starting to practice straight pool, need help with combos

J

judochoke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i finally started practicing straight pool, and i really like playing it. im not doing a break shot yet, just trying to run a rack. i have found that the way im breaking the balls, i always end up with two ball combos near the short rail. of coarse i know how to line up a combo. you use the closest object ball near the cue ball as a ghost cue ball, then hit the cue ball on that spot to make the other object ball. but strange things happen, and i swear im lining up everything right. boom, both balls go squirting away from the pocket.

do you hit combos,(cue ball) hard, soft,medium, any english at all???

am i lining up everything right? sometimes i try 4 or 5 times to shoot the same short combo, and i keep missing.

any help is appreciated
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
judochoke said:
i finally started practicing straight pool, and i really like playing it. im not doing a break shot yet, just trying to run a rack. i have found that the way im breaking the balls, i always end up with two ball combos near the short rail. of coarse i know how to line up a combo. you use the closest object ball near the cue ball as a ghost cue ball, then hit the cue ball on that spot to make the other object ball. but strange things happen, and i swear im lining up everything right. boom, both balls go squirting away from the pocket.

do you hit combos,(cue ball) hard, soft,medium, any english at all???

am i lining up everything right? sometimes i try 4 or 5 times to shoot the same short combo, and i keep missing.

any help is appreciated
Click to expand...
Aim the first OB at the second OB as if the first OB is the CB. See the spot on the rail past the second OB that the first OB would hit if the second OB wasn’t there. Now aim the CB at the first OB as if to cut it toward that spot on the rail (ignoring the second OB). The more distant target for the first OB makes the cut more accurate.

pj
chgo
 
One Pocket John

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
judochoke said:
i finally started practicing straight pool, and i really like playing it. im not doing a break shot yet, just trying to run a rack. i have found that the way im breaking the balls, i always end up with two ball combos near the short rail. of coarse i know how to line up a combo. you use the closest object ball near the cue ball as a ghost cue ball, then hit the cue ball on that spot to make the other object ball. but strange things happen, and i swear im lining up everything right. boom, both balls go squirting away from the pocket.

do you hit combos,(cue ball) hard, soft,medium, any english at all???

am i lining up everything right? sometimes i try 4 or 5 times to shoot the same short combo, and i keep missing.

any help is appreciated
Click to expand...

Here ya go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Sr6CqYWio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmLxrwE8XW0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lPQjHPJAcU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VByN9uKwCo

John :)
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
Patrick Johnson said:
Aim the first OB at the second OB as if the first OB is the CB. See the spot on the rail past the second OB that the first OB would hit if the second OB wasn’t there. Now aim the CB at the first OB as if to cut it toward that spot on the rail (ignoring the second OB). The more distant target for the first OB makes the cut more accurate.
Click to expand...
A couple more reasons this works:
- gives a specific/visible target for the first OB cut
- makes it possible to aim the cut angles one at a time

pj
chgo
 
S

sparkle84

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pat, in Post #2 gave you the most common and probably the best solution. However, there are other things to consider. All combinations aren't created equal. How the balls lie will often determine the best way of attacking the shot.
Your best solution to learning would be to find an experienced 14.1 player who can point out the different types of combos and ways to make them.
The videos recommended are worth watching but 2 have nothing to do with combinations and the others, while accurate, may not get you where you need to go.
 
BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
The 99 book is awesome, there are only a few errors, so ask her as you read it...

...It's helpful to plan to hit the first ball in the combo with skid/no spin. Setup some combos for practice and gauge how close you need the cb to the obs to make them regularly.
 
measureman

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have found that standing more upright helps to see the combo better.
Looking more down on it lets you see the contact spot better.
 
S

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There's no such thing as soft, medium and hard. Those are arbitrary terms that only have meaning to the individual shooter (ie: Your 'hard' or 'soft' are not the same as my 'hard' or 'soft'). This is why we teach speed as a numerical concept (1 is a lag...10 is a break). That way a 3-speed stroke (1 is a lag) is the same for everyone, no matter who is shooting it. Combinations should be played at the slowest speed that will pocket the OB...unless more is needed to gain position on the next shot. Don't use sidespin, as that will make the shot much more difficult.

Scott Lee
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

judochoke said:
i finally started practicing straight pool, and i really like playing it. im not doing a break shot yet, just trying to run a rack. i have found that the way im breaking the balls, i always end up with two ball combos near the short rail. of coarse i know how to line up a combo. you use the closest object ball near the cue ball as a ghost cue ball, then hit the cue ball on that spot to make the other object ball. but strange things happen, and i swear im lining up everything right. boom, both balls go squirting away from the pocket.

do you hit combos,(cue ball) hard, soft,medium, any english at all???

am i lining up everything right? sometimes i try 4 or 5 times to shoot the same short combo, and i keep missing.

any help is appreciated
Click to expand...
 
S

sparkle84

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Once again, find someone who knows what the hell they're doing, to help you out.
Some of the stuff being thrown out here is of little help. Particularly the statements regarding speed and especially about not using english (sidespin). There are many combos where using english is of great value.
 
BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
Patrick Johnson said:
Assuming "with skid" means a sliding CB, that maximizes throw. I'd suggest a rolling CB to minimize throw.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

I'm okay with that statement with a qualification. Learning to throw cuts in is important. Also, skid or slide helps as a reference for calculating the path of the first ob in the combo. "Never hit a combo/cluster unless you know where all the balls will go."
 
BilliardsAbout

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
Patrick Johnson said:
“Calculating the path” of the OB is necessary for every shot. Are you recommending sliding CB / maximum throw for every shot?

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Calculating the path of all balls set in motion, including the cb, is necessary. For someone working on a complex shot (combos) I'd recommend placing all three balls relatively close to each other and a nearby pocket for practice, starting with skid to eliminate other (non-throw) variables, and working from there--progressive practice. Learning to throw the balls in a combination would provide most amateurs with great feel, demanding the touch and timing needed to improve.

Your question seems bizarre since we recently argued about how to (sometimes) apply english, not skid, to cut shots.
 
Bob Jewett

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
BilliardsAbout said:
... starting with skid to eliminate other (non-throw) variables, ...
Click to expand...
Most people do not call that skid. For most US speakers, skid means a bad contact with very large friction between the balls. Such a bad contact is also called cling, kick (at snooker), and bad or heavy contact.

Stun is a much better term to use to describe a cue ball that arrives for a cut shot without follow or draw.
 
S

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
sparkle84...Excuse me? I know what I'm talking about. Until someone learns through trial and error (after having created an accurate & repeatable stroke), how to calculate and execute minor, close together combos, it will not help to use sidespin. Also, until you learn how to play shots with a softer speed stroke, you won't have better success with shooting harder. Once someone becomes an accomplished player (like you must be) they can discern combination opportunities for themselves where sidespin MAY play a role. Generally speaking, sidespin is used to control the path of the CB, when normal top or bottom won't work.

Scott Lee
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

sparkle84 said:
Once again, find someone who knows what the hell they're doing, to help you out.
Some of the stuff being thrown out here is of little help. Particularly the statements regarding speed and especially about not using english (sidespin). There are many combos where using english is of great value.
Click to expand...
 
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