Wise words from pt109
Thanks pt
Open Hand Bridge vs Closed Bridge Discussion
- Thread starter Low500
- Start date
Thanks pt
Took the words right outta my mouth, P... I never have a "bridge" plan ahead of time. It's whatever feels right at the time. I've been known to switch from open to closed to open to closed on one shot. Whatever ends up feeling right is what I use.
Two questions please regarding your comments.
#1 What do you say about the thought that "changing from this bridge to that bridge according to what feels right at the time"......develops a pattern of inconsistency in play that can creep in and affect the entire process?
#2 How is looking down your cue while stroking like watching windshield wipers? Windshield wipers go from side to side?
Thank you.
Bridge selection can affect a shot almost as much as stroke. Especially rail bridge techniques.
Respectfully, Matt
(I don’t take myself too seriously. I hope you can return the favor.)
Respectfully, Matt
(I don’t take myself too seriously. I hope you can return the favor.)
You have more than one target when you shoot pool....the tip hits the cue ball...
....the cue ball hits the object ball...the object ball hits a pocket or a rail.....
....the cue ball has to stop some place.....you have a lot of stuff to do....
....I don’t think it can be simplified if you want to play at a high level.
A lot of that stuff is alright for a beginner....but at some point you gotta lose the training wheels...
A lot of drivers were taught to line up the hood ornament with the lane marker on the right.....
...if you’re still doing that in the Indy....you’re not going to fare well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL3WvPwSDSQ
here you can see corey using a closed bridge for both soft and power shots most of the time
at about 1:36 you can see him use a closed bridge on the rail for his famous draw shot
he does use an open bridge occasionally
here you can see corey using a closed bridge for both soft and power shots most of the time
at about 1:36 you can see him use a closed bridge on the rail for his famous draw shot
he does use an open bridge occasionally
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I agree. I tried an open bridge and kept hitting myself in the forehead!
I seriously doubt that players' anatomies are different enough that what's optimal in something like bridge hand truly varies, barring extreme cases like losing a finger.
What's far more likely to be true is that players choose one technique for some random reason lost in time - their friend did it, their favorite pro player did it - and they got used to it and kept doing it.
Sorry but I don't think we're all special snowflakes and everyone's approach is just as valid as everyone else's. "Everyone is different" is too often used as an excuse.
Do any snooker players use a closed bridge ever?
I was under the impression that pool players used closed bridges because their strokes aren't as accurate and repeatable. A closed bridge can minimize the gap on some shots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLFvi2w7tN4 Snooker power draw. Note the long pause and open bridge.
I was under the impression that pool players used closed bridges because their strokes aren't as accurate and repeatable. A closed bridge can minimize the gap on some shots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLFvi2w7tN4 Snooker power draw. Note the long pause and open bridge.
I think it depends mostly on how you learned to play the game. I learned on snooker tables with an open bridge. The only time I use a closed bridge is if I get straight in and need to draw the ball a long way or if I'm stretched out over the table with a long bridge.
The rest of the time I'm open.
When I watch Efren he is a master of using extreme English and he seems to switch to closed for those shots.
The rest of the time I'm open.
When I watch Efren he is a master of using extreme English and he seems to switch to closed for those shots.
Forget all the BS and the reasons why one bridge is better than another. It's a total bunch of crap to say that there is only ONE correct way to bridge.
If you are making a bridge that you are uncomfortable with or have no confidence in then you are just doing yourself an injustice and heading in the wrong direction. Find out what works best for you and go with that. If it's not working for you, then obviously you need to at least try another way.
Simple as that. Once again...pool players overthinking sh*t.
Maniac
If you are making a bridge that you are uncomfortable with or have no confidence in then you are just doing yourself an injustice and heading in the wrong direction. Find out what works best for you and go with that. If it's not working for you, then obviously you need to at least try another way.
Simple as that. Once again...pool players overthinking sh*t.
Maniac
Joe Davis recommended a closed bridge for “power screw”.
Did you notice in your video that cue came off the bridge in that draw shot?
Cue comes off bridge well after contact. Just showing a big draw shot with an open bridge.
I seem to recall Earl breaking using an open bridge as well.
If a player can generate that much speed while maintaining accuracy, then the bridge used is less important. Players tend to say that sighting is easier with an open bridge because you get an unobstructed view of the cue.
Mark Wilson talks about open vs closed bridge quite a bit in his book,
I noticed that. But....he still had a good follow-through, and he accomplished what he wanted to do with the cue ball.
Once the tip strikes and releases from the cue ball, the shot is what it is from that point on. Don't get me wrong, I'm a firm believer in a good follow-through, but it's not absolutely necessary to good shot making.
Just my opinion....not going to argue over it.
Maniac
David Howard broke with an open bridge....he was a great breaker.
Bill Werbeniuk was the greatest draw player I ever saw....used an open bridge.
But I think if you took the top thousand draw players in history....a lot more than 500
would be closed bridge.
pt.....wonders what bridge Mingaud used
I think the number would be much higher.
Maniac (uses a closed bridge for power-draw shots)
No excuses.
People's hands and arms come in different sizes. They extend their limbs differently. People have different amounts of flexibility in their joints. And so, where I end up, on say a flat four fingers-extended open hand bridge for draw, could easily be different than yours. Even something like head height and position might make me see the hit produced by that bridge different than the way you or the next guy sees it.
And sure, people just do things because they do things, regrettably. Those are the guys who play the same as they did 20, 30 years ago without progressing. One of my break throughs came when I started paying more attention to the bridges I was using, what effects they were producing, modifying them, and eventually making bridge selection more of a conscious decision.
Lou Figueroa
what about the top 1000 billiards players, pool and snooker ? hmmmm
Pretty well all the 3-cushion players would be closed bridge...
....small percentage of snooker players would be closed.
....but when the Lion was in Britain, nobody could power draw with him...
....he was using a closed bridge.
Sometimes might have to consider that back heavy cues are slightly less forgiving for some people and a closed bridge would help things a bit