To spin or not to spin?

A sliding cue ball is the single most important shoot in pool to master.

Spin introduces several other factors into a shot like swerve, throw, deflection and those factors are directly influence by other factors like cleanliness of the balls, type of cloth, etc.

Now I am not one to say you should never use spin, but I am one to ask why introduce a lot more variables into a shot than you have to? Can you master all the variables in all the different situations to use spin constantly and successfully? Absolutely, but a vast majority of players are not going to so they are doing themselves a disservice by not sticking to vertical center as much as possible.

Using the tangent line is much more reliable as it has a lot less variables to change the cueball path and thus it is much easier to master and use consistently by even lower level players that understand the tangent line and how speed and high low affect it.

I would say that unless you have mastered shooting only on the vertical axis, then you should only be using spin when you absolutely have to and then, you should minimize the amount to only what is absolutely needed.

Right and left should be practiced just like all the other specialty shots like using a bridge, jumping, masse, shooting off a rail, shooting over a ball, caroms, bank, kick and combos. Then in the unlikely case that you have no choice but to spin you are equipped to put a valid effort into it.
 
Skippy27 said:
A sliding cue ball is the single most important shoot in pool to master.

Spin introduces several other factors into a shot like swerve, throw, deflection and those factors are directly influence by other factors like cleanliness of the balls, type of cloth, etc.

Now I am not one to say you should never use spin, but I am one to ask why introduce a lot more variables into a shot than you have to? Can you master all the variables in all the different situations to use spin constantly and successfully? Absolutely, but a vast majority of players are not going to so they are doing themselves a disservice by not sticking to vertical center as much as possible.

Using the tangent line is much more reliable as it has a lot less variables to change the cueball path and thus it is much easier to master and use consistently by even lower level players that understand the tangent line and how speed and high low affect it.

I would say that unless you have mastered shooting only on the vertical axis, then you should only be using spin when you absolutely have to and then, you should minimize the amount to only what is absolutely needed.

Right and left should be practiced just like all the other specialty shots like using a bridge, jumping, masse, shooting off a rail, shooting over a ball, caroms, bank, kick and combos. Then in the unlikely case that you have no choice but to spin you are equipped to put a valid effort into it.
Click to expand...

Disagree completely. To each his own:)
 
Skippy27 said:
A sliding cue ball is the single most important shoot in pool to master.

Spin introduces several other factors into a shot like swerve, throw, deflection and those factors are directly influence by other factors like cleanliness of the balls, type of cloth, etc.

Now I am not one to say you should never use spin, but I am one to ask why introduce a lot more variables into a shot than you have to? Can you master all the variables in all the different situations to use spin constantly and successfully? Absolutely, but a vast majority of players are not going to so they are doing themselves a disservice by not sticking to vertical center as much as possible.

Using the tangent line is much more reliable as it has a lot less variables to change the cueball path and thus it is much easier to master and use consistently by even lower level players that understand the tangent line and how speed and high low affect it.

I would say that unless you have mastered shooting only on the vertical axis, then you should only be using spin when you absolutely have to and then, you should minimize the amount to only what is absolutely needed.

Right and left should be practiced just like all the other specialty shots like using a bridge, jumping, masse, shooting off a rail, shooting over a ball, caroms, bank, kick and combos. Then in the unlikely case that you have no choice but to spin you are equipped to put a valid effort into it.
Click to expand...
A sliding ball is one of the worst things a player could do. I would have thought everyone knew this.

A natural rolling ball is another story.
 
The most overlooked variable in this ongoing discussion about english is the FUN variable.

I would have never even been interested in the game in the first place if not for the joy I got out of spinning the rock all over the place.

I don't believe there are humans that walk among us that could reach a high level of play without using a lot of english. They would simply get too bored with the game without it.

Spin away.
 
.................................................

Spin To Win

.................................................
 
I mostly play 8 ball and always think probabilities and opportunity when deciding between several shots. Logic prevails. With respect to spin, I rationalized a while back watching various league players that using spin, or too much, was usually the reason they missed their last shot. I agree with you thinking kevin, center ball up and down, is the way to go and watch the tangent line for position. Then add just a bit of spin, if needed. I only use more spin if I need to make position coming off a rail. Keeping it simple, very subtle left or right english, & reducing "potential for error" is a key for me.
 
Black-Balled said:
I agree wit j-pot.
A tad of outsde, for my case barrel...unless it is straight in.
I wonder if the ball polisher has decreased the need for 'helping english'?
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That's the beauty of pool. You can add a tad of outside by shooting through center ball and angling the stick/tip/pot angle. :)
 
Cornerman said:
A sliding ball is one of the worst things a player could do. I would have thought everyone knew this.

A natural rolling ball is another story.
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You would contradict many and I am not saying to always use it, but you bether know it and understand it when trying to figure out where the cue ball is heading.
 
brentinps said:
I mostly play 8 ball and always think probabilities and opportunity when deciding between several shots. Logic prevails. With respect to spin, I rationalized a while back watching various league players that using spin, or too much, was usually the reason they missed their last shot. I agree with you thinking kevin, center ball up and down, is the way to go and watch the tangent line for position. Then add just a bit of spin, if needed. I only use more spin if I need to make position coming off a rail. Keeping it simple, very subtle left or right english, & reducing "potential for error" is a key for me.
Click to expand...

Think it's kinda like a standard vs ld shaft. You can learn to play great with either, just a matter of preference. Only difference is sometimes you will HAVE TO use spin. Many people have trouble with spin shots or using spin. If you learned that early on those spin shots are just another shot no big deal .
 
Spin it! Like there is no tomorrow! Make that cue ball dance on the baize! Full throttle!
 
Skippy27 said:
Disagree all you want, but you can argue with physics.
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I really don't need to argue with physics as physics agrees: a sliding ball is one of the worst things you can do.

Freddie <~~~ pretty well versed in physics
 
SmoothStroke said:
1991 U.S. Open Final.....Buddy Hall and Dennis Hatch
Tables were fast in 1991 also

Listen to Buddys comments about spin at 39:50.

Even center ball and punchy players can play off the edges.

If you are a beginner play on the inside of the cue ball and learn to hit it clean.
Then gradually move out wider to the edges, to extreme edges, the max,to the miscue point, learn to spin.
A straight stroke helps.
The sooner you understand spin the better off you are.

If you can't use the entire cue ball at any given time you have a lot to learn about pool.

Find a billiard table with no pockets and learn the cue ball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVLJ3u5tWro
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:thumbup2::thumbup2::thumbup2:

Merry Christmas, Fella!

All the Best for You & Yours,
Rick
 
SmoothStroke said:
Thanks Philly...3 cushion players know everything and then some about tangent and deflection. Thickness of hit combined with spin to put the cue ball in its track. The track starts at its natural and then is altered as needed.

The game is tracks, all games are in tracks and easy to understand. Cutting across the angle is another lesson in itself.

They have to be extremely precise to score a point, sending a ball 20 ft or more 6 rails to hit another ball is fun, you can't play general or in the area, you have to hit it on the face.
If you should catch the ball on the edge or on the ear, as a 3 cushion player you missed it, you got lucky, it's extreme precision.

Pocket billiards is generally zone play and get in the area hopefully on the right side.

Redirecting the natural tangent is common in billiards, combined with stroke and spin to achieve the angles needed for desired ball track. Not all shots are hit with extreme spin, many shots are high ball, maybe an eylash of right or left.

Many times to beat a kiss a delay strike is common play. It redirects the natural tangent full and spin takes over and drives to the angle needed. This hit could be so slight it goes undetectable to the layman or so powerful the layman can't believe what they just saw.

I play both games fairly decent, it's all about the cue ball in all games…..Spin it
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Hi Fella,

I played Billiards on my pool table when I had just turned 14 only a few months after being introduced to pool to get the with the english that I started usinf within weeks of being introduced to that game.

All the Best,
Rick
 
Cornerman said:
A sliding ball is one of the worst things a player could do. I would have thought everyone knew this.

A natural rolling ball is another story.
Click to expand...

When my Uncle, who was a very good player, came to town when I was 15, My Dad asked him to play me a few games to see what he thought.

I'd been playing a little over a year.

After 3 games, my Dad asked him what he thought. He said," He plays real good, but he uses low too much."

That was, like gold to my young eager ears. After my Uncle left, I was on the table hitting every shot high & rolling it, AND force following with it, AND...

Learning new & different ways to get position.

Best 2 Ya, Freedie.
Rick
 
BasementDweller said:
The most overlooked variable in this ongoing discussion about english is the FUN variable.

I would have never even been interested in the game in the first place if not for the joy I got out of spinning the rock all over the place.

I don't believe there are humans that walk among us that could reach a high level of play without using a lot of english. They would simply get too bored with the game without it.

Spin away.
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:thumbup2::thumbup2::thumbup2:

If I had to hit on only the center line, I'd quit.

That's probably why I can't make myself go full bore with TOI.

The bottom line is that one should learn to play EVERY way because the game will ask that type of shot of you when it is NEEDED.

Best Wishes for You & Yours.
 
It's amazing how often this topic comes up. My now deceased friend and I had a discussion about this after one of these threads years ago. He believed that a player should minimize the use of spin. I believed that you've got to spin it to win it.

So, we started taking note of spin use during every match that we watched. We observed 80% - 90% of shots by all top players involved left or right spin. It was more than I had predicted.
 
chevybob20 said:
It's amazing how often this topic comes up. My now deceased friend and I had a discussion about this after one of these threads years ago. He believed that a player should minimize the use of spin. I believed that you've got to spin it to win it.

So, we started taking note of spin use during every match that we watched. We observed 80% - 90% of shots by all top players involved left or right spin. It was more than I had predicted.
Click to expand...

<<<:thumbup2:>>>
 
chevybob20 said:
It's amazing how often this topic comes up. My now deceased friend and I had a discussion about this after one of these threads years ago. He believed that a player should minimize the use of spin. I believed that you've got to spin it to win it.

So, we started taking note of spin use during every match that we watched. We observed 80% - 90% of shots by all top players involved left or right spin. It was more than I had predicted.
Click to expand...

And people will always say that pros (like Buddy Hall) stay near center. Your post (and dozens of mine over the last 20 years) and the recent YouTube video of Buddy Hall (by video evidence and by Buddy's own words as confirmation) should put the stupid debate and weird opposition to spin to rest.

But it won't. The question will come up next month, so get your post ready.

Freddie <~~~ wonders why reality isn't good enough
 
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