open bridge

Tramp Steamer said:
Great thread. I think the physiology of the bridge is also important, at least astetically speaking.
Some players use a closed bridge whereby the index finger is placed on top of the middle finger. To me this style is the best looking of all the bridge types. The downside with this particular bridge, at least for me however, is that my fingers are so short and stubby that I am unable to form the bridge and am forced to use one that is more Mosconi like where the index finger curls around the cue shaft.
A good bridge is certainly important. Just ask my Uncle. He went flying off an unfinished bridge one night at about eighty miles an hour. I guess he settled the closed or open question once and for all. :wink:
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That first bridge you mention may look nice, but that isn't it's principle benefit imho. Placing the first finger on the second finger forces (or rather promotes) the first knuckle of the first finger to be locked straight. This makes it so that the cue rests against the side of the knuckle. There is the least amount of flesh and skin here, thus the cue slides more easily. You can get all the pressure you want, but with very little surface area of your finger actually touching the cue. This promotes a very smooth stroke. Pretty much all the Philippinos use this type of bridge. And yeah, it does look cool!

KMRUNOUT
 
Maniac said:
I have been trying for YEARS to find a closed bridge I can stroke smoothly with and for the life of me cannot do so. No matter which one I try (and believe me there are a LOT of different ways to form one) I can always visibly see a slight "waggle" of the cue in my bridge hand, unless I really tighten it up and then there's just too much friction for my liking. For the most part I only use the closed bridge on my break shot and on power draw shots (sometimes not even then).

Here's a funny thing though. I've been using the open bridge for all of my life (about 45 years of pool playing), and many times when I get down to shoot, I still put my bridge hand on the table with the cue in a closed bridge. I can't figure out why the heck I do that (happens on about 25% of all my shots). I have to stand back up, rethink, and get back down with the open bridge. Weird, huh? Strange thing is, I've NEVER incorporated the closed bridge into my game other than the aforementioned shots and for experimentation.

Maniac
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Have you ever tried a pool glove with your closed bridge? That might be the ticket. Johnnyt
 
During my lesson with Earl Strickland he said, "Nine ball is a closed bridge game."
 
dr_dave said:
The open bridge has many advantages over a closed bridge, but sometimes a closed bridge is required. For more info, see:

Regards,
Dave[/QUOTE

An "open" bridge is weak. It's not even a bridge. How do you hit a bank shot with an open bridge? How do you long rail bank to the outfield and back to the pocket with a open hand thingy? I can name a few other advantages a bridge has.
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A few pros use an open bridge, like ernesto dominguez. But most of them seem to stick with the closed for most situations.

I started open and have moved to closed for more or more shots. I figured out for long draw shots, closing my bridge helped with my accuracy. Sometimes though, if I know the shot's easy no matter what, I like having an open bridge so I can see more clearly where the tip will contact the CB.

My gut feeling is... if most pros are using closed bridge all the time, that's probably worth emulating. If chafing is an issue, give the shaft a good cleaning and sanding or get a glove.
 
searcyD said:
An "open" bridge is weak. It's not even a bridge. How do you hit a bank shot with an open bridge?
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I guess by hitting the cue ball into the object ball at the precise location to where the object ball caroms off the rail at the proper angle to in turn pocket said object ball ;). I could be wrong, but this is probably the way quite a few MILLION poolplayers do it. The bridge has absolutely NOTHING to do with a bank shot. You still are only hitting the cue ball and moving IT with your cue stick.

searcyD, no offense, but in a lot of your posts you seem to overthink a lot of basic fundamentals of the game. Your wheels must be turning about a thousand miles-per-hour when your playing :grin:!!!

Maniac
 
Blue said:
Interesting this got posted. I played with an open bridge for some years and never got much improvement.
Recently a friend watching from the sides told me that my stroke sucks and when playing shots that require more english, I tend to miss the pockets by miles. On the last moment of releasing the cue, the wrist action and the open bridge will veer the cue to the right side.
Anyhow, on his advice, I changed to a closed bridge and viola~!!! I begin start potting better now. And whats more interesting is that after a while, I begin to pot better with an open bridge too, probably brought on by the awareness of the bad stroke previously.

So right now, I always try to use closed bridges during the first few games to help my muscle memory remember the correct stroking posture, and then gradually change to open bridge if I feel more comfortable with it. If I am starting to miss simple shots again, I will revert back to closed bridge to correct this.

I also watch a number of youtube videos to observe when does the pros use close or open bridges and the ratio i gather comes close to 80/20 ( closed/open )

my 2 cents :)
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Interesting. Someone tells you your stroke sucks, and you change your bridge. Wouldn't it have made more sense to fix the stroke??

Open and closed bridges both have their place in the game. I go back and forth, depending on the shot I'm shooting. You need to be very comfortable with both types of bridge.

Steve

(And get some help for the stroke!!) :wink:
 
searcyD said:
dr_dave said:
The open bridge has many advantages over a closed bridge, but sometimes a closed bridge is required. For more info, see:
Click to expand...
An "open" bridge is weak. It's not even a bridge. How do you hit a bank shot with an open bridge?
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The same as with any other shot.

searcyD said:
How do you long rail bank to the outfield and back to the pocket with a open hand thingy?
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The same as with any other shot.

Now, some people don't like the cue leaving their bridge hand, which can occur with an open bridge on firm follow shots and power shots with English; but as long as there is no risk of hitting nearby obstacle balls (in which case, a closed bridge might be advisable), this is not really an issue since the CB is already gone before the shaft leaves the bridge. Some people also tend to lift the tip during the stroke, especially with shots requiring more power, and premature lift can result in miscuing over the top of the CB, but this is a stroke issue (e.g., grip tightening), not a bridge issue. For them, the closed bridge could help; although, eliminating the stroke flaws might be a better alternative. Otherwise, whether the bridge is closed or open really has no effect on the CB, except for the fact that the increased friction associated with a closed bridge could reduce power and control a small amount. Now, psychologically, there could be many more advantages to a closed bridge.

Regards,
Dave
 
If you play better and are more comfortable with a closed bridge then use it and don't look back.

Same goes for the open bridge.
 
Maniac said:
I guess by hitting the cue ball into the object ball at the precise location to where the object ball caroms off the rail at the proper angle to in turn pocket said object ball ;). I could be wrong, but this is probably the way quite a few MILLION poolplayers do it. The bridge has absolutely NOTHING to do with a bank shot. You still are only hitting the cue ball and moving IT with your cue stick.

searcyD, no offense, but in a lot of your posts you seem to overthink a lot of basic fundamentals of the game. Your wheels must be turning about a thousand miles-per-hour when your playing :grin:!!!

Maniac
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none taken. i'm usually munching on cookies, or some form of suger when on the net so don't mind me. keep's me from bouncing off the walls. most of the stuff I say is just to pick people's brains to see if I can learn a few things here and there. :)

I think its easier for the pros to use an open bridge because they have a better feel for the shot from years of playing....or the snooker players. But isn't it easier to draw the ball with a close bridge if you're starting out?
 
searcyD said:
But isn't it easier to draw the ball with a close bridge if you're starting out?
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I would think so, especially if they haven't perfected a smooth, repeatable stroke yet.

Teaching a beginner draw is sorta like getting a root canal. The end result is worth it, but it's damn painful getting there :D:D:D!!!

Maniac
 
I generally use a closed-bridge when I make a right-handed shot and an open bridge when I make a left-handed shot. For some reason, I can't make a closed bridge with my right-hand - I dunno why, just can't do it.

I prefer a closed bridge for draw shots, or shots that require any sort of power to them, but other than that, I don't think it matters much to me. I wish I could do a closed bridge with my right hand as well as my left though.

So - I'll bite....what is special about snooker that lends itself to an open-bridge preference for so many?
 
ultramafic said:
I generally use a closed-bridge when I make a right-handed shot and an open bridge when I make a left-handed shot. For some reason, I can't make a closed bridge with my right-hand - I dunno why, just can't do it.

I prefer a closed bridge for draw shots, or shots that require any sort of power to them, but other than that, I don't think it matters much to me. I wish I could do a closed bridge with my right hand as well as my left though.

So - I'll bite....what is special about snooker that lends itself to an open-bridge preference for so many?
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Many would say that the uninterrupted sight line is preferred in a game with very demanding shot making. But I think it really has more to do with the traditional taper of a snooker cue, which is more conical in shape unlike the pro taper of a pool cue. It just makes it more difficult to use a closed bridge.
 
You should try to incorporate both closed and open bridges in your game. Why limit yourself? Depending on the shot, you may prefer one over the other. I know I do sometimes. It also helps on larger tables to stretch and reach shots.
 
pooltchr said:
Interesting. Someone tells you your stroke sucks, and you change your bridge. Wouldn't it have made more sense to fix the stroke??

Open and closed bridges both have their place in the game. I go back and forth, depending on the shot I'm shooting. You need to be very comfortable with both types of bridge.

Steve

(And get some help for the stroke!!) :wink:
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^^
I am not sure if I can explain it correctly.

I was trying to do a long draw back shot using a open bridge, the cueball did not come back the same way it went. It did draw back, but at an angle. My friend said my wrist twisted at the last minute, I guess I was trying to get more juice out of the rock.

I changed to a closed bridge and I was able to draw it back straight. So I decided to use closed bridge on other tough shots that I kept missing when I was using the open bridge. I realised that closed bridge really helps to keep the stroke straight and potting confidence came along with it.

Right now, before addressing any shot, I will access to see if I need to power through the shot or it's just a easy roll shots. For most cases, I still use the open bridge. But sometimes in 9ball, you will need to do some shots that requires power for 3 rail positioning. This is the part that I found that closed bridge helps to fill that gap. I am not sure if this is right way, but it;s working fine for me at the moment.
 
Maniac said:
I would think so, especially if they haven't perfected a smooth, repeatable stroke yet.

Teaching a beginner draw is sorta like getting a root canal. The end result is worth it, but it's damn painful getting there :D:D:D!!!

Maniac
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Ditto :)

I think I am a beginner.
 
Hussa :o)

from my experiences it s a bit more difficult to recommend the open or the closed bridge - both have advantages (which ever). But if you re not having a good technique, you ll have problems also with a open bridge-and i would say personally: more than with a closed bridge...especially when you re trying to make shots with english (draw, follow whatever). It happened so often that i recommend students/ppl to use a closed shot (for example a draw/or follow shot) because they always tend to stand up *in their stroke* - a large amount of these players answering usualy:NO! i don t ^^....but after watching themselves on video or watching photos (5-6 pics a second is enough) they re all speechless.
Again, all is about technique and good fundamentals. You ll never could recommend for 100% using an open or a closed bridge.
The only thing i would say without getting a headache to a beginner is: Use the bridge you re comfortable with,


lg
INgo
 
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