I Got No Luck...
People always react kinda weird when I tell them there is no luck in my pool game. Let me explain.
Pool is a game where adaptation to situations, circumstances, people, and conditions is a must-have skill. Players who have this skill will generally out-play their opponents that don't have it. Fortunately, I have been blessed with a mostly-subconscious ability to adapt to these variations.
So what about the luck? When a player uses luck to explain why he/she lost a game or hooked themselves or whatever, there is no need to make any adjustments in how or what they are doing. After all, it’s just luck. I always refuse to attribute any part of my game to luck. That way I always bring it back to me. I need to change. I need to play better. I need to play smarter. I need to... Well, you get the idea. This keeps me at the centre of what has to change and leads me into better control of my destiny on the table.
When I play someone who says, “I got unlucky there”, I smile and say to myself, “Good. Don't change a thing.” When I see the other player getting what some may call lucky, I simply say to myself, “It’s my fault for letting him/her at the table.” Even if my opponent breaks and runs the first game of a race, “I should have won the toss or lag.” It always comes back to me!
The subconscious mind is an incredibly powerful tool. Those of you “lucky” enough to have experienced playing “in the zone” will understand what I mean by this. Is it luck that makes the cue ball deflect off that other ball on the good side, or is it skill? Is it luck that some players always get the good rolls or is it skill? For me it’s skill. What about you?