What Is Your Specialty Shot?

Kris_b1104 · Feb 20, 2014

I know everyone has a shot that they can probably make 9/10 times and would consider it their favorite, so what's yours? For me it's a reverse cut shot, I feel like I hardly miss these and my friend is always saying how I consistently make them without even thinking about it, but put any other harder shot in front of me and I'll probably dog it.

To me, having a specialty shot is important because when I'm playing my friend in 9 ball and have no clue what to do after the break, sometimes I push out to a reverse cut, hoping he would pass it back, it's stupid I know but it comes in handy sometimes. So what's your favorite/specialty shot?

justadub · Feb 20, 2014

Kris_b1104 said:
I know everyone has a shot that they can probably make 9/10 times and would consider it their favorite, so what's yours? For me it's a reverse cut shot, I feel like I hardly miss these and my friend is always saying how I consistently make them without even thinking about it, but put any other harder shot in front of me and I'll probably dog it.

To me, having a specialty shot is important because when I'm playing my friend in 9 ball and have no clue what to do after the break, sometimes I push out to a reverse cut, hoping he would pass it back, it's stupid I know but it comes in handy sometimes. So what's your favorite/specialty shot?

Interesting. When I saw the thread title, my first thought was "I don't play well enough to have a specialty shot".

Then I asked myself what shot do I make on a fairly regular basis that I don't see other players in my league even take?

The reverse cut.

Funny stuff.

Kris_b1104 · Feb 20, 2014

justadub said:
Interesting. When I saw the thread title, my first thought was "I don't play well enough to have a specialty shot". Then I asked myself what shot do I make on a fairly regular basis that I don't see other players in my league even take?

The reverse cut.

Funny stuff.

Lol nice, I think the reverse cut is more about feel than aiming because you're shooting into a blind pocket, correct? I don't see any way you can actually aim or calculate where to shoot it exactly, correct me if I'm wrong please, I'm sure I am.

justadub · Feb 20, 2014

Kris_b1104 said:
Lol nice, I think the reverse cut is more about feel than aiming because you're shooting into a blind pocket, correct? I don't see any way you can actually aim or calculate where to shoot it exactly, correct me if I'm wrong please, I'm sure I am.

Well, there is a feel element to it for me, certainly. I like to think I am aiming, too, though...

For some reason, that shot doesn't bother me much. I "see" it rather easily, as much as I easily see any shot. In my little APA league, I get some people going "wow" with that, which is silly, of course, but it illustrates that it doesn't come naturally to some folks.

Of course the far bigger challenge with that shot is cue ball control after making the ball, and I'm not claiming any great proficiency with that, for sure.

slide13 · Feb 20, 2014

Certain bank shots. Anything that needs banked to a pocket less than about 2 diamonds away with the OB on or very near the rail. No idea why, but I can step up to some of these shots and just feel that I'm going to make it, get down on the ball with zero hesitation or thought, and just shoot it.

Sometimes I surprise myself with them because I am not a good player, just getting back into it after taking years off (and was never good back then either). I still miss plenty of simple cut shots, but I had a run of three banks in a row recently that I just fired off without really thinking about them and then missed a simple cut right after. Something about that shot I can just feel when I can make it.

It's not 100% though...sometimes I have a bank that seems like I should be able to make it but something about it just doesn't have that feeling of confidence...those I don't make nearly as often.

Johnnyt · Feb 20, 2014

CB off OB 3rail ending in billiard pocketing 9 or 10 that was near a pocket but blocked. Johnnyt[

oldplayer · Feb 20, 2014

I have 2, my specialty bank is the 3 rail in the side and make it 60-70% of the time, the other I learned from watching earl, he calls it the "swing" and I have used it many times and it works!

Kris_b1104 · Feb 20, 2014

justadub said:
Well, there is a feel element to it for me, certainly. I like to think I am aiming, too, though...

For some reason, that shot doesn't bother me much. I "see" it rather easily, as much as I easily see any shot. In my little APA league, I get some people going "wow" with that, which is silly, of course, but it illustrates that it doesn't come naturally to some folks.

Of course the far bigger challenge with that shot is cue ball control after making the ball, and I'm not claiming any great proficiency with that, for sure.

Yeah it definitely does look cool after you pull it off and sometimes I even surprise myself. I almost always use draw on it because I'm alwahs scared if scratching, and the draw makes it look even cooler

Kris_b1104 · Feb 20, 2014

oldplayer said:
I have 2, my specialty bank is the 3 rail in the side and make it 60-70% of the time, the other I learned from watching earl, he calls it the "swing" and I have used it many times and it works!

What's the swing?

Kris_b1104 · Feb 20, 2014

slide13 said:
Certain bank shots. Anything that needs banked to a pocket less than about 2 diamonds away with the OB on or very near the rail. No idea why, but I can step up to some of these shots and just feel that I'm going to make it, get down on the ball with zero hesitation or thought, and just shoot it.

Sometimes I surprise myself with them because I am not a good player, just getting back into it after taking years off (and was never good back then either). I still miss plenty of simple cut shots, but I had a run of three banks in a row recently that I just fired off without really thinking about them and then missed a simple cut right after. Something about that shot I can just feel when I can make it.

It's not 100% though...sometimes I have a bank that seems like I should be able to make it but something about it just doesn't have that feeling of confidence...those I don't make nearly as often.

Haha lucky you, bank shots are my worst nightmare, if I get terrible position from the 8 to the 9 and leave myself with a bank I automatically feel like I lost, I'd rather try to do a severely thin cut into the corner but that's great that you can knock in those banks consistently without consciously thinking of it.

randyg · Feb 20, 2014

A Hanger!

randyg

justadub · Feb 20, 2014

randyg said:
A Hanger!

randyg

:rotflmao1:

drv4 · Feb 20, 2014

Mine are the super extreme cut (90 degree), the reverse cut into the side and going three rails to get position, and the one pocket style cut back banks when the CB and OB are down near the same short rail but on opposite sides of the table. I'm only an APA 5/4 but these shots save my butt

oldplayer · Feb 20, 2014

Kris_b1104 said:
What's the swing?

let's say that you have the 9 ball parked on the lower short rail. the 8 ball is 1/3 distance away from the side pocket but you overran position and now are on the wrong side of the 8 ball to make position (CB is about 1 ft away from 8 ball towards other short rail) wish I knew how to use the table diagram) . so, you use extreme low left and go 3 rails (first to the short rail, then English taking cb to the long rail and then to the short rail next to the 9 ball.......takes practice on the speed, otherwise, it is a crowd pleaser. sorry could not find the utube match with earl using it and danny d commentating.

Kris_b1104 · Feb 20, 2014

oldplayer said:
let's say that you have the 9 ball parked on the lower short rail. the 8 ball is 1/3 distance away from the side pocket but you overran position and now are on the wrong side of the 8 ball to make position (CB is about 1 ft away from 8 ball towards other short rail) wish I knew how to use the table diagram) . so, you use extreme low left and go 3 rails (first to the short rail, then English taking cb to the long rail and then to the short rail next to the 9 ball.......takes practice on the speed, otherwise, it is a crowd pleaser. sorry could not find the utube match with earl using it and danny d commentating.

Don't worry, your explanation did justice, I know what you're talking about, I've seen a video of Earl doing that before, can't remember if he was practicing or actually in a match.

And that shot is way too advanced for me to even try

justadub · Feb 20, 2014

oldplayer said:
let's say that you have the 9 ball parked on the lower short rail. the 8 ball is 1/3 distance away from the side pocket but you overran position and now are on the wrong side of the 8 ball to make position (CB is about 1 ft away from 8 ball towards other short rail) wish I knew how to use the table diagram) . so, you use extreme low left and go 3 rails (first to the short rail, then English taking cb to the long rail and then to the short rail next to the 9 ball.......takes practice on the speed, otherwise, it is a crowd pleaser. sorry could not find the utube match with earl using it and danny d commentating.

Boy, I hope someone finds a YouTube clip or diagrams this shot, it sure sounds interesting.

Ken_4fun · Feb 20, 2014

The shot I get left alot and I make often is kind of a trick shot.

The object ball is frozen to the rail and the cue ball is at a steep angle, maybe not 90 degrees, but 70-80 degrees.

The shot is made by barely missing the ball and using quite a bit of inside english to pinch the ball or throw the ball in the pocket.

I make this confidently.

Ken

beetle · Feb 20, 2014

Thin cut, reverse banks into the side. I don't know why, but I can just see them most of the time.

hang-the-9 · Feb 20, 2014

My top shot is the "rattle". I can "almost" make just about any shot, just not quite.

Sometimes I wish I played worse so I don't leave balls hanging in pockets for my opponent when I almost make the shot.

DAVE_M · Feb 20, 2014

oldplayer said:
let's say that you have the 9 ball parked on the lower short rail. the 8 ball is 1/3 distance away from the side pocket but you overran position and now are on the wrong side of the 8 ball to make position (CB is about 1 ft away from 8 ball towards other short rail) wish I knew how to use the table diagram) . so, you use extreme low left and go 3 rails (first to the short rail, then English taking cb to the long rail and then to the short rail next to the 9 ball.......takes practice on the speed, otherwise, it is a crowd pleaser. sorry could not find the utube match with earl using it and danny d commentating.

This shot?

http://youtu.be/Q83NHdMQgRE?t=5m51s

Always a fun shot! I like this same shot, but when it comes up as a cross bank into the side and the CB swings 3 rails (That would be my specialty shot).

What Is Your Specialty Shot?

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