How hard is pool ?

N

Neil

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
We often hear, and tell ourselves, that pool is a very hard game to play. Well, this evening I was strolling through youtube and came across some videos of the organist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

On one video he showed how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0gfBjZWOc Basically, it's one of the hardest instruments to play. Five keyboards, plus a bunch of foot pedals just for starters.

To say that I am impressed by him, (Or anyone playing it), would be a large understatement. He has both hands, and both feet going all at the same time. And he has to put each appendage in a precise location for a certain amount of time very quickly.

As pool players, we have to swing one arm forward at a certain speed to hit a precise spot. And we can take a pretty good amount of time to line every thing up.

Nah, pool's not really hard, we just make it hard on ourselves.
 
PhilosopherKing

PhilosopherKing

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
seems like he's playing the basic piece and dolling it up with all the bells and whistles.

not sure how much precision goes into what he's doing. looks like a lot of improvising.

equivalent to playing the same handful of racks over and over again, in my opinion.
 
336Robin

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Isn't that Mormon thing where they can have all the wives they want?
Yeah those guys are nuts! That explains the flying feet and hands.


Neil said:
We often hear, and tell ourselves, that pool is a very hard game to play. Well, this evening I was strolling through youtube and came across some videos of the organist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

On one video he showed how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0gfBjZWOc Basically, it's one of the hardest instruments to play. Five keyboards, plus a bunch of foot pedals just for starters.

To say that I am impressed by him, (Or anyone playing it), would be a large understatement. He has both hands, and both feet going all at the same time. And he has to put each appendage in a precise location for a certain amount of time very quickly.

As pool players, we have to swing one arm forward at a certain speed to hit a precise spot. And we can take a pretty good amount of time to line every thing up.

Nah, pool's not really hard, we just make it hard on ourselves.
Click to expand...
 
Texas Carom Club

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
Not real hard when you can make just 8 balls or less and win
People even put packs or racks together regularly
Games can be won in a minute or so , give or take

Well the games that most people play
 
chefjeff

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
Neil said:
(snip)

As pool players, we have to swing one arm forward at a certain speed to hit a precise spot. (snip)
Click to expand...

I was going over in my mind this same thing recently. I came to this conclusion:

A pool player moves a long stick backward then forward. That's pretty much it.

That shouldn't be too hard, should it? But it is. It's the precision of it that makes it hard, of course.



Jeff Livingston
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Neil said:
We often hear, and tell ourselves, that pool is a very hard game to play. Well, this evening I was strolling through youtube and came across some videos of the organist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

On one video he showed how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0gfBjZWOc Basically, it's one of the hardest instruments to play. Five keyboards, plus a bunch of foot pedals just for starters.

To say that I am impressed by him, (Or anyone playing it), would be a large understatement. He has both hands, and both feet going all at the same time. And he has to put each appendage in a precise location for a certain amount of time very quickly.

As pool players, we have to swing one arm forward at a certain speed to hit a precise spot. And we can take a pretty good amount of time to line every thing up.

Nah, pool's not really hard, we just make it hard on ourselves.
Click to expand...

When you make a shot, you need to line up properly, not move much, adjust your aim for your shaft deflection, adjust for pocket size, aim to adjust for position on side of the pocket at times, think about speed, cloth type and shape it's in, same thing for the balls you are using, how the rails play, rebound angle off the rails, what spin to use, how to adjust your aim for that spin, and then plan that out for several more shots at once before you shoot one shot, not to mention the small point of contact you need to hit to make a ball.

If you have to shoot 3 stop shots and can move your arm straight and not jump up on the shot, that is not hard. Playing a full game of pool properly is hard. We just forget it is because we can do it.
 
Last edited:
Cornerman

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
Neil said:
We often hear, and tell ourselves, that pool is a very hard game to play. Well, this evening I was strolling through youtube and came across some videos of the organist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

On one video he showed how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0gfBjZWOc Basically, it's one of the hardest instruments to play. Five keyboards, plus a bunch of foot pedals just for starters.

To say that I am impressed by him, (Or anyone playing it), would be a large understatement. He has both hands, and both feet going all at the same time. And he has to put each appendage in a precise location for a certain amount of time very quickly.

As pool players, we have to swing one arm forward at a certain speed to hit a precise spot. And we can take a pretty good amount of time to line every thing up.

Nah, pool's not really hard, we just make it hard on ourselves.
Click to expand...
My mother was a member (maybe she still is) of the American Guild of Organists with some level of board certification. I have no idea what rung she is on the ladder of organists, but she's pretty high up there.

Or maybe she's just a keyboard banger. Lol

Actually, my mom is as unique as it gets. She was a child prodigy, and was her church organist at 9 years old. She excelled in science, but music and arts were her passion. Those people who seem to lock onto this left brain/ right brain idea... my mom (and dad) are very balanced.

She has her Masters in Music, and should have been an opera star (I hope she writes her memoirs on this subject). She's also a member of Mensa.

She taught literature, and published a book on poetry. She started a community theater group, and has written several plays and musicals. She's done it all in performing arts.

And she's an amazing cook. But, in the end, she can't run one ball.

Freddie <~~~ and let me tell you about my dad...
 
Last edited:
StraightPoolIU

StraightPoolIU

Brent
Silver Member
hang-the-9 said:
When you make a shot, you need to line up properly, not move much, adjust your aim for your shaft deflection, adjust for pocket size, aim to adjust for position on side of the pocket at times, think about speed, cloth type and shape it's in, same thing for the balls you are using, how the rails play, rebound angle off the rails, what spin to use, how to adjust your aim for that spin, and then plan that out for several more shots at once before you shoot one shot, not to mention the small point of contact you need to hit to make a ball.

If you have to shoot 3 stop shots and can move your arm straight and not jump up on the shot, that is not hard. Playing a full game of pool properly is hard. We just forget it is because we can do it.
Click to expand...

And that doesn't even include all of the tactics and strategy you need to learn to play the game really well, or the one off shots that come up, or correct patterns, etc. That's what I always said made pool difficult. For example if you play golf and you get a good swing grooved and hit it straight you're going to be a good golfer. In pool you have to execute a good stroke AND know everything else about how to properly play the game. It's the two combined that make it difficult.
 
lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In pool, you have to perfectly hit a round object, with another round object, that you've hit with a round object.

Tough enough.

Lou Figueroa
 
D

decent dennis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cornerman said:
My mother was a member (maybe she still is) of the American Guild of Organists with some level of board certification. I have no idea what rung she is on the ladder of organists, but she's pretty high up there.

Or maybe she's just a keyboard banger. Lol

Actually, my mom is as unique as it gets. She was a child prodigy, and was her church organist at 9 years old. She excelled in science, but music and arts were her passion. Those people who seem to lock onto this left brain/ right brain idea... my mom (and dad) are very balanced.

She has her Masters in Music, and should have been an opera star (I hope she writes her memoirs on this subject). She's also a member of Mensa.

She taught literature, and published a book on poetry. She started a community theater group, and has written several plays and musicals. She's done it all in performing arts.

And she's an amazing cook. But, in the end, she can't run one ball.

Freddie <~~~ and let me tell you about my dad...
Click to expand...

Underachiever:wink:
 
Jimmorrison

Jimmorrison

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you are really good at, yes pool is easy. I messed around playing golf for a couple years and then decided to get after it. Took a lesson, bought some clubs, was a 4 in less than a year. More recently, I messed around playing pool for a couple years and then decided to get after it. Took a lesson, bought a cue, a year later and I think I’m worse. It’s hard to judge, because I jumped a couple levels and play against much better competition. No, pool is not “easy” for all.
 
easy-e

easy-e

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Maybe some people make it harder than it should be because they’re thinking about how hard it should be. Maybe I’m lucky to not have all of this crap rattling around in my head while I’m playing.
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
easy-e said:
Maybe some people make it harder than it should be because they’re thinking about how hard it should be. Maybe I’m lucky to not have all of this crap rattling around in my head while I’m playing.
Click to expand...

You don't need it in your head fully while playing, but if you are not aware and acting to work with all the variables, you will not be playing very well at past mid-level league play. I bet when you are banking you are thinking about what spin to use, how hard to hit and maybe about how the rails and cloth are. New rails, old rails, new cloth, old cloth, speed of the hit, can make a difference of a miss by a diamond when hit with the exact same angle.

After a bunch of years you just do it more naturally. But when teaching a new player, you have to actively explain all of that, and they need to be aware of it and apply it.
 
philly

philly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
easy-e said:
Maybe some people make it harder than it should be because they’re thinking about how hard it should be. Maybe I’m lucky to not have all of this crap rattling around in my head while I’m playing.
Click to expand...

Because you've hit a million balls. There is a lot I take into consideration but most of it is an unconscious process and happens spontaneously, for lack of a better word. I rarely think consciously about deflection etc. It's like second nature.

Every once in a while I mosey over to the aiming forum. If I thought about all of those things that they think about, I couldn't even stand at the table without falling over.
 
easy-e

easy-e

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hang-the-9 said:
You don't need it in your head fully while playing, but if you are not aware and acting to work with all the variables, you will not be playing very well at past mid-level league play. I bet when you are banking you are thinking about what spin to use, how hard to hit and maybe about how the rails and cloth are. New rails, old rails, new cloth, old cloth, speed of the hit, can make a difference of a miss by a diamond when hit with the exact same angle.

After a bunch of years you just do it more naturally. But when teaching a new player, you have to actively explain all of that, and they need to be aware of it and apply it.
Click to expand...

I think that may apply to a lot of people, but not everyone. Haven’t you ever seen someone who can’t explain what they’re doing but play incredible? Some of these kids have never heard of deflection.
 
easy-e

easy-e

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
philly said:
Because you've hit a million balls. There is a lot I take into consideration but most of it is an unconscious process and happens spontaneously, for lack of a better word. I rarely think consciously about deflection etc. It's like second nature.

Every once in a while I mosey over to the aiming forum. If I thought about all of those things that they think about, I couldn't even stand at the table without falling over.
Click to expand...

That’s what I’m talking about!😬
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top