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Closed bridges
- Thread starter Straightpool_99
- Start date
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I`m gonna try the bridge a bit more later today, but I`m sceptical to it`s effectiveness.
Those players back then had a really strange stroke, It`s amazing to think that those guys ran several hundred balls in straight pool with that weird punch stroke.
I`m glad you are modelling your stroke after snooker players, they all have almost perfect mechanics.
Personally I struggle with getting as low as the snooker guys, some seems to have spent so much time on the table, that their chin has gotten a groove from the cue...
I look at players that is close in body type to myself, players like Mika Immonen, Earl Strickland and Thorsten Hohmann and of course i study Shane Van Boenings break...
I think Hoppe's bridge came primarily from his balkline play. The tripod bridge can adjust for precise vertical positioning which is essential at balkline. That technique is no longer used by top balkline players.
There are far better books to get bridges from than BAISBP, including Mosconi's books. Cottingham has excellent drawings of various bridges.
There are far better books to get bridges from than BAISBP, including Mosconi's books. Cottingham has excellent drawings of various bridges.
Details of Hoppe's bridge style is described here:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=sc4iaJWu8Ak#t=2m37s
(Obviously the stroke description is extremely dated, but I agree that Hoppe's bridge style is unique with the folded-under-the-palm middle finger.)
P.S.: I used this bridge style for a few years with great success. The problem is that because of the sheer amount of "meat" of the fingers (fleshy pads) in contact with the cue -- versus bony surfaces -- means that you have to keep talc or corn starch on hand at all times.
-Sean
https://youtube.com/watch?v=sc4iaJWu8Ak#t=2m37s
(Obviously the stroke description is extremely dated, but I agree that Hoppe's bridge style is unique with the folded-under-the-palm middle finger.)
P.S.: I used this bridge style for a few years with great success. The problem is that because of the sheer amount of "meat" of the fingers (fleshy pads) in contact with the cue -- versus bony surfaces -- means that you have to keep talc or corn starch on hand at all times.
-Sean
How can you say it's wrong? It's wrong for you. Someone may find it very helpful and help his game improve.
Also, have you seen pro players like Efren, Francisco, Mika and others using the closed bridge with palm off the table? You can watch some videos.
Forget about right and wrong my friend. If it works for you it's ok.
So i tried the Hoppe style closed bridge for a while today and it`s got nothing on the two regular bridges.
The old players like Mosconi, Hoppe and Fats might be pool legends, but today their tecnique and playing style is totally outdated and i don`t think there is much to learn from reading those old books.
I don`t really know how Mosconi made 500 or so balls, he`s stroke obviously worked for him, but i don`t think those players would dominate today with faster cloth, tighter pockets and a very different game to the old days..
Even straight pool looks completely different today compared to how they played it back then, just look at videos of Hohmann, Feijen or Immonen playing straight pool and compare with the way those legends played, you don`t see any of todays players twisting, punching or poking, they are all straight as an arrow when they shoot.
The old players like Mosconi, Hoppe and Fats might be pool legends, but today their tecnique and playing style is totally outdated and i don`t think there is much to learn from reading those old books.
I don`t really know how Mosconi made 500 or so balls, he`s stroke obviously worked for him, but i don`t think those players would dominate today with faster cloth, tighter pockets and a very different game to the old days..
Even straight pool looks completely different today compared to how they played it back then, just look at videos of Hohmann, Feijen or Immonen playing straight pool and compare with the way those legends played, you don`t see any of todays players twisting, punching or poking, they are all straight as an arrow when they shoot.
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Straight as an arrow. I would agree about Neils and Thorsten. But not for Mika...... He doesn't shoot this way. Trust me. I have studied many player's stroke and style of play.
I don`t know what you see that i don`t.
I`m watching Mika play Darren now from the 2013 ultimate 10 ball and he shoots as straight as the best of them if you ask me.
What specific part of Mika`s game do you feel is wrong?
Nothing wrong with Mika!!! He is a great player and one of the best shotmakers!!! But he does't shoot like others!!! He uses manual pivots. He doesn't shoot on straight lines.
Considering the extremely limited amount of video of Hoppe, Greenleaf, Caras and all the other masters of old, I find it hard to understand how you, or anyone can stereotype the players strokes as being punchy, twisty and pokey. I can assure you that perfect mechanics existed 100 years ago.
"The game" is the same. Only the names have changed.
Faster cloth gets you less ball control. And tighter pockets mean nothing for balkline, straight rail and 3cushion players. Oh and don't forget the ivory balls. Play much with ivory?
If you don't think that there is much to learn from ' those old books', then you haven't read enough of those old books. As a matter of fact, just about everything written in today's books, was already written in the old books decades ago. Everything.
Manual pivots? Not sure i understand what you mean?
You don't have to........ Maybe in the future you will understand.........
Please explain what you mean.
Don't have to explain. It's pretty obvious if you are familiar with this technique. He doesn't align his vision and body on straight lines. And when he goes down to the cue ball, his tip is never at center cue ball.
Go to youtube and search for his match vs Ignacio Chavez. At 3.25 he shoots an almost straight 9 ball. How does this look to you?
He doesn't pivot like Francisco Bustamante, but it is obvious that he uses a system which involves offset aiming and pivot. No straight lines of aim. That's what I get when I watch him play. Maybe I'm wrong...........
Firstly I`m not sure if i do understand what you are saying. Secondly I think you are reading to much into that 9 ball shot, i think i just gave it some slight spin just to "stun" it away from the natural CB angle.
Looking at Mika head on, or from the back, he looks very straight to me. Arm, elbow, shoulder, and head pretty much follows the straight line of the cue.
I found this article about pivot aim: http://billiards.about.com/od/AimPrimer/ss/The-Best-Pool-Aim-Systems_2.htm
I think i have to read some more about this system, but i don`t really see the twisting thing in Mikas stroke that this article talks about.
Feel free to expand on this system or give me another link
I used to use this bridge a bunch and I assure you its very solid. I don't know why or how I migrated away from it. Now when I try it my hand doesn't flex as well into that position. BTW that bridge is also in Maurice Daly's book written long before Hoppe's book. Lay odds that's where he got it or from someone else that read the book.
As far as old books and the old champions? I guess I wasted my time and money. Wonder what's considered old and what books I should burn. Daly, Cottingham, Byrne, Collender, Roberts, Bennett, Cochran, .... Hoppe is for sure I suppose and have 2 or those for crying out loud!
Don't anybody ask to buy them. They're either fire starters or I keep them. Nothing there guys, just move along.
As far as old books and the old champions? I guess I wasted my time and money. Wonder what's considered old and what books I should burn. Daly, Cottingham, Byrne, Collender, Roberts, Bennett, Cochran, .... Hoppe is for sure I suppose and have 2 or those for crying out loud!
Don't anybody ask to buy them. They're either fire starters or I keep them. Nothing there guys, just move along.