Combination shots

Maniac said:
Join the crowd!!!

Maniac (would rather have a root canal done than shoot a combination shot)
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I love root canals, had 2 in my life, one 20 years ago and 8 years ago. i was a pro by the 2nd one and slept thru it.:):)
 
My combo success percentage went up significantly when I:

1) took the extra time to aim OB1 at OB2, then step back and aim the CB at OB1. Combo shots are difficult because of the precision required: Pocketing a ball is easy because the pocket is a big target; but with combos you need to hit OB1 into a very narrow point on OB2. IMHO this is no time for "feel."

2) Shoot at pocket speed (slow). Of course this helps with aim, but it's also how you pocket the second ball (OB1). What good is pocketing OB2 if you've sent OB1 3/4-way down the table? Think about where OB1 and the CB will end up.

3) Think carom! If the combo requires a thin cut on OB1, it's probably a good candidate for a carom.
 
bdorman said:
2) Shoot at pocket speed (slow). Of course this helps with aim, but it's also how you pocket the second ball (OB1). What good is pocketing OB2 if you've sent OB1 3/4-way down the table? Think about where OB1 and the CB will end up.
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Depends on how the combo lies and what you plan on doing afterwards. Would it do you any good for the first ball to float down to the rail and be blocked? What if the other pocket is blocked where it would be headed first? If it isn't rotation, the first ball may not even matter yet.

On the first point, I think you misunderstand what people(or at least myself) would consider "feel". It isn't just taking a random guess and flailing away.

At least half of the posters have responded that they hate combos. The sooner you accept and use them, the better off you'll be. I think RideWTW is lining up the 1-9 as often as she can if you're scratching. :thumbup:
 
i have a something that works for me very well. if the ball that is to be pocketed is; say going to go in the left pocket then use left english on your cue ball when hitting the contact ball. i lalso pick out a point on were i need the contact pall to hit the ob ball so it will go in. but i think that last part is common sence.

i have found that i can hit more of the contact ball and throw it to the ob that needs to be pocketed much easier this way.

i dont have an answer for straight in combos.. i think if you miss them then your stroke if off.. but when i do shoot them i like to shoot them with a bit higher than center ball.
 
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I don't have anything to add on the technique of making a combination, or plant, as those snookerphiles call it, but my advice to my teammates is to remember that, "It's not making the combination, it's what comes after..."

By that I mean that if you have a combination that you've decided to play, possibly because it's a near-guaranteed make, then don't just get up and whack at it. Remember to take some time to anticipate where your next shot will come from and play position for it.
 
swest said:
I don't have anything to add on the technique of making a combination, or plant, as those snookerphiles call it, but my advice to my teammates is to remember that, "It's not making the combination, it's what comes after..."

By that I mean that if you have a combination that you've decided to play, possibly because it's a near-guaranteed make, then don't just get up and whack at it. Remember to take some time to anticipate where your next shot will come from and play position for it.
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There's no point to playing the combo, if you can't get position afterwards. It's like any other shot on the table, IMHO.
 
Of course it is.

My point was that my guys might pick a combination to play because it's lined up to be a "can't miss" shot, and then their minds just go blank and they get up and shoot it in for the make without thinking ahead. That's all I meant.
 
There was a bit of advice on combos in the intruction section of the "old" AZ. I looked just now and could not find it. The basic premise of the advice was to understand the differences between "zig-zag" combos and "zig-zig" combos. Anyone recall that article ? Anyone got a link for the OP ?

Dave
 
I still suggest trying the invisible ball technique on combination and difficult carom shots.

I never really paid that much attention to how accurate my combination shooting really was until this thread started a few days ago. Last night I started counting my makes and misses on combo shots for the first hour or so while shooting 10 ball. I started out making 5 out of the first 6. After 10 combination shots I had made 7 of them and BTW... 6 of those 7 were for the win on the 10 ball.
I'm not saying it will work for everyone... but at 70% accuracy I don't think that it's much of a weakness within my game or anything that I need to really work on... do you?
 
Still interested to get more details on the 90/90 or CTE technique regarding combos... Can someone please share or elaborate?

Scott
 
scottjen26 said:
Still interested to get more details on the 90/90 or CTE technique regarding combos... Can someone please share or elaborate?

Scott
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Check out the aiming system sub-forum. Just another way of lining up a combo, carom, bank, masse or straight-in because it never misses. :poke:
 
I shoot the first ball down a path that collides with the second ball at the spot I need.
Ex.,,line up the first ball with the spot needed to pocket the 2nd ball,now look past that spot and see where on the table the (first ball)ball would hit without hitting the second ball.(could be a pocket could be a diamond,anything to give me a target on the first ball)I then make this the target for my first ball.Works sometimes .:)

Anthony
 
a good player when I was growing up suggested to me that I try standing a bit more upright when shooting combos instead of getting down with my chin on my cue like I normally shoot.

His reasoning was that he sees the path line easier for the combo standing a bit more upright. Its worth a shot to try and see if you find it works.
 
Yep...

3andstop said:
Combinations are hard for all of us, but I can offer some advise on a little nuance that can easily be overlooked.

Lots of players like to use a touch of outside.english to throw shots into pockets. When shooting a combination shot, if you use that touch of english to throw the first ball into the contact point of the second ball, even with deadly accuracy, you will most likely miss the shot.

The reason is that you impart side spin to the first ball in addition to hitting it perfectly. That side spin transfers to the OB which in turn throws it covertly off line.

So my cardinal rule for combination shots is no side spin on the CB. Any exception to this must be well considered ahead of time.

More combination shots are missed by a mile because of this leaving the shooter scratching their heads. So be aware.
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With combinations, the wrong spin can make you miss by a mile without realizing it; however, when shots aren't lined up right at the pocket, knowing what spin to use and what side of the lead ball can make a seemingly impossible shot, suddenly possible.

Even highly skillful players don't often realize how much knowledge there is to obtain regarding pool.

I know that I don't know everything and will continue to try to learn anything that I can.

Jaden
 
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