i was in vegas playing everyday, and vegas is a 1P town, I played 9-ball point is no players ever played 8-ball, but we had a lot of raod players pass through and most of the time they were known by someone-most of the time the road players got beat too,
ok now to 8-ball, 2 guys come in and Toby knew them and said they were both 8-ball champions from Flordia or gerogia(nice Hispanic guys)-I cant remember where from but east. They were in and out of the room looking for a game for a couple of days until some one bit and played them, 8-ball. This was interesting for me as I had been working on my 1P game talking, watch, and playing the ledgends, but 8-ball? Well ok why not? So I sit down and watch the road player play the local guy, I it was Joe (something) the fat guy that worked at cue-topia with a beard from New Mexico who moved to Vegas; I didnt like him thus I forgot his name, but he was a jam up player. They rack the balls and the road player was awalys breaking from the second ball(I had never seen this, Joe was as well but not as effectavilly), the table was a GC4 with tight pockets-not 1Ptight but not factory lose-just right, and he(road player) made the 8 on the pop alot, 1 in 10 perhaps and alot of times it would roll close, I had never seen that before, I remember it vividly(I was amazed), it looked like a good prop bet it was so easy for him. Like a D player shooting a spot shot, it awalys went the right direction and sonetimes go in, It was a $500 set I dont know if it was a race or an ahead set, I watched for hours. Road player got beat, but it took along time he played super strong infact Joe was about the only guy in Vegas that was capable of winning that game and I had the line on everyone. In 1P or 9B the road played would have got beat easily by lots of guys.
The other road player didnt play as strong and I watched them play each other just before they left town, they knew there was no more action and justed wanted to stay in stroke befor getting to LA they both broke hitting the 2nd ball everytime from right to left, I know the direction dosent matter it probably was just the table, a good table at that, Toby was a very smart gambler and he wouldnt play them except 1p he even said he had no chance playing these guys 8-ball, which was rare for Toby to say something like that. THats how good these guys were.
So along comes another guy in Vegas for something(not a road player, but a strong player) he was from Fl-owned a pool room, and wanted some action, I said wadda ya play? I was in my peak-I have never been a great player(to just take action from who walks in the door, I pick my spots) but that night I felt good, he said 8-ball, I was thinking I just watched super strong 8B players and picked up a few moves and a break shot,so with my new found skills I fired at him the guy I played owned a pool hall in Fl so we played I win only $100 maybe $150, his friend wanted to go, pissed me off I was playing the best I ever played and had him hooked, it wasnt a score(not even close but it felt like one I had to work for it) but we played an hour and he had the 2nd ball break down cold too, I used it but couldnt make it work, but I break worse than any one on AZ, long story i hope you liked it but the point is that 2nd ball break is the way foward, the english and CB placement is key and I dont now it. But I do know what I saw from 3 different players that all made it work, it gave them a huge advantage where as the head ball dosent. I wish I knew that break...
fatboy