GideonF said:

In the new revisions of the WPA rules, they made it clear that a player can take their break at between any racks (regardless of who’s break is next). Apologies if this has been discussed before, but what is the thinking behind that change.

I much prefer the old practice that you can only take a break when it’s your “turn”. I don’t like a player being able to ice someone on a run (eg Shane running a package).

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skogstokig said:

if the whole country isn't being considered, would be interesting to know who you have in mind. names, their fargorates etc.

in our era there are very few hidden monster players, especially in the USA and europe.

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Biloxi Boy said:

It have a name?

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SimpleParty said:

Been lurking in this thread for a while and I finally got the green hard tip installed on my new Rhino CF shaft when I upgraded the ferrule to a Tomahawk vault plate and I gotta say I'm loving the tip so far!

The tink noise doesn't bother me at all, in fact I hardly notice and in general I would say that I would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the recoil and a leather tip of comparable hardness. It has pretty good grip on the CB and folks weren't exaggerating about how well it keeps chalk on, I use Magic Chalk so I don't usually chalk on every shot but with the new tip I'd maybe once or twice during a rack, I feel no issue with normal or moderately full spin shots without chalking up, but I do rechalk for extreme power shots of course just in case.

I definitely feel the increase in power delivery on softer to medium shots compared to a well broken in and compressed Ultraskin Black Medium that's been my choice for a while, but for power draw I haven't noticed much difference but I'm putting that down to technique. I did do a side by side comparison with my spare maple shaft and I know it's not exactly apples to apples, but I was able to draw the CB back from the head string to the OB just outside the corner pocket back to the head rail vs a bit past the side pocket on my maple shaft with the leather tip.

When it came to miscues, probably will need to figure the best way to scuff and roughen the tip for now, but pretty on par with my usual leather tips, using a last4ever tip tool to scuff it, so not super ultra grippy but I do use a fair bit of extreme side when I play.

I have used it to break a few times and I gotta say for 9ball I'd be hard pressed to say if I like breaking with my players now vs my breaker, though that's using a racking template and I've already pretty excellent control on the break, got the hammerhead v2 tip on it, though I might stick to my breaker for 10ball and traingle racks

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Moe Szyslak said:

I just played for a half hour and paid attention to what I was using, if anything. The vast majority of shots either used the basic diamond system, or the side rail numbers system like I pasted in above, or using the 2nd short rail contact point to figure out how to get on the right track. A ticky came up, that's using the exact same side rail numbers system, you just have to add an adjustment depending on the angle you're coming in on. and of course knowing running lines/tracks. Plus system came up twice. I use these all the time so I barely even think about them. They're barely even 'systems' to me anymore at this point. With the side rail number system, I barely have to wait for the first object ball to stop rolling. I see it's coming in at 2 (or 20) so I just know where the cue ball is going to go if I hit it with 1/4 or 1/2 hit. Don't even have to think about it, just focus on hitting the cue ball right.

I know a bunch of systems because I just think they're cool. But most of them you don't use that often. When some odd shot where the two object balls are together and there's no easy natural shot comes up, it's always a good feeling to whip out some system and make it.

But I think you're best off having a small handful of the most useful systems, like the diamond and plus and running tracks, and just really working through them and the adjustments to them. Like I said, eventually they stop being systems and just become part of your game. You don't even have to think about the shot much anymore, you just know where the cue ball is going if you hit it right. It frees you up to worry about kisses and speed and all the other stuff.

Of course, you can always pick up super easy to remember systems like this one. Count the distance between the two object balls 20 to 60 = 40. Divide by 2 = 20. That's where you need to hit 'through' the diamond on the short rail, with running English, to make the shot. If the second object ball was at 40, the distance is 20/2 = 10, you have to hit 10 on the short rail. The rail numbers are the easiest thing to remember, each diamond is 10. That's it, take one minute to memorize that and you'll never forget it.

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Jimmy_Betmore said:

The old ones came with Sumo tips that were hard as rocks and LBM ferrules

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JusticeNJ said:

I like Schon, but it has always been the opposite of soft. Strong taper, LBM ferrules, and the "i can't believe that's leather" tips they come stock with have always translated to an ultra stiff hit

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cueball2010 said:

I don't really have much opinion about your opinions.

No disrespect, but the only thing of controversy for me was the SL 3. I mean I get that players get better as the tourney progresses. But how the hell she got through everything and at the final table is still a SL 3... Anyway, that's what stuck out for me.

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