style of play

  • Thread starter Thread starter locki
  • Start date Start date
L

locki

Guest
hi!
i would like to compare my style of play with the other members here with more experience than mine. i have only been playing pool for 4 yrs now, to be exact, i have only taken pool seriously for more than 2 yrs.
well, here is my style of play.
here is what i tell myself:
1. look where you want to pot the ball.
2. visualize the ghost ball.
3. if this is not the last ball, am i going to draw or follow-up the ball to make the second ball?
4. determine how strong the cb should be hit.
5. bend down with the right foot behind.
6. the cue must be directly below the chin
7. place the bridge approximately 5 inches away from the tip.
8. the stroke must be as fluid as possible, making sure that the flow is in a straight line towards the ghost ball.
9. how hard the ball should be hit is determined by how long the follow-through is.
10. strike the cb with your cue, make sure the follow-through is in a straight line.

you would notice that i dont apply left or right english, i only apply them on close shots, especially when the ob is already in the jaws of the pocket. my style of play is simple, i just depend on my *good* pocketing skills, and because i really cant apply left or right english on my shots, im finding difficulties getting in a good shape for my next shot. so sometimes, i miss a shot because i misplace the cueball somewhere deep-frozen in the rail, whole table apart from the ob. :D

has somebody heard of a pro player who doesnt know how to apply left or right english on some shots?
i know you need not apply those stuffs all the time, but sometimes, you just cant avoid using it to get good shape for the next shot.
now, i feel i cant be as good as my fellow countrymen if i wont gain the left or right english discipline. any tips?
 
start using left/right english and learn how to compensate for the cue ball deflection.
 
locki - Even though you slammed me in another thread, I have I thought here that I think will help. ;)

In the book 'Precision Pool', By Kanov and Stauch, they have a section on aiming techniques. In fact, I believe that the ghostball technique is one of the first that they cover. I would like to suggest an alternate technique that might really help you out, that I found in that book.

First off, I am assuming that you are not applying any side spin, because you find it difficult to pot the ball with sidespin. I know that you are an avid reader of this forum, and you know all about deflection and the subtle masse effect when sidespin is used. Well the tough part about the 'ghostball' aiming technique is that it does nothing to help you get the cue ball to that exact spot.

What I have found to work is the 'inside of the shaft' aiming technique. Here is how it works: You aim the inside edge of the shaft to the point on the object ball that will send it into the pocket (this would be the point where your ghostball touches the object ball). The inside of the shaft is identified as the side closest to the center of the cueball. When you are not using sidespin, you simply use the center of the shaft.

For example, if you are using alot of right hand english, then the left edge of the cue shaft becomes the inside edge. You aim this edge towards the normal (note, NOT adjusted) aiming point on the objectball. As you apply more and more right english, the inside of the shaft moves further from the center of the cueball, and thus your line changes a bit. I have found this to be a HIGHLY effective aiming technique.

In fact, I am so confident in this technique that I do not hesitate to shoot with extreme english on long, near straight in shots. I don't think I could explain the physics of how or why this works. But it does :)

Here is a link to the book, if you are interested:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/te...userid=2T9027S6EH&isbn=0880118970&TXT=Y&itm=1
 
locki said:
hi!
i would like to compare my style of play with the other members here with more experience than mine. i have only been playing pool for 4 yrs now, to be exact, i have only taken pool seriously for more than 2 yrs.
well, here is my style of play.
here is what i tell myself:
1. look where you want to pot the ball.
2. visualize the ghost ball.
3. if this is not the last ball, am i going to draw or follow-up the ball to make the second ball?
4. determine how strong the cb should be hit.
5. bend down with the right foot behind.
6. the cue must be directly below the chin
7. place the bridge approximately 5 inches away from the tip.
8. the stroke must be as fluid as possible, making sure that the flow is in a straight line towards the ghost ball.
9. how hard the ball should be hit is determined by how long the follow-through is.
10. strike the cb with your cue, make sure the follow-through is in a straight line.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you are thinking a lot.

1-2 If the ghostball works for you, fine. others use other techniques. I only conciously use gb on certain shots
3. depends on the the position you are tryint to get
4' ball speed control is important
5. the cue is not under the chin for some people. depends on what works.

sounds like a lot of wuestions to me. it will be interesting to hear what the real xperienced people say.

I was missing my banks due to too much english so now the light bulb is on.

Laura
 
Hello Locki. If I may....

First assess all the balls on the table. Locate problem balls, because you might have to solve them 3 or so balls prior to getting there. Analyzing this even while your opponent is on board helps a lot in putting yourself into the game.

Your third step is correct, but you have to plan at least three balls ahead. Before you start shooting, determine the natural path of the cue ball (tangent). Then base your stroke according to how you want the cue ball to go - natural path, more acute (draw), or wider (follow) than the natural path. Then look at the path of the cue ball into the rail. Angle in equals angle out - and so on as the cue ball bounces from rail to rail. This is where english is used most - it will be like oiling the table so that the cue ball runs faster. And this is where you will realize that your strokes do not have to be that forceful to get the cue ball from end to end. (I can email you some short videos of my shots with english if you want)

Planning three balls ahead will make things a lot easier for you because once you are in a position where the cue ball is impossible to bring to the next ball, probability is you will go deeper and deeper into bad positioning.

And your final step - the stroke... go get a pro to teach you the different kinds of releases, because not all of them are fluid, especially when you have to escape from a bad position. Ask about "tampal" (slap which is close to a stun release), "saltik" (pique), etc. and grasp the concept of "diin" (how you will release with conviction - not necessarily forceful).

Understanding the table and your stroking arm will really improve your game.
 
hi mach! i was just being reasonable ;)
thanks for the tip btw. i have a question though, when you say shaft, which part? the tip?
what if im using a 13mm shaft? what if im using my other 12.75 mm shaft? or what if im using a 20 mm shaft? :D joking only.
i still cant get the picture of how to do it...

bluewolf, i really, dont think a lot. i just thought of my routine while making a shot when i posted it. sometimes, i miss a shot when i dont get to follow that regular routine of mine, so i sometimes have to tell myself some of those things before bending down. ;)

yeah sputnik, i know of those two terms, saltik and diin, especially the diin, my friends ask me how i can draw whole length of the table with my stroke, i told them dont force it...they just laughed at me...:D sabi ko diinan nyo yung tira nyo para diretso yung follow-through pag pumepektus kayo, hindi nyo kailangang lakasan. did i told them the right thing?

i dunno how i would *tampal* the cb...:D
 
Loki - Let me try to approach it like this. Draw a line from the center of the pocket throught the object ball to the opposite side of the object ball (the side of the ball you are hitting with the cueball). Now, get behind the cueball, pick any kind of sidespin you like, and make sure the inside edge of the shaft is aimed at that point on the object ball. I know it sounds a little wierd, but it works. And it doesn't matter what the size of the tip (shaft) is, because you are using the INSIDE edge (side closest to the center of the cueball)

ymmv, but I cant argue with results, and it works for me!


:)
 
hi! i tried it, so, the point where the cb should contact the ob is in a straight line with the inside edge of the shaft, yeah, it worked great for me in my one hour of practice earlier, but the problem is, the side-effect of the aiming technique. the english induced makes it harder for me to get in good shape for my next shot...or i might be doing another technique? :)
 
Locki - The aiming technique is to compensate for the english you know you want to use :) that is up to you!

Here a some rules to live by, and the way I practice:

1.) Never let the Cueball stop within 6 inches of a rail.

2.) If you are a 9 ball player, try this drill: Put 3 balls on the table, take ball in hand, and think backwards through the run. Imagine where you want the cue to pocket the 9, and imagine how to get there from the 8 - then try to imagine how to get there from the 7. Do this until you run out 5 times in a row. Then add a ball. If you fail to run out, you drop back down to 3 balls. If you run out 5 times again, add another ball. You really need to focus on the preperation for the run, and execute. The goal is to work all the way up to having 9 balls on the table. To do this you would need to run 165 balls in a row (of course you are taking ball in hand on each run).

3.) When looking at shape on an object ball, there is a basic line that runs from where you want to shoot from, through the ball, and into the pocket. You always want the cueball to approach this line in a parralel fashion, rather than a perpendicular approach. This changes your margin for error from inches to feet.

4.) Spot practice - Again for a 9ball player. I like to practice in preperation for the "orange crush" - when someone spots me the 5 and the breaks. Put yourself in a 'virtual' race to 7, imagine you are getting the breaks and the 5ball, and try to beat your imaginary opponent. Break the balls and try to run through the 5 without missing or taking ball in hand. I practice assuming that if I miss, I lose. This is a great exercise, because you really have to focus on the break, and being able to run out after the break.

I could go on with this stuff all day! Enjoy
 
I think you think too much. When I am playing well, I can't remember my last turn. Some call it the zone.
 
once again, i really dont think a lot when making a shot.
i really, dont think a lot. i just thought of my routine while making a shot when i posted it.
Click to expand...
i let myself lose when playing and lets my swinging arm to the job. ;)
azmach,thanks for the useful tips, unfortunately,i really dont play 9 ball a lot, id rather play 8-ball. i always play 15-ball rotation. so i think im going to do the practice until i reach 15-balls? hehehe, that's a pretty tough job. also, i dont have my own pool table to practice on. im pretty strong on a rotation game, and i can take on match up pretty well with class b's and class b +'s in our pool hall.

also, i tend to play slow and easy, sometimes i notice that im shooting and walking around a little fast and eventually miss a shot, a very easy one as a matter of fact. i dont want to be overconfident so i really check on the ob a no. of times.

efirkey, i really dont like me being in the zone, id rather run a 9-ball rack consciously rather than unconsciously. when i mean consciously, i mean i am not in the zone and am using my raw and mechanical skills in playing, and not using some sort of my *hidden* power. now if only there was a way to release this hidden power...:D

i believe that as you progress and improve your play, you are releasing your previous hidden power and is now at your disposal everytime you play, however, you gain another much more powerful hidden talent which will only be available again when you are in the zone.

efren reyes and django bustamante must be super saiyan 4's of pool...gokou and vegeta of dragonball? :D here i go again, too much anime...;)
 
Thinking too much is what has made me the best rack boy in the states.

They are right, if you start thinking about things hard, stop, and take a breath..... When people are young they freewheel more because they have no fear of failure. Once that fear of failure is in place they lose 2 balls off their game. If you have nothing to lose you will win more. Try to avoid situations in which you have something to lose, be it $$ or pride. Only play with $$ you can afford to lose. They can both be costly to you're game.

Good Luck, :)
 
yeah...i think you guys r right after all, im thinking hell of a lot when playing...but i just got used to it...its time for a change...:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top