Sidespin

[recoveryjones]

Hi Keith,
Phil Capelle has a book called "Play your Best Nine Ball." In that book he suggests that pros get around the table by shooting tops,center and bottoms at various heights up and down the center of the cue ball.He suggests that pros usually use sidespin to get back online or to breakout a cluster.He says that pros on average only use sidespin about 20% of the time.

How do you feel about Phil's findings? Are his estimations close to accurate?Do you personally try to get around the table with as much center(high,mid and low) ball contact as possible, only using side to get back on line?

I'm sure that there are some pros out there who are a little more spin crazy than others, however, is Phil Capelle correct(or close to) with his observations?Any feedback appreciated.RJ

 

[Keith McCready]

RecoveryJones, I use spins all the time to get back in line. I'll sometimes use a draw stroke, what I call a "pinch shot," to deaden my cue-ball. What Phil Capelle says in the book is accurate.

When I used to live in California, Phil Capelle used to watch me play frequently on the bar table. I spun the ball all the time to get out of trouble. There would always be some type of english on that cue-ball.

 

[recoveryjones]

Thanks Keith.I asked a few different people their opinions on the 20% sidespin and got a huge variety of people who agree and disagree with how much spin to use.I guess that going up and down the center of the cueball can take you to a lot of places without sidespin, however, how pool players choose to get around the table is a highly individual thing.

I just know for me that my percentage of pots is higher with the absense of english, than with it, except for some of the pots where a LITTLE outside english can help the pot.Take care, RJ