My new practice game

[GrayBeard]

After a 40+ year hiatus in my pool playing, my skills leave much to be desired. Of the many weaknesses in my game,
I find it particularly irritating to perform so poorly on banks and kicks. Plain drills bore me after a very short time so I
made up a new game. (New to me anyway, I can't claim that noone else has ever devised a similar game.) I call
the game SBK for "Sides, Banks and Kicks". I threw side pockets into the game because I also have trouble
pocketing balls into a side pocket from acute angles.

Anyway, the basic premise is that there are 3 ways to legally pocket a ball in the game. Shoot directly into a side pocket,
bank into any pocket, or kick into any pocket. (As a side note, rail first kicks aren't allowed if the ball is pocketed into a
pocket adjacent to the rail you kick off of.) Combination banks and kicks are allowed. The game can be played with 9 or
15 balls. The first player to pocket 8 balls (or 5 when playing with 9 balls) wins. Any balls pocketed on the break are spotted
before play continues and don't count for points. If you don't pocket a ball on the break you lose your turn.

I play with a friend and normally win most games of 8-ball or 9-ball, but he is a MUCH better banker of the ball than I am
so this game tends to even us out a lot. I have noticed significant improvement in my banking and pocketing of acute
angle side pocket shots since I started playing this game. Unfortunately, I haven't seen as much improvement in
my kicking game; some, but not enough.

I was a little surprised to find my friend enjoyed playing this as much as I do.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share this with you folks to see what you think of it.

 

[LIAKOS27]

I got bored with drills myself. Because I have so much going on in my life its tough to put the proper amount of concentration during practice.

So a few nights ago I started practicing and usually play the ghost races to 7 in 10-ball. Usually, if the score is 3-4 me and the ghost 1-2, I can keep it going. If not, I lose the focus and miss!

So,,,,,,, the other night I started my routine and it was 4-0 the ghost so I got frustrated and quit! Half hour later I got the urge to keep shooting so I decided to play 9-ball ghost figuring it would be a tad easier (it wasn't )! So,,, when I missed an easy cross side bank, it popped in my head new game,(format) or whatever you want to call it,,
Rack up 9-ball and break em wide open. Ask myself, can I run it? (Yes/no) If yes, go for the run out. If no, play banks and try to make 5 banks in 10 strokes! If I bank 5 in 10 or less strokes, I win if not, I lose!

Either way, anything that will keep you focused in the game is a good thing! I've lost pretty much all of my focus so I know I'm on road where my game will slowly fade! Oh well, work and repairing firearms on the side keep me busy.

 

[philly]

After a 40+ year hiatus in my pool playing, my skills leave much to be desired. Of the many weaknesses in my game,
I find it particularly irritating to perform so poorly on banks and kicks. Plain drills bore me after a very short time so I
made up a new game. (New to me anyway, I can't claim that noone else has ever devised a similar game.) I call
the game SBK for "Sides, Banks and Kicks". I threw side pockets into the game because I also have trouble
pocketing balls into a side pocket from acute angles.

Anyway, the basic premise is that there are 3 ways to legally pocket a ball in the game. Shoot directly into a side pocket,
bank into any pocket, or kick into any pocket. (As a side note, rail first kicks aren't allowed if the ball is pocketed into a
pocket adjacent to the rail you kick off of.) Combination banks and kicks are allowed. The game can be played with 9 or
15 balls. The first player to pocket 8 balls (or 5 when playing with 9 balls) wins. Any balls pocketed on the break are spotted
before play continues and don't count for points. If you don't pocket a ball on the break you lose your turn.

I play with a friend and normally win most games of 8-ball or 9-ball, but he is a MUCH better banker of the ball than I am
so this game tends to even us out a lot. I have noticed significant improvement in my banking and pocketing of acute
angle side pocket shots since I started playing this game. Unfortunately, I haven't seen as much improvement in
my kicking game; some, but not enough.

I was a little surprised to find my friend enjoyed playing this as much as I do.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share this with you folks to see what you think of it.

Sounds familiar. I stopped playing in 1970 and took it back up in 2014, 40+ years, because my son got interested in the game. Now we play league together twice a week and enter tournaments together. If your fundamentals are good everything will fall into place and you will get back in stroke before you know it. I hate drills too. I'm a feel player. The ghost works for me especially if you like rotation games. Start with the 3 ball ghost and when you run out go to the four ball ghost, then 5, then 6. Works for me and keeps me interested. Playing 3 cushion always helps my kicking game as it gets me seeing triangles more clearly.