Is the Object Ball just a "Mirrored Reflection" of the Cue Ball

No doubt. I just never matched up with anybody playing banks. I enjoy the game and would've liked to meet a few of them. :) Played a lot of bank the 8, though.

Best,
Mike

Mike,

Banking the 8 is how I learned the game. For the longest time I did not know that it was not the normal way to play.

Best,
Rick
 
Sydney is the only city where US type tables are predominant.

Most pubs Australia wide who've got a coin-op table(s) would have the US style cut pockets on those tables I'd wager ? (easier to make pots / faster games / more revenue from the table)


Not many people play on US tables in the other cities, though they are becoming more popular, particularly with asian clientele.

Decent US tables in a "pool hall" seem a little rare indeed - though I thought I came across some info once indicating that Perth has got more pool rooms with US style tables than Sydney ? (I've only been to wembley's pool hall in sydney CBD once - Brunswick tables - 'cheaper end of the spectrum' Brunswick tables at that from what I could tell)

It'd be great if every local club that has some snooker tables also had some quality GC or Diamond pool tables.

I think I own the only 2 US tables in my city.

I reckon I've got one of the few 9 foot US styles in my area - Illawarra - or the only one...

Cheers.
 
you understand things that are very challenging to explain in writing

I didn't mean to change the theme of your thread. I actually learned a little something from some of your insight a few posts back. Carry on sir. John B.

You're actually right on theme, there's no better example of the "mirror" effect than banking. You are an expert at creating angles, and understand how to allow your subconscious to operate at a very high level.

This is important, when a player doesn't do things effectively it drains their potential energy/brain power, so the have difficulty actually playing the game.....they have to re-correct poor habits and that's a heavy burden.

Your systems are strong, obviously with your record you understand things that are very challenging to explain in writing. Even if you explain things perfectly there will be a few that jump to the wrong conclusions.

It's so awesome to see another player of your caliber posting, maybe we can start a trend at some point. Everyone is starting to state their opinions more professionally, that's a great start. 'The Game is the Teacher' .com
 

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"Don't Play Banks With Anyone From Kentucky"

No doubt. I just never matched up with anybody playing banks. I enjoy the game and would've liked to meet a few of them. :) Played a lot of bank the 8, though.

Best,
Mike

On my "spot map" it clearly said "Don't Play Banks With Anyone From Kentucky"

Cincinnati was in Ohio, however, it had an asterisk beside it with Gary Spaeth's name.
 
Mike,

Banking the 8 is how I learned the game. For the longest time I did not know that it was not the normal way to play.

Best,
Rick

A lot of players would gamble if you either banked the 8 or played last pocket 8 ball. There was always the chance for a shot or two because it's harder to run out.


Best,
Mike
 
On my "spot map" it clearly said "Don't Play Banks With Anyone From Kentucky"

Cincinnati was in Ohio, however, it had an asterisk beside it with Gary Spaeth's name.

When there's a top player hanging at a room, you can bet their influence has rubbed off on several other players in that spot . I'll bet Gary Spaeth's room had some tough bank action. :cool:

Never played him and I've always been thankful I dodged that bullet. :grin:

Best,
Mike
 
John Brumback may have played him there, that would have been a real "gun fight"

When there's a top player hanging at a room, you can bet their influence has rubbed off on several other players in that spot . I'll bet Gary Spaeth's room had some tough bank action. :cool:

Never played him and I've always been thankful I dodged that bullet. :grin:

Best,
Mike

I went there a played him 9-Ball when I was around 19 or 20. He was extremely tough to beat on his home court, and my only strategy was to wear his arm out. After 8 hours he finally missed a ball and it opened the door for me to "hit the gear" I needed to win. Very few went there looking for him to play any game in that particular pool room in Cincinnati.

John Brumback may have played him there, that would have been a real "gun fight".
 
Most pubs Australia wide who've got a coin-op table(s) would have the US style cut pockets on those tables I'd wager ? (easier to make pots / faster games / more revenue from the table)




Decent US tables in a "pool hall" seem a little rare indeed - though I thought I came across some info once indicating that Perth has got more pool rooms with US style tables than Sydney ? (I've only been to wembley's pool hall in sydney CBD once - Brunswick tables - 'cheaper end of the spectrum' Brunswick tables at that from what I could tell)

It'd be great if every local club that has some snooker tables also had some quality GC or Diamond pool tables.



I reckon I've got one of the few 9 foot US styles in my area - Illawarra - or the only one...

Cheers.
All the coin ops in pubs, that I've seen in QLD and VIC, which is a lot are rounded pocket types and nearly always 7 foot. I've seen the odd 9 footer with round pockets.

Yeah, the squarer pockets would make sense for revenue purposes, but leagues, which most pubs belong to, may not allow them. Also, the square cut US style coin ops I've seen come with a heavy CB return, where the rounded pocket coin ops let a smaller CB slide through.

Heven't been to Perth, but I know they have a pretty strong E8B contingent and can't recall anyone from Perth coming across to any of the US 8,9 or 10 ball Championships held in Melbourne. But it could be possible that the pool halls are putting a lot of them in there.

Cheers,
Colin
 
Some of the best last pocket players actually come from Chicago for some reason.

A lot of players would gamble if you either banked the 8 or played last pocket 8 ball. There was always the chance for a shot or two because it's harder to run out.


Best,
Mike

Last pocket 8-Ball is a big game here in Texas. I play in tournaments sometimes where I have to play "last pocket" and everyone else plays straight in. I can win if they aren't allowed to have the same pocket......if that's not the case it's impossible to give up that type of handicap. Last pocket is a great, moving game, it requires a lot of knowledge to play well. Some of the best last pocket players actually come from Chicago for some reason.
 
I am normally pretty good at pocketing balls but Friday and Saturday were a nightmare and I was really struggling. I had lost several hundred and was very frustrated and was thinking I needed a break. Saturday night I tried to figure out what I was doing wrong and finally I concluded I wasn't hitting the center of the cueball.
I went to play Sunday and just focused on the center of the cueball and I ran out from everywhere. I ended up winning my hundreds back plus an extra hundred.
 
it's a matter of accelerating the cue with confidence

I am normally pretty good at pocketing balls but Friday and Saturday were a nightmare and I was really struggling. I had lost several hundred and was very frustrated and was thinking I needed a break. Saturday night I tried to figure out what I was doing wrong and finally I concluded I wasn't hitting the center of the cueball.
I went to play Sunday and just focused on the center of the cueball and I ran out from everywhere. I ended up winning my hundreds back plus an extra hundred.

Yes, the cue ball is the target, so make sure you always focus intently on where your tip is contacting (the cue ball). Then it's a matter of accelerating the cue with confidence.

TOI makes the player do this and also allows "zone play" - you can do this with "center ball," however, the table needs to have forgiving pockets. Playing on tight equipment requires the player to "move" the cue ball off line (to cut the object ball slightly more) with either TOI or TOO (touch of outside spin).

Play Well, you're on the right track.
 
Last pocket 8-Ball is a big game here in Texas. I play in tournaments sometimes where I have to play "last pocket" and everyone else plays straight in. I can win if they aren't allowed to have the same pocket......if that's not the case it's impossible to give up that type of handicap. Last pocket is a great, moving game, it requires a lot of knowledge to play well. Some of the best last pocket players actually come from Chicago for some reason.

We always played no same last pocket. Before BIH rules, some players would shoot your last ball in the side pocket on their turn or at a hole in the kitchen. :) If they couldn't get out, they'd scratch and you'd have to kick at the 8 ball in the kitchen.

The Chicago guys were so good because they had to play all the Milwaukee guys who were excellent, too. Some league/tournament nights on the bar box you'd have a team with Allie Oop, Ronnie the Hat, Gerry Kanov, John Abruzzo vs. Jeff Carter, George Brunt, and others. You ran out or went home! :)

Best,
Mike
 
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All the coin ops in pubs, that I've seen in QLD and VIC, which is a lot are rounded pocket types and nearly always 7 foot. I've seen the odd 9 footer with round pockets.

I sit corrected then - can't say I have visited too many pubs in QLD & VIC.

but yes - 7 foot may be the norm everywhere... real estate is big bucks in any venue & can totally understand why 9 footers aren't used.

the square cut US style coin ops I've seen come with a heavy CB return, where the rounded pocket coin ops let a smaller CB slide through.

Yep - its a horrible game to play when the cueball is a different size / weight to the object balls. Blasphemy if you ask me ! :angry:

US 8,9 or 10 ball Championships held in Melbourne.

Interesting - didn't even know such an event was hosted in Australia - I hope they use 9 foot US style tables with size/weight matched cueballs ?

Cheers.
 
I sit corrected then - can't say I have visited too many pubs in QLD & VIC.

but yes - 7 foot may be the norm everywhere... real estate is big bucks in any venue & can totally understand why 9 footers aren't used.



Yep - its a horrible game to play when the cueball is a different size / weight to the object balls. Blasphemy if you ask me ! :angry:



Interesting - didn't even know such an event was hosted in Australia - I hope they use 9 foot US style tables with size/weight matched cueballs ?

Cheers.

I'll message you some details for the Australian Pool Players Federation.
 
Yes, the cue ball is the target, so make sure you always focus intently on where your tip is contacting (the cue ball). Then it's a matter of accelerating the cue with confidence.

TOI makes the player do this and also allows "zone play" - you can do this with "center ball," however, the table needs to have forgiving pockets. Playing on tight equipment requires the player to "move" the cue ball off line (to cut the object ball slightly more) with either TOI or TOO (touch of outside spin).

Play Well, you're on the right track.

I play in Los Angeles and most of the tables I play on have 4" or 4 1/4" pockets so there are no forgiving pockets. I do use TOI always on thin cut shots and sometimes on other cut shots depending on the position I need.
 
Jack Cooney would practice the same shot over and over and over

I play in Los Angeles and most of the tables I play on have 4" or 4 1/4" pockets so there are no forgiving pockets. I do use TOI always on thin cut shots and sometimes on other cut shots depending on the position I need.

I like to use the same TOI on every shot possible. My experience tells me I'd rather be a "master of one shot, than a jack of all shots". LoL - when I say that I think about Cooney.

Jack Cooney would practice the same shot over and over and over. Finally he would get his "fix" and go onto another one. He mastered those funky little one pocket banks and safes and sure enough, when he got in action I'd see them come up quite often.

Jack may have bee the exception, he really was a "Jack of all shots". ;)
 
Understanding how this is done is a HUGE advantage

One of the things I teach is how to raise mental potential in various ways playing pocket billiards.

The subconscious is an amazing tool when utilized correctly and can actually be detrimental {in ways} if it's not. I believe it's important to learn ways to maximize our potential, not only in our pool games, also in business, and personal areas of our lives.

Our senses tend to get stronger in one area, when weakened in another. For example, if the lights were to suddenly go out we all instantly have better touch and feel - it's proven that blind people have better hearing (and touch for reading braille) and visa versa. Many people don't "real eyes" that we can intentionally decrease and increase our senses.

We can use this phenomenon to our advantage when we get down on a pool shot. Above the ball we want to be 90% (for example only) visual and only about 10% kinesthetic (feel and touch).....we stay in that mode and concentrate mostly on the object ball until our hand hits the table and our focus shifts to the cue ball.......at this point our visual sense should be deliberately diminished (towards the object ball) so we can raise our sense of touch (and feel) to connect and fully absorb into the shot.

Understanding how this is done is a HUGE advantage because it enables the player to maximize both their visual experience AND their "feel and touch" experience on the same shot by effectively shifting back and forth from one to the other at EXACTLY the vital time, thus synergistically increasing both sense's full potential.

This information can be amazingly beneficial so give it some thought....you'll be glad you did and if this process "clicks" you will have a very powerful mental tool in your "pool box" that may also enhance other areas of your life. www.thegameistheteacher.com
 
It's true that "to keep it, we must be willing to give it away"....and such is life

I see your point, CJ...much like shooting a gun. We aim a gun (bullet-cue ball) in order to strike a contact point...either on a target or an object ball.

Sound crazy, but once I figured out that the balls are round and it was the contact point that mattered, my aim improved.

I've never seen a "contact point," and look at the balls as if they're flat (2 dimensional). This is why teaching is so interesting, all of us see things differently. I gave a record amount of lessons in the last week and ironically I learned some things I otherwise couldn't have learned. The key is to be able to explain the same techniques in many ways.....in communication, we must be responsible for our responses, and flexible enough to adjust them to fit the student's perception.

It's true that "to keep it, we must be willing to give it away"....and such is life 'The Game is the Teacher' .com

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