Intersting Thought From Hoemann

[Snapshot9]

Partial fits ...

In cross comparing different games in Pool, the best you can ever do is a certain percentage of overlap in some areas. You make progress in a certain game when you learn shots, moves, tips, or tricks (the little pictures) and can keep them in the right perspective with the big picture (how to win=knowing when to be offensive vs defensive per your skill set as opposed to your opponents weaknesses).

Straight Pool helps because it presents you with a large variety of shots that are planned (have to call), and teaches you logic of play (going from shot to shot and rack to rack with a breakout shot).

One Pocket is the most demanding I believe because offense and defense or successive offense must be played on each turn at the table. Playing 1 Pocket teaches many players defensive moves they can use in any other game. And if you learn a lot of offense from 1 pocket, then you never thought enough about Pool before then. (bank and kiss shots specifically).
The most important aspect of 1 pocket for other games is it teaches a player to BALANCE offense vs defense in other games to their advantage.

Rotation is an under utilized game that you can use to improve your 8 and 9 ball game if practiced.

Cue ball control is, I believe, the most important factor though. Not knowing how to control the cue ball is like being told you have to drive to a destination but not knowing which of the roads to get there is best. You may get there eventually, but knowing which is the shortest and best road will get you there faster and in a better fashion with less pitfalls along the way.

When I was 14, Jimmy Caras told me that cue ball control is 70% of the game. I believed him, and worked on it very hard after that.

When I asked him how to get a good stroke, he told me to put a dime out in front of me 12-14", and stroke till my cue dipped at the end. He said if the tip of my cue did not land on the dime 7 or more times out of 10, that it still needed work. I still use that today if something about my stroke doesn't feel quite right.

 

[JAM]

Always said that straight pool has helped my overall game a lot....thats what happens when you quote somebody who's name you can't write right... hehehe

I remember taking your picture with Markus Funk at the Super Billiards Expo in Valley Forge 2 years ago, as depicted below.

Right after I snapped the picture, you and Markus enjoyed a good chuckle. Apparently, your name plate on the overhead lamp at the tournament had your last name spelled wrong, and the German translation of the word on the name plate was not a flattering word in the German language.

Good luck to you in Reno, Mr. Hohmann!

JAM

 

[DaveK]

....thats what happens when you quote somebody who's name you can't write right... hehehe

Good thing you have a sense of humour ... you'll need it for this priceless bit 'o Bernie :

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=20992

Dave

 

[Earl Grey]

Fascinatating? Ventian?

Dear Bernie,

Thank you for keeping my dream alive that there may still be gainful employment for people such as myself (frou-frou Literature major) who write dictionaries for a living.

I cherish the faint hope that you may one day know the glories of The Shift Key, The Space Bar, The Carriage Return, and Valium.

i was talking to thorston in the hall of the ventian, while smoking my cigar, and we wer'e talking about if straight pool helped his 8-ball game, and he replied, "not really,8-ball is a different game" he went on to say something that shocked me, he said~~~~"8-ball is much more difficult than straight pool" this i found fascinatating!! coming from the horses mouth,he said "there is so much more involved with 8-ball, so much more that can go wrong, rather than right,for instance the break alone, could be a disaster" i said hmm, interesting, i figured he would say straight pool helped him a lot with 8-ball,and that straight pool would be more challenging and more difficult, but no, it didn't help him with 8-ball, and 8-ball he said is more difficult to him. i found that insightful and interesting, hope you did as well,Bernie Friend IPT player 2006. p.s. that conversation took place, while he was in the last 32 or so players. i personally pegged him to win it all, once i saw he was in the last 32, he's too damn strong! i said to myself.

 

[Snapshot9]

Thorsten ...

Always said that straight pool has helped my overall game a lot....thats what happens when you quote somebody who's name you can't write right... hehehe

We get more pros on this board that way - We just put a false rumor about them in a thread, and next thing we know they are on here defending their honor, and then they keep coming back to check on us .... ROFL .... LMAO ...

 

[sjm]

I don't know if this holds true to 8-ball since there is no pushout, but in 9-ball, the player who has to push-out is always considered the heavy underdog to win the rack (at the pro level).

With regard to eight ball, I'd argue that if the position that results from the break does not merit an attempt at a run out, a safety that will make the rack someting close to a 50/50 proposition is typically available.

With regard to nine ball, I disagree. Even at high level, the player having to push out probably wins 40% of those racks, and is just a slight underdog, not a heavy underdog.