Shooting firmly

[mnShooter]

I've been playing around with trying to hit shots more firmly to avoid table roll and swerve, resulting in a more accurate hit. I am trying to hit the object ball before the cueball gets to it's apex from the english. Does this help to bring more consistency to one's game?

There are some shots that you cannot shoot firm. But on the majority of shots you can stroke more firmly using slightly different english (such as drag draw) and still get to the same position or use an extra rail to get to the same spot. What dya think?

 

[tedkaufman]

That's an excellent way to move the cueball. It's kind of old school, and the way I learned to play, born of necessity playing on lesser surfaces and tables.

These days, with most tables covered with 860 or a similar worsted cloth, stunning the cueball and "walking" it is seen a lot less. But it's still a great way to limit the vagaries of table roll. The most difficult thing is adjusting to the weight of the varied cueballs today, and how each reacts on a given cloth. For example, with a given stroke, a measle ball may walk forward a few inches, where a red circle would stop, and different barbox cueballs may actually vary from follow to draw, all with the same stroke. But once you have it, it's a lot more precise to use stun, stun draw and stun follow for short movements around the table. Learn, for instance, to draw the cueball 6" with a stun draw stroke and you'll never again inadvertently draw the cueball three feet when you only wanted six inches.

 

[LAMas]

I see the term "stun" and would like to know if this is a variation of what used to be called "stop" or crisp center ball?

 

[mikepage]

I see the term "stun" and would like to know if this is a variation of what used to be called "stop" or crisp center ball?

Stun is just a generalization of stop. "Stop" requires the cueball has no forward or reverse spin when it hits the object ball AND that the hit is full. "Stun" requires only the first.

mike page
fargo

 

[Gregg]

I see the term "stun" and would like to know if this is a variation of what used to be called "stop" or crisp center ball?

Let me try to tackle this one;

Stun, stop, or slide ALL involves a ball that is sliding across the cloth, NOT rolling. This can be done with a center ball hit where the object ball is up to about six inches away or less, before the cue ball begins rolling forward. Or can be hit with a draw shot, where the cue ball is rotating with backspin, and then degrades to slide, before the cue ball starts to roll forward.

A sliding cue ball hitting the object ball full would result in a stop shot. A cueball with a cut or angle of any kind would be considered a stun shot. The beauty of a stunned cue ball is that it follows the tangent line (the perpendicular bisector between the two balls) and can be determined by the shooter with great accuracy as to the direction of the cue ball, to break up clusters, play position, or prevent a scratch.

Terms may vary from player to player, but this is my understating of it, as I learned it from what Robert Bryne's and Phil Capelle's books and tapes.

 

[mnShooter]

... Learn, for instance, to draw the cueball 6" with a stun draw stroke and you'll never again inadvertently draw the cueball three feet when you only wanted six inches.

So what you mean by a stun draw is a firm shot with maybe 1 tip of draw instead of a softer draw shot with full draw, correct? I have seen many good players use this type of shot to move just a couple inches forward or backward.

 

[DaveK]

That's an excellent way to move the cueball. It's kind of old school, and the way I learned to play, born of necessity playing on lesser surfaces and tables.

That's they way it is in my basement ... the floor has heaved and now I have significant rolls, so I've learned a great deal about firm-stroke position and the whole range of stun-to-slightspin shots. They are extremely handy shots to know on all tables, but essential on a table like mine

I rather enjoy hitting straight in shots quite hard, trying to draw or follow 2" or 4" or 6", hitting very close to dead center on the cueball. It makes for very good practice and really makes me concentrate on getting a straight stroke through a precise point on the cueball. You know when you've missed your point

Dave

 

[Cameron Smith]

I've been playing around with trying to hit shots more firmly to avoid table roll and swerve, resulting in a more accurate hit. I am trying to hit the object ball before the cueball gets to it's apex from the english. Does this help to bring more consistency to one's game?

There are some shots that you cannot shoot firm. But on the majority of shots you can stroke more firmly using slightly different english (such as drag draw) and still get to the same position or use an extra rail to get to the same spot. What dya think?

If the table has a significant roll off, then I will hit my shots a little firmer. But as a rule I never shoot harder than I have to. There are some tables that drift alot but unless your playing on one of those, I wouldn't be banging them into the pockets. The harder you hit them the smaller the pocket becomes.

 

[It's George Old Owner]

If the table has a significant roll off, then I will hit my shots a little firmer. But as a rule I never shoot harder than I have to. There are some tables that drift alot but unless your playing on one of those, I wouldn't be banging them into the pockets. The harder you hit them the smaller the pocket becomes.

i'd double that..
NEVER waste ur energy to hit harder than usual..

 

[tedkaufman]

So what you mean by a stun draw is a firm shot with maybe 1 tip of draw instead of a softer draw shot with full draw, correct? I have seen many good players use this type of shot to move just a couple inches forward or backward.

Yes, exactly. Stun draw is a firm stroke hit slightly below center. The result is the cueball will creep back. How much you hit below center or how firmly is something the player needs to determine through trial and practice. Stun follow, or walking, is center ball or 1/4 tip above, depending on the cueball type and cloth. This, too, depends on conditions.

I do not adhere to the principle of hitting the ball as slowly as possible to maximize pocketing. Yes, there are times when a mishit or mis-aimed ball will fall because the speed is very slow. But I believe babying a stroke, particularly under pressure, invites choking. Also, if a ball is rolling dead slow toward a pocket, a slight bit of chalk or clump of dirt can move it offline.