Time to rethink jump cues again?

highkarate

highkarate

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The cries to ban jump cues have slowly faded away over the past few years, but after watching a few recent events I feel like it might be time to start the conversation again. As a spectator, I really feel like it cheapens the game and would much rather see a beautiful safety shot have to be met with an equally beautiful escape. Yeah sure, jumping is a skill, but it takes nowhere near the amount of knowledge or precision that a return kick safe/make requires. If people had to kick out of safeties, I feel like of greater benefit to the more skilled player, which is what people in general want to see in the game anyway. It's why we play longer races, it's why we call shots in 10-ball, it's why we're spotting early money balls, etc. so why not just do away with jump cues. It just feels like there's so much more integrity in a nice kick shot, and when I see a player jump out of a hard to execute safety, I feel a little cheated as a fan.
 
D

DecentShot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
highkarate said:
The cries to ban jump cues have slowly faded away over the past few years, but after watching a few recent events I feel like it might be time to start the conversation again. As a spectator, I really feel like it cheapens the game and would much rather see a beautiful safety shot have to be met with an equally beautiful escape. Yeah sure, jumping is a skill, but it takes nowhere near the amount of knowledge or precision that a return kick safe/make requires. If people had to kick out of safeties, I feel like of greater benefit to the more skilled player, which is what people in general want to see in the game anyway. It's why we play longer races, it's why we call shots in 10-ball, it's why we're spotting early money balls, etc. so why not just do away with jump cues. It just feels like there's so much more integrity in a nice kick shot, and when I see a player jump out of a hard to execute safety, I feel a little cheated as a fan.
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Maybe its a l.a. thing but I agree with you. I don't complain about Jump-Cues, because then I would have to think about jump-cues. I prefer to pretend they don't exist.
 
jimmyco

jimmyco

NRA4Life
Silver Member
DecentShot said:
The ubiquity of jump cues doesn't make them any less silly.
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Now there is a word you don't see being tossed about very often.


<<<<< never used a jump cue, but does not claim to possess more integrity than those that choose to.
 
Cadillac J

Cadillac J

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've never purchased a jump cue specifically, but I did get a 4-piece Pure-X break/jump cue in order to cover any future needs for both...was also gifted an Air Hog with some other Lucasi cue purchase.

Jumping is not something I allow nor practice on my home table (ever since the new rubber rails and Simonis 860 HRcloth was installed earlier this year); hell, for performing regular rack breaks, I make sure the cue ball is sitting on a little square of extra Simonis 860HR cloth that was left over from the cover...otherwise I'm sure I would have damaged the newer felt by putting divots, burn marks, etc. in multiple areas.

Bottom line is that I believe jump cues go against the very principle of billiard games in the first place.
 
Johnny Rosato

Johnny Rosato

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jimmyco said:
Now there is a word you don't see being tossed about very often.


<<<<< never used a jump cue, but does not claim to possess more integrity than those that choose to.
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That's a new word to me and I'm 65 years old. I'm gonna write it in my notes and learn how to spell it, pronounce it, and use it in a sentence. I'm on a mission! ~UBIQUITY~
 
JolietJames

JolietJames

Boot Party Coordinator
Silver Member
I think they should be like aluminum bats. Amateurs can use them but the pros cannot. jmho
 
Joe_Jaguar

Joe_Jaguar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
highkarate said:
The cries to ban jump cues have slowly faded away over the past few years, but after watching a few recent events I feel like it might be time to start the conversation again. As a spectator, I really feel like it cheapens the game and would much rather see a beautiful safety shot have to be met with an equally beautiful escape. Yeah sure, jumping is a skill, but it takes nowhere near the amount of knowledge or precision that a return kick safe/make requires. If people had to kick out of safeties, I feel like of greater benefit to the more skilled player, which is what people in general want to see in the game anyway. It's why we play longer races, it's why we call shots in 10-ball, it's why we're spotting early money balls, etc. so why not just do away with jump cues. It just feels like there's so much more integrity in a nice kick shot, and when I see a player jump out of a hard to execute safety, I feel a little cheated as a fan.
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How 'bout doing away with cue extensions so we can see some beautiful bridge play? :rolleyes:
 
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JazzyJeff87

JazzyJeff87

AzB Plutonium Member
Silver Member
Joe_Jaguar said:
How 'bout doing away with cue extensions so we can some beautiful bridge play? :rolleyes:
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Whoa take it easy there Danny D!

I don’t really know how I feel about banning jump cues. It does seem like pool should be strictly on the vertical plane for some reason, but I personally like jumping balls. I guess I feel like it should be all or nothing. Either no intentional jumping period, or jump with whatever you like. But then what about skipping over 1/16th of the ball? Who knows.

But I feel very strongly that you should be able to play with whatever length cue you want, as far as extensions/long cues go. Wtf wants to use some dead, inanimate object to rest your cue on? We could ban bridges I guess
 
conetip

conetip

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How about banning break cues while your at it as well. So the one playing cue is all you are allowed to play with for both the break the play , the jump, and Masse shots.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
I hate jump cues, but I still see that there is a compromise available.

The compromise would be to allow the use of a jump cue on the first shot of an inning but not subsequently. That means that if you come to the table snookered, you can jump, but if you hook yourself you may not use a jump cue.

This would eliminate what I see as the biggest problem presented by the jump cue, which is reducing the penalty for position poorly played.
 
BeiberLvr

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
sjm said:
I hate jump cues, but I still see that there is a compromise available.

The compromise would be to allow the use of a jump cue on the first shot of an inning but not subsequently. That means that if you come to the table snookered, you can jump, but if you hook yourself you may not use a jump cue.

This would eliminate what I see as the biggest problem presented by the jump cue, which is reducing the penalty for position poorly played.
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I like it, but it still doesn't do anything for the player that played the safety.

What would have once been considered a strong safety is now a piece of cake when the incoming player has their jump cue.

You are seeing more and more escapes from safeties. Not because the players are more skilled at getting out of them, but because of the equipment they are using.
 
AF pool guy

AF pool guy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How about a simple rule that when you get out of your chair you can bring any legal cue to the table you have but you have to use that cue until your turn ends?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
BeiberLvr said:
I like it, but it still doesn't do anything for the player that played the safety.

What would have once been considered a strong safety is now a piece of cake when the incoming player has their jump cue.

You are seeing more and more escapes from safeties. Not because the players are more skilled at getting out of them, but because of the equipment they are using.
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Very well said, and I agree that disallowing jump cues works best for me, but I've offered a middle ground, ensuring the full penalty for position poorly played but, just as you have observed, sometimes devaluing some good safety play.
 
A

AkGuy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Aluminum bats...

What's wrong with my aluminum bats? Am I the only one that keeps one in their truck?

Never know when you may need to check a tire.
 
P

PoolPlayer4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
BeiberLvr said:
I like it, but it still doesn't do anything for the player that played the safety.

What would have once been considered a strong safety is now a piece of cake when the incoming player has their jump cue.

You are seeing more and more escapes from safeties. Not because the players are more skilled at getting out of them, but because of the equipment they are using.
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Wouldn't that then mean jump cues force players to refine and improve their safety game? Improving safety play seems good for the game.

Would you take more pride in a lock-down safety that no one could jump or kick out of or one that happened to benefit from a cluster layout that was easy to take advantage of but just happened to be hard to kick around?
 
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