The Toughest Shot in Billiards

[Bob Jewett]

Yeah, it's clickbait, but it got me and I figured you ought to get some, too. That kept coming up in my Ebay search for billiard books, so I finally broke down and bought a copy of the book it's in. The book purports to show the various hardest whatevers in various sports such as the hardest hole in golf. Here's the book, which is actually pretty interesting:

And here is the shot, which is surrounded by a few pages of fairly good discussion:

and by a curious coincidence, here is the shot being made in a video which someone posted to the carom group today. The shot is at 16:48 but the rest of the video is pretty interesting even if you don't speak Flemish.

I suppose this brings up the question: which single shot (that can be made in under an hour) do you think is the hardest? I guess we have to include all cue sports. Steylaerts makes the shot above look like child's play.

 

[u12armresl]

Yeah, it's clickbait, but it got me and I figured you ought to get some, too. That kept coming up in my Ebay search for billiard books, so I finally broke down and bought a copy of the book it's in. The book purports to show the various hardest whatevers in various sports such as the hardest hole in golf. Here's the book, which is actually pretty interesting:

View attachment 580132

And here is the shot, which is surrounded by a few pages of fairly good discussion:

View attachment 580133

and by a curious coincidence, here is the shot being made in a video which someone posted to the carom group today. The shot is at 16:48 but the rest of the video is pretty interesting even if you don't speak Flemish.

I suppose this brings up the question: which single shot (that can be made in under an hour) do you think is the hardest? I guess we have to include all cue sports. Steylaerts makes the shot above look like child's play.

Bob you have a bigger library for pool than anyone I know and have seen it all. I'm guessing whatever shot you say is the toughest is the toughest.
Stand up guy all the way!

 

[Bob Jewett]

Bob you have a bigger library for pool than anyone I know and have seen it all. I'm guessing whatever shot you say is the toughest is the toughest.
Stand up guy all the way!

There are lots of shots I still think are impossible, but I keep crossing them off that list. The one I'm thinking of is on the snooker table and is more or less standard except for the pocket choice.

 

[alphadog]

There are lots of shots I still think are impossible, but I keep crossing them off that list. The one I'm thinking of is on the snooker table and is more or less standard except for the pocket choice.

From watching hours of pro snooker on youtube, it appears anything is possible with new cloth and polished balls.☺

 

[straightline]

The 5 railer looks pretty much natural; would be tougher if you had to bank into the point.

 

[garczar]

Yeah, it's clickbait, but it got me and I figured you ought to get some, too. That kept coming up in my Ebay search for billiard books, so I finally broke down and bought a copy of the book it's in. The book purports to show the various hardest whatevers in various sports such as the hardest hole in golf. Here's the book, which is actually pretty interesting:

View attachment 580132

And here is the shot, which is surrounded by a few pages of fairly good discussion:

View attachment 580133

and by a curious coincidence, here is the shot being made in a video which someone posted to the carom group today. The shot is at 16:48 but the rest of the video is pretty interesting even if you don't speak Flemish.

I suppose this brings up the question: which single shot (that can be made in under an hour) do you think is the hardest? I guess we have to include all cue sports. Steylaerts makes the shot above look like child's play.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Black-Balled]

Yeah, it's clickbait, but it got me and I figured you ought to get some, too. That kept coming up in my Ebay search for billiard books, so I finally broke down and bought a copy of the book it's in. The book purports to show the various hardest whatevers in various sports such as the hardest hole in golf. Here's the book, which is actually pretty interesting:

View attachment 580132

And here is the shot, which is surrounded by a few pages of fairly good discussion:

View attachment 580133

and by a curious coincidence, here is the shot being made in a video which someone posted to the carom group today. The shot is at 16:48 but the rest of the video is pretty interesting even if you don't speak Flemish.

I suppose this brings up the question: which single shot (that can be made in under an hour) do you think is the hardest? I guess we have to include all cue sports. Steylaerts makes the shot above look like child's play.

Nutty. Not sure I have ever seen me 100 with dark hair!

Any idea when that vid was recorded? I see a measle ball.

 

[measureman]

The toughest shot is when you are gambling with no money in your pocket and it's hill hill and you have a shot on the 9 to win the set.
The 9 gets bigger and the pocket gets smaller.
Been there and done that.

 

[Geosnookery]

The toughest shot is when you are gambling with no money in your pocket and it's hill hill and you have a shot on the 9 to win the set.
The 9 gets bigger and the pocket gets smaller.
Been there and done that.

True. That’s the same with straight in shots. Not money at stake but ego and confidence.

Volumes have been written with pseudo science explanations why straight in shots ‘are more difficult than cut shots’. My observation over decades is players tighten up and don’t have an excuse to miss a straight in shot. More pressure to ‘not miss’ an easy shot than to make a difficult one.

 

[Scott Lee]

The 5 railer looks pretty much natural; would be tougher if you had to bank into the point.

Since it's apparently so easy and natural, why don't you post up a video of you making that shot. I'd say you have ZERO chance to make this shot.

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

 

[u12armresl]

The 5 railer looks pretty much natural; would be tougher if you had to bank into the point.

You've got to be trolling.

 

[straightline]

Since it's apparently so easy and natural, why don't you post up a video of you making that shot. I'd say you have ZERO chance to make this shot.

Scott Lee

You quoted me to say that? Loser...

 

[straightline]

You've got to be trolling.

Why? It's the same shot without the initial carom. The scoring balls are now both in the corner. Once you get the masse right, the rest of the shot is automatic.

 

[pt109]

True. That’s the same with straight in shots. Not money at stake but ego and confidence.

Volumes have been written with pseudo science explanations why straight in shots ‘are more difficult than cut shots’. My observation over decades is players tighten up and don’t have an excuse to miss a straight in shot. More pressure to ‘not miss’ an easy shot than to make a difficult one.

I agree with this....straight in shots should be no problem aiming....but impossible to alibi.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Once you get the masse right, the rest of the shot is automatic.

AKA - When you hit the shot right it works. Hard to argue with that.

pj
chgo

 

[maha]

bob here is the toughest shot in billiards. its at about 9:20 but start about 8 minutes in. best to watch the whole episode from the start. its a classic

 

[straightline]

AKA - When you hit the shot right it works. Hard to argue with that.

pj
chgo

Well it's just an idea on "the most difficult shot" was it? Frankly I find the "skinny" masses where you have to thread the ball along the cushion way more difficult or at least in need of a fair degree more precision. I'd have to ruin reams of expensive cloth just to learn a couple.

 

[book collector]

There are lots of shots I still think are impossible, but I keep crossing them off that list. The one I'm thinking of is on the snooker table and is more or less standard except for the pocket choice.

I think it would be pretty tough to make a ball down the rail into the side pocket on a snooker table , but I am not an expert.

 

[jay helfert]

bob here is the toughest shot in billiards. its at about 9:20 but start about 8 minutes in. best to watch the whole episode from the start. its a classic

That was great! The bad guy was played by Jack Elam one of the all time great character actors. I met him once briefly at a restaurant called Theodores on Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. It was kind of a celebrity hang out. I walked in carrying my cue case and as I walked by his table he said, "You got a rifle in there mister?" I told him yes and I was hunting quail. He just laughed and went on eating. Not a very long conversation.

 

[jay helfert]

Yeah, it's clickbait, but it got me and I figured you ought to get some, too. That kept coming up in my Ebay search for billiard books, so I finally broke down and bought a copy of the book it's in. The book purports to show the various hardest whatevers in various sports such as the hardest hole in golf. Here's the book, which is actually pretty interesting:

View attachment 580132

And here is the shot, which is surrounded by a few pages of fairly good discussion:

View attachment 580133

and by a curious coincidence, here is the shot being made in a video which someone posted to the carom group today. The shot is at 16:48 but the rest of the video is pretty interesting even if you don't speak Flemish.

I suppose this brings up the question: which single shot (that can be made in under an hour) do you think is the hardest? I guess we have to include all cue sports. Steylaerts makes the shot above look like child's play.

This is a great video, with lots of very cool shots. Thanks for posting it.