Tips on shooting combos
- Thread starter Three.Two.N.D.
- Start date
most players arent good enough to hit the precise spot on the 2nd ball. so they miss.
or they dont hit the exact center of the cueball and put english on the first ball. which makes for a miss.
you need to practice short combos till you are blue in the face and get the hang of it.
or they dont hit the exact center of the cueball and put english on the first ball. which makes for a miss.
you need to practice short combos till you are blue in the face and get the hang of it.
..........
1) Hit them firmly to reduce the effects of throw, which is multiplied in the case of combos.
2) Learn to identify which combos are easy to medium and which ones are difficult. Often times the position of the balls and/or proximity to the rails change the difficulty of any given combo more so than distance as is the case with normal shots.
That's about all I have. I am terrible at combos relative to my skill level. lol.
2) Learn to identify which combos are easy to medium and which ones are difficult. Often times the position of the balls and/or proximity to the rails change the difficulty of any given combo more so than distance as is the case with normal shots.
That's about all I have. I am terrible at combos relative to my skill level. lol.
One of the biggest jumps in my rotation and straight pool games came when I stopped trying to break up clusters and started playing the tougher combinations and caroms. I learned to have no fear of shooting combos at different distances.
You can line up the contact points, ghost ball, etc., but you're still going to miss many combos. The main points of shooting these shots are cue ball speed and control of the landing spot for the first object ball (if needed), with cue ball speed being the key.
You have to realize that unless you roll a combination, you're going to put some degree of stun on the first object ball. You have to use spin/speed to counter this or adjust your aim points, depending on where your next position is for the cue ball. Once you adjust for this, combos get pretty straight forward as you find new contact points.
Best,
Mike
You can line up the contact points, ghost ball, etc., but you're still going to miss many combos. The main points of shooting these shots are cue ball speed and control of the landing spot for the first object ball (if needed), with cue ball speed being the key.
You have to realize that unless you roll a combination, you're going to put some degree of stun on the first object ball. You have to use spin/speed to counter this or adjust your aim points, depending on where your next position is for the cue ball. Once you adjust for this, combos get pretty straight forward as you find new contact points.
Best,
Mike
Hi Mike, How have you been?
My experience is that when I really roll the cue ball I rather often scratch on quite a few combos. Any thoughts?
Best 2 Ya,
Rick
Hi Rick! Good to have you back. :thumbup:
Unless position dictates, I hit most of my combos with stun or draw. I'll slow roll if I can, but I like to minimize my cue ball movement on all shots, hence the draw or stun.
The fast tables force me to go an extra rail or two, but I like to keep the rock "on a string".
Best,
Mike
Start by lining up the second object ball on the ball you're trying to make. Then line up the cue ball on the second object ball where you need to hit it. It's easier that way.
for each their own system, im sure the most common way is checking the contact point of the ball you want to pocket, then aiming and memorizing the contact point of the combo ball into that other ball. then just focus on that contact point on ball #1
but that can work for easy shots imo and will fail on hard combo's thats my opinion.
but the way that I do combo's is that, I check the path that ball #1 will take to hit the ball #2 to make #2 into the pocket. then after that I just play normally the ball #1 by aiming into that path only with a feel. and they go better
but that can work for easy shots imo and will fail on hard combo's thats my opinion.
but the way that I do combo's is that, I check the path that ball #1 will take to hit the ball #2 to make #2 into the pocket. then after that I just play normally the ball #1 by aiming into that path only with a feel. and they go better
Hi Rick! Good to have you back. :thumbup:
Unless position dictates, I hit most of my combos with stun or draw. I'll slow roll if I can, but I like to minimize my cue ball movement on all shots, hence the draw or stun.
The fast tables force me to go an extra rail or two, but I like to keep the rock "on a string".
Best,
Mike
Thanks Mike,
I try to be very precise & put no english on most combos so I tend to truly roll the cue ball & for some reason unrealized by me, I'll make the shot & then scratch in the same pocket. It used to be a surprise to me when it happened. Now, it's like. 'oh yea, you should of figured on that'.
I guess my focus is so much on the 2nd object ball that I don't see the follow line off the 1st ball correctly, or I'm making a subconscious modification once down on the shot to make the shot & the cue ball takes a different line than I originally figured.
Thanks to the OP for making me think about this.
I'll try to remember to use stun next time. Even if I miss the shot it's probably going to be better than scratching.
Best 2 Ya,
Rick
I'll give you a few tips:
Don't use outside, or even a lot of top or bottom English. Playing good shape while shooting a combo will make you miss many times. This comes from deflection, twist, or both. If it is a dead ball combo, don't throw it off and miss it. Aim it to cut the first ball in.
Hope this helps.
Don't use outside, or even a lot of top or bottom English. Playing good shape while shooting a combo will make you miss many times. This comes from deflection, twist, or both. If it is a dead ball combo, don't throw it off and miss it. Aim it to cut the first ball in.
Hope this helps.