August 29, 2025 • 17 mins
This recap episode unpacks a conversation between Joe Rogan and professional pool player Fedor Gorst. The discussion centres on the evolution and current state of professional pool, highlighting changes in game rules, the impact of Matchroom Pool promotions on increasing the sport's popularity, and the rise of a new generation of disciplined players. They also touch upon challenges faced by professional players, such as intense travel schedules, the psychological demands of competition, and the physical toll of the sport, including Gorst's personal struggles with neck and back pain. The conversation further explores the technical aspects of pool cues and equipment, different playing styles, and the potential for innovation and growth within the sport, including a proposed high-stakes match and new interactive pool venues.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Welcome to the Joe Rogan recap. Today we're doing a deep dive
into a really, really interesting conversation from
the Joe Rogan Experience episodeHashtag 2371, featuring
professional pool player Fidor Gorst.
Our mission here is basically tounpack how competitive pool is
evolving. We want to explore the mindset
of, you know, a truly world class athlete and kind of peek
(00:22):
behind the curtain of a sport that seems to be having this
huge global resurgence right now.
Get ready for some surprising facts, some deep insights into
the mental game, and a fresh look at why today's top pool
players might just be the greatest of all time.
Yeah, it's fascinating, isn't it, how just this one
conversation gives you such a rich picture, not just about
billiards itself, but the the sheer dedication, the mental
(00:44):
strength and even the economics that are shaping the sport now
will try to connect the dots, you know, between Fader's own
journey and these bigger trends happening in competitive gaming
overall. OK, yeah, let's definitely
unpack this. So starting with Fader Gorse
himself, he's currently ranked world number one, and his recent
schedule, just listening to it sounds absolutely brutal.
Just days before we talked to Rogan, he had lost in the finals
(01:05):
of the US Open. Before that, there was another
tournament crammed in between, and right before that, the World
Championships in Saudi Arabia, where he also got to the finals.
Wow. So that's four massive events
pretty much back-to-back, all squashed into about a month.
It really shows you the relentless pace these top
athletes maintain. It's an incredible display of
(01:26):
endurance, right, physically andmentally.
And I think that intensity is exactly what fuels Joe Rogan's
argument. He basically says today's best
players aren't just great for now, they're arguably the
greatest of all time period. And his reasoning is compelling.
The conditions they compete under are just significantly
tougher than they've ever. Been.
(01:47):
Yeah, and he's got proof, right?Like tangible stuff.
Think about it. Modern pro tables are these big
9 footers and the pockets. They're incredibly tight.
We're talking 4 inches. Just 4 inches.
It's tiny. Exactly.
Compare that to say your averagebar table, maybe A7 footer with
like 5.5 inch pockets. Yeah, much more forgiving.
Huge difference, you can barely squeeze 2 cue balls side by side
(02:09):
into those 4 inch pro pockets. Forget making complex shots
easily the precision needed. Now it's just another level.
Right, it's not just the table getting harder.
No, not at all. The game itself, the rules have
changed dramatically, especiallyin just the last, what, three
years or so. They've shifted to 9 ball on the
spot. That means the nine ball always
(02:30):
goes back to one specific trickyspot if it's pocketed early.
Plus there's this new brake box that restricts where you can
break from and they got rid of the old 3 point rule.
Remember that, where you needed three balls to cross the
headstring or pocket a ball juston the break.
Yeah, I. Remember that rule?
Gone now. Gone.
So all these changes together, they demand players adapt
(02:51):
constantly, innovate their strategies and execute with even
more control. It really feels like these
changes are pushing the sport forward and a huge driver behind
that momentum seems to be Matchroom.
Oh absolutely. Matchroom's influence is
massive. They've done an incredible job,
kind of like they did with boxing, elevating pool on a
global scale, and they make it easy to watch too.
(03:12):
For anyone interested, you've got the World 9 Ball Tour WNT
dot TVI think. Yeah, that's it, wnt.tv.
And their Matchroom Pool YouTubechannel has just tons of free
content really accessible. Totally Matchroom's impact on
IS. The visibility of OOL is
undeniable. You see it everywhere now.
TikTok, Instagram, OOL is booming on social media,
(03:35):
reaching whole new audiences, younger people.
Yeah, it's huge. Which is critical for growth,
obviously. But you know, it's worth
mentioning this rapid professionalization, it hasn't
been completely smooth sailing. There was that conflict,
remember, between the WPA, the World Pool Billiard Association
and Match Room. Oh right, the bands.
Exactly. The WPA banned players from
(03:55):
match room events for a bit, which led to the top players
basically boycotting WPA tournaments in response.
They were trying to force rule changes, essentially.
And then there was that controversy with Josh Filler.
Yeah, what happened there? Well, he decided to play in AWPA
event despite this sort of collective agreement among
players not to. Caused quite a bit of backlash
within the player community. It just kind of highlights the
(04:17):
growing pains, you know, when a sport transforms this quickly.
Yeah, makes sense. Shifting gears a bit from the
structures to the players, let'stalk more about Fedor Gorst
himself, his personal journey. He's in the US on a green card
now, not a citizen yet, and he mentioned how America's really
welcomed him. But what's really interesting is
his background with those Russian athlete bands and how
(04:39):
that kind of highlights something unique about pro pool.
It really does. So there was that WADA ban on
Russian athletes started even before the current war, back
around 2018-2019, affected all sorts of international
competitions. Fedor said he had to play the
World Cup of pool in the UK under no flag.
But here's the compelling part. Private companies like Matchroom
and the UFC does this too. They basically made their own
(05:01):
rules. They consciously decided not to
make it political. They let Russia and athletes
compete. So performance was the only
thing that mattered. Exactly, it created this
environment where, as Fedor put it, the only thing that matters
is how good you play. Cure meritocracy.
And he felt that really clicked with what he saw as an American
(05:22):
ideal, a nation of immigrants where talent is paramount.
Precisely. He felt welcomed because of his
skill, and now he says US crowdsare actually cheering for him.
It's a pretty powerful statement, isn't it?
In the pool world, skill is the ultimate currency.
Doesn't matter where you're from.
Yeah. That's cool.
So let's talk about the physicalside.
This often surprises people. Pool looks kind of chill, right?
(05:44):
Yeah, not exactly high impact. But it takes a serious toll on
the body. Players often end up with
crooked backs, as Vader called it, just from being bent over
the table constantly. He specifically mentioned
dealing with neck and upper backpain himself.
Even a bulging disc, C4C5 I think, he said.
Wow, so it's definitely not justa mind game then?
Not at all. He has this whole preventative
(06:05):
routine, daily stretching, usingresistance bands for his upper
back, plus general decompressionstuff, inversion tables.
He mentioned cold saunas. Keeping the machine tuned.
Exactly. And here's a really
counterintuitive bit he shared. Lifting heavy weights actually
bad for a pool players game. Really.
Why is that? Apparently it can tighten up the
(06:26):
muscles too much. You lose that smooth, fluid,
precise stroke that's absolutelyessential at the top level.
Never would guessed. It's fascinating, this obsessive
focus on maintaining the body. The instrument reminds you of
those old legends. Like there's that story about
Willie Hopp, an old school icon,supposedly refused to drive a
car, refused to do anything withhis arms that might mess with
(06:49):
his pool game. Just total dedication.
Wow, that's commitment. It really is, and it brings up a
key question for us writer How does an athlete possibly perform
under that kind of intense pressure, both mental and
physical? Yeah, that's where the mental
game just seems paramount. Imagine the shot clock pressure
always ticking 30 seconds. That's it.
(07:09):
Make your decision, execute. With maybe 132nd extension per
rack, not much breathing. Room No.
And you're thinking multiple shots ahead the whole time under
the clock. Then you've got unique
environments like the Moscone Cup.
The Moscone Cup. Or usually crowds are
respectful, but they're sharkingintentional distraction from the
crowd. It's not just common, it's
encouraged. Right.
(07:30):
They actively try to get in yourhead.
It creates this incredibly intense, almost brutal mental
arena. So how do you cope?
Fedor talked about his techniques.
Yeah, really insightful stuff. He uses specific breathing
exercises like 4 counts breathing in, hold for four or
five, then a long exhale 7 or 8 counts out.
Does it in his chair between shots, even right at the table
(07:51):
before a big. One, calming the nerves makes
sense. He also mentioned learning to
actually show emotions sometimesmoving away from what he called
the old Russian way of like hiding any madness.
Realizing that acknowledging what you're feeling, letting it
out a bit, can actually be a release, not a weakness.
That's interesting, but the realkicker I thought was how he
fights negative thoughts, especially that fear of missing.
(08:14):
Oh yeah, the self talk. His secret weapon positive self
talk that park but like really forceful.
He literally say he tells himself I'm making this ball
bitch. Yeah, that fierce internal
command. Just total psychological
commitment, no room for doubt. It's intense.
He also talked about visualization, how Nick
(08:35):
Vandenberg, an older player, would practice entire runs just
sitting on his couch. Purely mental reps.
And there's real science behind that, now, isn't there?
Visualization can sometimes be even more effective than actual
physical practice for locking inskills.
Totally. Rogan even threw in that kind of
unconfirmed story about President Obama being fooled by
CIA disguises. Right, the transformation idea.
(08:57):
And Fedor playfully linked it tohis own idea of wanting to wear
disguises sometimes just to sneak into pool holes in Asia
unrecognized. It just highlights how much the
mental game can transform things.
Yeah, absolutely. And looking beyond the
individual player, the whole business of pool is modernizing
too. One thing they discussed was
this soft breaking issue. Yeah, where players break
(09:19):
lighter for more cue ball control.
Exactly. But it's subjective, right?
Leads to arguments. So Fedor proposed a cool
solution. A speed gun like a radar gun.
To measure brake speed objectively.
Yeah, set a minimum speed, maybe18 mph.
Whatever makes it objective takes a controversy out.
Plus it kind of pushes players to practice harder brakes,
develop more power with control.That's smart.
(09:41):
And a speed gun reading, Yeah, that's a cool staff for fans
too, right? Makes it more engaging.
Definitely, but that's not the only innovation being talked
about. There's this concept called pool
house. Pool house like Top Golf, but
for billiards. Kinda, yeah.
Imagine tracking tech video projections right onto the table
surface, creating bonus targets,maybe virtual obstacles.
(10:04):
Sounds like a really dynamic wayto make pool maybe more
interactive, more appealing to abroader audience, especially
younger people. Get it out of just the
traditional pool hall vibe. Yeah, moving beyond this Smokey
backroom image. Exactly.
And this push for innovation, this global expansion, it's also
being fueled by money, big money.
I mean, high stakes gambling. That's always been part of
(10:26):
Pool's history, right? Kind of romantic, but also kind
of shady sometimes. Sure, the hustler vibe.
But now the official prize moneyin tournaments is just soaring.
Look at the World Championships in Saudi Arabia.
Feder mentioned $250,000 for first place.
Second place got $100,000. That's serious cash and.
When you see the kind of money Saudi Arabia is pouring into
(10:46):
other sports like golf and boxing, the idea of a, say, $25
million pool tournament, it doesn't sound completely crazy
anymore. Imagine that Theodore even
mentioned a possible half million dollar match between him
and Josh Filler. Yeah, playing multiple
disciplines too. 8 ball, 9 ball,10 ball, one pocket Banks like a
true test of all around skill for huge stakes.
(11:10):
That would be epic. But while the money and
innovation are booming globally,especially in Asia, the US scene
seems a bit different. Yeah, the contrast is pretty
stark. Pools just exploding in Asia,
Theater said. In Hanoi, Vietnam, just one
city, there's something like 2000 pool rooms, often combined
with computer clubs. Wow, 2000.
Yeah, attracting a really young crowd, often non drinkers.
(11:31):
He even noted that like 40% of his own Facebook followers are
from Vietnam. That tells you something.
Huge indicator. And then there's Chinese 8 ball
or hay ball as it's called now. Massive tournaments, huge prize
money up to $750,000 for first place.
Sometime times it's pulling in top players from snookers from
English 8 ball. OK, so compare that to the US.
(11:52):
Well, in the US, you've got the APA leagues, right?
Huge membership, like 270,000 people.
But Fedor pointed out they're mostly casual bar League
players. Many might not even know who
Shane Van Boning, arguably the best American player ever, is.
Different worlds. So the challenge in the US seems
to be separating pool from that traditional bar culture image,
broadening its appeal, attracting that younger, more
(12:14):
diverse crowd like they're doingso successfully in Asia.
It's perception almost as much as the game itself.
Yeah, definitely. OK, let's get into the real deep
stuff, the nitty gritty equipment and just how
incredibly challenging this sport is at the micro level.
There's this constant debate, right?
Solid wood shafts versus carbon fiber shafts.
Oh yeah, Always a hot topic among players.
(12:34):
And Fader explained it's not just preference.
Environment matters a lot. Like those sticky, humid pool
rooms in Asia. Maybe wood feels better, doesn't
get as tacky, but in dry, perfectly controlled conditions
carbon fiber might have the edgefor consistency.
So. It's not just what feels best.
No, it gets way more technical. He talked about his own custom
(12:55):
shaft with a longer taper. The science behind the foams,
inside the shaft, the wall thickness, the ferrule material,
that little piece the tip sits on, tip hardness, overall
weight, the balance point. It's incredibly detailed.
They even analyze deflection. That's how the cue ball squirts
offline a tiny bit when you use sides.
(13:16):
And some elite players like Koping Chung, He mentioned
They've mastered it so well, they actually aim to miss the
object ball slightly, knowing the deflection will curve the
cue ball into it perfectly. Whoa.
So they're aiming to miss to make the ball.
Exactly. It's insane precision, this
level of detail, this customization.
It shows how pool has gone from just raw talent to this blend of
(13:40):
applied physics and personalizedengineering.
Every tiny element matters. It really puts it in
perspective. You know, John Schmidt, the
commentator, made a great point,Rogan brought up In almost every
other ball sport, something elsehits the ball.
A bat, a foot, a racket, whatever.
But in Pool, it's a ball hittinganother ball with extreme
(14:01):
accuracy over distance. And crucially, you're always,
always thinking about setting upthe next shot.
It's not isolated like a golf swing or a baseball pitch.
Yeah, that chain reaction aspect.
It's arguably the most difficultsport in that very specific way.
Constant strategic calculation combined with pinpoint
execution. I mean, snooker has its own
insane difficulty. Smaller balls, thinner queues,
(14:22):
tiny pockets, massive tables. Different beasts.
Yeah, but snooker is mostly UK and China, folks. 9 Ball, as
Fidel pointed out, is much more globally diverse, requires
mastering conditions all over the world.
I'm good. Now we got to talk about the elf
in the room for 9 ball. Yes, the luck factor, it's
undeniably high in nine ball compared to other disciplines.
You can just flip the 9 right? It accidentally goes in off a
(14:43):
weird combo or even straight offthe brake sometimes.
Totally win the whole game just like that can be incredibly
frustrating for the opponent andhonestly sometimes a bit
embarrassing even for the playerwho got the lucky break.
Yeah, like you didn't earn it the right way.
Which leads kids to this whole concept.
Players talk about the pool gods.
The pool gods. Yeah, this kind of weirdly
reliable phenomenon players observe where if you're feeling
(15:07):
good, playing positive, you seemto just get more lucky roles.
The balls bounce your way more often.
But if you're down on yourself feeling negative, it feels like
you get all the bad breaks, kicksafes, unlucky scratches.
So it's like your mindset actually influences the random
bounces. Well, that's the $1,000,000
question, isn't it? Is it actually influencing the
(15:27):
physics? Probably not.
Or is it that when you're positive, you're just better
prepared to see and capitalize on any opportunity, lucky or
not, and when you're negative you only notice the bad stuff?
Perception bias maybe? Could be, but Fedor himself said
he works really hard to stay positive because he genuinely
believes it makes a difference, that there's some real, maybe
(15:48):
unmeasurable benefit. It's like the game reflects life
that way, you know, attitude matters.
That's really fascinating stuff.So wrapping this up, what does
it all mean? We've seen through Fedora
Gorst's eyes how pro pool today is this intense mix.
It's physical conditioning, it'ssuper precise mental discipline.
And it's a sport just exploding,evolving with new tech, global
(16:09):
promotion. It's a game of millimeters deep
strategy and yeah, maybe a little bit of that unexplained
luck, too. This deep dive, it really does
highlight how chasing excellencein any field, whether it's
billiards or something completely different, it
involves pushing boundaries, constantly adapting to whatever
the new conditions are, and mastering not just the physical
(16:29):
skills, but that whole complex mental landscape too.
Definitely, from the tough training, the shot clock
pressure to this global boom yousee online and in these cool new
venues, Pool is clearly anythingbut some dusty old bar game
anymore. Or it feels vibrant, It's
evolving, maybe even at its peakright now.
Yeah, exciting times for the sport.
So here's a final thought for you listening in.
(16:52):
If positive energy and focus visualization can genuinely seem
to influence outcomes in a game requiring such incredible
precision, what other parts of your own life might benefit from
applying a similar mindset, A similar kind of dedicated pre
shot routine? Makes you think, doesn't it?
Welcome to the Joe Rogan recap. Today we're doing a deep dive
into a really, really interesting conversation from
the Joe Rogan Experience episodeHashtag 2371, featuring
professional pool player Fidor Gorst.
Our mission here is basically tounpack how competitive pool is
evolving. We want to explore the mindset
of, you know, a truly world class athlete and kind of peek
(00:22):
behind the curtain of a sport that seems to be having this
huge global resurgence right now.
Get ready for some surprising facts, some deep insights into
the mental game, and a fresh look at why today's top pool
players might just be the greatest of all time.
Yeah, it's fascinating, isn't it, how just this one
conversation gives you such a rich picture, not just about
billiards itself, but the the sheer dedication, the mental
(00:44):
strength and even the economics that are shaping the sport now
will try to connect the dots, you know, between Fader's own
journey and these bigger trends happening in competitive gaming
overall. OK, yeah, let's definitely
unpack this. So starting with Fader Gorse
himself, he's currently ranked world number one, and his recent
schedule, just listening to it sounds absolutely brutal.
Just days before we talked to Rogan, he had lost in the finals
(01:05):
of the US Open. Before that, there was another
tournament crammed in between, and right before that, the World
Championships in Saudi Arabia, where he also got to the finals.
Wow. So that's four massive events
pretty much back-to-back, all squashed into about a month.
It really shows you the relentless pace these top
athletes maintain. It's an incredible display of
(01:26):
endurance, right, physically andmentally.
And I think that intensity is exactly what fuels Joe Rogan's
argument. He basically says today's best
players aren't just great for now, they're arguably the
greatest of all time period. And his reasoning is compelling.
The conditions they compete under are just significantly
tougher than they've ever. Been.
(01:47):
Yeah, and he's got proof, right?Like tangible stuff.
Think about it. Modern pro tables are these big
9 footers and the pockets. They're incredibly tight.
We're talking 4 inches. Just 4 inches.
It's tiny. Exactly.
Compare that to say your averagebar table, maybe A7 footer with
like 5.5 inch pockets. Yeah, much more forgiving.
Huge difference, you can barely squeeze 2 cue balls side by side
(02:09):
into those 4 inch pro pockets. Forget making complex shots
easily the precision needed. Now it's just another level.
Right, it's not just the table getting harder.
No, not at all. The game itself, the rules have
changed dramatically, especiallyin just the last, what, three
years or so. They've shifted to 9 ball on the
spot. That means the nine ball always
(02:30):
goes back to one specific trickyspot if it's pocketed early.
Plus there's this new brake box that restricts where you can
break from and they got rid of the old 3 point rule.
Remember that, where you needed three balls to cross the
headstring or pocket a ball juston the break.
Yeah, I. Remember that rule?
Gone now. Gone.
So all these changes together, they demand players adapt
(02:51):
constantly, innovate their strategies and execute with even
more control. It really feels like these
changes are pushing the sport forward and a huge driver behind
that momentum seems to be Matchroom.
Oh absolutely. Matchroom's influence is
massive. They've done an incredible job,
kind of like they did with boxing, elevating pool on a
global scale, and they make it easy to watch too.
(03:12):
For anyone interested, you've got the World 9 Ball Tour WNT
dot TVI think. Yeah, that's it, wnt.tv.
And their Matchroom Pool YouTubechannel has just tons of free
content really accessible. Totally Matchroom's impact on
IS. The visibility of OOL is
undeniable. You see it everywhere now.
TikTok, Instagram, OOL is booming on social media,
(03:35):
reaching whole new audiences, younger people.
Yeah, it's huge. Which is critical for growth,
obviously. But you know, it's worth
mentioning this rapid professionalization, it hasn't
been completely smooth sailing. There was that conflict,
remember, between the WPA, the World Pool Billiard Association
and Match Room. Oh right, the bands.
Exactly. The WPA banned players from
(03:55):
match room events for a bit, which led to the top players
basically boycotting WPA tournaments in response.
They were trying to force rule changes, essentially.
And then there was that controversy with Josh Filler.
Yeah, what happened there? Well, he decided to play in AWPA
event despite this sort of collective agreement among
players not to. Caused quite a bit of backlash
within the player community. It just kind of highlights the
(04:17):
growing pains, you know, when a sport transforms this quickly.
Yeah, makes sense. Shifting gears a bit from the
structures to the players, let'stalk more about Fedor Gorst
himself, his personal journey. He's in the US on a green card
now, not a citizen yet, and he mentioned how America's really
welcomed him. But what's really interesting is
his background with those Russian athlete bands and how
(04:39):
that kind of highlights something unique about pro pool.
It really does. So there was that WADA ban on
Russian athletes started even before the current war, back
around 2018-2019, affected all sorts of international
competitions. Fedor said he had to play the
World Cup of pool in the UK under no flag.
But here's the compelling part. Private companies like Matchroom
and the UFC does this too. They basically made their own
(05:01):
rules. They consciously decided not to
make it political. They let Russia and athletes
compete. So performance was the only
thing that mattered. Exactly, it created this
environment where, as Fedor put it, the only thing that matters
is how good you play. Cure meritocracy.
And he felt that really clicked with what he saw as an American
(05:22):
ideal, a nation of immigrants where talent is paramount.
Precisely. He felt welcomed because of his
skill, and now he says US crowdsare actually cheering for him.
It's a pretty powerful statement, isn't it?
In the pool world, skill is the ultimate currency.
Doesn't matter where you're from.
Yeah. That's cool.
So let's talk about the physicalside.
This often surprises people. Pool looks kind of chill, right?
(05:44):
Yeah, not exactly high impact. But it takes a serious toll on
the body. Players often end up with
crooked backs, as Vader called it, just from being bent over
the table constantly. He specifically mentioned
dealing with neck and upper backpain himself.
Even a bulging disc, C4C5 I think, he said.
Wow, so it's definitely not justa mind game then?
Not at all. He has this whole preventative
(06:05):
routine, daily stretching, usingresistance bands for his upper
back, plus general decompressionstuff, inversion tables.
He mentioned cold saunas. Keeping the machine tuned.
Exactly. And here's a really
counterintuitive bit he shared. Lifting heavy weights actually
bad for a pool players game. Really.
Why is that? Apparently it can tighten up the
(06:26):
muscles too much. You lose that smooth, fluid,
precise stroke that's absolutelyessential at the top level.
Never would guessed. It's fascinating, this obsessive
focus on maintaining the body. The instrument reminds you of
those old legends. Like there's that story about
Willie Hopp, an old school icon,supposedly refused to drive a
car, refused to do anything withhis arms that might mess with
(06:49):
his pool game. Just total dedication.
Wow, that's commitment. It really is, and it brings up a
key question for us writer How does an athlete possibly perform
under that kind of intense pressure, both mental and
physical? Yeah, that's where the mental
game just seems paramount. Imagine the shot clock pressure
always ticking 30 seconds. That's it.
(07:09):
Make your decision, execute. With maybe 132nd extension per
rack, not much breathing. Room No.
And you're thinking multiple shots ahead the whole time under
the clock. Then you've got unique
environments like the Moscone Cup.
The Moscone Cup. Or usually crowds are
respectful, but they're sharkingintentional distraction from the
crowd. It's not just common, it's
encouraged. Right.
(07:30):
They actively try to get in yourhead.
It creates this incredibly intense, almost brutal mental
arena. So how do you cope?
Fedor talked about his techniques.
Yeah, really insightful stuff. He uses specific breathing
exercises like 4 counts breathing in, hold for four or
five, then a long exhale 7 or 8 counts out.
Does it in his chair between shots, even right at the table
(07:51):
before a big. One, calming the nerves makes
sense. He also mentioned learning to
actually show emotions sometimesmoving away from what he called
the old Russian way of like hiding any madness.
Realizing that acknowledging what you're feeling, letting it
out a bit, can actually be a release, not a weakness.
That's interesting, but the realkicker I thought was how he
fights negative thoughts, especially that fear of missing.
(08:14):
Oh yeah, the self talk. His secret weapon positive self
talk that park but like really forceful.
He literally say he tells himself I'm making this ball
bitch. Yeah, that fierce internal
command. Just total psychological
commitment, no room for doubt. It's intense.
He also talked about visualization, how Nick
(08:35):
Vandenberg, an older player, would practice entire runs just
sitting on his couch. Purely mental reps.
And there's real science behind that, now, isn't there?
Visualization can sometimes be even more effective than actual
physical practice for locking inskills.
Totally. Rogan even threw in that kind of
unconfirmed story about President Obama being fooled by
CIA disguises. Right, the transformation idea.
(08:57):
And Fedor playfully linked it tohis own idea of wanting to wear
disguises sometimes just to sneak into pool holes in Asia
unrecognized. It just highlights how much the
mental game can transform things.
Yeah, absolutely. And looking beyond the
individual player, the whole business of pool is modernizing
too. One thing they discussed was
this soft breaking issue. Yeah, where players break
(09:19):
lighter for more cue ball control.
Exactly. But it's subjective, right?
Leads to arguments. So Fedor proposed a cool
solution. A speed gun like a radar gun.
To measure brake speed objectively.
Yeah, set a minimum speed, maybe18 mph.
Whatever makes it objective takes a controversy out.
Plus it kind of pushes players to practice harder brakes,
develop more power with control.That's smart.
(09:41):
And a speed gun reading, Yeah, that's a cool staff for fans
too, right? Makes it more engaging.
Definitely, but that's not the only innovation being talked
about. There's this concept called pool
house. Pool house like Top Golf, but
for billiards. Kinda, yeah.
Imagine tracking tech video projections right onto the table
surface, creating bonus targets,maybe virtual obstacles.
(10:04):
Sounds like a really dynamic wayto make pool maybe more
interactive, more appealing to abroader audience, especially
younger people. Get it out of just the
traditional pool hall vibe. Yeah, moving beyond this Smokey
backroom image. Exactly.
And this push for innovation, this global expansion, it's also
being fueled by money, big money.
I mean, high stakes gambling. That's always been part of
(10:26):
Pool's history, right? Kind of romantic, but also kind
of shady sometimes. Sure, the hustler vibe.
But now the official prize moneyin tournaments is just soaring.
Look at the World Championships in Saudi Arabia.
Feder mentioned $250,000 for first place.
Second place got $100,000. That's serious cash and.
When you see the kind of money Saudi Arabia is pouring into
(10:46):
other sports like golf and boxing, the idea of a, say, $25
million pool tournament, it doesn't sound completely crazy
anymore. Imagine that Theodore even
mentioned a possible half million dollar match between him
and Josh Filler. Yeah, playing multiple
disciplines too. 8 ball, 9 ball,10 ball, one pocket Banks like a
true test of all around skill for huge stakes.
(11:10):
That would be epic. But while the money and
innovation are booming globally,especially in Asia, the US scene
seems a bit different. Yeah, the contrast is pretty
stark. Pools just exploding in Asia,
Theater said. In Hanoi, Vietnam, just one
city, there's something like 2000 pool rooms, often combined
with computer clubs. Wow, 2000.
Yeah, attracting a really young crowd, often non drinkers.
(11:31):
He even noted that like 40% of his own Facebook followers are
from Vietnam. That tells you something.
Huge indicator. And then there's Chinese 8 ball
or hay ball as it's called now. Massive tournaments, huge prize
money up to $750,000 for first place.
Sometime times it's pulling in top players from snookers from
English 8 ball. OK, so compare that to the US.
(11:52):
Well, in the US, you've got the APA leagues, right?
Huge membership, like 270,000 people.
But Fedor pointed out they're mostly casual bar League
players. Many might not even know who
Shane Van Boning, arguably the best American player ever, is.
Different worlds. So the challenge in the US seems
to be separating pool from that traditional bar culture image,
broadening its appeal, attracting that younger, more
(12:14):
diverse crowd like they're doingso successfully in Asia.
It's perception almost as much as the game itself.
Yeah, definitely. OK, let's get into the real deep
stuff, the nitty gritty equipment and just how
incredibly challenging this sport is at the micro level.
There's this constant debate, right?
Solid wood shafts versus carbon fiber shafts.
Oh yeah, Always a hot topic among players.
(12:34):
And Fader explained it's not just preference.
Environment matters a lot. Like those sticky, humid pool
rooms in Asia. Maybe wood feels better, doesn't
get as tacky, but in dry, perfectly controlled conditions
carbon fiber might have the edgefor consistency.
So. It's not just what feels best.
No, it gets way more technical. He talked about his own custom
(12:55):
shaft with a longer taper. The science behind the foams,
inside the shaft, the wall thickness, the ferrule material,
that little piece the tip sits on, tip hardness, overall
weight, the balance point. It's incredibly detailed.
They even analyze deflection. That's how the cue ball squirts
offline a tiny bit when you use sides.
(13:16):
And some elite players like Koping Chung, He mentioned
They've mastered it so well, they actually aim to miss the
object ball slightly, knowing the deflection will curve the
cue ball into it perfectly. Whoa.
So they're aiming to miss to make the ball.
Exactly. It's insane precision, this
level of detail, this customization.
It shows how pool has gone from just raw talent to this blend of
(13:40):
applied physics and personalizedengineering.
Every tiny element matters. It really puts it in
perspective. You know, John Schmidt, the
commentator, made a great point,Rogan brought up In almost every
other ball sport, something elsehits the ball.
A bat, a foot, a racket, whatever.
But in Pool, it's a ball hittinganother ball with extreme
(14:01):
accuracy over distance. And crucially, you're always,
always thinking about setting upthe next shot.
It's not isolated like a golf swing or a baseball pitch.
Yeah, that chain reaction aspect.
It's arguably the most difficultsport in that very specific way.
Constant strategic calculation combined with pinpoint
execution. I mean, snooker has its own
insane difficulty. Smaller balls, thinner queues,
(14:22):
tiny pockets, massive tables. Different beasts.
Yeah, but snooker is mostly UK and China, folks. 9 Ball, as
Fidel pointed out, is much more globally diverse, requires
mastering conditions all over the world.
I'm good. Now we got to talk about the elf
in the room for 9 ball. Yes, the luck factor, it's
undeniably high in nine ball compared to other disciplines.
You can just flip the 9 right? It accidentally goes in off a
(14:43):
weird combo or even straight offthe brake sometimes.
Totally win the whole game just like that can be incredibly
frustrating for the opponent andhonestly sometimes a bit
embarrassing even for the playerwho got the lucky break.
Yeah, like you didn't earn it the right way.
Which leads kids to this whole concept.
Players talk about the pool gods.
The pool gods. Yeah, this kind of weirdly
reliable phenomenon players observe where if you're feeling
(15:07):
good, playing positive, you seemto just get more lucky roles.
The balls bounce your way more often.
But if you're down on yourself feeling negative, it feels like
you get all the bad breaks, kicksafes, unlucky scratches.
So it's like your mindset actually influences the random
bounces. Well, that's the $1,000,000
question, isn't it? Is it actually influencing the
(15:27):
physics? Probably not.
Or is it that when you're positive, you're just better
prepared to see and capitalize on any opportunity, lucky or
not, and when you're negative you only notice the bad stuff?
Perception bias maybe? Could be, but Fedor himself said
he works really hard to stay positive because he genuinely
believes it makes a difference, that there's some real, maybe
(15:48):
unmeasurable benefit. It's like the game reflects life
that way, you know, attitude matters.
That's really fascinating stuff.So wrapping this up, what does
it all mean? We've seen through Fedora
Gorst's eyes how pro pool today is this intense mix.
It's physical conditioning, it'ssuper precise mental discipline.
And it's a sport just exploding,evolving with new tech, global
(16:09):
promotion. It's a game of millimeters deep
strategy and yeah, maybe a little bit of that unexplained
luck, too. This deep dive, it really does
highlight how chasing excellencein any field, whether it's
billiards or something completely different, it
involves pushing boundaries, constantly adapting to whatever
the new conditions are, and mastering not just the physical
(16:29):
skills, but that whole complex mental landscape too.
Definitely, from the tough training, the shot clock
pressure to this global boom yousee online and in these cool new
venues, Pool is clearly anythingbut some dusty old bar game
anymore. Or it feels vibrant, It's
evolving, maybe even at its peakright now.
Yeah, exciting times for the sport.
So here's a final thought for you listening in.
(16:52):
If positive energy and focus visualization can genuinely seem
to influence outcomes in a game requiring such incredible
precision, what other parts of your own life might benefit from
applying a similar mindset, A similar kind of dedicated pre
shot routine? Makes you think, doesn't it?
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