Efren's bag of tricks

I used that jump hit before, not sure if they were lined up the same way and have not in years. Don't know if I used it in a real game though outside of practice or with friends.
 
Yes in my earlier life. The stroke is also handy when a ball is slightly in the way. You jump your ob over the obstruction. The shot pretty much requires it to be straight in for best percentage of success.
 
Yeah i love that shot what really impressed me was the commentary. As soon as he elivated the cue the commentator recognized the shot Efren was shooting.
 
I love those type of shots... You can basically hit the cue ball with any type of english and still hop over the ball.

I've used them in one hole to bank a ball at my hole and hop over the stack so I don't break balls my opponent's way.. Works great if you are not afraid to hit it.. :)
 
Best thing about that shot was that it was not executed using a jump cue.

It was done as a real pool shot.
 
Best thing about that shot was that it was not executed using a jump cue.

It was done as a real pool shot.

You don't shoot this shot with a jump cue....

If you tried, you would probably jump over the ball.

You only have to get the cue ball off the bed a little higher than the center line of the OB.. You can actually do this same shot with a level cue if you use top..

You are aware that you can jump the cue ball higher than 1 inch using only level cue?? :)
 
You don't shoot this shot with a jump cue....

If you tried, you would probably jump over the ball.

You only have to get the cue ball off the bed a little higher than the center line of the OB.. You can actually do this same shot with a level cue if you use top..

You are aware that you can jump the cue ball higher than 1 inch using only level cue?? :)

You could still shoot it with a jump cue, you just wouldn't need the elevation.

But, I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'level cue'. I take that to mean parallel to the table, which would impress the **** out of me if you could jump half a ball hitting the CB straight without a scoop.
 
There's two other shots I love, one I found no problem... the one where he plays the cue ball off the point to slide down the side rail.

Another, I have trouble searching for... he's playing 1p and on the foot rail, softly rolls forward into another ball near the rail, and puts just enough follow on the cue ball to send it against the jaw of the pocket intentionally, titty-hooking the opponent. Who else is so confident in his position he'll play that shot?
 
If you can find it, the best shot Efren ever played was, he was playing one pocket his opponent had a ball hanging in the jaws needing one, the cue call was hanging in Efren's pocket. Efren played perfect speed to land the cue ball on the spot. So a ball got spotted behind the cue ball leaving only a jacked up long rail kick, the guy missed it and Efren wins the game from there.

Go try and roll the cue ball on the spot from the jaws of the pocket with a ball hanging for your opponent and see what your success rate is.
 
During a pool match on ESPN, Buddy Hall demonstrated this shot a looooong time ago. And probably was being done long long before that period.
 
Great shot

I play with a friend and if we play for a couple of hours he will usually get to shoot it. He gets giddy when he comes to the table and finds that shot. He is also working one where he drives the OB to the side rail to jump / bank it over an obstructing ball.
 
There's two other shots I love, one I found no problem... the one where he plays the cue ball off the point to slide down the side rail.

Another, I have trouble searching for... he's playing 1p and on the foot rail, softly rolls forward into another ball near the rail, and puts just enough follow on the cue ball to send it against the jaw of the pocket intentionally, titty-hooking the opponent. Who else is so confident in his position he'll play that shot?

You need some good setup tables to have the balls to play the point shots. I have tried a couple of those (on purpose that is LOL, I do them by accident often :grin: ) and usually the roll of the pocket and shelf or a corner that is rounded a bit much causes a scratch.
 
But, I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'level cue'. I take that to mean parallel to the table, which would impress the **** out of me if you could jump half a ball hitting the CB straight without a scoop.

I meant LEVEL cue.... :)

I can jump about 7 coins on Simonis 860 with a level cue. I can video it for you or just tell you the physics behind it if you don't understand how. Basically, anyone can do it to some extent.

Have you ever shot a ball real hard into the side pocket from off the rail, trying to get around the table and had the object ball jump off the table?? Its because you are basically jumping the cue ball into the OB at a high velocity and the OB jumps too. If you hit above center on the CB (top spin) and hit hard, its pushing the CB down into the table and henceforth, jumps.

Did you know what the lines on the cloth are from? Its when you break and hit the ball real hard.. You aren't perfectly level so the CB skips down the table and as it lands, it leaves little white marks which create a line over time..

Try it.. put a penny on the table and set the CB about 6 inches away and strike it hard with top spin and see what happens.. You would be amazed at how high it gets off the table. You will see why you go off the table on the break if you hit above center and don't get a clean hit on rack..
 
If you can find it, the best shot Efren ever played was, he was playing one pocket his opponent had a ball hanging in the jaws needing one, the cue call was hanging in Efren's pocket. Efren played perfect speed to land the cue ball on the spot. So a ball got spotted behind the cue ball leaving only a jacked up long rail kick, the guy missed it and Efren wins the game from there.

Go try and roll the cue ball on the spot from the jaws of the pocket with a ball hanging for your opponent and see what your success rate is.

Not discounting Efren's shot, but anyone who plays one pocket at a decent level most likely shoots this shot on a regular basis...
 
Not discounting Efren's shot, but anyone who plays one pocket at a decent level most likely shoots this shot on a regular basis...

I am not sure you understand the shot he is talking about. I have seen a lot of one pocket and only twice have I ever seen something like that and rolling a cue ball from your own corner pocket to the spot so that a ball can spot up behind it is not everyday one pocket on any level
 
I meant LEVEL cue.... :)

I can jump about 7 coins on Simonis 860 with a level cue. I can video it for you or just tell you the physics behind it if you don't understand how. Basically, anyone can do it to some extent.

Have you ever shot a ball real hard into the side pocket from off the rail, trying to get around the table and had the object ball jump off the table?? Its because you are basically jumping the cue ball into the OB at a high velocity and the OB jumps too. If you hit above center on the CB (top spin) and hit hard, its pushing the CB down into the table and henceforth, jumps.

Did you know what the lines on the cloth are from? Its when you break and hit the ball real hard.. You aren't perfectly level so the CB skips down the table and as it lands, it leaves little white marks which create a line over time..

Try it.. put a penny on the table and set the CB about 6 inches away and strike it hard with top spin and see what happens.. You would be amazed at how high it gets off the table. You will see why you go off the table on the break if you hit above center and don't get a clean hit on rack..

I'll go out on a limb and say you're still at an angle, even if a small one. You can also just say that I suck and I don't know what I'm talking about because I haven't been playing long. Either way is fine with me. :) Just post a response, because you've got one of my favorite avatars. :thumbup:

Edit: I've used a very slightly elevated cue to do a pop-shot to eke the OB by a potential blocker, but I'm not sure if I've done it with a level cue. I'll try the next time I'm at a table, but it doesn't sound feasible without even a slight angle.
 
Last edited:
Not discounting Efren's shot, but anyone who plays one pocket at a decent level most likely shoots this shot on a regular basis...

umm no, go try it. just put a cue ball in the jaws of the pocket and roll in directly on to the spot. I will let you try if 20 a shot and give you odds.
 
Back
Top