Darren Appleton's 14.1 game (patterns, shot choices, etc.)

sfleinen

sfleinen

14.1 & One Pocket Addict
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Folks:

Dennis W. posted a link on Facebook to the Appleton/Schmidt match (2011 Derby City 14.1 Challenge):

http://vimeo.com/19485456

And I gotta tell ya, I'm really starting to like Darren's straight pool game. While watching this match, there were many, many times when I'd say to myself, "ok, he's got a couple of shots here; a 9-baller will go for this shot, but a true pattern player will go for that shot, because it results in a better end-game pattern." And lo-and-behold, Darren would shoot the correct pattern shot.

Several times, with open balls on the table, I saw a combination (shot) that would result in a better end-game, and thinking, "ah, Darren the 9-baller is going to go for that open shot; he won't even see the combination. But wait... is he looking at it? Oh yes he is! And he's shooting it and making it, too!" There was a bank-combination shot with the second ball nearly hanging in the corner pocket that I for sure thought Darren was going to play safe on. (Admittedly, there was an easy safe there, and any traditional 14.1 player would've ended the run with a nice safe in that position.) Personally, as a bank pool player and comfortable with bank shots, in that position I would've shot the bank-combination, since the second ball (the one being combo'ed into) was nearly hanging in the corner pocket -- but it did need precision, since a non-head-on hit would've hung both balls. But Darren seemed to read my mind, and shot/made the bank-combination!

Darren ultimately ran-out the match on John and had a full head of steam into a post-match high run attempt, when he missed an easy shot to end the run. (He just threw his stick at it because he didn't give enough respect to the shot -- I know that feeling well! :o )

I'm really likin' Darren's straight pool game. And when you think about it, he's not your typical 9-baller playing straight pool. Remember that his background is English 8-ball -- patterns!! So with that background context, it's easy to understand why Darren understands our game so well.

Thoughts?
-Sean
 
:yeah:

Darren is a very complete Player-- and his 8-Ball game is really good. His straight-pool lives from his experience and not just shotmaking-abiilties.
Short: He is a great player!

lg
Ingo
 
I really like the way he plays. Kinda reminds me of the way Irving Crane used to play. Knock a few out, reposition through the next few and do it again. Very nicely done indeed.

RG
 
Thanks for the post. I enjoyed watching it .

Something that has always amazed me about many players is the length of their bridge on certain shots. It doesn't seem possible to achieve a straight stroke, although obviously the pros do. I don't get it. :scratchhead:
 

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3andstop said:
Thanks for the post. I enjoyed watching it .

Something that has always amazed me about many players is the length of their bridge on certain shots. It doesn't seem possible to achieve a straight stroke, although obviously the pros do. I don't get it. :scratchhead:
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I can't speak for all of the players, but Darren comes from a Snooker background I believe. In snooker we tend to develop a bit of a habit of longer bridges from the rail when the cue ball is a certain distance from it. I guess instead of using a shorter bridge we opt for the longer one. Though on any power shots I tend to go for the shorter bridge. I also carry this over into pool. My normal bridge length is roughly 10-12 inches I think.
 
Cameron Smith said:
I can't speak for all of the players, but Darren comes from a Snooker background I believe. In snooker we tend to develop a bit of a habit of longer bridges from the rail when the cue ball is a certain distance from it. I guess instead of using a shorter bridge we opt for the longer one. Though on any power shots I tend to go for the shorter bridge. I also carry this over into pool. My normal bridge length is roughly 10-12 inches I think.
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Cameron:

Actually, I think Darren comes from an English 8-ball ("Blackball") background, not snooker. You can actually see this in his fundamentals, as well -- it's more pool-like (the traditional Lance Perkins template style), and less snooker like. (Snooker players, even after they've "abandoned" snooker and have gone full-time/full-bore into pool, still retain their solid fundamentals. Look at any snooker player that's been in pool for a very long time [e.g. Allison Fisher, Tony Drago] and you'll see those strong snooker fundamentals are still there, just as if they were playing snooker "yesterday.")

Concerning bridge length, I agree. Lots of folks attribute long bridge lengths "exclusively" to the Filipinos, but this characteristic has existed in snooker for a long time. And I think you might've hit upon the reason why, with the bridging-from-the-rail thing. The railtops on snooker tables tend to be more narrow than on pool tables, so the snooker-taught rail bridge whereby you actually grab onto the railtop (e.g. watch any of Ronnie O'Sullivan's matches) is a very preferred bridge because of its stability. And it tends to be used even when the shooter can still fit his/her normal bridge on the table for a shot.

Anyway, some great observations there.
-Sean
 
Cameron Smith said:
I can't speak for all of the players, but Darren comes from a Snooker background I believe. In snooker we tend to develop a bit of a habit of longer bridges from the rail when the cue ball is a certain distance from it.
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Interesting, thanks for the reply.

In looking at that photo and considering he has an additional 3 to 4 inches to follow through that shot, ( I tried to catch the photo as the cue approached the OB), all I can do is think if he can deliver that length of stroke straight, it's no wonder at all that everything he shoots goes in with a shorter bridge. :)
 
3andstop said:
Interesting, thanks for the reply.

In looking at that photo and considering he has an additional 3 to 4 inches to follow through that shot, ( I tried to catch the photo as the cue approached the OB), all I can do is think if he can deliver that length of stroke straight, it's no wonder at all that everything he shoots goes in with a shorter bridge. :)
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I think most pros develop longer bridges for better control of stroke speed on all shots and also to be able to get extreme power with less effort when it is needed. And the longer bridge may not make for a straighter stroke, but it may actually help with aiming, especially as they get older and more far-sighted, lol.
 
David_Smith said:
I think most pros develop longer bridges for better control of stroke speed on all shots and also to be able to get extreme power with less effort when it is needed. And the longer bridge may not make for a straighter stroke, but it may actually help with aiming, especially as they get older and more far-sighted, lol.
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I guess ... I'm touching on the big 60 I'm blind as a bat, and if my bridge was as long as that, I think I'd rather shoot one handed. :smile:
 
Sean, I think we've had this discussion before (about the use of low/outside on the opening break), I seem to notice several pros appear to use low on the beginning break shot. It's a little hard to tell, but on Darren's opening break he sure is setting up for low outside english and it appears he is hitting low, at least certainly not high. From what I've seen Darren's not a player that sets up to everything with his tip on the floor, like Buste for example.

I also noticed he sets the CB well to the spot side of the first Diamond on the head rail, and therefore hits the corner ball with more of a glance than if he was more towards the rail. His opening break was very good.

I could use some advice in this area. For some reason on my break, the corner ball after contact tends to come out towards the side rail after contact with the cushion rather than straight back to where it started. It usually results in my opponent having a shot on this ball. :confused: I would think that right english on the CB would impart a little left on the corner ball, preventing this from happening but for some reason that darn corner ball tends to drift out into the open. :confused:
 
i didn't care for his pattern play, either. in contrast with the views above, to me he Does look like a great 9-ball player shooting straight pool. there were numerous points at which i was practically shouting at the screen "no, no!". he also seems to play quite casually; the shot he missed at the end wasn't the first one he barely settled into before pulling the trigger. maybe that's an intimidating shootfromthehip style in 9-ball, but it will eventually hand you your ass in 14.1. John was obviously having a superbad day -- witness some of those safes -- or i don't think Darren'd have had a chance.
 
sfleinen said:
Cameron:

Actually, I think Darren comes from an English 8-ball ("Blackball") background, not snooker. You can actually see this in his fundamentals, as well -- it's more pool-like (the traditional Lance Perkins template style), and less snooker like. (Snooker players, even after they've "abandoned" snooker and have gone full-time/full-bore into pool, still retain their solid fundamentals. Look at any snooker player that's been in pool for a very long time [e.g. Allison Fisher, Tony Drago] and you'll see those strong snooker fundamentals are still there, just as if they were playing snooker "yesterday.")

Concerning bridge length, I agree. Lots of folks attribute long bridge lengths "exclusively" to the Filipinos, but this characteristic has existed in snooker for a long time. And I think you might've hit upon the reason why, with the bridging-from-the-rail thing. The railtops on snooker tables tend to be more narrow than on pool tables, so the snooker-taught rail bridge whereby you actually grab onto the railtop (e.g. watch any of Ronnie O'Sullivan's matches) is a very preferred bridge because of its stability. And it tends to be used even when the shooter can still fit his/her normal bridge on the table for a shot.

Anyway, some great observations there.
-Sean
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Yes he most certainly does come from an English 8 ball background, as he lost in the final of World 8 ball championship one year (to Mark Selby?). I was under the impression he's played a significant amount of snooker though. I could be wrong.

I also like Darren's game. I think with these assessments of pattern play, good patterns depends on a shotmakers ability. What's dicey for one player may be 100% assured for another. Although all of this is within reason of course. One of Oliver Ortmann's biggest strengths is that he can turn around and pot tough long shots, which instantly makes tricky pattern easier as he doesn't need to maneuver his way to an easier shot. So it's seems good 21st century patterns are a mix of shot making and finesse.

It kind of reminds me of modern day snooker. If Joe Davis, John Pullman and Horace Lindrum saw the shots current players go for they'd be horrified initially at how cavalier they are about it. Traditional snooker is about playing the percentages, running the stray reds and going for bigger breaks if they're still in good position after that. But that style can't win in the long run against the more aggressive modern players.
 
Again, I agree

JohnnyP said:
I didn't care for his style. He acted like he was afraid to go into the balls.

A poorly played match.
This was definitely another "Mosconi would turn over in his grave" episode.
Schmidt really had an off day.


EW
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At the end of the clip you could see Darren loosen up and start shooting. I didn't keep track of the ball count but it must have been after he made the winning ball. You could see JS moving out of the area with his cue case so I guessed it was over.
 
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