"99 Critical Shots in Pool" How many Mistakes

Bobkitty · Jan 17, 2019

Here is a book most of us have. I love the book and have learned most of the shots. How many mistakes are in the book? Shot number 42 will only work on a few spots on the table. Most of the time the cue ball comes up short.

gregcantrall · Jan 17, 2019

Prairie dog said:
Here is a book most of us have. How many mistakes are in the book? Here is one example: Shot Number 42, page 88. This does not work the way the book reads. Do you know of other mistakes?

I left the book at my other home: Could you describe the shot and the mistake?:thumbup:

Z-Nole · Jan 17, 2019

Prairie dog said:
Here is a book most of us have. I love the book and have learned most of the shots. How many mistakes are in the book? Here is one example: Shot Number 42, page 88. This does not work the way the book reads. Do you know of other mistakes?

I set it up and it worked brilliantly. It’s all in the stroke.

Swighey · Jan 17, 2019

Explanation, or description? Or maybe screenshot? Of Shot Number 42 page 88. Probably get more replies that way........

Bobkitty · Jan 17, 2019

Swighey said:
Explanation, or at description? Or maybe screenshot? Of Shot Number 42 page 88. Probably get more replies that way........

The cue ball and the next ball are kissing. If they are pointed at a diamond and you want the cue ball to hit another ball next to the pocket, you split the difference and hit the cue ball at the midway point. The cue ball is supposed to pocket the ball into the pocket. I've found there are only a few places where this works and maybe that is what Ray meant.

Icon of Sin · Jan 17, 2019

Prairie dog said:
The cue ball and the next ball are kissing. If they are pointed at a diamond and you want the cue ball to hit another ball next to the pocket, you split the difference and hit the cue ball at the midway point. The cue ball is supposed to pocket the ball into the pocket. I've found there are only a few places where this works and maybe that is what Ray meant.

More then likely that is what Ray meant. One of those things if you practice the shot enough you will know the situation when it arises.

Bob Jewett · Jan 17, 2019

Prairie dog said:
The cue ball and the next ball are kissing. If they are pointed at a diamond and you want the cue ball to hit another ball next to the pocket, you split the difference and hit the cue ball at the midway point. The cue ball is supposed to pocket the ball into the pocket. I've found there are only a few places where this works and maybe that is what Ray meant.

Shot 42 is almost a description of the "two times fuller" system. Here is the page from "99 Critical Shots":

Prarie Dog is correct. If you specify the distances like that, the shot will usually not work. The shot as described will work only if the cue ball/blocker point nearly straight at the correct cushion.

An example of where the shot goes wrong: Turn the pair in the diagram counterclockwise until they point at the top side pocket. The system for Shot 42 then says to shoot the cue ball at the diamond two diamonds from the side pocket and two diamonds from the target ball. That is completely broken.

For me the main problem with the book is the size of the balls -- like basketballs. I prefer to have diagrams drawn to scale. I think then they are much easier to understand. I'm disappointed that they were not redrawn for the 30th anniversary edition.

Bob Jewett · Jan 17, 2019

Icon of Sin said:
More then likely that is what Ray meant. One of those things if you practice the shot enough you will know the situation when it arises.

The two times fuller system works for all placements.

Bob Jewett · Jan 17, 2019

Z-Nole said:
I set it up and it worked brilliantly. It’s all in the stroke.

Try the change to the position I described.

bbb · Jan 17, 2019

EDIT AGAIN
DISREGARD THIS POST
ITS NOT ACCURATE
i dont have the book in the office but if this is the shot described it works for me
EDIT
this video explains where i was wrong
since the frozen balls are not perpendicular to the rail
patrick johnson i post diagrammed the correct way
the link below is bob jewett himself explaining the system
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...t&docid=608022068955319331&mid=2BEB7691A27037

Bobkitty · Jan 17, 2019

bbb said:
i dont have the book in the office but if this is the shot described it works for me
View attachment 510138

I just tried the shot you pictured. I miss the the nine ball by 1&1/2 diamonds.

Cornerman · Jan 17, 2019

Prairie dog said:
Here is a book most of us have. I love the book and have learned most of the shots. How many mistakes are in the book? Shot number 42 will only work on a few spots on the table. Most of the time the cue ball comes up short.

Page 13 - http://www.sfbilliards.com/articles/2002.pdf

As much as I like 99CS, the treatment on throw IMO has duped a lot of people. It just doesn't do it like diagrammed.

Freddie <~~~ duped, but unduped

Bob Jewett · Jan 17, 2019

bbb said:
i dont have the book in the office but if this is the shot described it works for me
...

Ray says to bisect a distance, not an angle. Your construction does not follow his instructions. You are using the "bisect the angle" system which also does not work very well for most positions.

ChrisinNC · Jan 17, 2019

Prairie dog said:
Here is a book most of us have. I love the book and have learned most of the shots. How many mistakes are in the book? Shot number 42 will only work on a few spots on the table. Most of the time the cue ball comes up short.

As I recall, a number of the last 30+ shots seem to me like marginal lower percentage shots that even a very strong player would be unlikely to risk shooting in a serious 14.1 match - certainly not unless the pockets were extremely forgiving. I see the concepts of how the shots are made, but I just don't think you'd see them used in a match, unless the player had no other options. An old friend of mine who lives in Raleigh and plays at Brass Tap and takes lessons from Ray, told me the story of how he came up with the title of the book, and why there were 99 shots, but I can't remember. Maybe Ray, if he reads this, can chime in and share that story with us.

lfigueroa · Jan 17, 2019

Back in the day there was scant info published on playing pool.

There are mistakes in Mosconi’s books and Hoppe’s book too.

Lou Figueroa

Bobkitty · Jan 17, 2019

lfigueroa said:
Back in the day there was scant info published on playing pool.

There are mistakes in Mosconi’s books and Hoppe’s book too.

Lou Figueroa

All of that is true. Mosconi and Hoppe are dead. Ray Martin is still alive and could do a updated version with smaller balls and some of the mistakes corrected. Up to him.

Patrick Johnson · Jan 17, 2019

Here's how I've always understood Bob Jewett's "two times fuller" method - works every time from every location (hit with some follow at medium speed).

pj
chgo

lfigueroa · Jan 17, 2019

Prairie dog said:
All of that is true. Mosconi and Hoppe are dead. Ray Martin is still alive and could do a updated version with smaller balls and some of the mistakes corrected. Up to him.

Since this issue bothers you enough to start a thread about his book perhaps you should just reach out and talk to him about that — he’s on here and goes by: ghostball.

Lou Figueroa

Bobkitty · Jan 17, 2019

lfigueroa said:
Since this issue bothers you enough to start a thread about his book perhaps you should just reach out and talk to him about that — he’s on here and goes by: ghostball.

Lou Figueroa

Threads are about pool. Pool books certainly qualify for a thread. Thought some might have noticed other mistakes in the book. Thought it might be interesting. Bob Jewett and PJ had nice links and I've learned something. Maybe someone else did also.

bbb · Jan 17, 2019

i corrected my original post
if the frozen balls were perpendicular to the rail it would have been correct
here is bob jewett explaining the two ball fuller system
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...t&docid=608022068955319331&mid=2BEB7691A27037

"99 Critical Shots in Pool" How many Mistakes

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