Jump Cues

[instroke]

That's right Mikko. I mentioned that earlier. But as Allen Hopkins pointed out in the commentary, if Bustamante had chosen a different safety then the jump cue would have been eliminated as a choice. The other safety was the better one.

John

 

[instroke]

And Big Dog, I forgot to mention one thing. Just because you were jumping and getting shape in 20 minutes (others have done that in two minutes BTW) doesn't mean that you have mastered the jump shot using the jump cue. I have several players that I will put in the box against ANYONE in the world for HUGE amounts of cash in a jump contest. These guys have in fact MASTERED the jump shot with a full cue AND with a jump cue. They will make you dizzy with the SKILL shots they can do with the jump cue.

As you well know, anyone can learn to draw the cueball table length in a few minutes but how long does it take to learn to do it any length on demand and under pressure? The former is beginning technique and the latter is professional mastery.

John

 

[thebigdog]

John
I just have to agree to disagree with you. I am sure you do know some people who can jump really well with both cues, I am sure you know guys who can jump really well with just a shaft, but that is not allowed. Its my personal opinion, and from what I read it seems like I am in the minority here, these sticks are not making this a better game. But thats just me I guess.

 

[Raistlin]

I am still undecided about the whole jump cue issue. It kinda seems like pool players are becoming like golfers: we now have a playing cue, a break cue, and a jump cue. Do we want to see players going back to their case to pick out a suitable tool for each shot? Should we introduce a 'bag limit' to limit the number of cues a player can use in a game?

Having said that, I see no problem with jumping the cb as a valid shot in the game. Lots of my friends use jump cues, I just feel that I do not know how to kick well enough yet for it to be of any use.

 

[mjantti]

That's right Mikko. I mentioned that earlier. But as Allen Hopkins pointed out in the commentary, if Bustamante had chosen a different safety then the jump cue would have been eliminated as a choice. The other safety was the better one.

John

That's true, John. Nowadays one has to think about the possibility of jumping when playing safe. Well, I also try to avoid leaving easy kick shots as well. These things make change of safeties much harder but also refreshingly challenging. Also, nowadays players are leaving the cueball snookered on push-out shots in case there's a jump shot on and hoping that the coming players is not comfortable with the jump. Seen Bustamante done that... I think it was against Strickland, who returned the shot (of course knowing Earl). Well, Busta got his jump cue, made the jump and run out.

Just remember seeing an Accu-stat tape from the early nineties. In that tape Bobby Hunter performed an awesome jump with a full length cue. The interfering ball was less than 20" away and Hunter jumped over a full ball with his playing cue and made the shot and run out. I would say that the jump shot with a full length cue over a full ball is one of the hardest shots in the game.
But I still prefer the jump cue and I think it shouldn't be banned. It's part of the game these days.

 

[tobyjoe]

I bought a Sledgehammer from Don Purdy last week, and love breaking with it (which was my main reason for it) but I can't get the damned thing jumping right. It's me, I know, because Don picked it up and popped balls all over the place. I'm not the worst player in the joint, and I just can't get my stroke right on those jumpers. Of course, I haven't used it in a match, and won't until I master it and really need it.

As far as whether they hurt or hinder the game, there are one of two situations in the arguments. Either anti-jump-cue-folks have their own ideological vision of what pool should be (in which case there is no debating, since they aren't operating by reason but by taste) or they don't weigh all the tools equally. I think the leather tip is a good example, but a better one might be the mechanical bridge. It could be argued that a good player won't leave themselves a pattern which might require using it... but I'm glad it's there. Shooting with it is hard and takes practice. Just like with a jump cue...

 

[UWPoolGod1]

Yeah I do not own a jump cue as of yet (my maker is making me a free purpleheart j/c to go with my custom), but as of the moment hate people who have them. Playing in bar tourneys on 7 footers it is not good enough anymore just to snooker the player. Now you have to do whatever you can to get right up on the hooking ball and freeze it. Changes the outcomes of so many well thought out safes. Playing last night I played two good safes that were 8" away from the snookering ball and they jumped clear...one made it and ran out. I am now more aware of what caliber of safes I have to play...even against lesser players (who own jump cues), since I don't want to leave them any cheese to jump out and spray to. I guess we'll see what happens when I get mine.

 

[theirlaw]

Should we introduce a 'bag limit' to limit the number of cues a player can use in a game?

Hi Raistlin, the BCA world rules do have a 3 cue cue limit, though I'm not sure if that covers all US tournaments. I know it covers the BPPPA tour in the UK.

James

 

[instroke]

(snip) Playing last night I played two good safes that were 8" away from the snookering ball and they jumped clear...one made it and ran out. I am now more aware of what caliber of safes I have to play...even against lesser players (who own jump cues), since I don't want to leave them any cheese to jump out and spray to. I guess we'll see what happens when I get mine.

I just play the safe the best way I can. To me the jump shot and the kick shot are equally hard and both have the capacity to work or not.

The pros try to cut off kicking and jumping lanes when playing safe - they have always done this.

If you play safe and the opponent jumps and makes it then he deserves it. If he kicks it and makes it he deserves it. In neither case did the cue or the diamond system pull the trigger - the player did.

If your jump cue works as well as the Bunjee variety then you will grow to love them when you see the new range of shots available to you. Now you will have all of the kick shots PLUS all of the jump shots.

John

 

[billfishhead]

Today a break/jump cue is part of the game. If you dont like it dont use it. After all how many non-pro players are that good at jumping. Let em go for it, I dont mind ball in hand

 

[tobyjoe]

another option might be that if you're faced with playing in a tournament that allows them, don't play. if you're playing for cash or fun, try to set the rules before hand.

i agree with billfishhead, though: i've never seen even decent players in a local gambling match do anything but make contact with a ball with a jumper, and they're probably 60% on that. never seen anyone pop, drop, and get shape unless they were the type of player i sure as hell won't be playing any time in the next 10 years...