Watching Chinakhov on some videos posted by Dennis

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
First of all, Chinakhov is an outstanding player. I don't remember another world class 14.1 player using uptable key balls as often. Whenever he has a ball or two up table he invariably uses it for his key ball. These are over the course of two videos, his 100 ball run and his win over Orcollo.

I've heard some people advocate getting rid of up table balls as soon as possible. One of the reasons I like 14.1 is watching the different way players approach the game.


https://youtu.be/G_RTZVnh9gQ?t=429


https://youtu.be/G_RTZVnh9gQ?t=1503

https://youtu.be/lOYBvYNYQXY?t=1754

https://youtu.be/lOYBvYNYQXY?t=2209

https://youtu.be/lOYBvYNYQXY?t=2482

https://youtu.be/lOYBvYNYQXY?t=2736

https://youtu.be/lOYBvYNYQXY?t=3228
 
Yeah, Chinakhov's patterns are far from classic and when I watched him at the Derby, I felt he had to play more "missable" shots than some of the others.

Of the Europeans that played in the 2014 DCC 14.1 event, Vandenberg, Immonen, Lely, and possibly Shaw, are better managers of the table to study (both Appleton and Feijen missed this year's Derby)

That said, Chinakhov's skills are remarkable and his competitive pedigree is very strong. I like his playing rhythm and his concentration never seems to waver. He's the real deal.
 
Yeah, Chinakhov's patterns are far from classic and when I watched him at the Derby, I felt he had to play more "missable" shots than some of the others.

Of the Europeans that played in the 2014 DCC 14.1 event, Vandenberg, Immonen, Lely, and possibly Shaw, are better managers of the table to study (both Appleton and Feijen missed this year's Derby)

That said, Chinakhov's skills are remarkable and his competitive pedigree is very strong. I like his playing rhythm and his concentration never seems to waver. He's the real deal.

My favorite musicians are those who are self taught. I'm convinced Chinakhov is a self taught 14.1 player.

Case in point..

https://youtu.be/Zc2cu72Y1mM?t=492

I'm not sure what most people would have done, I'd have probably played for a side pocket break shot but I doubt many would have done what Chinakhov did. He also appeared to be doing something different on the break shot bridging off the long rail. He appeared to be touching the side of the shaft with his ring ringer.

He is unique. I enjoy watching him play.
 
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My favorite musicians are those who are self taught. I'm convinced Chinakhov is a self taught 14.1 player.

Case in point..

https://youtu.be/Zc2cu72Y1mM?t=492

I'm not sure what most people would have done, I'd have probably played for a side pocket break shot but I doubt many would have done what Chinakhov did. He also appeared to be doing something different on the break shot bridging off the long rail. He appeared to be touching the side of the shaft with his ring ringer.

He is unique. I enjoy watching him play.

I do like his pace and his stroke is so smooth. He shoots nice and soft and gets a lot on the ball.

With the layout from your link, unless you can bump something, I think that ball hanging in the hole is the only logical break shot.

The up-table key balls you mentioned earlier are sometimes easier to use than for example something that looks good like a side pocket, that you need to get perfect on. The up-table ones can be more forgiving in that there are sometimes many different ways to play and to come into the angle of the break shot.
 
I do like his pace and his stroke is so smooth. He shoots nice and soft and gets a lot on the ball.

With the layout from your link, unless you can bump something, I think that ball hanging in the hole is the only logical break shot.

The up-table key balls you mentioned earlier are sometimes easier to use than for example something that looks good like a side pocket, that you need to get perfect on. The up-table ones can be more forgiving in that there are sometimes many different ways to play and to come into the angle of the break shot.

You are probably right but when I end up stuck against the rack or below all the balls with no shot when I try what he did, and he almost ended up that way. I suspect when he bumped the 15 he was trying to create a break ball. My last three balls would have been the 14-13-10 with a side pocket break shot - but I'm just a banger.

And, as always, thanks for posting those videos. It is nice to have one forum where people actually discuss the game instead of all the drama on the main forum.
 
My favorite musicians are those who are self taught. I'm convinced Chinakhov is a self taught 14.1 player.

Case in point..

https://youtu.be/Zc2cu72Y1mM?t=492

I'm not sure what most people would have done, I'd have probably played for a side pocket break shot but I doubt many would have done what Chinakhov did. He also appeared to be doing something different on the break shot bridging off the long rail. He appeared to be touching the side of the shaft with his ring ringer.

He is unique. I enjoy watching him play.

Interesting: once he decides to use the 6 in front of the corner pocket (I may have done that, too - there's something to be said in favor of unmissable break shots), I wonder why he didn't he shoot the 7 right away - that's the only ball that could have gotten him in trouble (even if it was out of the rack and a possible break shot, it's surely too close for comfort, and if that was indeed the case, there's no use saving the 6 as it's no good to get onto the 14 as key-to-the-key and 14 as key ball as long as on can't get rid of the 12 earlier in the sequence, and at any rate, he must shoot one of the four comfortable shots from where he's at, and three of those happen to be the 6, 7 or the 14). Of course, if the 7 were the break ball, the 12 could be used as key to the 10, but getting on the 12 would easiest via the uptable balls (13-9-12 - almost, but not 100% foolproof, and hence again debatable) - again, no use leaving the 6 if the 7 were the break ball in that case either. On top of it all he bumps a ball, which makes me wonder if that was the whole plan here: push the 12 into possible break ball positio6n while there are still enough balls so if the cue ball glanced of towards the foot rail, he'd still have the 6 as insurance? Creative, but unnecessary IMHO. He's a confident shotmaker for sure, but making it more complicated for himself than necessary.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
 
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