"power" backspin

pYco

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Let's say we have the situation:
1.jpg

What should I do to generate so much backspin?

I think at the last Mosconi Cup I saw Darren Appleton doing this:

2.jpg

The situation is no exactly the same but after the match he said he probably needs a new shaft. :smile:
Do you consider it a very difficult shot ? For me seems to be impossible...

Thank you in advance !
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
... Do you consider it a very difficult shot ? For me seems to be impossible... ...
You need to work up to such a shot. Try the drills in http://www.sfbilliards.com/progpract.pdf including the shots other than draw. That will gradually develop your stroke ability. Start with Set 1 -- the easiest -- and stay with it until you can average 4 on each of the 4 diagrams of the set, then move on to Set 2, and so on.

One thing that makes the shot much easier for Darren than it probably is for you is that he is playing on nearly new cloth. It is much easier to draw the cue ball on new cloth. If you want to temporarily get "new cloth" conditions, wax the cue ball or rub it with silicone spray.

Such a shot should be within the reach of anyone who has been playing the game seriously for a year or two. "Seriously" means working on your game for several hours each week and not just playing an occasional game with friends.
 

pYco

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
thank you

Many thanks for the link. You are definitely right about increasing the coefficient of friction. I begin to play pool several years ago, but I'm not a constant player, more like a weekend player...anyhow I'll try to practice that shot and hope to be able to do it until Christmas. :smile::wink:
Darren is also a human, right? On the other hand Placido Domingo for example is also a human, but I don't know how many peoples will be able to sing like him after 20-30 years of practice. How much you think is the talent involved in these kind of shots?
 

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The difference between drawing the ball on new cloth and drawing the ball on worn cloth is astounding. Pro events like the Mosconi Cup are played on new cloth. Length of the table draw shots are not easy in general, but they are much, much easier on a new cloth.
 

pYco

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For the moment I can only do a stop shot on such a long distance playing on a pretty new cloth (simonis 860 i think). I'll keep practicing...
 

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Couple of tips on long draw shots like this. Slow your stroke down a little bit and focus on where you are hitting the cue ball. Most people tend to rev up and hit the ball 100mph thinking they need the extra speed to accomplish the desired result, when in fact all they are doing is hitting the cb much higher than they wanted or intended to. It also kills your accuracy.
If you arent getting the spin you need, make sure you are accelerating through the ball at the time of contact, and that the tip is hitting low enough. Then ramp the speed up little by little if need be.
Chuck
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
pYco...You may also wish to be sure of where you are actually striking the CB. You may not be hitting as low as possible, which would eliminate a lot of backspin for a table length draw shot, such as this. Also, learning to swing the cuestick, using a loose grip, the weight of the cue and timing, versus a tight grip and 'punch' type stroke, make a big difference as well. To check your accuracy on the CB, use a stripe, placed horizontally on the cloth, and aim the top edge of your tip at the bottom edge of the stripe. Then look at the chalk mark on the stripe. If you're actually hitting at the lowest point, the chalk mark will be just above the edge of the colored stripe. You'll be amazed at how striking the CB a tiny bit higher than the lowest possible point reduces the action on the CB. This is no beginner shot, and requires a quality stroke to accomplish. As mentioned, cloth wear and humidity will make a big difference too.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

For the moment I can only do a stop shot on such a long distance playing on a pretty new cloth (simonis 860 i think). I'll keep practicing...
 

The Renfro

Outsville.com
Silver Member
Another tip is to use a striped object ball instead of the cueball... Place the stripe ball so you are looking at the number on it, Chalk up and shoot the shot. Look and see if you actually hit the ball as low as you thought or if you have a flaw causing you to hit the ball higher than intended....

The full length draw is available to anyone they just have to be able to hit low and come thru the ball with enough speed for the spin to still be on the cueball after contact..... Many people actually jack the cue up in the back trying to hit low and drive the cue ball into the cloth which will rapidly remove the backspin...... Think Low, Level, and Quick........ Always amazes me the difference in my stroke when I use the word quick over hard...... Quick seems to still stay smooth... Hard seems to get me jerking the cue forward.........
 

The Renfro

Outsville.com
Silver Member
Dangit Scott..... You are going to force me into learning how to actually type LOL :thumbup:
 

joewag2

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You need to work up to such a shot. Try the drills in http://www.sfbilliards.com/progpract.pdf including the shots other than draw. That will gradually develop your stroke ability. Start with Set 1 -- the easiest -- and stay with it until you can average 4 on each of the 4 diagrams of the set, then move on to Set 2, and so on.

One thing that makes the shot much easier for Darren than it probably is for you is that he is playing on nearly new cloth. It is much easier to draw the cue ball on new cloth. If you want to temporarily get "new cloth" conditions, wax the cue ball or rub it with silicone spray.

Such a shot should be within the reach of anyone who has been playing the game seriously for a year or two. "Seriously" means working on your game for several hours each week and not just playing an occasional game with friends.

Thanks for posting Bob! Good Stuff!!
 

C.Milian

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
He may have slightly missed, hitting rail first. His intention was not to go rail first, because he would end up on the short side....but somehow he ended up there. Heluva stroke.
 
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poolplayer2093

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Let's say we have the situation:
View attachment 197953

What should I do to generate so much backspin?

I think at the last Mosconi Cup I saw Darren Appleton doing this:

View attachment 197954

The situation is no exactly the same but after the match he said he probably needs a new shaft. :smile:
Do you consider it a very difficult shot ? For me seems to be impossible...

Thank you in advance !

do we consider what a difficult shot? you mean going rail first or drawing the cb all the way back?

they're both pretty hard shots (for me) but i only shoot that shot rail first if i can't draw it back because i'm on the rail. you just gotta practice and build up your stroke. you'll get it after enough practice
 

RWOJO

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Stroke

There's a few key principles to focus on:
Level Stroke
Loose Grip
Accelerate through the ball
Follow Through

like said before, people want to hit this shot harder and they might tense up which slows the stroke. Or they jerk through trying to power through and they hit higher than where they meant on the cue ball. The key to the shot is as low of a hit as possible, smooth follow through while accelerating through the ball with an extended follow through.

The average player hasn't developed a good enough stroke for this because they are worried about the wrong thing, the object ball. You do not have control over the object ball or even the cue ball. All we have control over is ourselves, when we realize that we focus on what we can control. If we practice shooting with our eyes closed we will be more focused on staying still and delivering a smooth stroke with a good follow through.
 

poolplayer2093

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There's a few key principles to focus on:
Level Stroke
Loose Grip
Accelerate through the ball
Follow Through

like said before, people want to hit this shot harder and they might tense up which slows the stroke. Or they jerk through trying to power through and they hit higher than where they meant on the cue ball. The key to the shot is as low of a hit as possible, smooth follow through while accelerating through the ball with an extended follow through.

The average player hasn't developed a good enough stroke for this because they are worried about the wrong thing, the object ball. You do not have control over the object ball or even the cue ball. All we have control over is ourselves, when we realize that we focus on what we can control. If we practice shooting with our eyes closed we will be more focused on staying still and delivering a smooth stroke with a good follow through.


A good friend of mine in japan would do that. he's shoot the cb into the rails so it'd come out 2 rails back at his cue and then keep stroking. he'd close his eyes and try to speed up. it was like watching someone meditate.
 
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