Shot vs. Shape

1ab

1ab

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Shot making ability versus shape making ability has been a subject of discussion of late, with some saying one has more importance than the other. Obviously both skill sets are required, but to what degree ? How could one assess a percentage ? What reasoning would apply ?
 
1ab said:
Shot making ability versus shape making ability has been a subject of discussion of late, with some saying one has more importance than the other. Obviously both skill sets are required, but to what degree ? How could one assess a percentage ? What reasoning would apply ?
Click to expand...

Well, one way would be to look at failures to run out and note whether they were due to a missed shot or missed position. Sometimes it's hard to figure out what caused the error, such as missing position a little and then missing the resulting harder than normal shot.
 
1ab said:
Shot making ability versus shape making ability has been a subject of discussion of late, with some saying one has more importance than the other. Obviously both skill sets are required, but to what degree ? How could one assess a percentage ? What reasoning would apply ?
Click to expand...

My reasoning: If you do not make the intended shot, then you are no longer at the table. Period. 'Nuff said!!!

Maniac
 
With each pool player hours upon hours are spent developing their aim and refining their stroke. After which comes recognizing simple to complex position patterns and their ability to move the cue ball where they want it to go.

I say the ability to make the shot is of more value. If you don't have the fundamentals to pocket the ball what good is shape?

When a player comes to the table in a competitive situation, it is likely they will be facing a difficult shot. That player must rely on their shot making ability.
 
I've always believed that controlling the table is the most important so to me, making the shot is higher than getting shape on the next one. After all, if you can't make the shot it doesn't matter if you have shape on the next one.

The relative importance will change with your skill and your opponents skill. As a beginner, making the shot should be much higher than getting shape, as you get better that will change.
 
Similar in nature to the question: "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

Just because sometimes you play shape to take a tough shot (small windows, angles for breakouts, etc), I'd say shot vs. shape is 60% vs 40%.
 
Well that is a hard question because without making correct shape I doubt that without luck you will have a shot on the next object ball. Without being able to make a shot it doesnt matter what shape you get.



As a better answer I believe these two skills develop equally. As you learn more about spin and english and cueball placement you also learn how it interacts with the object balls which in turn lets you pocket balls differently depending on the leave you want with the cueball.

I found that once I started worrying about this I tended to pocket balls less frequently and almost took a step backwards in my game as I learned how to spin balls in as opposed to just straight pocket them. This makes the pockets 'bigger' and allows for more options concerning the leave of the cueball.
 
For your overall improvement as a pool player, over the course of a lifetime: shape
For winning this specific rack, set, tournament, etc: shot
 
1ab said:
Shot making ability versus shape making ability has been a subject of discussion of late, with some saying one has more importance than the other. Obviously both skill sets are required, but to what degree ? How could one assess a percentage ? What reasoning would apply ?
Click to expand...

In the beginning you have to make the shot, then once you do that and develop it with muscle memory your next issue is speed control. It gives one a whole new perspective on what you feel' you can or can't do, and that too builds muscle memory. But understanding principles of ball collisions would be Very helpful once you start making shots. I'd tho FIRST recommend, get in touch with a qualified instructor, it will $ave you allot of time....If there's none in your area and it important, I'd take road trip and get a lesson.
 
1ab said:
Shot making ability versus shape making ability has been a subject of discussion of late, with some saying one has more importance than the other. Obviously both skill sets are required, but to what degree ? How could one assess a percentage ? What reasoning would apply ?
Click to expand...

Kinda depends on the game.

In rotation games, you're generally in a you-miss-you-lose situation on most shots, and due to the pattern constraints, you frequently have to settle for fairly difficult shots (as compared to 14.1, for instance). So shot making ability goes up in importance, although cue ball control is still also extremely important.

In 14.1, shot making consistency is important, but it's possible with excellent CB control and pattern play to have pretty much nothing but ridiculously easy shots for long stretches. So ability to pocket difficult shots goes down in importance.

In 1p, since selling out is the ultimate evil and running out is not a realistic option most innings, you're pretty much always playing it safe even when you're shooting at your hole, never taking a shot where a miss would have disastrous consequences. So shot making is less important, and controlling the balls intelligently becomes the more important skill.

-Andrew
 
As Nick Varner said "Making the ball is always the Priority".
If you don't make the ball your turn at the table is over..
Mark
 
The game is so much more than putting a ball in the hole. You can play a set of 9ball and not miss a shot and still lose. Of course, you can play perfect shape but won't mean anything if you missed the ball. They go hand in hand. If you keep shooting hard shots, you will miss no matter how good you are. Cueball, cueball, cueball.
 
Depends on the day..

Some days it doesn't matter what my leave looks like as long as I get a shot on the next ball. :cool:

Other days it doesn't matter what my leave looks like because my opponent gets a shot on the next ball. :frown:
 
To quote/paraphrase the "wisdom of the sages" in my pool room.

"you gotta control Whitey!"
 
First you have to become a great shotmaker- and then you workout more and more to be more and more precise.

(a bit simplified ^^).
 
I've looked at this question from 3 different perspectives and I not sure how to reply b/c I am not entirely sure what you are asking us?

If you are talking about logging in practice time: I would say do whichever balance between the two percentage-wise you feel weakest on.

On rotation games, I think that the shot matters more than the shape when on offense. Honestly, there are a LOT of dependent variables you need to take into consideration when in matchplay. There is no solid answer there.

Two-way shots help out a lot, but they are harder to execute perfectly come match-time. (IMO). Its kinda like which came first the chicken?, or the egg?
Again, if you are talking about offense, its the chicken(shot) B-4 the egg (shape)
You won't get shape until you sink your shot...... :wink:
 
Bob Jewett said:
Well, one way would be to look at failures to run out and note whether they were due to a missed shot or missed position. Sometimes it's hard to figure out what caused the error, such as missing position a little and then missing the resulting harder than normal shot.
Click to expand...

Well said !
 
Dunnn51 said:
I've looked at this question from 3 different perspectives and I not sure how to reply b/c I am not entirely sure what you are asking us?

If you are talking about logging in practice time: I would say do whichever balance between the two percentage-wise you feel weakest on.

On rotation games, I think that the shot matters more than the shape when on offense. Honestly, there are a LOT of dependent variables you need to take into consideration when in matchplay. There is no solid answer there.

Two-way shots help out a lot, but they are harder to execute perfectly come match-time. (IMO). Its kinda like which came first the chicken?, or the egg?
Again, if you are talking about offense, its the chicken(shot) B-4 the egg (shape)
You won't get shape until you sink your shot...... :wink:
Click to expand...

The conveyance of importance was given to a novice player that had an unusual ability at shot making. The back and forth began as he was told that his habit of shooting with excessive speed and not paying enough attention to shape was going to forever limit his success. For the average player to gain a healthy perspective of shot vs. shape was the goal. It became a source of contention in explaining why shape was so important when, like so many respondents feel, what good is shape if you can't continue to shoot. In the end, who wins the most games over time ?
 
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