Practicing 6 basic position shots,over and over again.

My third shot is a punch shot. You have to get the cue ball to the first cushion sooner rather than later because the closer to the corner pocket it hits, the more the cross-side pocket comes into play. Shooting this in competition will make even the strongest players feel a bit insecure. And even though overall, I'm confident in making the shot and getting position, I still feel the element of surprise when it all works out, which is why it's one of my essential shots to practice.

My mantra that I say before I prepare to shoot this shot is, 'Trust is a must.' You have to trust what you see when you're standing, because when you're down in your stance, you won't learn anything new that can help you. In fact, it's a bit of the opposite. You may see an optical illusion due to the back cut that makes you think you need to adjust your aim. Don't fall for it. Also, aiming slightly fuller on this shot will help compensate for the cb squirt to the left.

Shot 3.png
 
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Fourth shot: It's essential to be comfortable playing multi-rail position shots out of the corners, both forwards and backwards. I like to practice this one because I have to draw out of the corner with a proper follow through and still be able to get my cue stick out of the way in time for the cb to pass through without jumping up on the shot. It takes a little coordination. If I can stay down on this shot, I can stay down on any shot. The key is not to move your head when you're getting out of the way --- just pick up your arm.


Shot 4.png
 
fran
thanks so much for your shot diagrams and selections to practice... (y) (y)
 
bbb said:
fran
thanks so much for your shot diagrams and selections to practice... (y) (y)
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Thanks. Each one represents something essential to me and that's what you guys should do too. Pick something that has importance to you and your game. Obviously I have more than 6 that I practice but these 6 are pretty high on my list. Two more coming.
 
This 5th essential shot demands two things of me: 1) My arm swing must be straight, and 2) I must find the correct balance between force and spin. --- In competition, there's no second tries. You have to get it right the first try.

Shot 5.png
 
FranCrimi said:
This 5th essential shot demands two things of me: 1) My arm swing must be straight, and 2) I must find the correct balance between force and spin. --- In competition, there's no second tries. You have to get it right the first try.

View attachment 587133
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Now here's one I really like, and I think you can really determine a player's speed by how well they can execute this type of shot. Not so much in getting to the top rail, but working the pocket to maximize the CB tangent with heaps of siding, (either type).

This is way harder to do with precision then it looks.
 
FranCrimi said:
This 5th essential shot demands two things of me: 1) My arm swing must be straight, and 2) I must find the correct balance between force and spin. --- In competition, there's no second tries. You have to get it right the first try.

View attachment 587133
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Judging by the CB path you drew, Fran (and by your note saying "center axis"), it looks like the small amount of collision-induced side spin is all that's needed...?

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Judging by the CB path you drew, Fran (and by your note saying "center axis"), it looks like the small amount of collision-induced side spin is all that's needed...?

pj
chgo
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Yes. Exactly. It was hard to draw a very slight angle, but the shot isn't supposed to be dead straight in the diagram.
 
FranCrimi said:
Ok. I'm just familiarizing myself with ChalkySticks but this would be the first of my 6 shots that I would consider essential for myself. Getting the cb back to the center of the table when there is very little angle and you have a small pocket because the ob is close to the rail.

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This is a shot I struggle with. I watch the pros do it like it is nothing but it drives me crazy. I miss the shot, follow the ball in, die on the end rail, pretty much do everything except hit it good. I have the same problem on the end rails. There just doesn't seem to be enough angle for me.
 
judochoke said:
I have picked 6 main shots, that come up often in my game. I started bypassing other shots and drills for a while, and just started hitting these 6 shots. After 4 rounds of hitting the 6 shots, I play a ghost ball game, then another round of the 6 shots. I just keep hitting those 6 shots, and they are becoming automatic for me. my 6 shots are not hard shots, but they were easy to miss for me. But now I’m getting good confidence when one of my 6 shots come up. My shots:
1- basic long stop shot
2- stop shot, object ball in the middle of the table, cue ball 4 inched from the short rail.
3- 3 rail shot, going around the table and almost scratching in the lower left pocket.
4- draw shot, object ball on the long rail, bringing the object ball off the opposite long rail. ( low left)
5- long rail cut shot, object ball just pass the side pocket, cue ball close to the other long rail.
6- frozen object ball on the long rail, 2nd diamond, using draw to bring the cue ball back past the opposite side pocket.

i Have not unlocked any special secrets, nor discovered anything, just posting what is working for me. What would your 6 shots be?😎
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Your 6 plus side pocket shot off a rail with little or even no angle but coming at the pocket from close to the corner pocket. Just a roll it in straight or almost straight shot into the side pocket. Object ball on or near the spot.
 
skipbales said:
This is a shot I struggle with. I watch the pros do it like it is nothing but it drives me crazy. I miss the shot, follow the ball in, die on the end rail, pretty much do everything except hit it good. I have the same problem on the end rails. There just doesn't seem to be enough angle for me.
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Well, there has to be at least a little angle, even with cheating the pocket. Maybe you're setting the shot up too straight. If that's not the issue, then you have to make sure you're applying enough side spin. Go for more side spin than less and adjust your aim accordingly.
 
skipbales said:
This is a shot I struggle with. I watch the pros do it like it is nothing but it drives me crazy. I miss the shot, follow the ball in, die on the end rail, pretty much do everything except hit it good. I have the same problem on the end rails. There just doesn't seem to be enough angle for me.
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For the aim and stroke precision needed for this shot I focus on stroking my tip through CB center at a target point on the OB's surface.

pj
chgo
 
FranCrimi said:
This 5th essential shot demands two things of me: 1) My arm swing must be straight, and 2) I must find the correct balance between force and spin. --- In competition, there's no second tries. You have to get it right the first try.

View attachment 587133
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I couldn't get it to come back to center diamond with straight top without cheating the pocket tho
made the shot pretty tough..otherwise a little bit of inside and I still had to hit the heck out it!
nice shot fran..on a separate note it would be fun to get a few of these from everybody, make a book
 
FranCrimi said:
Well, there has to be at least a little angle, even with cheating the pocket. Maybe you're setting the shot up too straight. If that's not the issue, then you have to make sure you're applying enough side spin. Go for more side spin than less and adjust your aim accordingly.
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Thanks for the tip. I also saw a post by Patrick that intrigued me. I believe he was talking about this shot and mentioned using a drag shot. I get that concept. The low wears off leaving a lot of side spin with less top. I am going to try that as well. I may just be hitting too hard. I also may be expecting too much.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
For the aim and stroke precision needed for this shot I focus on stroking my tip through CB center at a target point on the OB's surface.

pj
chgo
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It could be my stroke is just not precise enough to meet the expectation I have for the result. I think you posted a comment on this shot about using a drag shot. I am going to experiment with that. Especially as the OB gets closer to the pocket, the top seems to work against me. The top forces it towards the pocket. Maybe if I got there with a slight forward roll and a lot of outside I could still get to the rail without chasing the OB into the corner. Was that sort of the concept you were talking about? Or did I mix up the posts?
 
skipbales said:
I think you posted a comment on this shot about using a drag shot.
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That was for the first shot Fran posted (post #8), which needed very little (if any) follow and LOTS of side spin. This shot needs the opposite: lots of follow and very little (if any) side spin. I don't think there are any "tricks" that work with this one, except hitting it pretty hard and very accurately.

pj
chgo
 
For my 6th shot, I know I don't even have to draw the lines. We've all seen this. But this is about more than executing a good draw shot. In order to decide how much you're willing to risk to get position on the 9 ball, you first have to understand what the table is capable of allowing you. Is the cloth worn? Is it damp? Is the cb lighter or heavier than the ob? Are the pocket shims curved from being worn out? Is the slate deep into the pocket? Is your tip sufficiently shaped?

So for me, this shot is essential to practice on various tables, not just because it's an exercise in draw, but because it's a reminder to pay attention as I play to what the table is allowing me to do, because when I reach a crucial point, it's better to know than to guess.

Shot 6.png
 
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