Playing Pool in Gibraltar

I don't think there's anything quite as inspirational as watching one of your favourite sports live. Don't get me wrong, I am a happy armchair sportsman a good deal of the time: football, boxing, athletics, Formula 1 - you name it, I'm happy to watch it from the comfort of the sofa. But when you play a particular sport, it is an inspiration and a learning opportunity to watch the experts at first hand. This was another weekend of total immersion in cue sports in Gibraltar, this time with the Dafabet World Pool Masters 2019. 24 of the sport's top stars traveled to Gibraltar from all over the world to play in this tournament and as a local player, it was a treat to watch them. David Alcaide - Champion Photo courtesy of  Matchroom Pool 9 ball is a tough game. My game is blackball (8 ball pool - smaller table, different rules), partly because Gibraltar has only one 9 ball table and access to it is not always easy, whereas 8 ball has a strong followi...

Photo: "Skills Definition Magnifier" by Stuart Miles courtesy of www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net The only way to develop skills in anything, from potter to pianist to pool player, is to practise.  Stephen King, whose work I admire greatly, memorably said: "Talent is cheaper than table salt.  What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work." Okay, so I'm not sure how to quantify talent, and I'm not sure if as I've grown older I can regain that youthful confidence in my own talent I once had, but since pool is something I enjoy playing so much, I'm more than happy to put in the practise.  I've yet to take that quantum leap from practise matches to hard work, but as I reorganise my life - and we can't get away from the fact that if you are committed to something you have to make your life work round that thing and not the other way around - I am beginning to make time for more practise.  This week I played i...