StraightPoolIU said:
...playing to draw it back to the headrail and back down was one of the games biggest no no's. I believe Williebetmore asked Danny Diliberto about this very thing one time, and if I remember his response was "Yea it's ok to do that when you stop liking money." Also, I've never seen a pro do it on any accu-stats tapes. .
SP,
I will admit that I always thought that there might be a situation where this could be a viable option - but I no longer believe it. A true old-schooler will examine the rack and object ball; and will be able to come up with a stroke that will keep whitey on the foot half of the table. If the player doesn't know how to do this, then he should hit away as best he can.
Remember that the difference between a semi-stun hit (that will leave whitey center table) and a hard draw (that brings whitey back into the kitchen) may be a difference of a single millimeter in contact point on whitey. With a forceful hit these mistakes may be amplified, and many of these forceful draws may be MISTAKES (you would have to ask the player shooting).
Having said that, I watched Niels performance; and can honestly say that I thought those draws back into the kitchen were not good shots (did any make it back out of the kitchen???....if they did, it was not by much) - leaving him much tougher shots than most players would like. He was very lucky to have easy recovery shots from his position downtable...such shots are often NOT available when whitey is sitting in the kitchen. Surely there are NO straight poolers who prefer a 8 or 9 foot shot out of the kitchen to a 3 or 4 foot shot from center table. Side pocket hangers are easy from either place; and corner pocket shots are often available from center table; but obstructed if you are in the kitchen. Even the monster pro's will have trouble coming off the stack, drawing all the way back to the head rail, and then getting whitey to come back out of the kitchen (remember that even though it looks dramatic, a LOT of the force of the breakshot is absorbed by the pack, and I have rarely seen the cueball escape it's usual fate "in the kitchen").
I fail to see any advantage in this type of break shot (count me "convinced by Danny D."). I also will refuse to critcize a player who likes it (Niels is a LOT better than me), but I will not attempt to emulate that particular style. I like the style of using as close to center ball as possible, with as little force as possible, with as little cueball movement as possible - these principles are sound, not just for regular play, but for the break shot as well. All of these things will help minimize risk, and maximize chances of success..........oh yes, also I will keep practicing my stroke until I can pocket balls like Niels - he's a freaking machine.