Playing the ghost is NOT EASY

jrctherake said:

I broke my back in 5 places and that put a slight kink in many shots at the table.

For the above reason I was unable to break very hard and still play....so, I did what you do and throw em out....shoot em in.

I just had my 4th back fusion and hopefully don't have but 1 more to go.

I'm hoping I'll be able to actually break after I heal up this time.

IMO.....it's a HUGE mistake to not break during practice. Unless of course you a have dedicated break practice.

Otherwise you run the extremely high risk of getting your azz handed to you when playing someone that breaks and runs out often.

Regardless of how straight we shoot, if we can't break well we will lose more often than not.

I'm sure you know all of that but I figured I would put it out there for the op....just in case he's unaware.

Stay safe...

Jeff

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ghost ball said:

if you played the ghost ball, you would think differently.

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raycharlesbrown said:

Please explain. Thx

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straightline said:

Very disturbing, those injuries, hope you've been able to overcome. I used to relish playing the guys who'd put 5 on you and laugh through the rest of the set. For cheap, and I'm nothing but, it's very inspiring. I simply never put enough time in to get past the pedantics and even care about how I broke. I do work on it now but the gains are moot. I remain obsessed with consistency; the continuity that makes the performance of pool. Getting 9 ball to play like 6 ball will have to wait.

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Tin Man said:

Hey RayCharles. Good man for calling us to action!

It is easy to get the feeling that AZB is all talk and no grind. But that is because you only see the people posting. You don't see the people when they are practicing, and you sure don't see the lurkers that are reading through threads for inspiration and instruction and then working hard every day.

I can promise you I am practicing hard and playing the best pool of my life. I have been obsessed the last week with 'diagonal rail bridges', i.e. the cue ball being frozen to the side rail and having to shoot a ball up table so I'm bridged diagonally across the rail but with the cue ball frozen. Like spot shots from the kitchen frozen to the side rail, or full shots that I have to follow to the head rail and back up table with speed. Point is I've probably shot 1-2 hours worth a day for the last week. I found out it was super great for my stroke. I've been shooting off the end rail for 10+ years but shooting from across the rail diagonally has really helped me with my sighting and stroke.

Then when I am done shooting those and I play the ghost or straight pool it feels super, super easy.

I have also been force following balls as a scratch. Set up a straight in shot, shoot it with high ball, and follow it in. I've been shooting these at near break speed. I heard Tyler Styer did this to work on his stroke and wanted to try it. I've done these in the past at normal speed, but I went ahead and took it up to 18mph or so. Man, it feels good when you start waffling them in! And again, it does get you in stroke. I normally like to shoot with a soft touch and it can be uncomfortable when I have to whack a ball like a straight pool break shot, so this helps me get in touch with the higher speed range of my stroke. And it makes the rest of the medium firm shots feel softer. I like it!

Anyway, wanted to represent those of us that are working hard. I'd be up for a ghost challenge as well, you can play the 6 ball ghost and I'll play the 9 ball ghost. We can bet or not bet and just do it for fun. I don't care. I just like the game. Just let me know. Otherwise keep grinding and make it happen!

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ibuycues said:

Nine-ball ghost is tough duty.
I appreciate your efforts.

Will Prout

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Tin Man said:

Or the 10 ball ghost. I don't care. I'm feeling froggy.

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Black-Balled said:

A- you said 'waffling' them in at 18mph. I hope waffling means the same as 'rifling', up there at the edge!

2) Get froggy. You ever try 12b ghost? Rack 10b rack and place 2 extra balls in back row, between corner balls and their neighbors. There was a time when I'd beat that spook easier than the 10b one...without BIH after break. Seems way easier to make multiple balls on break. That can be our secret. You can bet on the 'harder' 12b phantom after you get the 10b cash.:wink:

Secondly: great point about practicing unorthodox bridging. A must have skill.

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Tin Man said:

That's pretty strong! Funny how it could be easier. Lot of inside knowledge in pool. It's similar to how they thought going to 10 ball would make the game tougher and then after SVB solved the break it started looking like a bad decision and now they are back to 9 ball.

I've never broke well enough to be able to make the game into a 7 ball routine layout or controlled the cue ball with enough consistency to beat the ghost without ball in hand. Maybe one set, but not in the long run. But I'm working on it. Lot of work but worth the effort. The break is paramount at the run out level.

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JolietJames said:

Rake,
Sorry to hear that one of our best players is on the IR.
We're all hoping for a speedy recovery.

I was reading one of your above posts and had to reply.
I recently began playing the 10b ghost on my GC. I agree completely that we need to practice the break. I rarely took the time to rack but rather would just throw balls up and run them, (when not doing drills). Now that I'm racking and breaking I am learning a lot about the spread, position of the 1 ball, CB control, etc. My B&R percentage is rising mostly due to this one element. Wise advice sir.

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