Hand Spread Spot

strokerace

strokerace

"The Hustler"
Silver Member
You know..i have been back playing now for about 3 months..running
some racks..played some local guys for some cheeze..but i am older..
i have hurt my back 4 times over the last 10 years..my shoulder was
dislocated in 3 places..i had eye implants..knee surgery..oh my god..
never took weight in my life..but i like the hand spread idea..by the way
i am approching 60 and quit about 15 years ago..i am thinking this
hand spread would not be of any up front concequence to my oppent..but
would alow me to get some of that all needed angle..what ya think..
sounds like a good spot to me..not much..but maybe just enough with
this hot rod youngings out there...maybe a good ole timers spot with
true dignity!!!
 
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Hand span is huge...... you will be lucky if anyone will give it to you, if you can play at all, that is.
 
spead

I'm with deadon - are talking about a handspan each time you shoot cause if thats the case you should be a lock- good luck - hope you get it
 
For sure! It's the difference between an easy angle and a tough cut. Straight in and a good angle. Frozen to the rail and comfortably off the rail, snookered and a good shot.

I wouldn't give it to anyone, even a banger. I'll give weak player 85 points in a 100 point game of straight pool, but I think they should still have to play the same game I am.
 
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Until now..I had never hard of Hand Spread spot......

To me it sounds quite a bit like getting 1 throw per hole in Golf....a hustle.

I would never agree to that kind of offer.
 
I could almost see this being a viable spot if during negotiations for said match that the "hand spread" could only be the width of your hand (knuckle of index finger to knuckle of pinky finger @ the widest point) and only on your incoming shot to the table.
 
And what table would this take place on.... If it's big on a 9' think how huge it would be on the box.
 
You can't outrun that spot. I saw a weak B player come through Mother's years ago & torture our finest player. He had a huge hand & moved the ball 7" or 8" on every shot. It makes it so easy to run out...you always get the right angle...get a little closer...and always get out from behind a ball should you become hooked. It didn't take but one game for everyone in the room to realize what a trap that spot was!!!
 
Varney Cues said:
You can't outrun that spot. I saw a weak B player come through Mother's years ago & torture our finest player. He had a huge hand & moved the ball 7" or 8" on every shot. It makes it so easy to run out...you always get the right angle...get a little closer...and always get out from behind a ball should you become hooked. It didn't take but one game for everyone in the room to realize what a trap that spot was!!!
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Ive seen the hand span out ran in a race to 11. In fact the guy a high C player was given the breaks, the 7 and the hand span but still couldnt get out consistently. The guy giving the spot strung racks together and when he left the table it was a table length shot into the end rails. It can be done, but you have to have the right players involved.
Chuck
 
This what makes this forum great!!

so many times i have been enlightened on here..it is on a 9 foot

Diamond with unforgiving pockets..but now i understand that the

players have to be far apart skill wise..and you could come up with

a good variation of this spot..and i think most of you are right..no

one that has seen me play probably wouldn't give it..thanks to all..
 
Cameron Smith said:
For sure! It's the difference between an easy angle and a tough cut. Straight in and a good angle. Frozen to the rail and comfortably off the rail, snookered and a good shot.

I wouldn't give it to anyone, even a banger. I'll give weak player 85 points in a 100 point game of straight pool, but I think they should still have to play the same game I am.
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Agreed, the OP needs to play the same game.

I'm the same age as the OP. Had laid off for 37 years. Have many similar health problems of my own. Some hot shot bully young'ins playing pool in a local cafe/bar we were eating at disrespected my wife . Wife says you used to play as a kid go give them a comeuppance.

Heck, at that time my right rotator cuff was so bad I could barely lift my dominant arm a few inches and I'd stopped driving my truck because I could no longer shift the stick. But, I picked up a bar cue, practiced a couple of hours and then had them banging their sticks and cursing by the end of the night. (Surprise: Lo and behold playing pool again turned out to be the best therapy for my ailing shoulder I'd ever found -- and my wife is a physical therapist and had given me many different exercises to try.)

From there, got new equipment and a special pair of pool glasses (with max focal length of 18' so I could clearly see the table) then entered the local weekly tournaments and made a point of stomping the young a-holes with no mercy in front of their friends (and in the process made many new buddies of my own).

Bottom line: Can you clearly see the table/balls and is your equipment good? If so, just do your best to play the same game and don't make excuses. Just get er done. And, if you need some weight to play for the cheese, ask for it in the normal way a weaker player would against a stronger player (e.g., games on the wire in a race, wild 8 in 9-ball, etc.).

But, generally speaking, don't expect many people to respect your game/dignity when you ask for some off-the-wall spot. Because I see plenty of guys that are older and in worse shape than me with lots of heart that will do whatever it takes to compete on a level playing field.

P.S.: I not trying to bust your chops. You showed heart and creativity just asking. But, IMHO, there are better ways to try and match up and get good action. Best of luck to you getting back into the game.
 
A gaff game for sure

I once talked a local shortstop into giving me a hand SPAN on EVERY SHOT, INCLUDING HIS, by offering to lay him $100 to $10. I guess he figured it was worth $10 to see how the game would pan out. We were going to play a race to three, my $100 against his $10, but after two games he just gave me the $10 and walked away.

BTW, WE WERE PLAYING ONE POCKET.

Just imagine what you could do with a hand span movement of the cue ball ON EVERY SHOT. If he were ever close to a pocket, I'd hand span him into a scratch. If he were close to any object ball other than the one he was shooting at, I could freeze him to the back of a ball. I showed him that my hand span was enough to get the cue ball OUT OF A POCKET after I scratched, so then I could scratch off an object ball and bring the cue ball out to a corner hook!

I think you can see how absurd this handicap became and as I said, my opponent gave up without playing a third game.

Now here's the kicker -- I was describing this absurd game to the owner of the pool hall and telling him how stupid my opponent had been to give me this spot when he looked at me and said, "I'll try some of that." So again, I lay $100 to $10 and again, we only played two games before he gave up and paid the $10.

Man, those money odds can really pull people in. I heard that the old pool hustler U.J. Puckett (now deceased) used to offer a sucker $1000 to $100 to play a 10 ahead set. Of course the sucker had absolutely no chance of beating Puckett to 10 ahead.
 
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WoodyJ said:
Agreed, the OP needs to play the same game.

I'm the same age as the OP. Had laid off for 37 years. Have many similar health problems of my own. Some hot shot bully young'ins playing pool in a local cafe/bar we were eating at disrespected my wife . Wife says you used to play as a kid go give them a comeuppance.

Heck, at that time my right rotator cuff was so bad I could barely lift my dominant arm a few inches and I'd stopped driving my truck because I could no longer shift the stick. But, I picked up a bar cue, practiced a couple of hours and then had them banging their sticks and cursing by the end of the night. (Surprise: Lo and behold playing pool again turned out to be the best therapy for my ailing shoulder I'd ever found -- and my wife is a physical therapist and had given me many different exercises to try.)

From there, got new equipment and a special pair of pool glasses (with max focal length of 18' so I could clearly see the table) then entered the local weekly tournaments and made a point of stomping the young a-holes with no mercy in front of their friends (and in the process made many new buddies of my own).

Bottom line: Can you clearly see the table/balls and is your equipment good? If so, just do your best to play the same game and don't make excuses. Just get er done. And, if you need some weight to play for the cheese, ask for it in the normal way a weaker player would against a stronger player (e.g., games on the wire in a race, wild 8 in 9-ball, etc.).

But, generally speaking, don't expect many people to respect your game/dignity when you ask for some off-the-wall spot. Because I see plenty of guys that are older and in worse shape than me with lots of heart that will do whatever it takes to compete on a level playing field.

P.S.: I not trying to bust your chops. You showed heart and creativity just asking. But, IMHO, there are better ways to try and match up and get good action. Best of luck to you getting back into the game.
Click to expand...

I just ordered a set of Billiard Glasses from a guy in Canada..should be

here this week..i know it will help..cause i can not get down on the ball

with my small glasses i have now..i was trying to find weight that would

not be a give me..but something that would close the gap on every shot..

maybe a finger width adjustment..or the break with first shot ball in hand..

that might be a good equalizer..thanks
 
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