Playing it smart or playing it too safe

I've missed a week of posting, and so I have two matches to cover since the end of my pool fast (which lasted all of 6 days). In match number one, I played a SL6. Last week, I played an SL3 who I've played before.

Match number one, I lost two games, where I really couldn't do much, or didn't. The breaks were wide open, and I wasn't left much of a shot. I couldn't get focused and thought this could be embarrassing. And then in the third game, the break was a dud, and I thought, now this could be a match after all. The remaining four games were all close, all strategic battles. I managed to win only one, but a victory was in striking distance. And I felt victorious that despite the large gap in skill level I was able to make a match out of it.

But....there were whispers from the other side...I heard the word "defense" more than once. My teammate called a time out on me and got angry that I wouldn't remove the ball that was blocking my opponents one remaining shot. If I took that shot, he thought I could run out. I had four balls left on the table. I couldn't see a pattern that I felt I could do, not even close. I just couldn't shoot that ball. It was hill-hill. I couldn't do it. (In the end, I miscued and left the cue ball in the one place on the table he could sink it, so we'll never know if it worked....)

So flash forward to match number two. Having lost the other match. I've given some consideration that I might have been wrong and gone for the run out despite my instincts otherwise. Afterall, the point is to "win", not to "not lose". Again, its hill-hill with my oponent. He's down to his last two balls. I have four or five on the table. He's only a three, but the pattern left for him is not hard. And I have an open shot, a run out I can see, although I haven't been shooting that consistently and if I miss, it pretty much hands it to him. Fortunately, our senior player was in the house and called a time out to point out a shot, makeable, but not easy, that would leave my opponent blocked. I take the shot, (genuinely try to make it) and leave the pocket blocked, my next turn at the table, I have my best run of the night and win the match.

I'm not sure what the lesson is here. I do think I sometimes play too defensively and have probably lost matches because of it. At my level, I'm not sure when I'm being realistic about my ability and when I am underestimating myself. And when to listen to my gut, and when to listen to my teammates.