messing around last night with my bridge, does anyone alter their closed bridge?

[scottycoyote]

So last night i was practicing and as im always trying to tweak my game and learn things, I noticed on long shots, especially straight in or long shots that needed alot of english.......if I kind of opened my bridge up some (closed bridge but letting the cue slide thru it pretty much completely freely), these shots would really fall in easy. Then on shots where i needed to get alot of draw, especially shorter shots off rails, etc......if i tightened my bridge down some to where the cue didnt slide as easily, these shots went better. Am i nuts or is there something to this? Does anyone else do something similar?

 

[RBLilly]

You got it

You got the right idea on both shots. A lot of people do this, and in pool school they tell you to make a game out of trying different bridges. You will need an arsenal of bridges for different shots and different situations. The more you have in your book of knowledge the more shots you will be able to make easily!!!

 

[Cameron Smith]

So last night i was practicing and as im always trying to tweak my game and learn things, I noticed on long shots, especially straight in or long shots that needed alot of english.......if I kind of opened my bridge up some (closed bridge but letting the cue slide thru it pretty much completely freely), these shots would really fall in easy. Then on shots where i needed to get alot of draw, especially shorter shots off rails, etc......if i tightened my bridge down some to where the cue didnt slide as easily, these shots went better. Am i nuts or is there something to this? Does anyone else do something similar?

I think that is just the way things were happening for you at that point in time. Your bridge should always be a firm stable base, not alowing your cue to go where it wants. I would be surprised if were to make those straight in shots with english the same way next time.

I don't think you should ever be allowing your cue to be loose.

 

[Scott Lee]

Scottycoyote has been to pool school too, txplshrk. Experimenting with bridges is necessary and a good idea. Great players have many different bridge styles to call up, given a specific shot situation. Scott, try turning your wrist slightly to the outside, and laying your thumb on the cloth. This allows for less constrictive closed bridge, especially when drawing the CB.

Scott Lee

 

[scottycoyote]

thanks for the input
I think yall slightly misunderstood my post though, my fault i could have explained it better. I use the open bridge sparingly, mostly just for soft shots and some follow shots (like they teach you in pool school). I really prefer the closed bridge and use it probably 90% of my shots. What I am altering is just basically my index finger in my closed bridge..........im letting it sit a little bit higher on the shots i need alot of english on......hence the cue slides thru the bridge easier because its meeting less resistance. On touch shots, extreme draw, and stop shots im lowering my index finger deeper into the bridge, thus making the cue slide thru with greater resistance because its rubbing more finger. My bridge......how it sits on the table, how solid it is, etc......is all remainging the same. Yes im moving my hand up and down to get higher or lower on the ball, but im specifically altering how the cue slides thru it.......thats what im talking about. Maybe its all in my mind, or maybe theres something to it for me. Its on my list of questions when you make it thru here Scott lol.