My first progress video; feedback and advice is welcome

[SamLambert]

Also, it is not wise to spend a lot of time on the break-shot, if you cannot run-out. The breakshot practice should be last on your list for now.

Yeah that was a bad move on my part. I spent way too much time on that and I think, as other said here, that I really need to focus on CB placement for now. What good is it to always break perfectly with 4 balls in if I can't pocket the 5 balls left! But breaking is so much fun

 

[Tony_in_MD]

Looking forward to seeing your progress.

:thumbup:

 

[Colin Colenso]

Hi Sam,

Watched a fair amount of your 4-ball ghost video.

I reckon the ghost went back to his mates after the game and whined about how he thought he had about 5 games won but got shafted with some huge and lucky shots. [just kidding ]

What this means is that your shooting is very good for your time involved in this sport but your positional skills and choice thereof trail far behind. I mean this only to be constructive, because I think shooting is the first priority and it's hard to determine when the time is right to alter the focus on pure foundational skills and put more focus on positional techniques and strategy, as doing so too early can mess with one's foundational structure.

One thing that really stands out to me, was your choice of shot with BIH after the break. Simply put, it was not good. And if you don't know where to place BIH well and play ok position from BIH, then we can assume that all your positional choices during a run lack insight.

It seems like I'm taking you to the nerd table, but we used to have a lot of "How to go out" type threads, using the random table layout feature from the auto table layout generator on pool.bz. We'd draw lines to mark out our pattern choices for going out.

I think this type of exercise would benefit you a lot. It would get you looking at the table when you're playing in real life in a more analytical way, and begin to see more realistic patterns. This would build a shot planning foundation which could be built upon once your knowledge of playing with side english evolves.

Cheers,
Colin

 

[SamLambert]

Hi Sam,

Watched a fair amount of your 4-ball ghost video.

I reckon the ghost went back to his mates after the game and whined about how he thought he had about 5 games won but got shafted with some huge and lucky shots. [just kidding ]

What this means is that your shooting is very good for your time involved in this sport but your positional skills and choice thereof trail far behind. I mean this only to be constructive, because I think shooting is the first priority and it's hard to determine when the time is right to alter the focus on pure foundational skills and put more focus on positional techniques and strategy, as doing so too early can mess with one's foundational structure.

One thing that really stands out to me, was your choice of shot with BIH after the break. Simply put, it was not good. And if you don't know where to place BIH well and play ok position from BIH, then we can assume that all your positional choices during a run lack insight.

It seems like I'm taking you to the nerd table, but we used to have a lot of "How to go out" type threads, using the random table layout feature from the auto table layout generator on pool.bz. We'd draw lines to mark out our pattern choices for going out.

I think this type of exercise would benefit you a lot. It would get you looking at the table when you're playing in real life in a more analytical way, and begin to see more realistic patterns. This would build a shot planning foundation which could be built upon once your knowledge of playing with side english evolves.

Cheers,
Colin

Thanks for the great advice Colin! CB placement/control and positional choices is definitely my next target. I will begin working on that as soon as tonight! I will try to find some additional exercices to practice my positional choices. Of course, I will also try to fix the problems that persist in my stance and stroke at the same time, such as my head moving a bit when stroking.

I think I'm gonna follow the advice that was given a few replies back and skip the 4th month video. Gonna focus on practice and will come back strong at the 5th month.

 

[Colin Colenso]

Thanks for the great advice Colin! CB placement/control and positional choices is definitely my next target. I will begin working on that as soon as tonight! I will try to find some additional exercices to practice my positional choices. Of course, I will also try to fix the problems that persist in my stance and stroke at the same time, such as my head moving a bit when stroking.

I think I'm gonna follow the advice that was given a few replies back and skip the 4th month video. Gonna focus on practice and will come back strong at the 5th month.

Just to expand Sam,

From Pool.bz go to the cuetable link, which generates a java or shockwave table. Click on the tool near bottom left, then on the exclamation point just left of below bottom center table. This produces a random 9 ball rack. From here you can drag the CB to where you would start v the ghost.

I just did one and used the cuetable tools to draw the first shot. Then I used the screen grab function, about second right under low center pocket to shift the image to microsoft paint program using paste.

I then imagined and drew the lines for a clearance plan. I think this is a good exercise to help plan for what positions and angles make various routes better percentages of making.

I'm attaching the image of the route I came up with from the first random layout it presented me with.

Colin

 

[Dan_B]

https://youtu.be/vYbclLrGBAI

Hmmm…. So that’s 4-ball ghost. Ya’no that old saying that” there’s a first time for everything”…

You do like to hit’m and it is fun to watch them pocketed, for a while.

BTW, how did you place in last week’s tournament?

 

[SamLambert]

BTW, how did you place in last week’s tournament?

Very bad, I think stress got the best of me. First tournament and everything. Gonna take a break from that for a while, gonna focus on practicing the right things and will come back strong.

 

[Colin Colenso]

Sam,
I want to add, that I think drawing outs can be a very powerful tool. It gets you thinking about what you can do, versus what is possible, considering percentages on each shot and perceiving various patterns that can achieve the out.

One could easily spend an hour or so mapping 20 or more variations of patterns to make just one random out pattern.

It would make sense to take some of these layouts onto the table and see how your imagination meets your mind. It may be an idea to remove balls 6,7,8 & 9 from the random layout to leave you with a 5 ball ghost out and then try various options you thought you could achieve on paper (or in paintbrush) and then trial them on the table.

This will help you to begin to analyze your patterns in accordance with the shots you're actually capable of performing.

It will also bring you to the practice table with a more focused purpose and will trigger many new insights into shot types that you'll need to put some specific practice into.

Cheers,
Colin

 

[Cardigan Kid]

Very bad, I think stress got the best of me. First tournament and everything. Gonna take a break from that for a while, gonna focus on practicing the right things and will come back strong.

Extremely wise decision.
There will be time for tournaments, right now you are prioritizing.
Good call.

 

[Tony_in_MD]

In addition to drawing outs, here are a few old school methods.

1. Get Bert Kinister's 60 minute workout for 9 ball. Practice those shots. They will build a good foundation for you in paths and speeds to the center of the table. He has a website where you can get access to all of his instructional videos for a very reasonable cost.

2. Start setting up shots and put a sheet of paper on the table as a target for the CB.

As you get better landing on the paper, make the paper zone smaller. When you get the target down to the size of a postage stamp you are ready for the world.


AJM

 

[Cardigan Kid]

In addition to drawing outs, here are a few old school methods.

1. Get Bert Kinister's 60 minute workout for 9 ball. Practice those shots. They will build a good foundation for you in paths and speeds to the center of the table. He has a website where you can get access to all of his instructional videos for a very reasonable cost.

2. Start setting up shots and put a sheet of paper on the table as a target for the CB.

As you get better landing on the paper, make the paper zone smaller. When you get the target down to the size of a postage stamp you are ready for the world.


AJM

I will second this. Bert Kinister has some great videos. The 60 minute workout is a classic. I also love the early training videos with a young Niels Feijen -you can see how his game has evolved, but the raw natural talent and extreme work ethic he had back then.

Bertkinister.com - there's a lot of info to absorb. take notes, Sam!

 

[SamLambert]

1. Get Bert Kinister's 60 minute workout for 9 ball. Practice those shots. They will build a good foundation for you in paths and speeds to the center of the table. He has a website where you can get access to all of his instructional videos for a very reasonable cost.


2. Start setting up shots and put a sheet of paper on the table as a target for the CB.AJM

Sylvain is building me a practice routine with target pool and other placement drills. Set up an OB and a CB and find the most ways to end up with the CB on the target while pocketing the OB. I think this is gonna help greatly.

I will also take a look at Bert Kinister videos!

 

[efirkey]

Find a strong player who is willing to help you and work on your shot selection especially with ball in hand. Your pocketing skills are excellent for 3 and 1/2 months. You have a lot of potential.

 

[Colin Colenso]

A little more......

As way of a tip, about how one should think when planning an out, either on a real table or a virtual one.

Here's the table, and some thoughts below:

2 ball only goes easily to bottom left. I can draw off the 1, but speed control is easier with follow.

I give myself an angle, so I'm not left on the rail with my shot to the 2 ball. I can go off a rail with some inside or put the CB nearer the rail and CB doesn't touch a rail. I prefer a touch of inside, giving me a more open bridge and slighly better angle than the pure roll through without touching the side rail... but no big deal here if you're comfortable with inside english. If not, go the roll through with no rail hit with the CB.

Must pass the 7, but don't want to go to far, as you'll want an angle on the 2 ball. An option is to play down to the head rail, but the 8 ball could get in the road, and generally, it's better percentage to play from above the ball, rather than below, as it offers more angle options with the next positional shot.

From 2 to 3, I'm better off running too far than not far enough. The best angle here is to play from the 3 into the side rail rather than try to get perfect for a draw shot to the 4 using no rails. Even a fine cut on the 3 is better than being dead straight on it. In fact, I'd almost prefer to bank it, than be dead straight on it, in terms of getting position to the 4 well.

From 4 to 5, to get to the 6, almost anything works. An angle either side may be easier for a beginner.

The main objective is getting pretty straight on the 6, not that it's crucial, bit if you do so, then the out is simple, so long as you don't finish dead straight on the 8 ball, in which case, you may have to take a long 9 to the right end corner, which would still be a 90% shot for a good shooter so long as you don't get the CB right up against the 9-ball or on a terrible angle to shoot it.

So that's a sample of the mental process of planning an out. I think it's a good idea to train one's mind at this both on and away from the table, and then compare your predictions with your own capabilities when actually at the table.

As you know, you don't learn to solve the rubik's cube with thousands of hours of random shuffling, you learn it when still, thinking upon the subject.

Colin

 

[Allen Brown]

Yeah that was a bad move on my part. I spent way too much time on that and I think, as other said here, that I really need to focus on CB placement for now. What good is it to always break perfectly with 4 balls in if I can't pocket the 5 balls left! But breaking is so much fun

When you have a good break down the running out becomes easier. Don't quit focusing entirely on your break. A good consistent spread and ability to see and make the next shot after the break is huge.

 

[Colin Colenso]

In addition to drawing outs, here are a few old school methods.

1. Get Bert Kinister's 60 minute workout for 9 ball. Practice those shots. They will build a good foundation for you in paths and speeds to the center of the table. He has a website where you can get access to all of his instructional videos for a very reasonable cost.

2. Start setting up shots and put a sheet of paper on the table as a target for the CB.

As you get better landing on the paper, make the paper zone smaller. When you get the target down to the size of a postage stamp you are ready for the world.

AJM

Definitely some quality instruction from Bert.

There are cases when postage stamp precision is required, usually when amongst the balls, but I think a big part of Bert's teaching is learning to play into areas where falling upon an A4 sheet area, or thereabouts is sufficient.

Great playing is probably more about getting into the better zones, than it is about precision position.

Combine both and it's deadly of course.

Cheers,
Colin

 

[Icon of Sin]

I think you should watch as many pro matches as you can and really pay attention to their shot selection and basic position play and figure out how to work that into your 4ball routine. Some of your choices for ball in hand were really bad and I think that is because of your limited ability playing postion.

That's the only advice I will give because unlike everyone else in this thread, I know I'm not qualified to give it.

Thank you for posting the video. I look forward to others.

 

[SamLambert]

I think you should watch as many pro matches as you can and really pay attention to their shot selection and basic position play and figure out how to work that into your 4ball routine. Some of your choices for ball in hand were really bad and I think that is because of your limited ability playing postion.

That's the only advice I will give because unlike everyone else in this thread, I know I'm not qualified to give it.

Thank you for posting the video. I look forward to others.

Indeed, in some cases I knew a better placement for better position after my shot was available, but I just didn’t think I could make it and was more confident with a easy positioning / hard shot situation.

 

[3kushn]

No Respect for the Break. Work on that.

 

[JoeyA]

Buddy Hall Clock System

This link is the link to Buddy Hall demonstrating the Clock System.

One reason that I like this simple but precise drill is that it suggests being able to make one shot using several different points on the cue ball.

You must learn what the different tip contacts on the cue ball will do to the path of the cue ball after contacting the object ball.

I suggest shooting the same shot over and over, not just the Buddy Hall Clock System; using different English/side, follow, draw, stun, at different speeds. These type of drills will expose your weaknesses for obtaining shape but will teach you a great deal about obtaining the best shape instead of the shape that easiest for you to make the next ball.

Pay attention to what Colin has to say. He plays better than a lot of us and offers great ideas on how to improve your game.

JoeyA