Competition Psychology

A pre-shot routine is a fixed sequence of steps repeated identically on every shot: choose the shot, chalk, sight the line from standing, get down, practice strokes, pause, shoot. It turns pressure moments into just another rep.

"Tilt" is the state where frustration derails your decisions. Reset it with three deep breaths and a return to the routine — never with a bigger, riskier shot. The best players lose exactly like the worst players; they just lose fewer racks in a row.