When we come to the table in 9-ball we are thinking of running 4,5,6 balls. When the pros come to the table they are thinking of running 4,5,6 racks. In straight pool we are hoping to get around the corner, the pro comes to the table wanting one shot so that he can run to 150. Jake
difference between pros and the rest of us
- Thread starter jjinfla
- Start date
I don't think that is necessarily true. It depends what skill level you are at. If I get one shot I am thinking of running the rack and more. I have run 11 racks of 9 ball on an oversized bar table, and many times have run 5-8 racks consecutively.
David Matlock, who was considered the best bar table player in the country for some time awhile back is said to have run 28 racks of 9 ball consecutively.
There are many many amateurs across the country (undeclared card carrying Pros) that are just as good as many of the pros. For example, Cory Duell showed up at a Midwest 9 ball tour event in Tulsa, and he ended up taking 4th.
I, myself, have played a few pros, such as Jimmy Mataya, Danny Medina, Raphael Martinez, Buddy Hall, and even Willie Mosconi in an exhibition match in San Diego in late 60's. Willie and I shot staight pool on a big table. Yes, he beat me, but I did have a 77 ball run against him. And I beat the women's champion (the one after Jean Balukas) in the early 70's out of $300
before she quit. Her boyfriend was the draw, she was the game, but she couldn't handle me. I have placed 9th in Vegas, and am the current Kansas State BCA Champion.
Their are many guys like me all across the country, and better. It all depends on your drive, your intelligence, and how hard you work at the sport. Me, I have never enjoyed being 2nd best at anything I do, so I set high goals for myself. I have also been told that I have a high mental toughness for the game.
Plus a side benefit from getting good at Pool, is that it hones your logic skills and teaches many lessons about life in general. It's a great sport, competitive, challenging, and I still love it after playing it for over 40 years now. And you get to meet interesting people from all walks of life.
It brought a smile to my lips when a few months back, an 82 year old man
showed up to play in a weekly handicapped tournament, and he was a tough 4.
David Matlock, who was considered the best bar table player in the country for some time awhile back is said to have run 28 racks of 9 ball consecutively.
There are many many amateurs across the country (undeclared card carrying Pros) that are just as good as many of the pros. For example, Cory Duell showed up at a Midwest 9 ball tour event in Tulsa, and he ended up taking 4th.
I, myself, have played a few pros, such as Jimmy Mataya, Danny Medina, Raphael Martinez, Buddy Hall, and even Willie Mosconi in an exhibition match in San Diego in late 60's. Willie and I shot staight pool on a big table. Yes, he beat me, but I did have a 77 ball run against him. And I beat the women's champion (the one after Jean Balukas) in the early 70's out of $300
before she quit. Her boyfriend was the draw, she was the game, but she couldn't handle me. I have placed 9th in Vegas, and am the current Kansas State BCA Champion.
Their are many guys like me all across the country, and better. It all depends on your drive, your intelligence, and how hard you work at the sport. Me, I have never enjoyed being 2nd best at anything I do, so I set high goals for myself. I have also been told that I have a high mental toughness for the game.
Plus a side benefit from getting good at Pool, is that it hones your logic skills and teaches many lessons about life in general. It's a great sport, competitive, challenging, and I still love it after playing it for over 40 years now. And you get to meet interesting people from all walks of life.
It brought a smile to my lips when a few months back, an 82 year old man
showed up to play in a weekly handicapped tournament, and he was a tough 4.
Hi Snapshot, I should have said pro-level players. One does not have to be called a pro to be at that level. I was more thinking of the vast difference between B and under players and the "Big Boys". Pros know that if they are down a few racks once they get to the table they can run their own racks. And as Sigel says in his runout series being down 140 to 0 does not bother a pro because they are capable of running 150 and out. I have a tape of Dave Matlock and he sure does make it look easy. Watching him on the tape I can see how he ran 27 racks on a bar table. Jake
I think that they love the game so much that they can practice for long hours everyday and they do lots of drills.
I cannot play for more than two hours a day and do not like drills. So, I definately do not think like a pro, but do not really want to be one.
If I get pretty good at shooting (including banks and kicks) and shape, I think that would be enough.
Laura
I cannot play for more than two hours a day and do not like drills. So, I definately do not think like a pro, but do not really want to be one.
If I get pretty good at shooting (including banks and kicks) and shape, I think that would be enough.
Laura
BlueWolf ... Love your icon. I like all things Southwestern (Have so'western
furniture, web business called Coyote
Web Studio, so'western style cue, etc.) although I do not wear 'cowboy' clothes, some so'western style shirts sometimes....<smile>
You inadvertantly hit upon a point in your reply I want to emphasize though. YOU DO NOT GET BETTER JUST PLAYING A GAME WITH SOMEONE ELSE. You get better when you work on your own, working on the points of the game that you are weak on, until you master them.
Playing another person is showing off your skills, a competition. Now if you work with one person, and stop to illustrate certain points, or what to do in a certain situation, and repeat over and over until you learn what to do, that works, but mostly working on you own, or by guidance of a good teacher, by teacher, I mean, a 7 or above, and one with patience and some kind of formal teaching about the sport. You can see certain shots during a game by other players that are 'neat' or 'useful', but you have to go through a repetitive learning process in order to master those shots. Experience opens ones eyes up to more alternatives in a given situation of leave, imagination and drive will help you overcome your weaknesses in the sport. One other thing I advocate to students and players alike, PLAY THE GAME not the SHOT. If that means playing 4 safeties in a row until you get the shot you want, do it. And if you get good enough at it, you can even beat players better than you. It is part of strategy and mental toughness. Do not take a 15% shot if you have a 80% percent safety. If you play the odds in every situation, you will win your share of games. iT'S called playing smart Pool nowdays.
furniture, web business called Coyote
Web Studio, so'western style cue, etc.) although I do not wear 'cowboy' clothes, some so'western style shirts sometimes....<smile>
You inadvertantly hit upon a point in your reply I want to emphasize though. YOU DO NOT GET BETTER JUST PLAYING A GAME WITH SOMEONE ELSE. You get better when you work on your own, working on the points of the game that you are weak on, until you master them.
Playing another person is showing off your skills, a competition. Now if you work with one person, and stop to illustrate certain points, or what to do in a certain situation, and repeat over and over until you learn what to do, that works, but mostly working on you own, or by guidance of a good teacher, by teacher, I mean, a 7 or above, and one with patience and some kind of formal teaching about the sport. You can see certain shots during a game by other players that are 'neat' or 'useful', but you have to go through a repetitive learning process in order to master those shots. Experience opens ones eyes up to more alternatives in a given situation of leave, imagination and drive will help you overcome your weaknesses in the sport. One other thing I advocate to students and players alike, PLAY THE GAME not the SHOT. If that means playing 4 safeties in a row until you get the shot you want, do it. And if you get good enough at it, you can even beat players better than you. It is part of strategy and mental toughness. Do not take a 15% shot if you have a 80% percent safety. If you play the odds in every situation, you will win your share of games. iT'S called playing smart Pool nowdays.
Snapshot9 said:
i do not practice by playing with others. i just meant that I could not play for more than 2 hours a day. i pretty much make up my own drills based on what I am trying to teach myself. Right now I am trying to learn what happens to the cb after potting the ball so that I can learn shape. i am noticing ball speed, angles, tangent line , spin and that sort of thing. I have a few drills that instructors gave me and I do them about ttwice a week.
It is funny you mentioned safety. I have been told I do too manysafes and need to be more agressive. i will say i am good at safety although of course higher skilled players like 7s have more ball control and positional control, which enables them to do kooler safes..
I dont know why I cant practice more than 2 hours a day. I just get bored. My husband can play for many hours
I guess it might take me a long time to get good at the rate I am going.
Laura
Laura ... I was shown some easy games, or starter drills, that are both fun and entertaining.
Put a ball in front of each pocket about 1" away, and put a ball on the foot spot.
Now, you have to hit the spotted ball first, and try to see how many shots it takes you to pocket all 7 balls. When you get down to 4 shots, you are doing real good. (hint, 3 balls can made off of the first shot, the spotted ball and the 2 end balls, a side ball and end pocket ball can be made in one shot on the next 2 shots for a total of 3 shots, and that's the best I have ever seen).
Another is to place a ball on each center diamond on the end rails and each part of the long rails. Practice shooting all balls in, and try to get shape on a particular ball for the next shot without missing any of the balls.
When you get good at that one, put 2 balls on each rail at the 1st and 3rd diamonds of each rail, and practice shooting them in until you can make all the balls without missing. Then do it over trying to get shape on a particular ball you pick out for your next ball to shoot.
You should have fun when you play and when you practice. Pool is contagious, the more you learn, the better you get, the more you win, it gets in your blood, kind of like someone from the opposite sex can get in your blood ... <grin> It can be extremely frustrating too ... don't let that deter you, stick with it, play of practice when you can and want to and work at it, and you will get better.
Yes, there are little lightbulbs that come on every now and then to help you along .... <laughing>
A word of caution, if you pick a mentor up along the way, make sure the person knows what they are talking about, and not just thinks they know.
If they are not an accomplished player and A GOOD TEACHER, they can do you more harm than good, causing you to develop bad form, habits, wrong approach to the game, etc..
I still enjoy watching good players as well as playing myself. Just do your best and always be open to learning more. I am, even after 41 years of playing.
Put a ball in front of each pocket about 1" away, and put a ball on the foot spot.
Now, you have to hit the spotted ball first, and try to see how many shots it takes you to pocket all 7 balls. When you get down to 4 shots, you are doing real good. (hint, 3 balls can made off of the first shot, the spotted ball and the 2 end balls, a side ball and end pocket ball can be made in one shot on the next 2 shots for a total of 3 shots, and that's the best I have ever seen).
Another is to place a ball on each center diamond on the end rails and each part of the long rails. Practice shooting all balls in, and try to get shape on a particular ball for the next shot without missing any of the balls.
When you get good at that one, put 2 balls on each rail at the 1st and 3rd diamonds of each rail, and practice shooting them in until you can make all the balls without missing. Then do it over trying to get shape on a particular ball you pick out for your next ball to shoot.
You should have fun when you play and when you practice. Pool is contagious, the more you learn, the better you get, the more you win, it gets in your blood, kind of like someone from the opposite sex can get in your blood ... <grin> It can be extremely frustrating too ... don't let that deter you, stick with it, play of practice when you can and want to and work at it, and you will get better.
Yes, there are little lightbulbs that come on every now and then to help you along .... <laughing>
A word of caution, if you pick a mentor up along the way, make sure the person knows what they are talking about, and not just thinks they know.
If they are not an accomplished player and A GOOD TEACHER, they can do you more harm than good, causing you to develop bad form, habits, wrong approach to the game, etc..
I still enjoy watching good players as well as playing myself. Just do your best and always be open to learning more. I am, even after 41 years of playing.
Snapshot9 said:
I am not sure what you are talking about with the first drill. is that a straight in shot? I can hit long straightins 80%. I am also good at some long cuts , short shots and side shots. There are some certain long cuts that give me a probem and more of a problem on the long ones when the angle gets to 60degrees. 90degree cuts are very hard for me and I hardly ever make them.
What is hard for me on the long shots also is that i have to hit centerball or a tad, like 1 tip spin at the most to not miss the shot.I only do the spin when my brain puts the tip there, but have noticed that it is very little tip. Sometimes use top so the cb will leave the tangent line and not scratch. But I guess I am saying that I am not good enough to make the long shots and use spin for position, so am lucky just to make the shot.
I am learning shape but so far can only do on short shots.
The drills with the balls on the short rail, I also do not know what you are referring to, that sounds like a 90degree cut. Here we line up balls on the rail and do 60degree cuts with the distance to the pocket getting longer and longer. my husband insists that if i can do these, it is training my eye and i can do any cut. to me a rail cut is much easier than a cut in the middle of the table.
to me, cuts in the middle of the table can be made if one is good at seeing the angle line. cuts on the rail, a person does not have to see an angle line because the ob is straight in.
Laura
The most reliable hit is centerball top/high or low/draw. You should be able to make straight in shots 99% of the time for you aim the center of the cue ball to the center of the OB. This is a testament that your stroke in on line.
The next shot is the spot shot (becoming extinct) where you should be able to make a high percentage if you place the cue ball to the right or left in the kitchen (just behind the line) and aim for the farthest right or left edge of the object ball (at the belt line (vertical center) which is an approx. 30 degree angle. Whenever you see that angle shoot for the edge of the OB at the belt line. if the angle is less than that 30 degrees then aim more into the OB (inside the edge). If the angle is more then aim outside of the "edge". The 45 degree angle cut is outside of the edge of the OB by the width of a cue tip or 13 mm.
The 90 degree cut is the right edge of the OB is contacted by the left edge of the CB or visa versa and a high/top hit helps.
OOPs, but I digress for the pro's do this on instinct and I am hobbled with angles, centerball hits, english, speed, stroke, staying still, squirt, safeties, getting weight, acting dumb to get weight, accurate power stroke to get out of a jam, having a bankroll or a backer to cover my play, developing alliances with other players in order to cut up the pidgeon....
The next shot is the spot shot (becoming extinct) where you should be able to make a high percentage if you place the cue ball to the right or left in the kitchen (just behind the line) and aim for the farthest right or left edge of the object ball (at the belt line (vertical center) which is an approx. 30 degree angle. Whenever you see that angle shoot for the edge of the OB at the belt line. if the angle is less than that 30 degrees then aim more into the OB (inside the edge). If the angle is more then aim outside of the "edge". The 45 degree angle cut is outside of the edge of the OB by the width of a cue tip or 13 mm.
The 90 degree cut is the right edge of the OB is contacted by the left edge of the CB or visa versa and a high/top hit helps.
OOPs, but I digress for the pro's do this on instinct and I am hobbled with angles, centerball hits, english, speed, stroke, staying still, squirt, safeties, getting weight, acting dumb to get weight, accurate power stroke to get out of a jam, having a bankroll or a backer to cover my play, developing alliances with other players in order to cut up the pidgeon....
The easiest and most reliable way to make a spot shot as I was taught when I was a kid is to place the cue ball about an inch from the rail just on the head string, and aim for the diamond next to the pocket on the end rail with high outside english. Works same on the left or the right, and is a piece of cake when you get used to it. I hold the record at my favorite pool league bar, 16 in a row without missing.
Laura ... First drill, a ball in front of each pocket about 1/2 to 1" in front of the pocket, and a ball on the spot Shoot all the balls in with the least number of shots you can do. That's it The cue ball has to be in the kitchen for the first shot.
Second drill, balls on the diamonds equal to 2,4,6,8,10, 12 o'clock. (Center diamonds on each rail) Cue ball in kitchen first shot. Make all the balls one at a time. Try to get shape on a ball for the next shot you choose to shoot.
3rd drill, same as 2nd drill, except balls on diamonds at 1:30,2:30, 3:30, 4:30,
5:00, 7:00, 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:00, 12:30 (All diamonds other than center diamonds on the rails)
Hope that helps ...
Second drill, balls on the diamonds equal to 2,4,6,8,10, 12 o'clock. (Center diamonds on each rail) Cue ball in kitchen first shot. Make all the balls one at a time. Try to get shape on a ball for the next shot you choose to shoot.
3rd drill, same as 2nd drill, except balls on diamonds at 1:30,2:30, 3:30, 4:30,
5:00, 7:00, 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:00, 12:30 (All diamonds other than center diamonds on the rails)
Hope that helps ...
Snapshot9 said:
I tried it this morning and was able to do it in 3 shots. The trick being to have the spot ball follow the corner ball in the pocket and the cue ball make the other corner ball AND then have the cue ball come back around the spot. Then it is easy (in theory) to make both the side pocket ball and the end pocket ball and have the CB come back up around the spot again to do the same thing on the other side. But having done it once does not mean I will be able to repeat it. LOL.. I also made 3 balls by miss hitting the corner pocket ball with the spot ball and the spot ball went cross table to make the corner pocket ball once and the side pocket ball once with the spot ball stopping in front of the pocket. Now if somehow that spot ball would have followed the ball in that would have been 4 balls on the first shot. making the last 3 in one shot would be pretty tricky. Maybe CB into side pocket ball, down table to sink ball by end pocket, and then be able to come off end rail at an angle to sink the ball by the side pocket. But I don't think I will ever be able to do it. Jake
Scott,
shooting the spot shot by aiming at a diamond on the far rail though accurate for you isn't taking advantage of finding the same shot by aiming at the edge of the object ball (OB) at the belt line. That spot on the edge of the belt line (half the hight of the OB at the widest part) like the center of the object ball are the only 2 discernable points of aim on any object ball. You know if you can roll the cueball to contact the OB on the center that the OB will roll in a straight line to the pocket.
Now if your spotshot is based on the edge of the OB (and not a diamond that may not be there on another shot) - then realize that the included angle is about a 30 degrees - then whenever you see that 30 degree angle you only need to aim for the edge of the OB at the belt line. This gives you 2 shots that you have no excuse for missing for you know where to aim using centerball - the straight in shot and the 30 degree shot.
You can make logical adjustment for slightly off straight in shots and slightly off 30 degree shots which is more certainty than looking for diamond that arn't there on most shots. I have even hear of aiming for the reflections of light on the OB - Uh well....
shooting the spot shot by aiming at a diamond on the far rail though accurate for you isn't taking advantage of finding the same shot by aiming at the edge of the object ball (OB) at the belt line. That spot on the edge of the belt line (half the hight of the OB at the widest part) like the center of the object ball are the only 2 discernable points of aim on any object ball. You know if you can roll the cueball to contact the OB on the center that the OB will roll in a straight line to the pocket.
Now if your spotshot is based on the edge of the OB (and not a diamond that may not be there on another shot) - then realize that the included angle is about a 30 degrees - then whenever you see that 30 degree angle you only need to aim for the edge of the OB at the belt line. This gives you 2 shots that you have no excuse for missing for you know where to aim using centerball - the straight in shot and the 30 degree shot.
You can make logical adjustment for slightly off straight in shots and slightly off 30 degree shots which is more certainty than looking for diamond that arn't there on most shots. I have even hear of aiming for the reflections of light on the OB - Uh well....