Jump Shots, do you like them or not?

Change the rules. No jump shots, period.

Learn the banks, acknowledge your opponents skill when you are "locked up" and play the game "like a man".
 
rhinobywilhite said:
Change the rules. No jump shots, period.

Learn the banks, acknowledge your opponents skill when you are "locked up" and play the game "like a man".
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We can simply say, learn to lose like man as well. If the safety you chose afforded your opponent to jump, it was not a very good safe.

Need less rules, and more involvement. Without progression, there is no future.
 
Jump shots in pool has evolved because of the rotation games and loose safeties. Players should just deal with the changing game as other sports have had to as well. Tennis isn't played with wooden rackets, hockey isn't played with wooden sticks, golf has had more equipment changes than any sport and has the most history. If you don't like your opponent jumping out of a hook, then play a better safe...or just run out.
 
I play in a tournament series that allows jump shots in the Montreal area. I personally prefer to kick the balls, to me that is more impressive and visually appealing than jumping at balls. On the other hand, I don't mind other people jumping balls because 80 percent of them are not proficient at it and most of the time it ends in my favor. We lose the art of kicking with jump shots. My home room does not allow jump shots so kicking is what I learned.
 
rhinobywilhite said:
Change the rules. No jump shots, period.

Learn the banks, acknowledge your opponents skill when you are "locked up" and play the game "like a man".
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Bank shot? What are you, some kind of girly man?

I think they should do away with bank shots. Play the game like a Man
 
Use the rails for kicks. That's why the table has them. Somewhere deep down inside me I think guys that jump can't kick, so they jump. Play some 3 cushion and learn how to use the rails.
 
I don't jump often but if I'm playing someone who's good at jumping, it's tougher for me to play defense against them. For that reason, I suggest getting as good at jumping as you can get, but know when to use it. Sometimes you can surprise your opponent with a good jump shot when needed, especially if you don't use it often.

That being said, I don't ever recall using a jump shot in a tournament.
 
philly said:
Use the rails for kicks. That's why the table has them. Somewhere deep down inside me I think guys that jump can't kick, so they jump. Play some 3 cushion and learn how to use the rails.
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That's underestimating your opponent. I love when people think I cant kick or jump. Easy money.

If you are a league player, than I really do not care about your opinion, most league players are against it because they know no better. With that being said, I show my kicking ability first and force them to play my type of game, then the jump cue will come out later and now my opponent doesn't know how to play me and they start going for stupid shots and leaving the table open.
 
Physiqz said:
That's underestimating your opponent. I love when people think I cant kick or jump. Easy money.

If you are a league player, than I really do not care about your opinion, most league players are against it because they know no better. With that being said, I show my kicking ability first and force them to play my type of game, then the jump cue will come out later and now my opponent doesn't know how to play me and they start going for stupid shots and leaving the table open.
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To the contrary my friend. I assume I have the upper hand against an opponent that relies on kicks and I don't know if you should assume I am a league player. You sound pretty knowledgeable though and are probably an A+ player judging from your post. Might I have heard of you? By the way, I have been known to play in tournaments with some pros from time to time and have fared pretty well in such a field.
 
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I far prefer kicking to jumping. I will jump if it is appropriate, and allowed. The vast majority of my playing time is in a league where jump cues are not allowed, so I learned how to use my full size break cue to jump a little, if the cue ball is close to rail so I'm not leaning too far over the table. I can use the shorty a little, tho I'm not very practiced with it, and it is a different animal than the full size, technique wise. At least for me.

There has to be a lot of traffic for me to not kick first. I like kicking.
 
I personally do not like them and believe they require less skill and knowledge to perform than kick shots thus I only kick at balls. I will some times use the rail to try to jump a ball if I am locked up close the the rail and right behind a ball, but I still consider that a kick shot.
 
I don't mind people jumping against me, as it always results in Ball in hand or at least an open shot. The average c+ or b player who jumps every time they are behind a ball in my opinion is diminishing their chances to win, as they dont do it properly or know when to do it. Some players forgot there are rails on the table. For those who know how to do it efficiently, by all means.......until there is a rule change (which I would personally like to see).
 
rhinobywilhite said:
Change the rules. No jump shots, period.
play the game "like a man".
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There are many people in my league that say this exact same thing. Just replace the phrase "jump shots" with "safeties".

Myself I love anything that adds another interesting dimension to the game. And yes, I practice them in pool halls. If I didn't, how would I practice and get better?
 
philly said:
To the contrary my friend. I assume I have the upper hand against an opponent that relies on kicks and I don't know if you should assume I am a league player. You sound pretty knowledgeable though and are probably an A+ player judging from your post. Might I have heard of you? By the way, I have been known to play in tournaments with some pros from time to time and have fared pretty well in such a field.
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No not an A player, I would say B+ at most. I do not B&R consistently enough and still make the occasional errors. I do not know my %, Maybe a B&R every 7 racks. High run is 5 racks.

And that's the point of playing kicks first, to make your opponent think he has an upper hand. lol,
 
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It seems with a jump shot you are looking to make a hit or maybe make the ball that is up. With a kick, if you know what you are doing, you can kick your opponent into safety where he is trapped.
 
Rin said:
I started playing pool when I was 13 and now I'm 25. I don't play in any leagues etc because I travel a lot but I would rank myself as an A player.

So here's the deal, I don't like jump shots and I don't use them. I wonder how you guys think about this?

Also, this has nothing to do with not being able to make jump shots or not willing to learn, I can jump.

Things I don't like about jump shots:

- They are noisy and break the cloth (if performed by someone who's not good at it), balls jump out of the table etc.

- People jump for any reason, even for simple shots, they go and get their jump cue, it makes them lazy and they often overlook better solutions because jumping is simpler.

- I find it super annoying if you are playing in a pool hall and there's someone practicing jump shots.

I just want to know what you guys think. Thanks:)
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:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping: I agree with you.
We play BCA rules which allows jumping. and I can in fact jump but in the last 2 years I have probably jumped 4 times I think. I like it when my opponent goes for his jump cue because it often results in BIH for me, so I really cant dislike jumping too much.
 
philly said:
It seems with a jump shot you are looking to make a hit or maybe make the ball that is up. With a kick, if you know what you are doing, you can kick your opponent into safety where he is trapped.
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A pretty fair analysis, both are useful in certain situations, its down to the player to make the correct decision.

I have a playing cue, a break cue and jump cue, I use them for different shots, in straight pool the latter two don't come out of the case, in 9-Ball everything does, I don't really see the problem with specialist cues for certain shots, its no different to a sand wedge for example!

All that aside, jump shots are good for tv, which is good for the game!
 
King T said:
So what's the difference? Most people who aren't pro's don't jump good anyway, sure they hit might the ball, but with no more control than a random kick, so whats the difference?
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Whether a (non-pro) player can or can't jump (well) is irrelevant here, King.

But to answer your question in part: look at the OP.

It outlines a few reasons for not liking the jump shot in and of itself.
That's the difference here, King.

Don't get me wrong however.
Jumping balls is exciting to watch.
If that will help pool, I can't complain too much. ;)
I just choose not to use jump cues.

It has just forced me to make sure I play "lock safe."
Thanks, Jump Cues. You have made me a better safety player!
 
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