On another forum, NL recommended playing matches without keeping score. Just 2 serves each and then switch.
When I was rated in the 1300-1400 range, I used to do that all the time with my 1700 level practice partner. I improved greatly and learned how to play freely. But then for some stupid reason, I stopped doing it and started keeping score every game again. So I reverted back to caring too much about missing and I became very results oriented again.
This is focused in the right direction. This is one of the kinds of things you want to do. But let's not even call it a game. Let's call it a drill.
You do a drill where you serve two serves and your training partner serves two serves. You are both playing as though it is a match from the tactics and strategizing standpoint. But there are a few distinctions:
1) for the drill, it is more beneficial to play missed serves as nets so that the server gets to play two points out working his 3rd and/or 5th ball strategies. And so the receiver gets to receive two live serves and work his strategies on the receive side.
2) even though, from a strategy standpoint you are playing to win each point, you should not consider whether you win the point in the execution side of things. In other words, if there is a ball YOU SHOULD attack, but in match play you might not because you are scared to mess up, in the drill YOU should ATTACK that ball. In the drill you are working on the strategies of match play. But you are not worried about or even thinking of the consequences of making or missing your shots.
You work your strategies AND go for your shots.
Part of the idea is that this trains you to take the shots you should without worrying whether you should at crunch time in a match.
Therefore you don't even have to think about any of those things Takkyu is talking about when he is telling you to think positively.
In a way, what Takkyu is saying is how you want to approach things. But you actually don't even want to be thinking those things. The training should set you so you respond in the moment, making the best decision, the best choice of responses to what you face without thinking. So what he is talking about is an attitude and approach you should already embody from training to make the right shot decisions IN MATCH SIMULATION.
But that is only one of the drills that will help strangeloop's response at crunch time. It may be the most important one for a time. But there are others. Here are two more that would also be really valuable for elevating your play at crunch time rather than the opposite:
Crunch Time Drill #1:
You start a game at 9-9. One training partner serves first. When that game is over, the other training partner serves first. You are trying to win the game and the game starts at 9-9 with one player getting two serves. You do it over and over and over and over. Can you win your two serves and end the game when it is your serve at 9-9? Can you take two points from your training partner when he serves at 9-9? How well do you handle deuce?
Crunch Time Drill #2:
You serve. And you keep serving until your training partner can win two points in a row off your serve. You try to keep your serve. He tries to win the serve from you. If he wins 2 points in a row, he takes the serve. Then you need to try to win 2 points in a row to take the serve back from him. And then you continue.
The drill with 2 serves each as though you are playing a match but without counting points is very important and will help you make better decisions in match play. But the other two drills that are about playing during crunch time will be very valuable for those situations where you need to make your points against a tough opponent towards the close of games.
Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy
