The way I see it, when you’re up against an opponent who is just flat out better than you, it just won’t matter. He will find a way to master whatever lag is derived and the outcome will be the same, regardless. It’s rearranging deck chairs on the titanic.
If the lag is a skill shot, there's a better way
- Thread starter poolscholar
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Do you really think that in the all the years that lagging has been around, your idea has not been thought of and discarded in favor of the current method?
Yes
Does seeing your opponents results beforehand affect how you play your lag? You only have 2 choices, hit it harder or hit it softer than you opponent. I don't base my lag on how my opponent performed, if it were that easy why not just stick it to the rail every time?? I try to get the QB as close to the rail as possible regardless of how my opponent performed.
Why? That's a pretty soft shot. A lot of in game shots are played around lag speed, more so than just a table length roll.
Because I said so....now get back to playing pool.
actually the lag has to be repeated if that happens
from the WPA rules
pertinient area bolded by me
.................................................
1.2 Lagging to Determine Order of Play
The lag is the first shot of the match and determines order of play. The player who wins the lag chooses who will shoot first.
The referee will place a ball on each side of the table behind the head string and near the headstring. The players will shoot at about the same time to make each ball contact the footcushion with the goal of returning the ball closer to the head cushion than the opponent.
A lag shot is bad and cannot win if the shooter’s ball a) crosses the long string;(b) contacts the foot cushion other than once;(c) is pocketed or driven off the table;(d) touches the side cushion; or(e) the ball rests within the corner pocket and past the nose of the head cushion.In addition, a lag will be bad if any non-object-ball foul occurs other than 6.9 Balls StillMoving.
The players will lag again if a) a player’s ball is struck after the other ball has touched the foot cushion;(b) the referee cannot determine which ball has stopped closer to the head cushion; or(c) both lags are bad.
Because it is not a typical stroke you’d normally use in the game of pool to pocket a ball aside from day a safety shot.
So why start using a stroke you might not have used, and may never use, except for that the lag start of a match? Oh,
because players are having too great a challenge to send the ball16’ down and back on a 9’ table? OMG, imagine a one way lag on a 7’ table? I’d rather see having to send the cue ball down the table where the foot rail has to be hit 2X (down & back).
actually in one pocket a stroke speed like a lag is used alot
Whether you rack or I rack, it is done the same way. Additionally, templates make it easier and consistent.
A one way lag does nothing to improve which player wins opening break or how it evens the playing field.
Because reasons listed, nobody wants to sit there and practice the rail speed before every match. If the lag is a skill shot then make it more skillful and less luck.
If you were a pro would you want to have to practice the lag?
If something has skill wouldn't you see a bunch of pros close to freezing the cue ball on the lag often? Because of the rail and distance, a typical lag is fairly random.
No doubt you'd see more ties with one table length because you're increasing skill and reducing luck. This is a good thing if you assume the first break should go to the better lagger
Actually, I think lagging first may offer an advantage, since your opponent must shoot before your ball strikes the foot rail, he may then feel rushed and thus not as able to muster enough concentration. Of course, any competent pro in that position would merely stall & thus repeat the lag.
I'm not a pro but warming up at a match table I'll hit a couple of lag shots to dial in the speed and that's it.
Lou Figueroa
usually get them
pretty close
InsertCleverNameHere
Well-known member
By the same token if you are going to lag to a rail you will need to practice cloth speed, it can very greatly with different brands and ages.
As far as being a pro and practicing the lag how do you think they get so good at speed control??????? I will give you a hint, they practice speed drills, probably something every player should do if they want to play good, I do.
Wow, just wow!!!!!!!!
comes up in every game more so in some than others. and actually in games like 9 ball when it comes up to make it your play, it likely will determine the out come of the game if you hit it right.
Exactly, nobody practices it because every rail and table is different. You can practice at home for hours and it doesn't matter. On the other hand cloth speed is generally more consistent across all tables in a pool hall and pool in general