Maybe you get off the rag?
What aiming system does Tyler Skyler use?
- Thread starter boogieman
- Start date
I only had two 20's out of 10 racks. On one rack I forgot to shoot rotation on the last 5! Shot the first of the last 5, realized I'd screwed up and had to mark 10 for that rack. On another rack I made 6 balls then scratched. Spider is right... it can be very frustrating when you screw up and know you can do better.
I'm saying it is an interesting exercise and good cross training, but to a point. If I want to get good at straight pool I play straight pool, same for 9 ball. I can get really good at the Hopkins drill but a lot of that is going to be learning which 5 to leave for rotation and, more importantly, getting a good break. Since no other game requires that it is a skill of limited usefulness. If I am a straight pool player I could get about the same thing by playing 9 ball as cross training.
I have to disagree with this... ANY consistent ball pocketing drill or practice can certainly improve a player's overall game, especially when incorporating rotation play also. Straight pool is great practice too, but this Hopkins method is better suited to help players pocket balls and maneuver wide open racks, which is a must in 8ball and rotation games.
I don't disagree with this but if I want to get better at a game and have only so many hours to play I'm going to play that game and also do drills that help improve in that game. The Hopkins drill is interesting and might help develop a skill in the rotation phase but I'm not going to put in extra hours just to maximize my Hopkins drill score.
I've also thought that keeping score of everything can be a distraction. I know it is supposed to be motivational but I think bothering to track numbers (and I'm a numbers guy) distracts from the process of learning the skill. Just pay attention to what you are doing and if you must keep score then only do it once a week as a gauge. I'm not a learning expert but this is my experience.
There's one other point to this which will help 8ball and rotation games that's not normally practiced. A good, solid, explosive, BUT controlled BREAK shot. I used to play this a lot and many times I hit a crappy break shot that didn't open the rack very well or left me stymied and I'd end up with as low as ZERO or less than five because there was just not a good open shot at anything.
Man, you talk about a pisser when that happens! So, what do you do with no one looking over your shoulder? Say "that doesn't count" and rerack for a new break like it never happened? BULLSHIT! It's part of the game and if the BREAK foils you, suck it up and take your knocks. It's a part of the skills of pool or lack thereof. It's interesting, challenging, infuriating BUT fun. That's the way I feel about it.
One other way you can play this is with two people and I call it Baseball Q-Skills. Best played with two who are more
evenly matched. Either a 6-inning game or 9-inning game, players choice.
The away team breaks and runs as many points as he can in the top of the 1st. The home team breaks and runs as many as he can in the bottom of the 1st. Then you keep going 2 through 6 or 2 through 9 and add up the total score. High total wins.
Nobody can whine or cry about unlucky leaves from the other player because both are in charge of their OWN leaves and it's based on their thought processes, execution, and skill.
evenly matched. Either a 6-inning game or 9-inning game, players choice.
The away team breaks and runs as many points as he can in the top of the 1st. The home team breaks and runs as many as he can in the bottom of the 1st. Then you keep going 2 through 6 or 2 through 9 and add up the total score. High total wins.
Nobody can whine or cry about unlucky leaves from the other player because both are in charge of their OWN leaves and it's based on their thought processes, execution, and skill.
I played a friend last night that I typically beat 10-3 or 10-4, playing 9ball. He said he wanted to challenge me more, so the spot he came up with was this: Any time he misses a shot that he is honestly trying to make, he gets to shoot again. It can only apply once in each of his innings, and doesn't apply if he hooks himself, plays a safety, fouls, or is kicking to get out of one my safeties.
It was interesting and made the matches a little more even. I won 10-7, 10-9, 10-8.
It was interesting and made the matches a little more even. I won 10-7, 10-9, 10-8.
Keeping score is goal-oriented. The best practice methods are those that have goals that push you to succeed, goals that are just outside of your reach but achievable with a little determination and discipline.
But what if the goal is achieving a particular position on the table, and not a score? It just seems to me that if I am doing a drill over and over I should be paying attention to what I'm doing, not picking up a pencil and writing things down in the middle of that. Bob Jewett's progressive drills are another way to achieve that without the numbers interruption.
I think playing straight pool helps out for all games
Achieving a particular position on the table isn't much of a goal. Achieving that position 5 times in a row, however, is an excellent goal.
In order to consistently run multiple balls with little or no errors, you have to pay attention to everything you're doing -- pattern play, position play, the PSR, cue ball control, mental focus, consistent stroke delivery, etc.... All of this helps you become a stronger player. And the best way to gage your improvement with these things is through the use of stats/numbers.
I think it's the best, but for weaker players it can be a bit too challenging, which doesn't provide much benefit when it comes to improvement.
We're in agreement on this. I meant the goal is to become proficient at whatever thing you are practicing. If you pay more attention to the score like two points for this and minus one for that then you're creating a distraction.
Is there anything at all, that you know something about?
You assume I cannot play without SeeTee, whatever that is, but one of many many things you don't know is that I am 66 years old and started playing pool before my teen age years. CTE has been around a hell of a lot less than that. I don't HAVE to use CTE, hell you don't even know for sure that I do.
Seriously, there is a lot you don't know.
Weak players in the aiming forum on AZ billiards, now that’s just a crazy assumption. You can’t prove that
Well, that's where your thought processes and preplanning come into play just like straight. You have 5 balls left on the table which means what pattern do you choose to pocket those 5 balls for 2 points each, or, to get the CB in the perfect angle to pocket the last ball (break ball) for the rebound into the rack to break it up for a continued run in straight. It's imagination and thinking it through.
OK, so you don't like the Hopkins Q challenge. You don't like CTE. You don't like Shiskabob. You don't like pivots. You don't like me. You don't like Cookie. You don't like Stan. Avoid all of it/us like the plague! Why are you attracted to all of this like it's a magnet and HAVE to jump in all the time?
I guess it starts with me writing it so that means you have to find fault and negativity to knock it and disagree along with making a big endless stink.
You aren't the problem, I'M the problem for just living and participating in life on this forum. It has to be because there's no other explanation for how long this has been going on with your actions.
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Why would a pencil come into play and writing something down? It's easily remembered. When it ends it's because the player ended it by running out or missing.
Weak players in the aiming forum on AZ billiards, now that’s just a crazy assumption. You can’t prove that
Of course not here! Lol... Everyone here is a world beater.
Yes, that's obvious.
I don't hate anybody. I'm sure you guys are good people, if not a little misguided.
My actions? What actions? I find the subject interesting, that's all. Not CTE, but how otherwise intelligent people (maybe?) can throw away all logic and not be able to see the obvious. It's like watching the Flat Earthers try to dismiss factual evidence at all cost. Just odd. Having said that, I'm all for learning how to make it work (because then I might know how you make it work), but so far I haven't found anyone willing to stick with it.