I have played pool/snooker for 6 years, I play carom using a snooker stance. Everybody say me I should not stand straight on the line of the shot but i should stay more sideways. I also should stay higher. I'm very comfortable with my stance and quite frankly I have a pretty good stroke and I'm not giving any unwanted spin ( almost never). I don't want to change my stance. Any advice?
Is really necessary to change your fundamentals?
- Thread starter Slh
- Start date
fiveandout
Registered
A lot of top players play and look a little different than the pictures in the books. If it aint broke...no fix-ie. If moving my left foot in 6 inches and standing taller "improved" my average...you bet I'd change. IMO
Pool and snooker players tend to have much better mechanics than carom players when it comes to making precise hits on the object ball. That's because most carom shots have a wider margin of error than what is require to precisely pocket balls. Other factors like speed, spin and shot pattern in general make the shots bigger and allow the carom players to get away with it most of the time.
As long as you can apply the require spin to the CB and carom it accurately, I'd say you're at an advantage once you learn more about the other factors I mentioned. Good luck!
Robert
In my experience...
Stance and stroke are hugely different things, when asking 'should I change?'.
There are many strokes in billiard games that you do not have in pool. I believe that is largely because of the difference that the CB's rotation has on the reaction after contacting the rail. Pool balls do not 'turn over' the way billiard balls do.
There are also many subtle differences in the bridges.
What a great game. Wish I was playing now.:smile:
Stance and stroke are hugely different things, when asking 'should I change?'.
There are many strokes in billiard games that you do not have in pool. I believe that is largely because of the difference that the CB's rotation has on the reaction after contacting the rail. Pool balls do not 'turn over' the way billiard balls do.
There are also many subtle differences in the bridges.
What a great game. Wish I was playing now.:smile:
Thanks 3kushn for this reply and for all the help I had through email. 
I'm praticing the shots contained in Harry Sims book. I also have the book on my iphone so I can visualize the shots on my phone. I also bought Robert Byrne's new standard book of pool and billiards.
A lot of people are trying to convince me on using a closed bridge. I don't like it, I don't find it comfortable. I also never felt the supposed increased accuracy it should provide. I have never used it when I played pool, let alone snooker. I think it can help psychologically if you feel you are more accurate but it's not my case.
I'm praticing the shots contained in Harry Sims book. I also have the book on my iphone so I can visualize the shots on my phone. I also bought Robert Byrne's new standard book of pool and billiards.A lot of people are trying to convince me on using a closed bridge. I don't like it, I don't find it comfortable. I also never felt the supposed increased accuracy it should provide. I have never used it when I played pool, let alone snooker. I think it can help psychologically if you feel you are more accurate but it's not my case.
Slh,
you will *slightly* change your stance a bit, if the stroke will afford it...and then you ll for sure do it yourself automatically on your own!
Very often such comments comin from more stubborn and rigid players- there are enough world class players, who als prefer a stance that s not so high!
hf with 3c
lg
Ingo
you will *slightly* change your stance a bit, if the stroke will afford it...and then you ll for sure do it yourself automatically on your own!
Very often such comments comin from more stubborn and rigid players- there are enough world class players, who als prefer a stance that s not so high!
hf with 3c
lg
Ingo
As long as your fundamentals and technique are good, that's all that matters. If you are able to play a solid game with your current stance/bridge, then keep it. If you feel that you are lacking at some point and that something has to change, it would probably be your bridge first, if it's even necessary at all.
Exactly. You're not a beginner, you're just applying your current skills to another discipline. I'd work on learning game principles and shot patterns. If, during the course of practicing a certain type of shot, you're having trouble getting the required ball action, then maybe start considering how slight stance modification or a different bridge may make things easier.
For example, many players tend to tense their grip and lock their wrist (either partially or fully) when using power on a shot. If you do that using an open bridge, it can cause a raising of the tip on the final stroke. If you're trying to make a maximum draw 5-railer around the table, that could totally kill the shot by hitting higher than what you were originally aiming, thereby applying much less draw than intended.
Some players find using a closed bridge for power draw shots - even when they use open bridges otherwise - makes it easier to ensure a low-enough tip contact. For the same tensing of the grip and wrist locking, the closed bridge would stop the tip from raising. It can even act as a fulcrum and reverse the effect, causing you instead to hit slightly lower than intended. Also, the closed bridge fulcrum means the error at the tip will only be a fraction of the open bridge case due to lever principles.
This is just an example of a practical reason to consider addressing otherwise-sound snooker fundamentals. This specific case may not apply to you, but I hope it gives you an idea of the kind of thing you may run across in your practice.
Robert
Talking about fundamental changes in billiards??? I've made a lot of changes over the years going from pool, not snooker, to three cushion...
In the meantime Slh, i think having fun playing and learning the game is most important...stick to what work for you and i agree with everyone here on that.... but as you get better and better, the need to change your fundamental will be inevitible and you will see it. It will take a while to feel and see it, dont rush into changing something that is working for you...
Coming from a similar background like you, I didn't change much of my stance besides staying up a little higher so i could see and imagine the ball's path. One thing that i kept changing was my bridge but i did it slowly over the years, not just a month or two. I went from an open pool bridge to the closed pool bridge (like efren reyes), then another bridge (similar to Blomdahl), and then a different bridge (check frederic coudron), and as much as i hate to wear gloves, I put it on recently and it also helped. search for names on youtube and you see what i'm talking about.
Slh, One thing that i had to change was the cue. I damaged my cuetec shaft playing three cushion. The shaft became so weak and vibrate a lot after that.
My three cushion cue changed as well... i went from very long and heavy cue, 19.5 oz cue to a shorter, less than 18 oz cue.
Goodluck and enjoy...
In the meantime Slh, i think having fun playing and learning the game is most important...stick to what work for you and i agree with everyone here on that.... but as you get better and better, the need to change your fundamental will be inevitible and you will see it. It will take a while to feel and see it, dont rush into changing something that is working for you...
Coming from a similar background like you, I didn't change much of my stance besides staying up a little higher so i could see and imagine the ball's path. One thing that i kept changing was my bridge but i did it slowly over the years, not just a month or two. I went from an open pool bridge to the closed pool bridge (like efren reyes), then another bridge (similar to Blomdahl), and then a different bridge (check frederic coudron), and as much as i hate to wear gloves, I put it on recently and it also helped. search for names on youtube and you see what i'm talking about.
Slh, One thing that i had to change was the cue. I damaged my cuetec shaft playing three cushion. The shaft became so weak and vibrate a lot after that.
My three cushion cue changed as well... i went from very long and heavy cue, 19.5 oz cue to a shorter, less than 18 oz cue.
Goodluck and enjoy...
Thanks for all the replies. I'm currently playing with a predator with a 314-2 shaft do you think I could damage it?
I'm considering buying a carom cue in the near future.
Amen to that.
fiveandout
Registered
I believe 314 just came out with "carom shafts" for 4 makes of cues. Ck with Traffic Control Caroms site
I played an entire tournament once with a 314 when I was experimenting with LD shafts before I bought my Z-2. I remember because it was the Doral, FL event where I first beat Luis Avila and Miguel Torres in competition
I've included some pics of it in action.Both it and the Z-2 I played with for several years held up just fine. I doubt the newer 3C-specific models are much different in that respect since I'm sure they are also hollowed out near the tip to create the low end mass.
Currently, I play with an OB Classic, and it's holding up fine just as well.
Robert
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thanks for all the replies.
I started playing 3 cushions just two weeks ago and I received only pessimism from other players. I don't know maybe because they see me young ( I'm 22) and they don't think I have the drive to learn the game. The age range in the room I play is 50-80. I heard the sentence "this is a really tough game" many times. I had a conversation with a player who said me "You are basically starting this game from scratch". I said I played pool for 6 years but didn't seem he thought it could be helpful in three cushions. Then I discovered he thought you don't use english in pool, he thought you only play stop shots.
I asked if he likes pool and he said "No, I don't. It's a reductive game, you are just making balls in pockets....in three cushions you have thousands of shots, you must use english, different strokes,ecc..." he then proceeded to tell other positive things about pool. I was a little pissed after this conversation.
I started playing 3 cushions just two weeks ago and I received only pessimism from other players. I don't know maybe because they see me young ( I'm 22) and they don't think I have the drive to learn the game. The age range in the room I play is 50-80. I heard the sentence "this is a really tough game" many times. I had a conversation with a player who said me "You are basically starting this game from scratch". I said I played pool for 6 years but didn't seem he thought it could be helpful in three cushions. Then I discovered he thought you don't use english in pool, he thought you only play stop shots.
I asked if he likes pool and he said "No, I don't. It's a reductive game, you are just making balls in pockets....in three cushions you have thousands of shots, you must use english, different strokes,ecc..." he then proceeded to tell other positive things about pool. I was a little pissed after this conversation.
Slh, I was in your position. Do you use chin and chest? I love it for snooker and pool also, but would advise against it in 3C. Better to have slightly higher head position, makes for better view of the angles which you need more in that game. At those rare times that I played 3C I also found out that with higher head position, closed bridge felt more natural. Later I found that at pool when I needed to get out of safeties, I started using my "carom modifications" just for those shots. And who would have thought...it helped! You might need minor tweaks when switching games, not total overhaul of fundamentals. Don't be so opposed to closed bridge, it is worth getting comfortable with even if you use it rarely. And it is just a minor tweak really, something you add to your arsenal. I myself prefer open bridge almost all the time for pool, but closed bridge helps with those power breaks from the middle at 8ball and 10ball where body movement is impossible to avoid. And sometimes the cueball can be in such awkward positions near the rail it is damn near impossible to form a proper open bridge and keep the cue reasonably level. Hope this helps.
Carom players I talked to thought that pool was total crap as a game (same story as yours), but would not discount pool or snooker guys as possible carom players as according to them they only had to learn the game's finer details, not fundamentals.
Carom players I talked to thought that pool was total crap as a game (same story as yours), but would not discount pool or snooker guys as possible carom players as according to them they only had to learn the game's finer details, not fundamentals.
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Slh, where the hell you play that range age 50-80???
Sounds like you already got a good stroke and that's the most important thing of all.
Three cushion is so much fun and that's why i've been playing for the last few years... keep it up bro.. you will be amazed by how much knowledge you gain about billiards once to got better with this game... make it worth your time playing...
For the shaft, Robert knows better... cuz my cuetec shaft wasn't that good to begin with...
Hey Robert,
Can you explain more about the LD shafts that you played with.. What's the difference btw the 314 vs Z2.. How do LD feel and didn't help your game? Were you able to get better hit with the LD shaft?
I think the 3c 314 has a bigger taper than pool 314...not sure of other stuff..
I'm thinkin about getting a 3C 314...
Thanks
Sounds like you already got a good stroke and that's the most important thing of all.
Three cushion is so much fun and that's why i've been playing for the last few years... keep it up bro.. you will be amazed by how much knowledge you gain about billiards once to got better with this game... make it worth your time playing...
For the shaft, Robert knows better... cuz my cuetec shaft wasn't that good to begin with...
Hey Robert,
Can you explain more about the LD shafts that you played with.. What's the difference btw the 314 vs Z2.. How do LD feel and didn't help your game? Were you able to get better hit with the LD shaft?
I think the 3c 314 has a bigger taper than pool 314...not sure of other stuff..
I'm thinkin about getting a 3C 314...
Thanks
Yes I use chin and chest. Thanks for the post
I play in a sort of private billiard room. You have to be a member to play in. I'm interested in learning the game, I already bought Byrne's new standard of...... and Harry Sims Key shots.