Focus on the easy ones...

[Steve Lipsky]

Here is an easy way to raise your game, but it does take a little focus.

Look at this position. Your cueball is the dotted ball, and A and B are possible end positions after the shot. Note the difference between A and B. Over the course of a week, only getting to position A might result in four more missed breakshots than position B.

CueTable Help

How often do we get lazy when confronted with this position and nonchalantly draw back a little to A? We should always remind ourselves that straight pool requires precision. Positions like these are ideal because with just a little focus, we can really get our cueball to exactly where we want, without any pocketing errors.

It's OK to be faced with this shot and take 10 practice strokes, making sure you do with it exactly what you want. If you play with a partner who gets out of his chair (towards the rack) when you are faced with such an "easy" key ball, then you need to either find another partner or politely explain why he shouldn't do this.

Here is another example:

CueTable Help

I don't know how many replies this thread will get, but hopefully this will just serve as a nice reminder to us all that easy shots should not be taken for granted. With a few extra practice strokes and a little focus, they provide us with an opportunity to get perfect when we have to get perfect.

- Steve

 

[SpiderWebComm]

Steve:

In your first diagram... how do you best adjust between the positions:

Do you take a longer stroke with the same english or do you use a shorter stroke with more english?
Do you cut it differently?

What's your "swing thought?" I guess what I'm trying to ask is this shot comes up ALLLLL the time for me. I'm trying to figure out how to cinch the shot.

Dave

 

[Marop]

Steve,

This might be the best post in the last year. I have found myself guilty of these mistakes more times than I want to think about. You are correct, if you just take a few more practice strokes the shot will come out just as imagined.


Bill

 

[Steve Lipsky]

Steve:

In your first diagram... how do you best adjust between the positions:

Do you take a longer stroke with the same english or do you use a shorter stroke with more english?
Do you cut it differently?

What's your "swing thought?" I guess what I'm trying to ask is this shot comes up ALLLLL the time for me. I'm trying to figure out how to cinch the shot.

Dave

Hey Dave,

Yes, I would probably cut it differently. As far as anything else I might do differently, I don't think I'm the best person to try and explain that. It's more what Marop described in his response - if I just take my time and imagine the shot correctly, I'll generally make it happen more often than I won't.

Sorry I can't be more help on that.

- Steve

 

[PETARD]

Steve, Great Stuff; I Need Constant Reminding

 

[rikdee]

Steve's post once again reminds us all of the need to think and execute as precisely as possible. Sometimes taking the extra few seconds to consider the table can disclose a "better way". Area position is sometimes acceptible but almost always there is an optimum place to be, a better angle to gain, a smarter ball to play.

_Rick

 

[dmgwalsh]

Here is an easy way to raise your game, but it does take a little focus.

Look at this position. Your cueball is the dotted ball, and A and B are possible end positions after the shot. Note the difference between A and B. Over the course of a week, only getting to position A might result in four more missed breakshots than position B.

CueTable Help

How often do we get lazy when confronted with this position and nonchalantly draw back a little to A? We should always remind ourselves that straight pool requires precision. Positions like these are ideal because with just a little focus, we can really get our cueball to exactly where we want, without any pocketing errors.

It's OK to be faced with this shot and take 10 practice strokes, making sure you do with it exactly what you want. If you play with a partner who gets out of his chair (towards the rack) when you are faced with such an "easy" key ball, then you need to either find another partner or politely explain why he shouldn't do this.

Here is another example:

CueTable Help

I don't know how many replies this thread will get, but hopefully this will just serve as a nice reminder to us all that easy shots should not be taken for granted. With a few extra practice strokes and a little focus, they provide us with an opportunity to get perfect when we have to get perfect.

- Steve

I know I usually figure anywhere I get on the right side of the ball is good enough.

Do you figure that if the cue ball is even, then it is a better shot because the shot is a little easier and the payoff is just as good in terms of breaking open the balls.

Would you think that if both shots could be made as easily that B would still be the better position in both, due to the ability to control the cue ball? I always assumed more angle = better break shot. Maybe I better rethink that.

 

[Dave Nelson]

Dennis

Watching the pros on video I am frequently amazed at the breaks they get with shallow angles. But i'm with you. I prefer the steeper angles so that I can break without having to hit hard. Whenever I try to hit hard I miss the shot. When I shoot softer I make one once in awhile.

Dave Nelson

 

[unknownpro]

Steve:

In your first diagram... how do you best adjust between the positions:

Do you take a longer stroke with the same english or do you use a shorter stroke with more english?
Do you cut it differently?

What's your "swing thought?" I guess what I'm trying to ask is this shot comes up ALLLLL the time for me. I'm trying to figure out how to cinch the shot.

Dave

Sometimes I will use less draw and more power just to be sure you get the draw to the object ball. I try not to think about the distance the cueball has to cover, but just the speed it must have in the first few inches after object ball contact.

But if I was trying to get Steve's postition there I'd prefer going into the rail with inside if I could get to it.

 

[PoolSharkAllen]

Steve:

In your first diagram... how do you best adjust between the positions:

Do you take a longer stroke with the same english or do you use a shorter stroke with more english?
Do you cut it differently?

Dave

Dave,
In the first diagram, if you're trying to draw back to A or B, then you probably don't need to use any english at all (as the cue ball is not going to hit the rail).

 

[Steve Lipsky]

I know I usually figure anywhere I get on the right side of the ball is good enough.

Do you figure that if the cue ball is even, then it is a better shot because the shot is a little easier and the payoff is just as good in terms of breaking open the balls.

Would you think that if both shots could be made as easily that B would still be the better position in both, due to the ability to control the cue ball? I always assumed more angle = better break shot. Maybe I better rethink that.

Hey Dennis. I'm not looking to control the cueball too much on either of these breakshots (A or B). I'm going to hit both with firm topspin, and maybe a bit of left. The left actually helps to stop the cueball near the pack area, as it usually brings the cueball back through the cluster a little bit. When you are using a firm stroke, this isn't dangerous at all - the balls will basically be wide open.

Between these two breakshots, B is clearly preferable to me. The main reason is that the yields on these two shots are going to be remarkably similar, but B will lead to fewer misses.

Maybe I'm not seeing it correctly but it looks to me like B has a decent angle to it. Sometimes the wei table messes me up though, lol, so maybe I'm not seeing it right. As long as my cueball is to the right of the object ball, I feel I'm good on it. Overly far to the right can get a little dangerous, of course. But that's a matter of personal preference I guess.

- Steve

 

[chefjeff]

Sometimes I will use less draw and more power just to be sure you get the draw to the object ball. I try not to think about the distance the cueball has to cover, but just the speed it must have in the first few inches after object ball contact.

But if I was trying to get Steve's postition there I'd prefer going into the rail with inside if I could get to it.

That was my thought, too.

A little tip from Randy Givens of the Eight Ball Bible....He advises touching the exact spot on the cloth where you want the cue ball to be. This introduces another sense (feel) to the mind and it can then better control the cue ball even if your conscious mind is wandering somewhat.

fwiw,

Jeff Livingston

 

[Williebetmore]

How often do we get lazy when confronted with this position and nonchalantly draw back a little to A? We should always remind ourselves that straight pool requires precision. Positions like these are ideal because with just a little focus, we can really get our cueball to exactly where we want, without any pocketing errors.


- Steve

SL,
Thanks a lot, a very nice and helpful demonstration of the difference a few inches can make.

I am continually conflicted when deciding what angle I want on the breakshot (when I succeed in negotiating the layout and actually have a key ball that allows me the option - not as common as I would like it to be). Too much angle and I risk "failure to pocket"; too little angle and I risk "failure to spread the pack."

Interestingly, I find my strategy varies depending on the opponent (and I'm not sure whether this is proper or not). Against a poor player (errr....poorer than me if there is such a thing) I opt for less angle, more certainty of pocketing...figuring if I fail to get the pack apart really well, I have a good chance of winning any subsequent safety battles.

Against world-beaters I almost always try to err on the side of having a lot more angle (sometimes Pat Fleming-esque) to maximize the spread, and maximize my chances of having a wide open spread of the pack. If I miss this kind of tougher breakshot; yes, I do let my opponent have the whole rack; but against this type of opponent they almost always get the whole rack anyway if there are even 2 or 3 balls separated from the rack so there is really little lost by smashing the pack.

Against a player about my own level I'm just conflicted. Never quite sure what angle I should be striving to achieve. One thing I am becoming more and more certain of (one of the many tidbits of advice from old-schoolers like sjm, Danny D., Grady M., and JL) is that getting whitey closer to the break ball is INVALUABLE; something I am definitely working on trying to achieve.

 

[Steve Lipsky]

Against world-beaters I almost always try to err on the side of having a lot more angle (sometimes Pat Fleming-esque) to maximize the spread, and maximize my chances of having a wide open spread of the pack. If I miss this kind of tougher breakshot; yes, I do let my opponent have the whole rack; but against this type of opponent they almost always get the whole rack anyway if there are even 2 or 3 balls separated from the rack so there is really little lost by smashing the pack.

WBM,

I could not agree more with the sentiments in this paragraph. In my opinion, a player's best bet against all types of opponents - but especially the better ones - is to play to run a lot of balls. There may be some very rare exceptions, but by and large, conservative play is not winning much straight pool anymore.

- Steve

 

[CueAndMe]

WBM,

I could not agree more with the sentiments in this paragraph. In my opinion, a player's best bet against all types of opponents - but especially the better ones - is to play to run a lot of balls. There may be some very rare exceptions, but by and large, conservative play is not winning much straight pool anymore.

- Steve

You convinced me of this a month or so ago when I was leaning towards gentle 6 ball break outs with secondary and tertiary break shots. Now I just whack the pack if the shot allows.
You always have great info. Thanks.

 

[Chris_Lynch]

I think this is a great thread and I hope to make Steve very sorry that he ever shared this information. 200+ here I come!

 

[driven]

Here is an easy way to raise your game, but it does take a little focus.

Look at this position. Your cueball is the dotted ball, and A and B are possible end positions after the shot. Note the difference between A and B. Over the course of a week, only getting to position A might result in four more missed breakshots than position B.

CueTable Help

How often do we get lazy when confronted with this position and nonchalantly draw back a little to A? We should always remind ourselves that straight pool requires precision. Positions like these are ideal because with just a little focus, we can really get our cueball to exactly where we want, without any pocketing errors.

It's OK to be faced with this shot and take 10 practice strokes, making sure you do with it exactly what you want. If you play with a partner who gets out of his chair (towards the rack) when you are faced with such an "easy" key ball, then you need to either find another partner or politely explain why he shouldn't do this.

Here is another example:

CueTable Help

I don't know how many replies this thread will get, but hopefully this will just serve as a nice reminder to us all that easy shots should not be taken for granted. With a few extra practice strokes and a little focus, they provide us with an opportunity to get perfect when we have to get perfect.

- Steve

It is all these hundreds of little things that matter most. It is what I believe makes this game so hard. Anyone can pocket balls, try to do it 100 times, of 280 times, or 526 times and see how far you get.
It is like driving fast. Michael Schumacher drives fast, maybe the best ever. But put someone else in his car and I guarantee he won't equal his times. It is so many little things that add up to a win in racing or a high run in pool.
I will keep trying
steven

 

[Williebetmore]

WBM,

I could not agree more with the sentiments in this paragraph. In my opinion, a player's best bet against all types of opponents - but especially the better ones - is to play to run a lot of balls. There may be some very rare exceptions, but by and large, conservative play is not winning much straight pool anymore.

- Steve

Steve,
I should have been more specific. Against the poorer players I am giving up very large handicaps (like 60 or 70 balls to 100 - it is league play); so if I miss even a single break shot; I could easily lose the game.

If no handicaps are involved I will always play aggressively.

 

[Chris_Lynch]

In Steve's first example I would like to point out that handedness is a factor. Getting to A is better for a lefty (as Steve and I are) but if it's on the other side of the table B might be a better position as it'll be easier to reach and make the OB.

Keeping handedness in mind will help everyone. I see a lot of players play position only to realize that they can't reach the shot they played for.

 

[cleary]

I dont know a lot about straight pool and I dont play a great deal of it, though Im starting to enjoy it more and more.

I was under the impression you always wanted to leave yourself a parallel break shot. Is the point of the thread to always do that and not get lazy with "close enough"?