Maybe you need to practice your break.
Going towards CF break shaft/cue, my options
- Thread starter mjantti
- Start date
A lot of old school players making money were gamblers who were exceptional players looking to play people they believed they could beat, I know it still happens today, but there is more money in tournaments and more of them around the world today IMHO
Of course you played people you thought you could beat.
You would have to be a dumbass to play ANYTHING if you thought it was a sure loser.
I never played anybody thinking I was going to lose. I was of the mindset that I thought I could hang with anybody.
That doesn't mean everybody went out looking for suckers to play.
I used to go into places where people were gambling and ring games were being played and I would jump right in not knowing anybody or how well they played.
I would go into places and "run over" people right from the start if they wanted to gamble. If they couldn't hang and quit, so be it.
I never once hid my speed and I ran a lot of people off because they knew right from the beginning they couldn't beat me head up.
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I love to play but I've never had the money to gamble, I started playing later in life so I know I'm nowhere near your speed, I just keep working everyday to get better.
You don't have to use your whole life savings to play pool for money and you don't have to play for a lot of money in "friendly" ring games. It is like playing friendly poker at somebody's house.
When I was a kid working in the pool hall, I would jump in the ring games with the adults who were playing $.25 on the five ball and $.50 on the nine. There would usually be four or five players in the game.
I always came out ahead and sometimes I would win over $100 before everyone quit. I would play until I had all their money or they quit.
$100 back then is equivalent to $700-800 in today's money.
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I'll play in $5 or $10 tournaments, it's good experience but my experience is gamblers don't like to quit until they have all your money, I have been approached a few times to gamble but I saw their speed and it wasn't any gamble on their part, I did get my first break and run of the year last week in league, there are a lot of players that are very good and have been playing a long time.
I started gambling at pool when I was a young teen working in the pool hall.
I started playing as a kid and I played all the adults in the pool hall and watched the gamblers play. I played with some of the best gamblers when they were practicing.
I didn't start gambling with them until I knew I could hang with them. By then I could consistently run racks and string racks together. Eventually, I could outplay all of them and they wouldn't play even...they wanted a spot.
Maybe I could share insight on my break cue ideology. I just recently went from old school high deflection playing shaft to Revo. Yes, there is a major increase in power and spin. With this in mind I am looking for a break cue which can add more power. I never break really hard, I try to use my arm as much as I can and my body as little as I can because I feel that more moving parts add inconsistency in the long run to the cueball control. Thus I want to have the maximum power from the cue to avoid start using my body when power increase adjustment is needed for instance in 10-ball or 8-ball.
Now with the current 9-ball Matchroom break it is about shooting either draw or draw with English with a cut break. As forceful break is required (whatever that means ruleswise), again I want to get the maximum juice out of the break cue without excessive body movement.
Additionally, I have been using Taom break tip for a long time and IMO it is a crucial part of the break cue: impart power and also spin (without a fear of a miscue) in MR 9-ball cut break. A long time ago before phenolic tips I used to make break tips myself by cutting Triangle in half, and then applying chalk and pounding the tip rock hard with the cueball and this process repeated 2-3 times. The result was a pretty solid non-miscuing break tip.
As living in Finland, the availability of cues, shafts and tips is limited for hands-on testing.
Thank you for your tips and insights!
Now with the current 9-ball Matchroom break it is about shooting either draw or draw with English with a cut break. As forceful break is required (whatever that means ruleswise), again I want to get the maximum juice out of the break cue without excessive body movement.
Additionally, I have been using Taom break tip for a long time and IMO it is a crucial part of the break cue: impart power and also spin (without a fear of a miscue) in MR 9-ball cut break. A long time ago before phenolic tips I used to make break tips myself by cutting Triangle in half, and then applying chalk and pounding the tip rock hard with the cueball and this process repeated 2-3 times. The result was a pretty solid non-miscuing break tip.
As living in Finland, the availability of cues, shafts and tips is limited for hands-on testing.
Thank you for your tips and insights!