Capelle: Pattern 39: Assessing the Line Up by Min-Wai Chin

[dmgwalsh]

In an attempt to generate a discussion on straight pool and closing patterns, I will post these situations from Mr. Capelle's book. The discussion will hopefully help new people become familiar with closing patterns and might help more experienced players learn how to concentrate on what they are doing while at the table. This is the second one posted.

I will begin this thread with words from the author again.


"It would be great for 14.1 forum members to discuss the patterns as this should strengthen your ability to close well – along with practice, of course! I can see questions and opinions developing on the pros and cons of the pros’ patterns – what they did right, what they could have improved upon, what pattern is better for you and why, and so much more. I also expect that you will learn much from discussing my analysis and lessons – what works for you, what you question, and ideas for further developing key concepts.

I am not worried about too much content being given away because I see the most meaningful participation coming from those who have bought the book. That doesn’t mean others can’t benefit from the discussion, but it would help them if they owned their own copies of the material – like a student owning a textbook for a class. For starters, I have posted eight complete patterns on my web site at

http://billiardspress.com/breakshotpatterns.html


I wish that everyone on the AZB 14.1 forum has a great time discussing the close, and that your games improve as a result."

Phil Capelle



So here is the third free pattern on his site. (We are skipping the second for now, because the video link needs to be repaired)

I set it up and was able to execute it. After a fashion, anyway.


The 10 and 9 look like they could be good break shots for a right hander, but I get what Phil means. The 9(or 10), 3, 8 combination is one we have seen a lot before and it is a nice way to end the rack.

On the first shot, you need to come up enough and over just enough, so you have the shot on the 10 with an angle so the cue goes out to the rail and back. If you do not come up enough, you may be too close to the ten and too thin on it. If you end up straight in on the 10, you can still salvage position by drawing straight back, but you do not want to go too far across and get the wrong angle on the 10.

On the last shot, depending on your exact angle you can go to the rail and out, draw up, or if you are bad on it, you can go two rails out of either corner, one rail off the bottom corner, or stick in the rack.

Try it and let me know what you think about it. Look at the video example and how easily Min-Wai Chin executes it.

 

[LApoolbum]

The trajectory of the cue ball off the key ball plays into the position zone of the break ball so well in this sequence.

 

[Demondrew]

I had some real problems with this pattern. Drawing out to just the right angle to come off the rail just the right distance was tough for me (about 40%). Here I shoot it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz3KWuuMJMk&feature=player_detailpage

I did much better with the following two patterns:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5AU2e3RYC0&feature=player_detailpage These were about 90% for me. And my recovery routes on these were easier if I went too far.

I will keep these in mind.

I love being made to challenge my initial thoughts on a pattern.

Andy

 

[stevekur1]

This is a perfectly executed out pattern. and i believe that he recognised the breakshot early enough to see that he had the ideal lefty breakshot. although where he left the CB it would be desirable for either righty or lefty.

the way that Wai attacked these final balls was with the least risk in my opinion, and i just love that little swoop shot on the KB to the BB.

Just another little pattern I'll have to practice and add to my arsenal !

-Steve

 

[Cue4fun]

Phil Capelle's new book on "Break Shot Patterns."

Next to Ray Martin's "99 Critical Shots in Pool", this new book by Phil Capelle on how to play the last few balls to fall on the break shot in the game of straight pool is now my favorite self-help book on pool. I say this for several reasons.

(1) Firstly, the spiral-bound format makes practicing with the book very convenient and avoids the cumbersome task of trying to practice with a book that won't stay "open."

(2) The diagrams are easy on the eyes with a very readable font size and the location of each ball in the book diagrams make it simple to duplicate a similar layout on my playing table.

(3) Each subsequent shot diagram clearly shows how the last few balls are played from "ball-to-ball." The written descriptions are described in just the right amount of detail, but the diagrams are so good that I find I can practice by merely examining each diagram layout without even reading the text which is also helpful.

(4) This book really unlocks the secret of how to "read the table" and string racks together by teaching the importance of saving at least one or more "key-balls to the break ball." For example, after awhile of practicing the first 30+ patterns for "side of the rack break balls", one begins to observe the "same-arrangement" of key-balls that keep coming up over and over and over again. Of course, the layout of the "key-balls" are never exactly the same, but they almost always emulate each other and look the same with those 2 balls next to the racking area. Merely understanding the idea of playing the balls of a frame down to these 2 or 3 remaining balls can get you into the next rack.

(5) An unanticipated benefit of this book is that it is revealing numerous shots that I thought were easy,...but aren't. For example, using inside english with just the right amount of speed to make 2 rail patterns to the break ball, long straight-in shots, learning speed control, the finesse of simple short "stop shots" that stop the cue-ball abruptly without movement even a hair to the left or right, etc, etc. Like they say ...."straight pool is a game of inches." Just a hair off can change the angle and kill a pattern.

(6) I like the "alternative patterns." Frequently, these alternative patterns turn out to be a higher playing percentage for me.

(7) The DVD is incredible. Those last 4 or 5 balls are the most important balls in straight pool. These patterns come from over 100+ videos. The DVD alone is an incredible tool.

(8) Finally, the cost of this book plus the DVD can't be beat. I would have easily paid over $100 for the bargain price that this set costs.

(9) And lastly, the results. I ran a high run for myself of 56 balls and had a break shot to get into 60 but dogged an easy break-shot because I knew I was in unchartered waters. But the real difference now is that I "understand" much better what I'm doing. I now have a road-map to those last 2 or 3 balls that I save for last. I'm playing each frame with a lot more control and less travel. I'm now getting to the next break shot. I don't always make the break shot or get another shot after I open the rack, ...but I'm running the racks with much less movement of the cue ball and now I can see "where I'm going" and which balls I'm trying to fall on to get into the next rack.

I'm having a lot of fun with this book!!

 

[dmgwalsh]

Next to Ray Martin's "99 Critical Shots in Pool", this new book by Phil Capelle on how to play the last few balls to fall on the break shot in the game of straight pool is now my favorite self-help book on pool. I say this for several reasons.

(1) Firstly, the spiral-bound format makes practicing with the book very convenient and avoids the cumbersome task of trying to practice with a book that won't stay "open."

(2) The diagrams are easy on the eyes with a very readable font size and the location of each ball in the book diagrams make it simple to duplicate a similar layout on my playing table.

(3) Each subsequent shot diagram clearly shows how the last few balls are played from "ball-to-ball." The written descriptions are described in just the right amount of detail, but the diagrams are so good that I find I can practice by merely examining each diagram layout without even reading the text which is also helpful.

(4) This book really unlocks the secret of how to "read the table" and string racks together by teaching the importance of saving at least one or more "key-balls to the break ball." For example, after awhile of practicing the first 30+ patterns for "side of the rack break balls", one begins to observe the "same-arrangement" of key-balls that keep coming up over and over and over again. Of course, the layout of the "key-balls" are never exactly the same, but they almost always emulate each other and look the same with those 2 balls next to the racking area. Merely understanding the idea of playing the balls of a frame down to these 2 or 3 remaining balls can get you into the next rack.

(5) An unanticipated benefit of this book is that it is revealing numerous shots that I thought were easy,...but aren't. For example, using inside english with just the right amount of speed to make 2 rail patterns to the break ball, long straight-in shots, learning speed control, the finesse of simple short "stop shots" that stop the cue-ball abruptly without movement even a hair to the left or right, etc, etc. Like they say ...."straight pool is a game of inches." Just a hair off can change the angle and kill a pattern.

(6) I like the "alternative patterns." Frequently, these alternative patterns turn out to be a higher playing percentage for me.

(7) The DVD is incredible. Those last 4 or 5 balls are the most important balls in straight pool. These patterns come from over 100+ videos. The DVD alone is an incredible tool.

(8) Finally, the cost of this book plus the DVD can't be beat. I would have easily paid over $100 for the bargain price that this set costs.

(9) And lastly, the results. I ran a high run for myself of 56 balls and had a break shot to get into 60 but dogged an easy break-shot because I knew I was in unchartered waters. But the real difference now is that I "understand" much better what I'm doing. I now have a road-map to those last 2 or 3 balls that I save for last. I'm playing each frame with a lot more control and less travel. I'm now getting to the next break shot. I don't always make the break shot or get another shot after I open the rack, ...but I'm running the racks with much less movement of the cue ball and now I can see "where I'm going" and which balls I'm trying to fall on to get into the next rack.

I'm having a lot of fun with this book!!

Wow! Tell us how you really feel. :grin:

Sounds like you have reaped some benefits already. Good for you.

I had some real problems with this pattern. Drawing out to just the right angle to come off the rail just the right distance was tough for me (about 40%). Here I shoot it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz3KWuuMJMk&feature=player_detailpage

I did much better with the following two patterns:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5AU2e3RYC0&feature=player_detailpage These were about 90% for me. And my recovery routes on these were easier if I went too far.

I will keep these in mind.

I love being made to challenge my initial thoughts on a pattern.

Andy

As far as this particular ending pattern goes, I tried again this weekend and my cue ball control is not good enough to play it as Chin did. I would usually get out somehow but not necessarily in the order as given. Andy ended a few different ways on it in his demonstration. With balls like these left over, there are many ways to get out and that is a good thing for me.

 

[acousticsguru]

I had some real problems with this pattern. Drawing out to just the right angle to come off the rail just the right distance was tough for me (about 40%). Here I shoot it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz3KWuuMJMk&feature=player_detailpage

I did much better with the following two patterns:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5AU2e3RYC0&feature=player_detailpage These were about 90% for me. And my recovery routes on these were easier if I went too far.

I will keep these in mind.

I love being made to challenge my initial thoughts on a pattern.

Andy

A perfectly executed pattern indeed, although when the key ball's tangent line allows for rolling the cue ball past the break ball to the side rail and out (with or without outside english, depending on the exact angle) for a perpendicular break shot position, it would be what I tend to prefer doing on modern cloth instead of stunning the cue ball over - the reason can be seen in Andy's first video (no criticism, just an observation!): there is a tendency of leaving oneself a flat angle for fear of drifting forward, that is across an ideal break zone (on e.g. new Simonis, stun shot angle and distance is much harder to control than rolling at a more severe angle - astonishing that so many pro players do it all the same, and with great results).

Merry Christmas!

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

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