Jake is about to play his first-round match. His preparation on the practice table has been exceptional. He has remained focused and confident. His timing and delivery of the cue are admired by many of the established players who attend the same club. However, as Jake sits and waits for his opportunity to display his current form on the all-important match table he begins to experience those familiar doubts in his mind coupled with the physical feelings of anxiety. This is in

Pool is a game of ups and downs. Most pool players experience a slump at some time or another. Slumps occur when you play below your expected ability for a prolonged period of time. Most pool players do not know why they are playing bad, so they tend to look for solutions in all the wrong places. Sometimes this causes the player’s performance to drop even more. Often, the player falls deeper and deeper into despair. Pool players are often unable to break free from the chains