Play Like a Machine

By Ernie Reynolds

One of the things I have always struggled with in my pool game was consistency. Some days I played like a pro, while other days I missed easy shots. More than once I wished that I could “play like a machine”.

A machine doesn’t have good days and bad days. Getting yelled at at work and being in a bad mood doesn’t happen to a machine. A machine either works or it doesn’t. And when it’s working, it gives consistent results.

The following video made me think the first time I saw it. The first part shows a pool-shooting machine called Deep Green. It doesn’t miss easy shots. It doesn’t have bad days. It plays like a machine.

Because it plays like a machine, it kind of takes the fun out of the game. How much fun would it be to play an opponent who never misses?

It’s kind of like playing horseshoes with my father. My father plays horseshoes like a machine. It seems like he hardly ever misses getting a ringer on each shot, and when he does, he gets mad at himself. It’s no fun playing him.

The old saying comes to mind – “Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.” If I played pool as well as that machine, how much fun would it be to play a game with me?

I have run into this type of thing before. If I am having a particularly good night on the pool table at the local bar and have beat all comers, no one wants to play me any more. I can’t buy a game.

If I played in tournaments often this might be a good thing. However, I usually only play for fun and never for money. I enjoy the game too much to turn it into a semi-job.

So, I guess I’m like the typical human being. I want something, and when I get it, I decide I didn’t really want it in the first place. I want what I had before. Screwy logic huh?

Anyways, even though this pool-playing machine kind of weirded me out, I can admire it for what it is and appreciate the builder’s ability to produce it. It’s just a really neat toy.

The second part of the video shows what is called “augmented reality” pool. The lines on the table show you where the object and cue balls will go depending on your aim on the shot. This looks remarkably like some of those online pool games you can find on the web.

This system would be a tremendous help in learning banks and angles on the pool table. A few months with this baby and I think anyone would have a much better eye for making cut and bank shots. It really lays out the shot nicely for you.

I would be interested to hear what other people think about this video. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Thanks.