Cue length

I am 6’6” and have started playing with a 60” cue. My game got more consistent as I felt it was easier to get into shooting position. Some years ago I took a couple of lessons from a top instructor and he immediately said I needed a longer cue. I haven’t really tried extensions throughly, feel like they mess up with the balance of the cue.

Final Round Participants at the World Games Determined

This Monday, the group stage of the billiards competitions at the World Games in Chengdu, China came to an end. At the same time, the participants for the final rounds were determined. 3-Cushion Men After Germany’s Martin Horn had already secured first place in Group A on Sunday with two match wins, South Korea’s Myungwoo Cho followed him today. A 40–40 draw against Erick Tellez from Costa Rica was enough for Cho to advance to the last eight thanks to a better overall average. In Group B, the elimination of Dutchman Dick Jaspers came as the first big surprise. The […]

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If the lag is a skill shot, there's a better way

Remember how long it took us to accept rack your own... sometimes there's a better way...not saying this will happen or even want it to happen but that is the point of discussion
Whether you rack or I rack, it is done the same way. Additionally, templates make it easier and consistent.
A one way lag does nothing to improve which player wins opening break or how it evens the playing field.

If the lag is a skill shot, there's a better way

Because it is not a typical stroke you’d normally use in the game of pool to pocket a ball aside from day a safety shot.
So why start using a stroke you might not have used, and may never use, except for that the lag start of a match? Oh,
because players are having too great a challenge to send the ball16’ down and back on a 9’ table? OMG, imagine a one way lag on a 7’ table? I’d rather see having to send the cue ball down the table where the foot rail has to be hit 2X (down & back).
actually in one pocket a stroke speed like a lag is used alot

Florida Open 2025, August 5-10, Orlando, Caribe Royale

The draw for this event has been announced. There is a full field of 256 with a few wildcards not yet available.

256 players
$200,000 prize fund
$250 entry
Standard WNT format: double elimination into single for the last 64.

Here is the draw, but I think you need a free membership to see it:

This is probably a bit off subject but you might have an insight. Does MR have anything in place that prevents players from cutting the money up? That's a lot of money in the case of this most recent tournament difference between first and second was $24,000.

If the lag is a skill shot, there's a better way

Why is it bad? Because it's different?
Because it is not a typical stroke you’d normally use in the game of pool to pocket a ball aside from day a safety shot.
So why start using a stroke you might not have used, and may never use, except for that the lag start of a match? Oh,
because players are having too great a challenge to send the ball16’ down and back on a 9’ table? OMG, imagine a one way lag on a 7’ table? I’d rather see having to send the cue ball down the table where the foot rail has to be hit 2X (down & back).

Break Stats -- 2025 Florida Open (9-Ball), August 2025

32% seems higher than normal for Match room events on 4" pockets right? Anecdotally, I feel like I heard about longer packages than usual during this tournament and the tables looked more generous based on the eye test. If that's true, I wonder what was different this time around.

i would argue that the selection for the tv table in this SE played and broke at a very high level. tables looked no different in difficulty, if anything they seemed slower.

32% is a good deal higher than US opens when it still had 4.5" pockets. the fields have become tougher, the level has risen, but i still think this was an anomaly.

MR needs to start doing TPA stats..

If the lag is a skill shot, there's a better way

Side note: I recently brought it to my league operators attention that some players are deliberately stalling to gain an advantage. Waiting until the opponents ball is almost stopped to strike theirs. Has happened to me twice. First time I almost froze it so it didn't matter, second time though I got it to maybe the middle of the rack depth wise and the guy easily beat me. I didn't say anything at the time because I don't like to argue during matches unless it's a BIG deal cuz all it does is get in MY head.
actually the lag has to be repeated if that happens
from the WPA rules
pertinient area bolded by me
.................................................
1.2 Lagging to Determine Order of Play
The lag is the first shot of the match and determines order of play. The player who wins the lag chooses who will shoot first.
The referee will place a ball on each side of the table behind the head string and near the headstring. The players will shoot at about the same time to make each ball contact the footcushion with the goal of returning the ball closer to the head cushion than the opponent.
A lag shot is bad and cannot win if the shooter’s ball a) crosses the long string;(b) contacts the foot cushion other than once;(c) is pocketed or driven off the table;(d) touches the side cushion; or(e) the ball rests within the corner pocket and past the nose of the head cushion.In addition, a lag will be bad if any non-object-ball foul occurs other than 6.9 Balls StillMoving.

The players will lag again if a) a player’s ball is struck after the other ball has touched the foot cushion;(b) the referee cannot determine which ball has stopped closer to the head cushion; or(c) both lags are bad.

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