40 Ball Run from Yesterday

center pocket

center pocket

It's just a hobby, but a fun one.
Silver Member
Thought I would share a descent run that I had last night. Still havent broken 50 but I feel confident I will soon.

http://www.vimeo.com/27816320

Please provide me with any input you have, I am definitely trying to get better. Watching the videos is helping me notice things that I am over looking. Like at 12:30 I think i should have shot the 11 on the foot spot instead of the 2 ball. That last rack might have gone differently if I had.
 
40 Ball Run

I enjoyed watching your video. Those low break balls are killers. Keep away from them.
Congrats on the 40. Keep working that 50 is coming.
 
good little run! Last break position appeared ok to me,believe you can set it back up and DRAW into the corner ball.Remember easy smooth draw and
you stay on the tangent line before you draw back.You appear to hit it with a little pop.
Just my 2 cents. Jack
 
Nice first video!

center pocket said:
Thought I would share a descent run that I had last night. Still havent broken 50 but I feel confident I will soon.

http://www.vimeo.com/27816320

Please provide me with any input you have, I am definitely trying to get better. Watching the videos is helping me notice things that I am over looking. Like at 12:30 I think i should have shot the 11 on the foot spot instead of the 2 ball. That last rack might have gone differently if I had.
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center pocket:

Like Mike (hey, wasn't that a commercial? :D ), I enjoyed watching this. Here are the reasons why:

1. Your very consistent pre-shot routine (PSR). It goes like this: "<scratch-scratch>... <clack!>... phooooooooooo...." (Sound of two lightning-fast swipes of the chalk, followed by a dramatic placement of the chalk on the rail, followed by an exaggerated exhalation.) Or, "<scratch-scratch>... <clack!>... <sniff-sniff>" (Sound of two lightning-fast swipes of the chalk, followed by dramatic placement of the chalk on the rail, followed by you clearing your nose with two quick inhalations.) Your PSR could be used as the soundtrack for a commercial for a high-performance car -- your "phooooooo!" being the closing picture of you holding the steering wheel after you came to a complete stop in that performance car. :D

2. There must've been a funny TV show in the background. At approximately the 1-minute mark, I heard a lady quick-giggling twice during the first rack, when approximately 9 balls were on the table. The funny thing is, her laugh resembles your PSR... "ha-ha!" <scratch-scratch> "ha-ha!" :D

3. You favor the pro-side of the corner pockets / you're not afraid to "cut the ball." That is, when you cut a ball into the corner pocket, you seem to favor the far side of the corner pocket (the side farthest from the near-side rail). This shows COMMITMENT to the shot. You don't try to cheat the pocket by "one-railing" the object ball into the pocket -- i.e. having the object ball glance off the rail on its way to the corner pocket. With this kind of commitment, you'll have no problem with a table that has tough pockets with either a "pro cut" or deep shelf. (Those that "cheat" the pocket by having the object ball glance the near-side rail on its way into the pocket will find they hang a lot of balls up.)

4. Your solid fundamentals. I like your stroke, how you commit to the shot, and your shot routine itself. The only thing I'd recommend, is to stay down -- you have an occasional habit of lifting your head to "watch the results" the instant the cue ball has left your cue tip.

5. You use a Delta rack, on a Diamond table. What a winning combination! The only thing I'd recommend, is that you purchase some noise suppressors for that Delta rack, especially if you plan to publish more videos (which I'd recommend -- I really enjoyed yours!). Honest, that Delta-13's clanging is loud in the video. When you were racking, I was often finding myself singing the Lee Dorsey song, "Working in the Coal Mine..." :D There are two vendors that offer the noise suppressors: Executive Billiards themselves, and a third-party. In fact, if you click on the link for that third-party, you'll view a video that shows just how dramatic the difference in sound those leather inserts provide. You won't believe it.

6. Your vocal telestrating. This is really revealing as far as what you're thinking during shot selection. Cool stuff!

7. Low break shots -- stay away from them, as Mike mentioned. In fact, it were this that ended Efren's prospective 150-and-out against Dallas West in the 2000 14.1 Championships -- a low break shot, that missed the rack completely, when he was at 140. Otherwise, you have the makings for some really nice runs!

Great job, and looking forward to more!
-Sean
 
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Good run, thanks for posting. Looked like you might have been able to use high left on that last shot and caught the corner ball but I can't do much better than 40 so I hesitate to give advice.
 
Here's my 2 cents. I should say the video keeps locking up at 2:59 so I only saw your first rack. But, it's too late to watch the whole thing right now anyway.

At 1:25 you have an open table and you shoot a striped ball into the lower left pocket. IMO that was not the best shot (better players please tell me if I'm wrong). If you had played the 7 ball softly with a little low left, you could have brought the cue ball back in line with that same ball you just shot for a shot in the side instead. Then you'd be in close proximity to the other stripe at the top, and then the one at the lower left side. In each of these shots, you should be able to position the cb pretty close to the ob so that most of your cb movement is happening as a result of your position play, NOT because you have to go 4 feet to hit the object ball, if that makes sense. If you then continue on to the 8 ball and drift up for the others, you'll be in great shape.

Review the next 5 shots from 1:25 on and look at how much your cue ball is traveling. It isn't 9 ball. If you recognize that 7 ball shot first, and then the stripe in the side, your cb movement is far less, and your cb-ob distances will be much less as well (you bobbled that longish shot on the stripe in the top left pocket because you had to reach around that solid 3 or 4 ball).

Thanks for posting. I'd like to do one myself one of these days.
 
Just started watching and your shotmaking is what saves you. You shoot the wrong balls.

To start, you had an easy shot in the side, but you shoot a combination on balls that were separated, and the striped ball goes near the rail.

The next shot I would have taken off the ball near the left side pocket, stop the cue, playing for the striped ball on the lower left near the rail.

But, you take off the nine with draw, then the side pocket shot, but you bounce off the rail to the center of the table. I would have stopped the cue ball, playing for the ball on the rail.

The ball in the far corner looks like the easiest, so you shoot that with a nice touch, but you should have shot the seven next, playing to get straight in the side on the ball just north of the side pocket, stop, then take the fourteen in the upper left corner.

Instead, you play a shot that can be missed into the lower left corner, then take the seven. Should have taken the fourteen first.

My high run is only 33, so I could be wrong.

The rest of the rack was good shooting. I'll watch and kibitz later.
 
Nice run center-pocket. Sometimes you tend to "stand up" in your stroke before you executed it properly. Give your "front-foot" a bit more weight (some inches forwards is enough)-this will usualy also force you to give a bit more wight on your bridge-hand!

keep shootin- looks good.

lg
Ingo
 
I am going to try and reply to everyone in one post.

Mike- Thanks for the comments, I definitely learned my lesson about the low break balls. I ran a 45 this morning so I know 50 is around the corner.

Alpha Dog- Yeah I tend to pop some times but I can stroke smoothly and let that tip really grab the ball. I didnt draw because I honestly thought I was going to clip the end ball.

Sean- Thanks for the compliments on the PSR and my shot making. I have worked hard on both in the past and you need them both to play good on tough tables, as you mentioned. Some of your comments made me laugh pretty hard. I will consider the silencers for your sake!:D I tend to get lazy sometimes and pop up while shooting, in doing so my confidence goes down on the shot and a viscous cycle begins.

alstl- I would have done what you described if I thought I was going to miss the rack like I did. In hindsight I will definitely play those low break shots that away for now on.

Dan White- I reviewed what I did at 1:25 and after and I really dont agree with you and here is why. The first shot I played I felt like I already had position on it for the corner, why play position on a ball that you already have position on. Next I felt the 7 ball made a good connecting ball to the stripe by the right side pocket. That stripe was in a bad spot and I felt the 7 let me get on it easily. I now understand what your getting at and your pattern. You would have played the stripe by the right side pocket as the key ball? I dont like that when you have the stripe on the left side, the 8 and the 3 all connecting for pretty much a stop shot pattern with very little cue ball movement to get on the break ball. I did all my big cueball movement before I got to the final three balls, I think If I would have ran them your way I would have done more cue ball movement on the final 3 balls, especially to and from the key ball. I think on average your runout from 1:25 and on would have less cue ball movement. I think my way had less cue ball movement on the last 3 balls then your way, in my mind that is more important but I do play alot of Nine ball!:D

Johnny P- Please put a time stamp on where you want me start watching. I agree with what you say about my first few shots. Shooting the combo was half hazardly but I felt like it was easy and I didnt have a connector ball to those two balls for the lower left corner. I was saving that ball on the side rail because I felt it was a great connector for the last two balls, the 8 and 3. Its funny you and Dan both say I should have shot the 7 than the shot the stripe in the side. Please tell me what your last 3 balls would have been? Like I told Dan i think 7 connected to the stripe on the right side very well.

(side note here: I kinda feel like a Jack A$$ because I ask for advice but I tend to disagree with Johnny P and Dan Whites end pattern, they both agree I played the 7 and the stripe before it wrong. I feel the 7 connects to the stripe on the right side.)

To both Johnny and Dan, I agree that I am moving the cue ball too much and it does get me in trouble.

Ratta- Thanks for the comments I will work on not popping up and staying committed to the shot.

I ran a 45 this morning and if I dont beat it in a few days I will post it up for every one to see. I honestly believe I will break 50 very soon.
 
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Nice run. I just downloaded it, put it on my iphone and watched while I was at Bally's.

You obliterated the racks very well on both breaks.

I was a little surprised you shot that one combo right after the first break.

Those two balls on the left side just below the side pocket gave you a good opportunity for a break shot at the end of the last rack. Depending upon where you ended up with two to go, you could have shot either of the two in the bottom left for a break, or a nice side pocket break. Should have looked closer at the 14 before you went "all in" on it.

Nice runs. 45 today. Heck, you will be in the 50s and more in no time. :thumbup:
 
Dennis,

Yeah that combo was a bit reckless in the second rack. Definitely should have shot the stripe on the right side rail first.

I never thought about those two balls being break balls till you mentioned it. I agree that I could have been used to break up the stack. I think I didnt consider them because they werent traditional break balls. I will set both of them up and practice using them for break balls so that I dont over look that again.

Thanks Dennis, very helpful!
 
center pocket said:
Dennis,

Yeah that combo was a bit reckless in the second rack. Definitely should have shot the stripe on the right side rail first.

I never thought about those two balls being break balls till you mentioned it. I agree that I could have been used to break up the stack. I think I didnt consider them because they werent traditional break balls. I will set both of them up and practice using them for break balls so that I dont over look that again.

Thanks Dennis, very helpful!
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Because they were both there together, they were more useful. Otherwise a solo ball up there might have been harder to get on. Had you got somewhat straight in on the one nearest the rail, either a stop shot or very short follow would have given you a nice side pocket break.
 
So because it was easier to get on because of the Key ball, it was a better break shot. I understand what you are saying and I have been sacrificing break balls because other break balls are easier due to their linking key ball. I just didnt think of those as a key ball and break ball.

Thanks again. So by themselves their not useful but the easy keyball made the two balls very useful.
 
There are some excellent accustats videos that can give you some ideas as well. Anything with DiLiberto commenting will be helpful, especially the finals with Stephan Cohen. Another good one is player review with Oliver Ortmann.
 
center pocket said:
Dan White- I reviewed what I did at 1:25 and after and I really dont agree with you and here is why. The first shot I played I felt like I already had position on it for the corner, why play position on a ball that you already have position on. Next I felt the 7 ball made a good connecting ball to the stripe by the right side pocket. That stripe was in a bad spot and I felt the 7 let me get on it easily. I now understand what your getting at and your pattern. You would have played the stripe by the right side pocket as the key ball? I dont like that when you have the stripe on the left side, the 8 and the 3 all connecting for pretty much a stop shot pattern with very little cue ball movement to get on the break ball. I did all my big cueball movement before I got to the final three balls, I think If I would have ran them your way I would have done more cue ball movement on the final 3 balls, especially to and from the key ball. I think on average your runout from 1:25 and on would have less cue ball movement. I think my way had less cue ball movement on the last 3 balls then your way, in my mind that is more important but I do play alot of Nine ball!:D
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I don't mind disagreement at all. I might learn something, too. Here's my reply. You say "why play position on a ball you already have position on." I have to disagree pretty strongly with this one. You didn't have position on it in the sense that this is a shot you would set up if you had ball in hand. That ball is miss-able. Let's say you could choose either the 7 ball or the one you shot, and I'm going to give you a million dollars if you can shoot the shot 100 times in a row. Which one are you going to choose? When you are in competition and a good opponent is putting some pressure on you, you need to find the simple shots to work with, and maneuver the cue ball rather than take lower percentage 9-ball type shots. In 9-ball you are a good player when you make difficult shots. In straight pool, you are a good player when you don't have any difficult shots. I'm in no way anti 9-ball, you just have to be aware that small differences in pocket percentage add up when you are shooting ball after ball after ball.

Now, you might recognize that that first shot at 1:25 isn't ideal, popping off the rail and all, but it might be an acceptable risk if it leads to a great ending sequence. I don't get the vibe, however, that that thinking was going through your mind. It seems your idea was that first shot was a gimme so you'd shoot it to open up the other striped ball next to it. I think the difference is important. You can still be a great shotmaker, but position play is more important than shotmaking.

You have a good point about the last couple of balls being in proximity to your break ball. This can also be tricky, too. After the 8 if you had rolled forward about another 1/4 inch, you would have been straight in for your breakshot.

After you shot the 7, you shot the stripe you didn't like on the rail. Then you shot the stripe in the top left corner. On the league tables I play at, that shot was a miss (the 3 was in the way of your bridge hand). You could have also tried the following, which again would have minimized long shots: Shoot 7 and then the ball on the rail. But, follow forward a little for a slight angle on the 3 in the left side (instead of stunning out across the table for the bobbled shot). After the 3 just float down to closer proximity for the stripe in the upper left corner. Use draw and some spin to come back for a shallow angle on the left rail stripe. Drift out maybe 6 inches for a shallow angle and an easy shot on the 8 in the bottom right corner. Stun the cue ball to the left for a large position zone for your break shot. In fact, you could have even left the first shot you took at 1:25, shot the 7 instead and run the rest of the rack as I mentioned above. By shooting the 3 in the side you surely would have been able to follow down to get those two balls next.

I don't mean to be overly critical. Sometimes the balls are all over the place and you just have to go get 'em. I've never seen you play before and I knew pretty quickly that you were a 9 ball player. You just gotta get your cue ball closer to your object ball. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it was said that the great Greenleaf rarely had a shot that was more than 12 inches from the object ball (or was it 8 inches?).

Regards!
 
Hey,


Nice shootin....At this point there is not much left to say about the run but nice shooting. you have a real good demeanor and work out your problems real well, like Mike said you talk out your problems well.

I did notice like was brought up by mike as well is that you rise up on shot. I did also know that you were collapsing your bridge early on a few shots.

While i was there i took a sneak peak at the 45, but i will leave that alone till there is a new thread about it.

Steve
 
Ratta said:
Nice run center-pocket. Sometimes you tend to "stand up" in your stroke before you executed it properly. Give your "front-foot" a bit more weight (some inches forwards is enough)-this will usualy also force you to give a bit more wight on your bridge-hand!

keep shootin- looks good.

lg
Ingo
Click to expand...

I can vouch for this advice from Ingo. Since he told me, I have been staying down better. When your weight is on your bridge hand, if you try to lift it, you will fall on your face.:D
 
Dan White - I have to agree with you. I need to play the patterns better so that I am shooting much easier shots and in order to do that I need to play better position and make smarter shot selections. Yeah in 9 ball I strive to be between 2-3 diamonds away from my object ball in doing so you are playing to the largest part of the position zone. I try to look for a stop shot pattern on the last 3-4 balls, or something really easy position wise, but I think I need to try and play the whole rack that way by making the correct shot selection. I definitely agree with your pattern in your last paragraph, I was so fixed on using the 3 as the key ball that I ended up popping of the rail and coming short, hence why the 3 was in the way of my bridge hand. Dan thanks for your help and working with me on helping me see that pattern differently. It has helped open my eyes a little.

Steve - I will start a thread today with my 45 ball run since you requested it. thanks for the compliments and staying down over the shot is just a matter of not being lazy.
 
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I recorded this last week, wasn't going to post it but here it is. 30+ balls which is about all I can do with this cataract. Music added by me.

http://vimeo.com/27842702

A couple obvious mistakes, the one that got me was taking the 15 up table too early in the final rack, it was a good insurance ball.
 
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