💡The BEST pool advice I've ever received was...

[Chili Palmer]

I'm gonna draw every time unless i HAVE to go forward. Played so much on shitty tables growing up that a firm draw was always better than watching the cb roll-off/wobble following it.

See my post above yours

EDIT: I'm pretty sure that's why I started drawing when I started playing but when I got back into a few years ago I realized the tables are MUCH better than they were before. Another one of my philosophies is "If I want to be the best, I have to play the best". So I have watched tons of pro matches simply focusing on which shots they draw and follow.

I think you'll be surprised.

 

[garczar]

Go rack any game of your choice 10 times. Shoot the first 5 with draw only and the last 5 with follow only and see what happens.

I can draw the ball better than most and so I have always had fun with it but once I heard that statement I did the test above and was sold. That is by far one of the biggest things that brought me from a banger to a pool player

I like to say "Draw for the crowd but follow the money"

To each his own. I do hit follow shots but i'd rather draw it.

 

[Chili Palmer]

To each his own. I do hit follow shots but i'd rather draw it.

Go play the 10 games, better yet, go record the 10 games, and get back to us with the results.

 

[garczar]

Go play the 10 games, better yet, go record the 10 games, and get back to us with the results.

I play the way i play. I'm not gonna re-vamp/overhaul at this point. Game is merely a hobby/past-time now. I probably follow it more than i think but i don't analyze/breakdown my play much.

 

[3kushn]

Since this thread is more about the gamble.... I was playing a decent shortstop when I was first learning. After I make a giant fluke to win a $2 game, I immediately reacted with joy and strutting around over the theft.

He says "You have to always realize, your opponent never knows what you're thinking, so never let him know."

 

[coalcracker]

Rempe told me never shoot almost dead shots!

 

[tomatoshooter]

See my post above yours

EDIT: I'm pretty sure that's why I started drawing when I started playing but when I got back into a few years ago I realized the tables are MUCH better than they were before. Another one of my philosophies is "If I want to be the best, I have to play the best". So I have watched tons of pro matches simply focusing on which shots they draw and follow.

I think you'll be surprised.

It's interesting that you found drawing more effective on worse tables. It's probably got a lot to do with the roughed up cue balls that usually accompany those tables (I'm thinking of neglected bar tables here), but I find it difficult to draw and the slower table means I won't be watching in horror as the cue ball keeps going, and going, and going....when I follow. A swayback Valley with fast cloth makes me feel like I'm watching this:

 

[tomatoshooter]

Since this thread is more about the gamble.... I was playing a decent shortstop when I was first learning. After I make a giant fluke to win a $2 game, I immediately reacted with joy and strutting around over the theft.

He says "You have to always realize, your opponent never knows what you're thinking, so never let him know."

There's something about hitting a nice bank shot that I can't help but crack a smile. Once I go past the side pocket, that bank into the corner becomes much more, um...."ambitious".

 

[pt109]

To each his own. I do hit follow shots but i'd rather draw it.

I like your instincts....I’ve always felt under normal pool hall conditions, back spin on the cue ball produces the least skids.

 

[HueblerHustler7]

Play the table not your opponent, " do you speak Russian? " " No?" " Then stop rushing ", practice practice practice, and never loose site of the beauty of the game.

 

[Dimeball]

I've thought about this for a minute...
A few years ago, I probably would've said something like "every table cuts the same, but, banks different". I carried that one around for a long time.
Today, I think it's "the only thing you can really control is your stroke". I take this to mean, the obvious of course, working on your stroke, it's timing, feel, and the confidence that comes with it and needed in order to reproduce it. But I think this also goes a little further meaning all of yourself, not just the stroke, but everything involved with a good and confident stroke, this includes body position, stance, ,muscles, and one thing I think doesn't get enough attention, the focus point of the eyes. The eyes are what tell the brain what to hit and where, they also tell the brain the desired path the stroke needs to make happen. Don't forget to train the eyes too, hand and hand with the stroke.

 

[Chili Palmer]

I play the way i play. I'm not gonna re-vamp/overhaul at this point. Game is merely a hobby/past-time now. I probably follow it more than i think but i don't analyze/breakdown my play much.

Completely agree. I learned that when I got back into pool and was practicing to be the best I could be, now, I just bang balls and have way more fun drawing the ball.

 

[Chili Palmer]

It's interesting that you found drawing more effective on worse tables. It's probably got a lot to do with the roughed up cue balls that usually accompany those tables (I'm thinking of neglected bar tables here), but I find it difficult to draw and the slower table means I won't be watching in horror as the cue ball keeps going, and going, and going....when I follow. A swayback Valley with fast cloth makes me feel like I'm watching this:

It has more to do with CB control, i.e. slow roll on shitty tables you never know what's going to happen versus drawing, and more than likely choosing a different object ball or taking a slightly harder shot, and NOT being affected by shitty tables. Force follow shots, I'm assuming (it's been a long time) would not have changed?

 

[ShootingArts]

Since this thread is more about the gamble.... I was playing a decent shortstop when I was first learning. After I make a giant fluke to win a $2 game, I immediately reacted with joy and strutting around over the theft.

He says "You have to always realize, your opponent never knows what you're thinking, so never let him know."

This is big in my opinion. Win or lose, shoot a great shot, a total fluke, or miss a sitting duck, your face and demeaner should never change. Why advertise and give your opponent something to prey on?

Other than a very brief period when I was trying the technique, I never point at where I want the cue ball to stop. The reason is simple, you are giving your opponent information he isn't paying for! He now knows if you are getting to your target point well or if you are missing it and by how much. You may still make the next shot but you have failed on half of your last shot if you don't land on the spot you pointed to, a sign of weakness. I think it does help the unconscious to point at where you want the cue ball for a few seconds, however, looking and focusing on the same spot for the same amount of time seems to work just as well and unless your opponent can see your eyes and is extremely observant you haven't given anything away! I have been known to point my cue at spots I had no intention of going to just to jack with my opponent's head. However, I found this interfered with my own focus so I quit.

Information is power. Try to get all you can about and from your opponent, try not to give any away even if it doesn't seem important at the moment.

Hu

 

[Chili Palmer]

This is big in my opinion. Win or lose, shoot a great shot, a total fluke, or miss a sitting duck, your face and demeaner should never change. Why advertise and give your opponent something to prey on?

Other than a very brief period when I was trying the technique, I never point at where I want the cue ball to stop. The reason is simple, you are giving your opponent information he isn't paying for! He now knows if you are getting to your target point well or if you are missing it and by how much. You may still make the next shot but you have failed on half of your last shot if you don't land on the spot you pointed to, a sign of weakness. I think it does help the unconscious to point at where you want the cue ball for a few seconds, however, looking and focusing on the same spot for the same amount of time seems to work just as well and unless your opponent can see your eyes and is extremely observant you haven't given anything away! I have been known to point my cue at spots I had no intention of going to just to jack with my opponent's head. However, I found this interfered with my own focus so I quit.

Information is power. Try to get all you can about and from your opponent, try not to give any away even if it doesn't seem important at the moment.

Hu

I may or may not have said at some point "I suck at kicks and banks"

 

[boogieman]

Since this thread is more about the gamble.... I was playing a decent shortstop when I was first learning. After I make a giant fluke to win a $2 game, I immediately reacted with joy and strutting around over the theft.

He says "You have to always realize, your opponent never knows what you're thinking, so never let him know."

Another aspect of this is it allows some gamesmanship. If you pull off a safety perfectly, a simple "dang I was half a diamond off" will have your opponent cursing lady luck and thinking about rolls. Let them believe you were trying to pocket that object ball that missed by half a diamond. This is about the extent of my gamesmanship but it can really work on an opponent to think you keep getting lucky rolls.

I'd rather be known as lucky than good, keeps people on their toes and can sometimes lead to players discounting your ability, leaving you an easier out. Pool is a strategic game that is often played between the ears.

All of this works better when you're not pointing your stick at your targets and kind of keep your aiming on the down low. Don't give them any info about what you're trying. You can also use the stick pointing to make them think you missed or lucked in a ball in the other pocket if you're subtle about it. If I'm playing 9B and have to do something exotic, I'll sometimes decide what to do, then mess around looking at a different pocket with pointing my stick and such. The OB goes where I initially wanted it, but it ends up looking like luck. Fake luck can be a strong tactic on a certain type of opponent.

Fun times when they tell me I should buy a lottery ticket!

 

[ShootingArts]

Another aspect of this is it allows some gamesmanship. If you pull off a safety perfectly, a simple "dang I was half a diamond off" will have your opponent cursing lady luck and thinking about rolls. Let them believe you were trying to pocket that object ball that missed by half a diamond. This is about the extent of my gamesmanship but it can really work on an opponent to think you keep getting lucky rolls.

I'd rather be known as lucky than good, keeps people on their toes and can sometimes lead to players discounting your ability, leaving you an easier out. Pool is a strategic game that is often played between the ears.

All of this works better when you're not pointing your stick at your targets and kind of keep your aiming on the down low. Don't give them any info about what you're trying. You can also use the stick pointing to make them think you missed or lucked in a ball in the other pocket if you're subtle about it. If I'm playing 9B and have to do something exotic, I'll sometimes decide what to do, then mess around looking at a different pocket with pointing my stick and such. The OB goes where I initially wanted it, but it ends up looking like luck. Fake luck can be a strong tactic on a certain type of opponent.

Fun times when they tell me I should buy a lottery ticket!

It was fun times in the bars with the old mud ball. Unlike most, I loved that big ugly thing! I could make it do everything but sit up and beg. I too often heard that, "you are either the best I have ever seen, or the luckiest!" Small pond of course and I had no wish to enlighten them as to which it was. Probably the funniest thing was another bar room guy that played me for several months and then quit me cold. He told me with great sincerity, "I am a better player than you are but I can't outrun your luck!"

Hu

 

[chefjeff]

ONE thing?

It has to be pretty basic then....I'm thinking, "Shoot softly." That one I got early on and it jumped my game the most, the quickest.

fwiw,


Jeff Livingston

 

[Chili Palmer]

Another aspect of this is it allows some gamesmanship. If you pull off a safety perfectly, a simple "dang I was half a diamond off" will have your opponent cursing lady luck and thinking about rolls. Let them believe you were trying to pocket that object ball that missed by half a diamond. This is about the extent of my gamesmanship but it can really work on an opponent to think you keep getting lucky rolls.

I'd rather be known as lucky than good, keeps people on their toes and can sometimes lead to players discounting your ability, leaving you an easier out. Pool is a strategic game that is often played between the ears.

All of this works better when you're not pointing your stick at your targets and kind of keep your aiming on the down low. Don't give them any info about what you're trying. You can also use the stick pointing to make them think you missed or lucked in a ball in the other pocket if you're subtle about it. If I'm playing 9B and have to do something exotic, I'll sometimes decide what to do, then mess around looking at a different pocket with pointing my stick and such. The OB goes where I initially wanted it, but it ends up looking like luck. Fake luck can be a strong tactic on a certain type of opponent.

Fun times when they tell me I should buy a lottery ticket!

Most people are either surprised or pissed they missed their shot and it gives it away. I've been playing long enough to have seen enough to never be surprised at what happens when I hit the ball. I can't tell you how many times I've tried a hard bank and missed it two rails dead center in the opposite pocket, or tried a crazy safe and made the ball (or vice-versa) and never skipped a beat. I bang enough balls around trying so much crap on my own that I'm simply not surprised at anything I see on a table anymore.

 

[ShootingArts]

Most people are either surprised or pissed they missed their shot and it gives it away. I've been playing long enough to have seen enough to never be surprised at what happens when I hit the ball. I can't tell you how many times I've tried a hard bank and missed it two rails dead center in the opposite pocket, or tried a crazy safe and made the ball (or vice-versa) and never skipped a beat. I bang enough balls around trying so much crap on my own that I'm simply not surprised at anything I see on a table anymore.

Obviously you haven't seen Shirley on a pool table!

Hu