Pool Knowledge: What's the last thing you learned?

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FeelDaShot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As a beginner, we're constantly learning new things. As advanced players, we assume that there isn't a whole lot left to learn and we mostly focus on mastering execution. With that being said, when is the last time you learned something new that instantly made you improve? What was it?

For me, the last major thing I learned was a few months ago related to the physics of a rolling cue ball. It was sparked by a post by Tin Man about how high to hit the cue ball when using follow. Then Patrick Johnson pointed out that you can hit the cue ball a certain distance above center (3/5ths, I think) to get an instant rolling cue ball. These two bits of info have really accelerated my game and changed my style a lot. Thanks fellas.

Now I'm always wondering...what is left to learn? Hopefully sharing each other's latest discoveries will help.

If you haven't learned anything new in a long time, how long has it been?
 
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evergruven

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
cheers..good thread idea
I've been playing closer to the true center of the cb, which has aided in both pocketing, and position play
as a person who naturally began by reaching way out on the cb, it's fun finding new places there to explore
 
boogieman

boogieman

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
FeelDaShot said:
As a beginner, we're constantly learning new things. As advanced players, we assume that there isn't a whole lot left to learn and we mostly focus on mastering execution. With that being said, when is the last time you learned something new that instantly made you improve? What was it?

For me, the last major thing I learned was a few months ago related to the physics of a rolling cue ball. It was sparked by a post by Tin Man about how high to hit the cue ball when using follow. Then Patrick Johnson pointed out that you can hit the cue ball a certain distance about center (3/5ths, I think) to get an instant rolling cue ball. These two bits of info have really accelerated my game and changed my style a lot. Thanks fellas.

Now I'm always wondering...what is left to learn? Hopefully sharing each other's latest discoveries will help.

If you haven't learned anything new in a long time, how long has it been?
Click to expand...
The last thing I really learned was to entirely trust muscle memory and how little trying to control everything actually helps. I'm still a C player, probably in or very close to C+ territory and B- territory seems like a realistic goal in 2 years time. How in the heck can you put so much work into something, naturally have great hand eye coordination, and it's so SLOOOOOOOW to improve? Pool teaches patience, it's almost a kind of stockholm syndrome. ;)

Strategize, look what a good angle would be on the next few. Walk around the table and let your eyes take it in. Stop the head and just watch and feel the beauty of what is about to unfold on the table. The ball goes in a good position, maybe in a way better place than you initially imagined. I never thought about short side shape, but dang look at how much better the next series of shots is with the shape I got. Some call it luck, I'm not so sure. Beautiful things can happen in this game if you let your subconscious/muscle memory/feel just play the game. If you've played for years your brain knows what's going on even if it's below the conscious level. Let it happen. Be happy about "luck" because it's a by product of the work you've put in.

What pushed me to the point was playing races to 20 for about the last month. Insane amounts of pool. Lots of time to drift in and out of stroke, try different things to get an edge in the match from aiming to short stroking, then realize you're playing bad because you started trying to control everything. Stop that stuff fast and boom, back in dead stroke and playing good. I might lose 3 games in a row, but then boom I put on a 4 or 5 win streak. The more races to 20 I play, the more consistent and better my performance is. The trouble is, so is my sparring partner. We're both improving but I still get destroyed. I start to get frustrated with losing but then when I play other people that used to give me trouble I'm murdering them. Hit more balls, it's the only way.

This might not be good for everybody, but for a guy who out-pool-thinks his skill level, it's good to just admire the shot.
 
T

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
Although I knew about the technique already. It wasn't until we were locked down and I decided to take up straight pool that I really made an effort to work 'spin induced throw' into my game. Learning precise feel for controlling squirt in combination with the amount of throw I wanted, increased my ability to work out heavily congested layouts.

It translates well into 8 ball, but not so much in small rotation games.
 
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boogieman

boogieman

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
The_JV said:
Although I knew about the technique already. It wasn't until we were locked down and I decided to talk up straight pool that I really made an effort to work 'spin induced throw' into my game. Learning precise feel for controlling squirt in combination with the amount of throw I wanted, increased my ability to work out heavily congested layouts.

It translates well into 8 ball, but not so much in small rotation games.
Click to expand...
(y)

Throw is more useful in straight pool, 8 ball, 1P but there is a place for it in 9B, when dealing with tight groups of balls or playing a killer safety near said groups of balls. Sometimes an opponent will slightly sell out but think they left you safe because you know throw. Throw the OB in or send it all over the table and stick the CB right where it was. Holdup shots basically. It pays to be able to do straight pool shots in 9B because it can add to both your shotmaking and safety toolbox.

I absolutely love spin induced throw and combining it with draw. Probably to the point it's why my 9 ball game suffers. I play shape to get a thick enough hit to get the throw I want, but then the CB has no energy to move all around when needed. I'm working on spin induced throw while following the CB, but it's just the strangest thing. I feel once I get this down it will help me switch to a more follow/natural based 9 ball game. I'm just trying to understand the difference between center ball follow and as much juice I can expect from follow. Very strange stuff going on on the top of the CB, especially once it develops into masse tomfoolery during practice.
 
Maniac

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
I haven't learned much lately. I'll remain dumb, thank you.

The best input I can give is that I've learned over the years that there is no such thing as a magic cue, or magical chalk, etc. You can pretty much do with far less expensive stuff as opposed to spending tons of $$$ looking for the holy grail.

SVB plays with a Cuetec cue and commonly uses Masters chalk. 'Nuff said.

Maniac
 
K

kollegedave

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For longer than I want to admit, I resisted the notion that smooth transitions in your stroke are essential to high level play. When COVID hit, I decided to spend some time on improving my cue action.

I am now convinced that if there is any secret sauce to high level pool, it lies in a player's ability to smoothly and precisely accelerate their cue. Some players like Bustamante sort of exaggerate their "slowness" forward on their final stroke to make sure they don't rush their stroke, others like Chris Melling use a pause. Whatever method is used, it is hard to find a player above a 750 Fargo Rate with a "quick" cue delivery.

kollegedave
 
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WoodyJ

Sacred Cow=Best Hamburger
Gold Member
Silver Member
(1) Consistent pre-shot routine and same tempo and focus on all balls -- no matter how easy. First decide what I'm going to do (left brain), then chalk my cue (as a trigger to turn off the left side of my brain's speech and analytical center) and then shoot the shot using the right side of my brain. If I start thinking (e.g., words or what to do) with my left brain in the middle of a shot, stand up and start over.

(2) If I'm straight in on a shot on the short rail into one of the corner pockets and both the cue ball and the object ball are both 1-2" from the short rail and I need to get down to the other end of the table for position, I'll go rail first with centerline draw and the cue ball will go straight down table. I shoot this shot all the time now and rarely miss the object ball anymore.
 
gogg

gogg

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That when it is a tough day as far as pool goes, I am almost always “jabbing”
Next, learn not to jab!😂
 
M

middleofnowhere

Registered
I used to play straight pool mostly. When I began playing a lot of 9 ball I was playing it like straight pool. I was trying to control everything. When I recognized the forgiving nature of the game I became a much better 9 ball player. You can run the same layout many different ways. I also went to a thinner shaft. That I believe made a difference. I'm talking like 40 years ago. I was already a good player but I became better.
 
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7stud

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Jerry Briesath's rebound paths for hangers in a corner pocket--when you hit the hanger with a 1/4 ball hit. For all these shots, you hit the same side of the OB. For instance, if you are shooting from the head of the table towards a hanger in the right corner pocket at the foot of the table, then all the shots should hit the left side of the hanger.

1. Inbound CB path along the long rail (or short rail), then a 1/4 ball hit will send the CB towards the side pocket (and may scratch):

jb1.png


2. Inbound CB path bisecting the spot-on-the-opposite-side-of-the-table and the pocket long rail, then a 1/4 ball hit will send the CB towards the diagonal corner pocket:

jb2.png


3. Inbound CB path coming from the direction of the spot-on-the-opposite-side-of-the-table, then 1/4 ball hit will cause the CB to rebound back towards the spot:

jb3.png


4. Inbound CB path coming from between the spot-on-the-opposite-side-of-the-table and the opposite long rail, then 1/4 ball hit will cause the CB to rebound along a line that is slightly closer to the pocket long rail than the line bisecting the spot and the pocket long rail:

jb4.png


5. Inbound CB path coming from the side pocket, then a 1/4 ball hit will send the CB into the pocket long rail about two diamonds up the rail and head toward diamond #1 on the short rail:

jb5.png


After I experimented with those rebound paths, I tried using thicker or thinner cuts to alter the rebound paths. Video here:


And before that, Dr. Dave's 60 degree rule for rail cut shots.
 
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Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
FeelDaShot said:
Patrick Johnson pointed out that you can hit the cue ball a certain distance about center (3/5ths, I think)
Click to expand...
2/5, but who's counting?

The neat thing to me is that it works with side spin too for perfect gearing English, adjustable to any cut angle (instant natural roll is perfect gearing English against the table surface).

Thank Dr. Dave for the info. I'm just a student.

pj
chgo
 
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