Combination Shots Help

highrun55

highrun55

can`t make a ball anymore
Silver Member
This is one shot that I have struggled with my whole life playing pool.
I know I should practice these until I get it, but I have zero patience in my old age of 60 to practice very long.

Are there any secrets to these that I just have never found.
Most all other shots have been discussed here, how about a pointer or two please.


thanks in advance

highrun55

mickey scott
 
Are you looking for recommendations from "Certified Instrctors" only or the general pool shooter as well.
 
pretend the first object ball is the cue ball and line up that ball into the second object ball and into the hole.mark a spot where you want to hit on the first object ball in your eye and go back to the cue ball and hit that spot.forget the 3rd ball is there and be sure to hit center ball.

also if you can't remember where to hit on the first object ball you can yours the tip of your shaft to kind of mark it.put the tip right behind the ball on the spot you want to hitmthen lean your stick back to where you are on the cue ball and then make your stance and fire.

i also like to hit them with a little extra speed or power.not really hard but slightly harder than if you were just shooting the ball.

it would be easier to show you,but maybe you can follow what i am saying.
 
march11934 said:
Are you looking for recommendations from "Certified Instrctors" only or the general pool shooter as well.
Click to expand...

Im not picky, anyones help is great.

thanks
 
akaTrigger said:
This may not be what you are looking for... but the best advice about combos I received from Jimmy Caras. He showed me that when you make combos, where one of the balls is close to the pocket, to NOT hit the balls hard. Not even barely pocket speed - just hit it soft enough to make the ball. This leaves the other ball right in front of the pocket and the cueball is already close by.

Obviously, if you hit too hard, sometimes the first ball OR cueball OR both get away from you and don't leave a shot.

Another thing I saw was a men's pro player would hit tougher-type combos a little hard to make sure the cue and object ball separated enough - i.e., no medium speed at all. The previous paragraph is a VERY soft stroke to just make the ball, the above is more than a medium stroke.

As many have seen, a medium stroke (depending on the balls) can leave no resulting shot whatsoever.

I'm sure you were asking HOW to make combos, but hopefully this tip will help, also, b/c I think the tendency for most players is to shoot combos with a normal, medium speed. The soft speed (if one of the balls in the pocket) is the nuts.
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This part I already know how to do, learned it a long time ago, just lookin for a aiming secret if there is one.

highrun55
 
masonh said:
pretend the first object ball is the cue ball and line up that ball into the second object ball and into the hole.mark a spot where you want to hit on the first object ball in your eye and go back to the cue ball and hit that spot.forget the 3rd ball is there and be sure to hit center ball.

also if you can't remember where to hit on the first object ball you can yours the tip of your shaft to kind of mark it.put the tip right behind the ball on the spot you want to hitmthen lean your stick back to where you are on the cue ball and then make your stance and fire.

i also like to hit them with a little extra speed or power.not really hard but slightly harder than if you were just shooting the ball.

it would be easier to show you,but maybe you can follow what i am saying.
Click to expand...

Sound like what I do, but I have a problem with seeing the correct spot on the first ball for some reason, I never seem to line up correctly, I guess im going to have to shoot them a million times or play safe. LOL

Thank you all so much
highrun55
 
highrun55 said:
Sound like what I do, but I have a problem with seeing the correct spot on the first ball for some reason, I never seem to line up correctly, I guess im going to have to shoot them a million times or play safe. LOL

Thank you all so much

With me, they come and go and always have. Sometimes I just see em and other times I end up pulling thtrigger knowing I dogged it. Now, I avoid them like the plague.

I would like to have the money I have blown playing one pocket where all I had to do was just cinch the little close up combo nd win the game. It is about always a sell out too.
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ironman said:
highrun55 said:
Sound like what I do, but I have a problem with seeing the correct spot on the first ball for some reason, I never seem to line up correctly, I guess im going to have to shoot them a million times or play safe. LOL

Thank you all so much

With me, they come and go and always have. Sometimes I just see em and other times I end up pulling thtrigger knowing I dogged it. Now, I avoid them like the plague.

I would like to have the money I have blown playing one pocket where all I had to do was just cinch the little close up combo nd win the game. It is about always a sell out too.
Click to expand...

Yes, I know, sometimes i`ll make 2 in the same game, then no more the whole day. Other guys fire them in from everywhere.

Drives me crazy.

thanks
mickey
Click to expand...
 
highrun55 said:
...
I know I should practice these until I get it, but I have zero patience in my old age of 60 to practice very long. ...
Click to expand...
So, you already know what to do. In particular, when you are practicing, note which combos you miss consistently and practice them. Start with short ones.
 
It helps me when i get down in my stance and instead of being behind the cb i get behind the ball that makes contact with the ob.

it helps me visualize the shot and as said before the ghostball also helps.
 
Combos are hard. You have to be much more accurate hitting the 2nd ball in a combo than you have to be hitting a pocket.

Can you hit either pocket facing pretty consistently from within a couple of feet? If you can't combos are probably still down the road a piece.

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Combos are hard. You have to be much more accurate hitting the 2nd ball in a combo than you have to be hitting a pocket.

Can you hit either pocket facing pretty consistently from within a couple of feet? If you can't combos are probably still down the road a piece.

pj
chgo
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Been playing this game 50 years and Im a good b player, just have trouble visualizing the combos for some reason.

thanks all, guess I have to make myself practice those combos
 
masonh said:
pretend the first object ball is the cue ball and line up that ball into the second object ball and into the hole.mark a spot where you want to hit on the first object ball in your eye and go back to the cue ball and hit that spot.forget the 3rd ball is there and be sure to hit center ball.

also if you can't remember where to hit on the first object ball you can yours the tip of your shaft to kind of mark it.put the tip right behind the ball on the spot you want to hitmthen lean your stick back to where you are on the cue ball and then make your stance and fire.

i also like to hit them with a little extra speed or power.not really hard but slightly harder than if you were just shooting the ball.

it would be easier to show you,but maybe you can follow what i am saying.
Click to expand...

This is good sound advice. I increased my ability to pocket combos tremendously using this method more or less.

I am not sure where I got this from I have read sooo many books but it is about brain clutter. You are thinking about too many things with combos. This is what I was told or read. When you are are stroking on the ball the human brain can only intensely focus on three things (no wonder sharking is so easy to do). The combo ads one more thing to through you off.

Keep it simple and aim that first ball into the second like it was a cue ball. REAL IMPORTANT, Pick a spot on the rail that is going to be the target for the first ball. Aim and shoot this first ball to the target. If the first ball takes the path you want it to the second will go in the pocket. You have to trust this and stop focusing on the second ball you have to aim the first ball that is where your intense focus needs to be. The pockets are bigger at lower speeds.

Try it right now and let me know how it works for you. I think you will be quite surprised!:thumbup:
 
Bigkahuna said:
This is good sound advice. I increased my ability to pocket combos tremendously using this method more or less.

I am not sure where I got this from I have read sooo many books but it is about brain clutter. You are thinking about too many things with combos. This is what I was told or read. When you are are stroking on the ball the human brain can only intensely focus on three things (no wonder sharking is so easy to do). The combo ads one more thing to through you off.

Keep it simple and aim that first ball into the second like it was a cue ball. REAL IMPORTANT, Pick a spot on the rail that is going to be the target for the first ball. Aim and shoot this first ball to the target. If the first ball takes the path you want it to the second will go in the pocket. You have to trust this and stop focusing on the second ball you have to aim the first ball that is where your intense focus needs to be. The pockets are bigger at lower speeds.

Try it right now and let me know how it works for you. I think you will be quite surprised!:thumbup:
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This is exactly how I do it. You would be surprised how often the contact point on the ball and extending through the backside to the rail will line up with a tit or a diamond, so just pretend that is the pocket for your first OB and just try to pocket the 1st ball as usual, forgetting the 2nd ball. Make sure you are hitting with no sidespin.

I have pulled seemingly miraculous combo shots off, just because when I lined up the combination, it was aimed at a diamond. I just tried to pocket the 1st ball at the diamond and bingo, the 2nd ball flew in.

In practice, I also throw out all the balls and go for every goofy combination there is on the table, taking ball in hand if I need to, so there is absolutely no fear about any combo. Hope this helps.
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CueTable Help



I know you love straight pool as I do, and here is a generic example of a shot that seems to be common in that game.

I don't know if I can help with seeing the spot better, but I can possibly offer a few things you may already know, but reinforce that can add some confidence to your shot. I find when I feel more confident they seem to go in better.

With this shot, as with all combos, the firmer you hit it the less it cuts and the softer you shoot it the more it cuts, assuming we are hitting the same point of contact, this is based of course on the length of time the balls remain on the tangent line.

Also english applied toward the side you want to cut the object ball helps it from undercutting. (in this case left english)

I also have trouble with combos, but for me, I try to go into these shots reminding myself I'm armed with lots of information and it helps my confidence. I apply or omit any number of these tools for particular shots based on how I feel about them.

Dunno if that makes any sense but I suppose it's like chicken soup, it can't hurt to mention it. :)
 
I know you love straight pool as I do, and here is a generic example of a shot that seems to be common in that game.

I don't know if I can help with seeing the spot better, but I can possibly offer a few things you may already know, but reinforce that can add some confidence to your shot. I find when I feel more confident they seem to go in better.

With this shot, as with all combos, the firmer you hit it the less it cuts and the softer you shoot it the more it cuts, assuming we are hitting the same point of contact, this is based of course on the length of time the balls remain on the tangent line.

Also english applied toward the side you want to cut the object ball helps it from undercutting. (in this case left english)

I also have trouble with combos, but for me, I try to go into these shots reminding myself I'm armed with lots of information and it helps my confidence. I apply or omit any number of these tools for particular shots based on how I feel about them.

Dunno if that makes any sense but I suppose it's like chicken soup, it can't hurt to mention it. :)
Click to expand...

I know what you are saying here but armed with all this info you will miss more of these than make them. I just pick a target for thre first ball and then shoot it same speed and english, (most of the time).:D
 
OH boy I have thought of something. This is NOT an aiming system. We don't need to get into all that drama! AMEN! :slap: :deadhorse: :bash:
 
combos are tough

highrun55 said:
This is one shot that I have struggled with my whole life playing pool.
I know I should practice these until I get it, but I have zero patience in my old age of 60 to practice very long.

Are there any secrets to these that I just have never found.
Most all other shots have been discussed here, how about a pointer or two please.
Click to expand...
Check out:


which is based on:


I know this is very basic, but it might help some people on some shots.

Combinations are just tough, especially with more distance (between the balls, and to the pocket) and with larger cut angles. See the diagram in TP 3.4 to see how the error worsens from the cue ball to the 2nd object ball.

Regards,
Dave
 
I pick a specific part of the pocket or a spot on the rail to aim the first object ball most of the time. This is especially true for me on longer combos. When I shoot the shot I make real sure not to use any english. Some of these shots, like ball in hand as an example, I line up the first ball dead straight, like I'm using it as the cue ball. Sometimes I look at the c/b last to make sure I didn't influence it with any unwanted spin.

For me table aim points on the first ball rather than picking a spot to hit on the ball works very well. I think all one can do give their minds eye the best way to visualize shots.

Rod
 
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