Like many of you, in addition to my normal practice routines, I have had a lot of sparring with the ghost of late. I've learned a few lessons I wanted to share here. First I want to talk about the break.
I contend breaking ability is worth up to 100 Fargo Points (when playing the ghost and at the higher levels of competition). I got to see this first hand recently. Would you rather bet on a 625 to run an open 7 ball patterns, or a 725 to run a 9 ball pattern with a cluster and/or balls that required table end to table end short side transitions? Maybe even money. Maybe.
I got to see this with Pia Filler. She was FR around 625 (although she is likely out performing this a bit as she's improving) and when she played her ghost match to 50 she opened up with 7-1 lead on the ghost. Very impressive! In watching, she made the same two balls on the break and had open 7 ball runs with very few difficult transitions. Then, by the time she'd have to make a tough transition, she'd have 3-4 racks worth of momentum and confidence built up and she'd smooth right through it.
When my break is working I routinely run the ghost over with similar results. On the other hand if I'm breaking poorly I can go down in flames. I'll be breaking well, cruising along, and then I'll lose my focus or my feel and dog the break a time or two. Next thing you know I'm staring at nearly impossible layouts with 9 balls remaining, 7 within the bottom two diamonds surrounding the rack area, a ball frozen to the 9 where it doesn't go in any pocket, clusters on the foot rail, and an off angled combo on the side rail. Then the 3 ball will be up table on the head rail just to ensure there is no easy way I can even play for a break out using the 2 and making it very difficult to even hit the nearly nonexistent window for the 4 I'd need. Just an example.
Next thing you know I dog a rack or two like that and it impacts my rhythm and confidence. I finally get a little bit better spread but now I'm under the heat and feeling like I can't afford to make mistakes, and I start remembering how tough the game is. I fumble on a routine out and before I know it I've just lost 3-4 racks in a row. Meanwhile Darren Appleton beat the ghost 17-0 a day or two ago. Can't keep up with that breaking poorly.
I've always known the break is important, and my understanding of just how important it is has increased repeatedly over the years as I've played higher levels of competition. But to think of it in terms of Fargo Points was eye opening. How hard is it to move up 100 FR points? Think of the hours and years it takes. Now you can accomplish the same thing by learning one 'out of the stack combo'.
If you're not a run out player this won't help you. But if you are and you don't have this absolutely solved then I'd recommend making it your number 1, 2, and 3 priority until such time as you are playing 7 ball and not 9 ball when using a template rack.
PS- If any of you read this and are thinking about pointing out that it's a shame such a large percentage of the game comes down to a trick shot, I couldn't agree more. But we don't make the rules, so we have to find a path to victory.
I contend breaking ability is worth up to 100 Fargo Points (when playing the ghost and at the higher levels of competition). I got to see this first hand recently. Would you rather bet on a 625 to run an open 7 ball patterns, or a 725 to run a 9 ball pattern with a cluster and/or balls that required table end to table end short side transitions? Maybe even money. Maybe.
I got to see this with Pia Filler. She was FR around 625 (although she is likely out performing this a bit as she's improving) and when she played her ghost match to 50 she opened up with 7-1 lead on the ghost. Very impressive! In watching, she made the same two balls on the break and had open 7 ball runs with very few difficult transitions. Then, by the time she'd have to make a tough transition, she'd have 3-4 racks worth of momentum and confidence built up and she'd smooth right through it.
When my break is working I routinely run the ghost over with similar results. On the other hand if I'm breaking poorly I can go down in flames. I'll be breaking well, cruising along, and then I'll lose my focus or my feel and dog the break a time or two. Next thing you know I'm staring at nearly impossible layouts with 9 balls remaining, 7 within the bottom two diamonds surrounding the rack area, a ball frozen to the 9 where it doesn't go in any pocket, clusters on the foot rail, and an off angled combo on the side rail. Then the 3 ball will be up table on the head rail just to ensure there is no easy way I can even play for a break out using the 2 and making it very difficult to even hit the nearly nonexistent window for the 4 I'd need. Just an example.
Next thing you know I dog a rack or two like that and it impacts my rhythm and confidence. I finally get a little bit better spread but now I'm under the heat and feeling like I can't afford to make mistakes, and I start remembering how tough the game is. I fumble on a routine out and before I know it I've just lost 3-4 racks in a row. Meanwhile Darren Appleton beat the ghost 17-0 a day or two ago. Can't keep up with that breaking poorly.
I've always known the break is important, and my understanding of just how important it is has increased repeatedly over the years as I've played higher levels of competition. But to think of it in terms of Fargo Points was eye opening. How hard is it to move up 100 FR points? Think of the hours and years it takes. Now you can accomplish the same thing by learning one 'out of the stack combo'.
If you're not a run out player this won't help you. But if you are and you don't have this absolutely solved then I'd recommend making it your number 1, 2, and 3 priority until such time as you are playing 7 ball and not 9 ball when using a template rack.
PS- If any of you read this and are thinking about pointing out that it's a shame such a large percentage of the game comes down to a trick shot, I couldn't agree more. But we don't make the rules, so we have to find a path to victory.
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