy when he is your friend during a match?

[mchpddl1]

When you draw against a friend in a snooker comp, how do you blank out the feeling that your opponent is your good friend and become merciless?

It affects my game emotionally

[nrage]

When you draw against a friend in a snooker comp, how do you blank out the feeling that your opponent is your good friend and become merciless?

It affects my game emotionally

Ignore your opponent entirely and play the table/balls etc instead. If making friendly chit-chat distracts you, then don't do it .. maybe let your friend know you want to concentrate on the game (in a friendly way) beforehand. When you're at the table, concentrate 100%, when your opponent is at the table focus on something, like the white ball, and ignore everything else. Each time you approach the table to play a shot, make your decisions about what shot to play etc based solely on the state of the game, and nothing else.

[mchpddl1]

Thank you, good brainstorming advice.

[deant1982]

Ignore your opponent entirely and play the table/balls etc instead. If making friendly chit-chat distracts you, then don't do it .. maybe let your friend know you want to concentrate on the game (in a friendly way) beforehand. When you're at the table, concentrate 100%, when your opponent is at the table focus on something, like the white ball, and ignore everything else. Each time you approach the table to play a shot, make your decisions about what shot to play etc based solely on the state of the game, and nothing else.

+1. Excellent advice. Explain the situation before to your friend, then other than the handshake or acknowledgement of a good shot, try to completely phase out your opponent. Concerntrate on your game, not that you are playing a friend.

[magicman]

If you played your friend at chess, would you not check-mate him because he's a friend? If you play golf, do you miss the winning putt in case you upset your mate? You're playing a game, and emotions have no part in it. As nrage suggests, concentrate on your game, on you becoming better, your 'friend' becomes irrelevant.

[thelongbomber]

The tip about the white ball is a good one. One of my m8's once suggested that idea. Here are some more:

1. If you opened the car door for your friend every time you went out for a drink, how would he feel about that? Silly idea but it's the same principle. Dogging shots and playing easy just cause he is a friend does more harm than good because you show a lack of respect for him and he may end up feeling obliged to do the same for you on the next shot. The next thing you know, both of you are letting each other win and the game turns to rubbish. You might as well massage each other's cocks (lol). Play hard because it shows true respect and honor for yourself and him.

2. In snooker, OK, you are playing an opponent, but actually you really aren't. Here is another way to see it: your opponent is only there to provide a sense of randomness to your next shot. It's like practice except someone mucks up the balls and puts a few reds in pockets after you miss. Friend or Foe, whomever you play, in it's purist sense, you are really and truly playing the game, not the opponent. Just think, if you get into a big run, your opponent doesn't come in and try to distract you does he? He becomes your biggest fan and hopes to see a century made. It's the game we all try to master (and of course never can fully anyways but it's an erection inducing pipe dream nonetheless). Whether it's running the lineup in practice, or a random distribution of balls when playing with someone else, you are playing the game. Next time you play your friend, play to your best and play proper. If you have to play a snooker or rollup or whatever, that's the game. You know how to play it, so play it.

3. When I'm sitting down between shots, friend or enemy, I try to pay as little attention to the person at the table as I can. Sometimes, with friends, I try and analyze their cueing or mechanics or shot choice and remember it for later discussion or during breaks. They usually appreciate that. With enemies, looking for faults becomes even more entertaining because if I see a repetitive cueing issue (let's say with the rest), I can play into that position on 50/50 shots (ie play to their weakness) and drive them nuts.

4. One of my pseudo-coaches and friends says that playing tough is like body punching in boxing. The first little snooker, or tough position you leave your opponent in doesn't count for much, but if you do that 30 times, it starts to leave a tiny little scar. Get comfortable with putting your opponent at dis-ease.

5. Your issue with playing friends possibly comes down to not wanting to win/beat them which tells me you are probably the better player by a few points. If you turn the situation around and instead of playing soft, play EXTRA tough, here is an outcome you might not have considered: you enrage/encourage/push your friend to play better next time which elevates his game which elevates your game which elevates his game, etc etc. Over several sessions, playing your best raises the standard for BOTH players and over days/months/years it raises the standard permanently. One of my m8s always plays very serious and doesn't like losing to me (which happens more than he likes). The standard of play and shot making is relatively high. Another friend, now, he still plays soft but I just bury him anyways and then have a good laugh which ****es him off to no end. When he is supposed to play the safety, he plays friendly. I don't care anyways cause I just win regardless. I know the eventual outcome is a raising of skill.

With m8's it's especially crucial you play better. That shows respect.

Hope that helps!

[CoachGavin]

I always think of two things

[CoachGavin]

And they are (LOL) 1 - How would you feel if your opponent played easy on you cos you were friends. Personally I would feel terrible and would want to win properly. I am sure your friend would want to beat you properly too. 2- Take advice from boxing. They beat the s#!t out of each other for 12 rounds and then afterwards they give each other hugs and say how much respect they have for one another. i treat snooker the same. In a game I want to make my opponent cry but I see that as my job during the game. Afterwards we discuss the game, have laughs and get on with life! You have to separate the two.