just got addicted to pool, need help

D

dangerous

Registered
i've been playing seriously for 3 months now and have a few questions. i have a feeling there are a few players on this board who know what they are doing.

my level: i can consistenly pocket 3 or 4 balls. If I really focus I can run 5 balls pretty consistently on a bar table. I've ran 6 or 7 balls in a raw plenty of times but I have never broke and ran out on a big table nor a bar table. I mostly play at bars and practice in pool halls. I usually think ahead 2 or 3 moves and spin the cue ball a lot to set up the next shot. I'm very comfortable with drawing/playing from the top. I'm only interested in 8 ball for now. I play every single day. my stroke looks/feels very nice and relaxed. I try copying filipino gods from youtube.

i use a predator cue, have no idea about its weight, i bought it for $480 on ebay, it goes for around $800 online. it's the older model. i think it's good enough for now. ?? but i do miscue a lot maybe it's due to the fact that the tip is much smaller on mine than on the house cue.

i've played a bunch of $5 - $15 dollar games at bars with random people. I have never won yet. I also usually play a $5 entry fee bar tournament against about 30 people. I hear from competitors that i'm one of the best at the bar but i've never won the entire thing.

my goals are to finally break and run for the first time (either on bar table or real table), to finally win at least one game for money, and enter my first competition that's not in a bar (i wouldn't know where to sign up). i know you're thinking i'm not ready but i don't mind losing in the beginning, i just want to play. And I learn super fast.

last week this "drunk" dude hustled me for $5. he broke - nothing in but cue ball on the rail. I made a really hard shot, then missed and he ran out. looking at his stroke and the shots he was making in knew he was definetely better than me. after the game i politely looked him in the eyes and with plenty of confidence said "let's do another one for $50". He declined. I said $40. He declined and left the bar. I just want to be ready for next time when my bluff doesn't work and the hustler says yes. btw i'm not rich, just a little cocky sometimes :)

so my questions are:
i'm looking for a REALLY good player in hollywood, CA area to take some private lessons from. i don't care if he/she is a great instructor i'm looking for a great player. Someone on this board listed

Jose Parica
Ernesto Dominguez
Morro Paez
Dave Hemma
Marshall Jung

as the best but i couldn't find their contact info online plus i don't know if any of them teach.

my other question is when the white ball is on the rail and i'm shooting the 8 ball - straight shot - do i a) hit it really soft so i don't scratch. b) apply a little top left or right c) attemp to draw (don't know if that's possible)

and lastly, totally out of curiosity, after watching and studing too many youtube videos if efren reyes went against allison fisher who would you have your money on?
 
woah woah woah....my advice would be to slow down and allow these answers to come to you gradually....You asked a mouthful....

My money would be on Efren....?

The 8 ball is also on the rail?

so the cue ball shoots straight into the 8 ball into the corner pocket? Well, I think any of the above that you stated would work....but I would make it as easy on yourself as possible, if you are playing 8 ball, and shooting the 8 ball, then it is your last shot, make it and forget about it.
 
Glad to hear your bitten by the pool bug! The first advice i would have for is to enter as many tournaments as you can. The experience is great and you will learn a ton. I wouldn't get to hung up on not running a rack out yet, its still early and it will come with time and practice. I have always heard that Max Eberle is a great instructor and i believe he is around your area. The last piece of advice when discussing shooting off the rail would be to avoid using spin on the cue ball because it really complicates things. Keep it simple with shots on the rail and only use spin if it is absolutely necessary.
 
i'm looking for a REALLY good player in hollywood, CA area to take some private lessons from. i don't care if he/she is a great instructor i'm looking for a great player.
Click to expand...

I'd recommend rethinking that plan. Not all great players can teach worth a damn. Find yourself a good instructor - they're worth their weight in gold.
 
Max Eberle is no longer house pro. Tang Hoa is the new house pro at Hollywood Billiards. Both are great players. I don't know much about Tang's teaching, but I know Max is great for instruction.

You may also want to try and get in touch with Ernesto Dominguez. From what I hear, he's a top-rate teacher and he's a hell of a nice guy.

Little Brother said:
Try Max Eberle. I think he's the house pro at Hollywood Billiards. Dave Hemmah is the house pro at HardTimes in Bellflower.
Click to expand...
 
gambling

i for one think gambling will make you better faster.but you also need to practice drills.and as far as using a filipino stroke that all well and good but you should use what ever stroke is comfortable and that doesn't cause you to go against any basic stroke techniques.(following thru and str8)also gambling for anymore that 5 a game or 20 a set 3 months into playing is a little steep i beleive.buy books,buy instructional tapes,go to bigger monthly tournys where you can watch A or B players.do that and you'll be running out before you know it.
 
I just txt'ed Ernesto's son to see if Ernesto does lessons. I'll try to get him in touch with you if you're interested.
 
dangerous said:
last week this "drunk" dude hustled me for $5. he broke - nothing in but cue ball on the rail. I made a really hard shot, then missed and he ran out. looking at his stroke and the shots he was making in knew he was definetely better than me. after the game i politely looked him in the eyes and with plenty of confidence said "let's do another one for $50". He declined. I said $40. He declined and left the bar. I just want to be ready for next time when my bluff doesn't work and the hustler says yes. btw i'm not rich, just a little cocky sometimes :)
Click to expand...

More power to you, but why would you want to bluff the guy?
 
Welcome ta da party pal!

Bruce-Willis---Die-Hard-Photograph-C10104245.jpeg
 
I for one recommend NOT copying the filipino's strokes. You should look at somebody like Buddy Hall, Kim Davenport, John Schmidt, Thorston Hohmann, Niels Feijen, Mika, etc....to see what a conventional fundamentally sound stroke should look like. The filipinos usually have longer bridges because they are usually shorter, and the tables in the Philippines are slower because of the humidity and the playing conditions. They have adapted their strokes to better conditions now, but the old habits usually remain. Trying to emulate this would be disaster for an amateur trying to learn the ropes.

I suggest you do continue to match up, but try to keep playing people that are a little better than you. It might cost you a few bucks, but you will learn faster;)
 
Welcome to the club, dude. Sorry I can't your questions, but there's a lot there. My advice to you is practice practice practice. Absorb everything you read and see about the game and use it in your training. Good Luck :D
 
Agree with all those names, except Schmidt. Not your typically "fundamentally sound" stroke.

I'd also suggest looking at Parica's stroke. Yes he's Filipino, but he's got a great, sound stroke.

Since you're in SoCali, also take a look at Max Eberle's and Dave Hemmah's stroke. Great fundamentals.

belmicah said:
I for one recommend NOT copying the filipino's strokes. You should look at somebody like Buddy Hall, Kim Davenport, John Schmidt, Thorston Hohmann, Niels Feijen, Mika, etc....to see what a conventional fundamentally sound stroke should look like. The filipinos usually have longer bridges because they are usually shorter, and the tables in the Philippines are slower because of the humidity and the playing conditions. They have adapted their strokes to better conditions now, but the old habits usually remain. Trying to emulate this would be disaster for an amateur trying to learn the ropes.

I suggest you do continue to match up, but try to keep playing people that are a little better than you. It might cost you a few bucks, but you will learn faster;)
Click to expand...
 
re: need help

thanks everyone! Steven. Definetely let me know if he texts you back. Parica looks very clean and confident, love his style. Buddy Hall makes it look effortless and i understand he's a legend. But his style reminds me of snooker players, like that super fast guy Ronnie (forget the last name). I don't know if the "stiff" snooker style will work great in the bar scene. Filipino style looks a little more "street" to me. If I'm understanding correctly there are basically two major styles the Philipino style and the conventional one. Considering the top 20 in the world either style would work for what i'm trying to acomplish. Again, i could be totally wrong so feel free to correct me.

as far as "bluffing" the guy i think pool is a mental game and anytime i can make my opponent leave the bar thinking he's worse than me will pay off in the future.

Bazzoka, the eight ball is 3 inches away from the corner pocket but it's a long shot, meaning the white ball is against the rail on the other side of the table, somehow i get that shot a lot and sometimes scratch in that same pocket.

anymore tips for me, feel free to post. As far as tournaments go, this is a silly question but where do i find the info on them? the only one I know is at my local bar. And I'm assuming that I will get destroyed at these competitions if i can't even win at a bar.
 
dangerous said:
thanks everyone! Steven. Definetely let me know if he texts you back. Parica looks very clean and confident, love his style. Buddy Hall makes it look effortless and i understand he's a legend. But his style reminds me of snooker players, like that super fast guy Ronnie (forget the last name). I don't know if the "stiff" snooker style will work great in the bar scene. Filipino style looks a little more "street" to me. If I'm understanding correctly there are basically two major styles the Philipino style and the conventional one. Considering the top 20 in the world either style would work for what i'm trying to acomplish. Again, i could be totally wrong so feel free to correct me.

as far as "bluffing" the guy i think pool is a mental game and anytime i can make my opponent leave the bar thinking he's worse than me will pay off in the future.

Bazzoka, the eight ball is 3 inches away from the corner pocket but it's a long shot, meaning the white ball is against the rail on the other side of the table, somehow i get that shot a lot and sometimes scratch in that same pocket.

anymore tips for me, feel free to post. As far as tournaments go, this is a silly question but where do i find the info on them? the only one I know is at my local bar. And I'm assuming that I will get destroyed at these competitions if i can't even win at a bar.
Click to expand...

That "stiff" snooker style stroke works very well. Just ask Allison Fisher.

What pays off, is the guy losing and continuing to believe he can beat you. 3 months into the game, steer clear of strangers. And you weren't hustled. You missed and he ran out. That's a $5 lesson. You were foolish to try to bump the bet and act like you meant to lose. Be modest, ask him to play some more and try to learn as much as you can. Take advantage of every opportunity to learn from better players.

I know how you feel picking up the game so quickly but you have to learn your place. The last thing you want your reputation to be is "that kid shoots alright but he's just too cocky."

I know so many players that think they're better than they actually are. These are the kids I look for when I'm trying to make some extra cash. Don't become one of them.
 
dangerous said:
i've been playing seriously for 3 months now and have a few questions. i have a feeling there are a few players on this board who know what they are doing.

I play every single day. Try practicing some drills versus just throwing some balls on the table and trying to run them.my stroke looks/feels very nice and relaxed This is good but see below about miscuing. I try copying filipino gods from youtube. I would advise you watch Jim Rempe or Johnny Archer as they have the most consistent stance stroke (imo of course)

i use a predator cue, have no idea about its weight, i bought it for $480 on ebay, it goes for around $800 online. it's the older model. i think it's good enough for now. ?? yes, but don't get hung up on price but i do miscue a lot maybe it's due to the fact that the tip is much smaller on mine than on the house cue. You're not miscuing because the tip is smaller, your miscuing because a) your stroke is not straight b) you're not chalking between each shot c) you need to scuff your tip. Since you've only been playing three months my guess is all three

i've played a bunch of $5 - $15 dollar games at bars with random people. I have never won yet. I also usually play a $5 entry fee bar tournament against about 30 people. I hear from competitors that i'm one of the best at the bar but i've never won the entire thing. don't get arrogant until you've won something

my goals are to finally break and run for the first time (either on bar table or real table), to finally win at least one game for money, and enter my first competition that's not in a bar (i wouldn't know where to sign up)try your local pool hall. i know you're thinking i'm not ready but i don't mind losing in the beginning, i just want to play. And I learn super fast. people have played for many years and have not come close to mastering this game. You need to keep your arrogance in check when asking for help from an instructor

last week this "drunk" dude hustled me for $5. he broke - nothing in but cue ball on the rail. I made a really hard shot, then missed and he ran out. looking at his stroke and the shots he was making in knew he was definetely better than me. after the game i politely looked him in the eyes and with plenty of confidence said "let's do another one for $50". He declined. I said $40. He declined and left the bar. I just want to be ready for next time when my bluff doesn't work and the hustler says yes. btw i'm not rich, just a little cocky sometimes :) He should've played you, and you weren't "hustled". He was better than you and beat you in one game that's not hustling

so my questions are:
i'm looking for a REALLY good player in hollywood, CA area to take some private lessons from.great idea i don't care if he/she is a great instructor i'm looking for a great player. Someone on this board listed

Jose Parica
Ernesto Dominguez
Morro Paez
Dave Hemma
Marshall Jung

as the best but i couldn't find their contact info online plus i don't know if any of them teach.

my other question is when the white ball is on the rail and i'm shooting the 8 ball - straight shot - do i a) hit it really soft so i don't scratch. b) apply a little top left or right c) attemp to draw (don't know if that's possible)jack up your cue and hit the cb with a stiff stroke

and lastly, totally out of curiosity, after watching and studing too many youtube videos if efren reyes went against allison fisher who would you have your money on?Reyes
Click to expand...

Stop trying to spin the cue ball so much. This is a beginner mistake. Leave yourself angles to get on the next ball. I'd rather shoot 8 center ball or stop shots than have to spin the cb. When you spin the cb, you have to compensate for squirt and throw. This makes the shot that much harder.

Jim
 
dangerous said:
Parica looks very clean and confident, love his style. Buddy Hall makes it look effortless and i understand he's a legend. But his style reminds me of snooker players, like that super fast guy Ronnie (forget the last name). I don't know if the "stiff" snooker style will work great in the bar scene. Filipino style looks a little more "street" to me.
Click to expand...

This is a joke right. You've been playing for 3 months and you're putting down Buddy Hall and Ronnie O'Sullivan. You don't think they've played pool on a 6ft table? Amazing. Now you're woried about looking good at the table? I don't care how "street" a stroke may look, if you can only run 3 balls, you look bad.

Jim
 
re: need help

Drew, actually what happened is this dude was being really "drunk" and loud and screaming and playing a drunk. and he used a house cue which really why i played him for money. but when he was leaving he was all of a sudden totally sober. He also took 5 bucks from four other regulars i found out later. and he told me if i win i get $15 if i loose he gets $5. then when he was leaving the dude that came with him, a total beginner, gave him his cue back so the dude was using a house cue on purpose to reel me in. i don't regret it, it was fun and totally worth it just wish i could win next time around 'cause the boys in the bar treated me like their mini hero, you know how it is.

as far as being cocky i think it's totally part of the game, i appear very confident when i shoot regardless of who i'm playing or how i'm playing. i think it's a good thing, it actually somehow helps me pocket the balls. but after the game regardless of outcome i give my respect to the opponent. always. i don't make enemies :)
 
re: need help

JIM, hey buddy, totally not even thinking about putting down anyone, you misunderstood. I think 3 months into it is when one needs to figure out the direction one needs to go. my biggest fear is having to relearn stuff after things become second nature. so now i need to decide whose technique i'm after. I'm not even talking about the legends like Buddy Hall, or not even a pro. anyone who can break and run out has my respect. I'm definetely not puting down "snooker" style, tons of rookie snooker style players can destroy me on any table, i'm just trying to figure out which style is best for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top