The Jump Shot

[JC]

Should be put to bed once and for all. Stack all those silly little short cues in a pile and burn them. It's hard on equipment and a cancer on the beautiful 2 dimensional game of pool. The thing is indefensible by rational thinkers. But since it's legal and it's relatively easy a player is forced to have it or be cheated by those who do. Enough is enough will someone with some authority please step up and say so?

And that is all.

JC

 

[Tin Man]

agreed

Should be put to bed once and for all. Stack all those silly little short cues in a pile and burn them. It's hard on equipment and a cancer on the beautiful 2 dimensional game of pool. The thing is indefensible by rational thinkers. But since it's legal and it's relatively easy a player is forced to have it or be cheated by those who do. Enough is enough will someone with some authority please step up and say so?

And that is all.

JC

I agree.

To me it's the same as magic rack templates with dicked wing balls and the break evolving to become a disproportionate part of the game.

I know the arguments on both sides. This is where people come and say it's a skill like any other, practice it and be a champion or don't and be a loser, but don't whine because you can't cut the mustard, should we not allow people to kick to the side rail too (lol), play better safeties, if it's so easy you'd be doing it instead of writing about it, the game has evolved countless times since 10 foot straight pool, etc.

I'm not dismissing those arguments, but they make a lot of assumptions. The fact is I do just fine in competition, I'm not against jump cues and template racks because I can't get the job done. I simple don't like them. But hey, they can keep doing what they want with the rules, I'll either figure out how to win with them and show up or if the line gets crossed to where the game no longer looks interesting to me I'll become an old timer practicing 14.1 in my basement and playing billiards on the weekends and will leave the limelight for the next generation that grew up laying awake at night dreaming of how they could create spaces in the rack to make the 2nd ball in the side more often...

 

[mvp]

No problem abolishing the jump cues with me, 90%percent of the time I'm too lazy to get it out anyway lol

 

[garczar]

Should be put to bed once and for all. Stack all those silly little short cues in a pile and burn them. It's hard on equipment and a cancer on the beautiful 2 dimensional game of pool. The thing is indefensible by rational thinkers. But since it's legal and it's relatively easy a player is forced to have it or be cheated by those who do. Enough is enough will someone with some authority please step up and say so?

And that is all.

JC

Totally agree. Learn to kick. Its also brutal on equipment.

 

[Ralph Kramden]

Agree... Maybe golf should have kick shots off trees.

.

 

[Mole Eye]

Has the jump shot always been legal? I've never played in any room that allowed it, in any shape, manner or form. Also, why is it legal to jump with a short elevated cue, and not legal in any other fashion? Just wondering.

 

[JC]

I played a guy in a tourney last night who pushed out to a jump shot. I sighed and passed it back to watch him easily pop it in. Wasn't worth attempting the kick shot, hoping for a leave. Eventually I'll get a jump cue, I just don't want one. I have a team going to BCA regionals in March and I feel like a liability to them because I don't jump.

I don't want anyone getting the idea that I'm sour grapes. I'm a pretty good jumper and have won many games and gotten out of many jams with shorty. I just feel it's a sad direction for the game itself. I've noticed that the most robust supporters of jumping can't afford to own their own table. Beat the crap out of other's equipment out there and move on.

I would like to know the names of the people who got this legalized and accepted and how it went down. For some reason there doesn't appear to be any easily ascertained accountability on the subject. Like it just "happened"

JC

 

[subdude1974]

No problem with jump shots. I believe you should have to use a full cue to do it. A cue that enables you to jump over a ball that is 1mm away is not good for the game. But, until they are deemed illegal, you have to have one or you will be at a disadvantage.

 

[strmanglr scott]

I don't get this thinking. What's so bad about jumping? Yeah it can produce wear but its not like every game someone is jumping. I haven't seen it once this year in league.

 

[King T]

The game moves on..,

The game has evolved. Your jump cue wont help you if you cant run out. The guys from the Philippines seldom jump and they also seldom lose.

 

[fastone371]

I don't want anyone getting the idea that I'm sour grapes. I'm a pretty good jumper and have won many games and gotten out of many jams with shorty. I just feel it's a sad direction for the game itself. I've noticed that the most robust supporters of jumping can't afford to own their own table. Beat the crap out of other's equipment out there and move on.

I would like to know the names of the people who got this legalized and accepted and how it went down. For some reason there doesn't appear to be any easily ascertained accountability on the subject. Like it just "happened"

JC

Jumping is for people who dont know how to kick, I would not mind seeing the end of it, I would be more than happy to burn my stupid short cue.
On more than a couple occasions as the night was winding down at our state tournaments you could hear guys practicing nothing but jump shots for at least an hour. Personally I would be embarrassed to do something like this on equipment that I did not pay for. I suppose it doesnt matter to them, they dont pay for the new cloth.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Jumping is for people who dont know how to kick,

I disagree; jumping is for situations where kicking will not work. I saw a situation last night where (by accident) the CB was surrounded by 4 opposing balls and stuck on the end rail at the same time. No kick could possibly work, here. Although there was a path to a side rail, the opponents other balls (8-ball) prevented the shooter from being able to hit a legal ball first.

 

[King T]

Wait?

Jumping is for people who dont know how to kick, I would not mind seeing the end of it, I would be more than happy to burn my stupid short cue.
On more than a couple occasions as the night was winding down at our state tournaments you could hear guys practicing nothing but jump shots for at least an hour. Personally I would be embarrassed to do something like this on equipment that I did not pay for. I suppose it doesnt matter to them, they dont pay for the new cloth.

I don't get the damaging the table with a jump cue thing? I have NEVER seen a high level player damage the felt from jumping the ball???

And jump shots are NOT used by people who don't know how to kick. Its always a matter of which shot will produce the most predictable result.

If its in rules use it and win.

 

[JC]

No problem with jump shots. I believe you should have to use a full cue to do it. A cue that enables you to jump over a ball that is 1mm away is not good for the game. But, until they are deemed illegal, you have to have one or you will be at a disadvantage.

Agreed, which is why they should be deemed illegal

I don't get this thinking. What's so bad about jumping? Yeah it can produce wear but its not like every game someone is jumping. I haven't seen it once this year in league.

I see it several times every league night.

The game has evolved. Your jump cue wont help you if you cant run out. The guys from the Philippines seldom jump and they also seldom lose.

The game has evolved yes. It should have stayed 2 dimensional. Why not just drop acid and add a fourth dimension?

I disagree; jumping is for situations where kicking will not work. I saw a situation last night where (by accident) the CB was surrounded by 4 opposing balls and stuck on the end rail at the same time. No kick could possibly work, here. Although there was a path to a side rail, the opponents other balls (8-ball) prevented the shooter from being able to hit a legal ball first.

That's what's called tough luck. Pool isn't designed for the elimination of the inescapable.

I don't get the damaging the table with a jump cue thing? I have NEVER seen a high level player damage the felt from jumping the ball???

And jump shots are NOT used by people who don't know how to kick. Its always a matter of which shot will produce the most predictable result.

If its in rules use it and win.

For every high level player there's ten thousand bangers. And yes, jumping properly as designed is hard on the cloth.

Of course that's a given that the shot is selected for better results. Which is why it should be taken out of the rules. So everyone's not forced to do it. The rolls will even out with or without it at every level. Honestly jumping is a bigger advantage at the amateur level than the pros. All the pros jump pretty well and it cancels out in the long run.

JC

 

[softshot]

easy fix: one cue per player per match... you are free to use a jump cue if you like...

 

[Texas Carom Club]

I don't get the damaging the table with a jump cue thing? I have NEVER seen a high level player damage the felt from jumping the ball???

And jump shots are NOT used by people who don't know how to kick. Its always a matter of which shot will produce the most predictable result.

If its in rules use it and win.

Can't be good for the slate
At all
Respect the equipment

 

[KMRUNOUT]

Should be put to bed once and for all. Stack all those silly little short cues in a pile and burn them. It's hard on equipment and a cancer on the beautiful 2 dimensional game of pool. The thing is indefensible by rational thinkers. But since it's legal and it's relatively easy a player is forced to have it or be cheated by those who do. Enough is enough will someone with some authority please step up and say so?

And that is all.

JC

With all due respect, you say "The thing is indefensible by rational thinkers", yet you fail to provide any rational argument against the jump cue. You don't like it. That comes across. Breaking the balls is far harder on equipment, and happens every single rack.

Are you good at jumping?

If you're looking to go the rational route, that's awesome and I would welcome any rational argument you wish to make against the jump cue. As it stands, we are at "I don't like it".

Personally I could take it or leave it. I am very very good at jumping, so it is a big advantage to me. However, I am perfectly happy to rely on my kicking skills exclusively. Either way is fine.

KMRUNOUT

 

[JC]

With all due respect, you say "The thing is indefensible by rational thinkers", yet you fail to provide any rational argument against the jump cue. You don't like it. That comes across. Breaking the balls is far harder on equipment, and happens every single rack.

Are you good at jumping?

If you're looking to go the rational route, that's awesome and I would welcome any rational argument you wish to make against the jump cue. As it stands, we are at "I don't like it".

Personally I could take it or leave it. I am very very good at jumping, so it is a big advantage to me. However, I am perfectly happy to rely on my kicking skills exclusively. Either way is fine.

KMRUNOUT

I presented a quite rational argument and you are still pretending I have not.

So where oh where is this heading? Straight to the gutter because I don't tolerate illogical minds well. Sorry but I'm not going to play this game.

And yes, I jump pretty sporty.

JC

 

[King T]

None!

Can't be good for the slate
At all
Respect the equipment

Zero effect on the slate, none. And even the effect on the cloth is irrelevant compared to the damage that breaking does.

Most table, Gold Crown, Connolly, Diamond all use 2'' slate, your shaft aint effecting that at all.

 

[louieatienza]

I'm an OK but not a great jumper. I will, however, jump over the edge of an interfering ball when I have no room otherwise, and I don't want to or can't masse the cue ball or throw the object ball and get some kind of position, or plan some type of safe if I fail. Plus if the cue ball is not close to the rail, it's difficult because I'm not tall.

One thing I could do when jumping was get really good draw action. My best one I remember was when I was still in college, against a buddy, playing 9-ball call-shot for $20 a game. He left a cluster near the rack area, and safed me on the 3 just ahead of the side pocket, with the 4 at the foot rail. I called "jump draw off the 3, into the top of the bumper past the side pocket, back down across the table, and draw back to the foot rail to play the 4 in the corner." Never played me for money again....