How much sidespin?

R

recoveryjones

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi Sarah,
Phil Capelle has a book called "Play your Best Nine Ball." In that book he suggests that pros get around the table by shooting tops,center and bottoms at various heights up and down the center of the cue ball.He suggests that pros usually use sidespin to get back online or to breakout a cluster.He says that pros on average only use sidespin about 20% of the time.

How do you feel about Phil's findings? Are his estimations close to accurate?Do you personally try to get around the table with as much center(high,mid and low) ball contact as possible, only using side to get back on line?

I'm sure that there are some pros out there who are a little more spin crazy than others, however, is Phil Capelle correct(or close to) with his observations?Any feedback appreciated.RJ
 
Hey RJ,

I haven't read the book you are speaking of, but I feel that it is off. I'm not sure how far it is off, but I do know it is absolutely impossible to strike the center, bottom, top of the cueball every single shot. I know that I try to simplify things as much as possible, using stop, follow, and draw and judging where the cueball is going in relation to the tangent line. I'm not sure how many players do that. I do know that there are certain shots, inline or not, that are easier to make using english.

Another thing to think about is consider how the slightest adjustment left or right on the cueball can change the path of the shot and the cueball. Some people naturally cannot hit the center of the ball.

You are right, there are players out there that use extreme english and some of them use it on every shot. Watch Efren and many of the other Filipino players. I'm not so sure they know what centerball is!

So I guess in my opinion Phil's finding is wrong. But who knows...I could be wrong! I know that alot of players keep things simple and try not to use alot of english...but i really don't think the ratio of using english is 80% to 20%.

If anyone else could add to this, please do.

Take care,
Sarah
 
Ok, i could swear i posted about this like 2 days ago on Jennifers column.

Anyways, Unless you have some monster break where every ball is going towards a pocket. Its almost impossible to use english on only 20% of your shots.

If you look at any of the pro's and watch them play, they use some kind of english on almost any shot.

Its just done so naturally that most people who watch them, dont even realize they are using english on almost every shot.

I myself would say the percentage of using english on the CB, is more like 80%

And like Sarah mention'd guys like Efren, and Francisco, they use english like its going out of style.

I would say even guys like Archer and Strickland use english just as much, because they have been doing for so long.

Plus its so much easier to get a good angle on the OB when using the proper english.

If you can watch some of the top players in your area for a couple games and see how often they use english. And thats probably the same percent as what the pro's do.


Dave
 
sarahrousey said:
...You are right, there are players out there that use extreme english and some of them use it on every shot. Watch Efren and many of the other Filipino players. I'm not so sure they know what centerball is! ...
Click to expand...

Watching Efren play with the spotted cue ball at the DCC will certainly verify this. I think he is at the extreme end of the curve though.
 
Wally....you are right Efren is definitely at the extreme end of the curve when it comes to using spin. I would have to say that the majority of the Filipino players are at that end of the curve. Right now I can't think of someone who keeps everything extremely simple. Maybe someone else can think of someone at the other end of the spectrum.

Take care,
Sarah
 
sarahrousey said:
Wally....you are right Efren is definitely at the extreme end of the curve when it comes to using spin. I would have to say that the majority of the Filipino players are at that end of the curve. Right now I can't think of someone who keeps everything extremely simple. Maybe someone else can think of someone at the other end of the spectrum.

Take care,
Sarah
Click to expand...


BUDDY HALL!!!
 
Thanks Blackjack. I haven't really ever watched Buddy play. As a matter of fact I haven't really had a chance to watch many of the top male pro's play. I wish the women and the men played together more often like they used to. I enjoy watching the men play.

Sarah
 
Thanks Sarah and everyone else for their comments.Coming from a snooker background I know for sure that Phils 80/20 ratio definitly applies to snooker.
With all that wide open space on a snooker table there are many places you can take the cue ball hitting on many varying heights up and down the center of the cue ball with proper use of the rails.Small cue ball deflection problems and tighter pockets make the use of english a lot tougher.

In pool I have my doubts about the 80/20 thing, however, I think that sticking to varying heights up and down the center of the cueball can offer many posistion routes as one learns the rails and corresponding diamonds.I think its the players with the great strokes that throw in those 1/32,1/16,1/8 and 1/4 tips of english blended in with center ball hits are the ones that are the most consistent.A great stroke with 1/4 tip of english can make the cue ball do some dancing.

Having said that, I realize that there also are extremley gifted and talented(Efren Reyes,Bustamante etc.) rule smashers out there who can stray to the extreme sides of the cue ball with tremendous accuracy.No doubt there are certain shots where english aids in the pot,however, in most cases (or most people) the use of sidespin compicates the shot and some sort of center ball hit is the better alternative.

For me personally I'm going to try get around the table more center ball,adding in those 1/4 tips or less when needed to breakout a cluster or get back in line.Maybe I'll come back here and post and let you know 6 months down the road if my games improved. Best wishes to you and everyone. RJ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top