You learn more from losing to a good player than thrashing a poor one!

Hi guys

havent been about for a few days as had about of food poisoning.

An interesting topic was raised on the www.dartsnutz.net forum by Dorian, and that was stepping put of your comfort zone.

This is 10000000% true.

If your playing in a small group of players chances are there's always 1 or 2 players who aren't very good (no shame there and just play for fun or to join in) and you look forward to playing them. You know  their game (lots of 26's and the occasional 100 that scares you briefly)  and that 99/100 your going to win and its comfortable.

Unfortunately whilst its good for the win record it doesn't do alot for your progress and you don't learn anything.

Now there will always be a few exceptions. Some days you will play a poor player and thrash them. checking out whilst leaving them still on 405 and you'll feel supreme, however if there's nothing to beat,you beat nothing! - wheres the kudos in that!

If you never intend to play league or competitions that's fine but if you do, one day your going to find yourself in a situation your not used to. Like a young boxer who has been fed a string of tomato cans on the way up its an acid test, the first real challenge and this is where you 'learn' about your game and also about yourself.

Its no shame losing to a good or very good player (let alone great), however if you lose to a poor one that's a different story. That will haunt you!

I've had matches where i'm sure i'm going to win, I've seen the draw or the player and it just hasn't set the adrenaline going. You go up and for whatever reason your play drags itself down to their level (or below). You get frustrated, "why am i losing to xxx, i cant their rubbish" goes through your head and then you get annoyed. the 45's that annoyed you are now 26's, and then you hit three 1's and you then watch the other guy hit an obscure double to take the lead! Unless you can re-adjust quick a loss will follow and you then go home in a bad mood wandering how a player whose never hit about 60 ever has just beaten you 3-0!

I think most have been there (more than will admit no doubt).

Now if you'd drawn a very good player, the adrenaline will be up, you'll be pumped up and this is where you'll learn about your game. Yes you may lose wide but if you gave it a good show no shame there. If you made it close, fantastic! if you win you go home feeling like you've just taken Taylor at the Worlds!

Its a completely different story! - and you'll have learned far, far more about how good you can really be and its all great experience!

I hate losing, that's a fact, however its also a fact that no player has never lost. Bristow, Taylor, Van Gerwen they have all lost. You cant get precious about it!  I would even go as far to say that one of my best performances came in a losing effort.

It was against a player who played for avery serious bunch of players who played for the Cob & Pen in Wallington, Fareham. They were a good bunch who loved their darts (and its a great little pub). These guys all looked the business and the team regularly did well in the league.

This was the match report from January 15:

Sober as a judge (as drove) it was 11pm by the time I got on (3 hours after arriving) and we were already 6-0 down (with only about 2 legs won all night). I was playing against a guy called Steve, a quality player. He was first off and landed the bull to start, feeling confident I stepped up and hit outer bull, so he was first up. What happened next was a quality leg. He got 80, I got 85, he got 60, I got 90, he got 100 I got 100. We carried on hitting 75+ scores to the point where the spectators were shouting  “this is TV darts’. I lost the first leg when he took out d4 after I’d had 6 darts to finish and wired d2 twice.  The second leg was equally high quality as I hit 100, several 60’s, 80’s and another 95. I eventually closed out on d1, when I again made a hash of my doubles.  The decider was on. I hit outer bull, and he hit just outside to give me the advantage. I started off with 45. And hit a few 45’s before another couple of 80’s, a 95 and a 76 left me on d16. Unfortunately I hit 8 to leave me d12. I wired d12 and he took out d2 to win a high quality game of darts.  I’d lost but it was a fantastic high quality game. Easily the match of the night and another match I should have won against a quality player.  It’s bizarre to lose a game and feel pleased but this was one of those occasions. This was one of my 3 best performances since starting (competitively) and this performance would have beaten any of my previous opponents this season. Overall the team lost by a 9-0 drubbing, our worst loss of the season, however I was actually elated. My performance(s) was heading in the right direction and back on track. Over a longer format I’m confident I would have won.

As you can see i lost yes but gained far more in defeat.