Adjusting to the conditions

DoomCue

DoomCue

David J. Baranski
Silver Member
There's a good article posted on BD's site: http://www.billiardsdigest.com/current_issue/may_07/20_min.pdf concerning tips and tricks to help adjust to the way a table plays. Some of them, like the corner 5 shot, lag, and shooting straight-in shots, I already do. Some of them make sense, and I may add them to my routine.

What do you do to adjust to conditions, table or otherwise?

-djb
 
Yeah, good points David. You know, a lot of times, I will jump onto a table cold to "play." This table is being played on and more familiar to my opponent. It's just like driving two hours from home and jumping on another man's favorite table. Adjustment is crucial. I always roll a ball down the rail and draw a couple of balls, play at least a two rail bank, and lag on both sides of the table. The cue ball is also a large part. Red circle, blue toronado, measle, red dot, mudball, etc. The better player will adjust. That's why I'm a huge advocate of playing "under pressure" whether gambling or tournament, in different surroundings. Those guys that play every day on the same table move to a Valley barbox with the mudball, watch their faces. Cloth speed, rails, I say, "Play on'em all." This will give you an advantage when playing away from your domain.
 
Recently, I started playing at a different place and my game was not the same, not that it was much to begin with, but just not normal for me.

Where I normally play has gold crown tables, with green felt and tube flouresent lights. The new place has Olhausen tables with red felt and the lights are four bulb type fixtures. Also the space between tables is different. The new place, the tables are closer.

Thats is a big difference in equipment. It took a bit to realize what was going on. Like the light reflection on the balls are different, the shadows from the balls are different, looking at red felt is different. The tables being closer, I couldn't step back as much when sighting a shot.

It was all different, but thats is a good thing.

I figured out the only way to adjust, is to play on both types of equipment.
 
When I practice the lag on a different table I like to try it with different amounts of draw. This helps me guage how much draw gets dissipated as it slithers over the felt while also helping me know how much draw I am hitting with at a fairly consistent speed. I will also use a striped ball so that I can watch and see when the draw is dissipated by the friction and if my stroke is straight.
 
Another table condition I like to check is the tightness of the pocket. There are certain shots that you can slam on a bucket Gandy that you better think twice about on a Diamond with pro-cut pockets. I also like to test a cheater down the rail - some tables, you can hit the rail a diamond or more away from the pocket at pocket speed and the OB will still drop. On others, you'd be lucky to jaw it.

-djb <-- thinks tight tables change the way the game can be played
 
I read all of the tips and something caught my line of thinking that I remembered something like when I shot firearms years ago, can anyone tell me when to shoot the shot in pool. Do you shoot with breath exhaled or while holding your breath to gain more accuracy, I'm can't remember if I ever noticed which way I do it or if I do the same every time. But I shoot alot and it dosen't bother me just wandering if one way helps like with a rifle.--Leonard

Do you mean tight pocket Diamonds like my avatar?
 
poolcuemaster said:
I read all of the tips and something caught my line of thinking that I remembered something like when I shot firearms years ago, can anyone tell me when to shoot the shot in pool. Do you shoot with breath exhaled or while holding your breath to gain more accuracy, I'm can't remember if I ever noticed which way I do it or if I do the same every time. But I shoot alot and it dosen't bother me just wandering if one way helps like with a rifle.--Leonard

Do you mean tight pocket Diamonds like my avatar?
Click to expand...
Asking that question is an old hustler's trick (the one about breathing). The mark starts spending effort thinking about his breathing instead of shooting, and thus gets out of stroke. The lesson to be learned? Don't try to control something which should come naturally.

And for the record, most people hold their breath when stroking, and exhale during or after the follow-through....

I used to have a Diamond Pro, so that is what I meant. I have intimate experience with one. I sometimes wish I still had it.

-djb
 
One thing that I haven't seen mentioned is perhaps the most obvious--check to see if, where and how much the table rolls off. I wish that we never had to worry about this, but it's absolutely essential. When on questionable equipment, the knowledgeable player will choose routes that enable a firmer stroke to minimize this, but there will be times when you simply can't avoid lagging the length of the table, particularly on long distance safties, and of course rolling off will affect your position play. As such, I lag the ball to various points on the table to determine if and how much I will have to compensate in a slow roll situation.
 
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