What is the difference between...

K

Ky Boy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
guys who shoot balls into the pockets at warp speed and the cueball seems to effortlessly float/slow roll around the table and the guys who shoot pocket speed and the cueball seems to fly around the table.

And I know this is not a very good description of what I am asking. Do these 'rifleman' have such a confident stroke that they use less english with more force to accomplish what a slowroller would do by shooting much easier and letting the english do the work?

Does anyone get what I am saying????:confused: :o
 
I think it's a matter of what angles the players in question prefer to get on certain balls. If a player consistently plays position to be slightly too thick on balls, then he is going to have to rifle the balls in t play good position.

If he consistently gets a little too thin, then he is going to be contacting multiple extra rails to get position. Good position play usually allows you to get the cueball back to center table in a controlled way. Sounds like these two player types you are talking about need to play better position.. :D

Russ
 
Maybe

Russ Chewning said:
I think it's a matter of what angles the players in question prefer to get on certain balls. If a player consistently plays position to be slightly too thick on balls, then he is going to have to rifle the balls in t play good position.

If he consistently gets a little too thin, then he is going to be contacting multiple extra rails to get position. Good position play usually allows you to get the cueball back to center table in a controlled way. Sounds like these two player types you are talking about need to play better position.. :D

Russ
Click to expand...


You coulb be right, Russ. But there are a few particular players that I have in mind is why I am asking. And besides the fact they are MUCH MUCH MUCH better than me I wonder how they control the cue ball so well shooting so fast.

When I shoot a shot with english the object ball speed is usually equal to the speed of the cue ball. Some players fire balls in and the cue ball doesn't go near as fast around the table as the object ball went into the pocket. I have watched and played players like this and it is sometimes intimidating to watch. They let the speed do the work where as I let the englich do the work.

Is this the way really good players play or should play and I am wrong in the way that I play certain shots?

Gary
 
I think in the idiot's guide to pool (or whatever it's called, the one with ewa) they bring up the point that as players get better and better, their overall shot speed goes up a bit. Intermediates are a bit timid and too often will try to baby a ball in and hold a position that's impossible to hold at slow speed, and when they don't have enough angle to make the cue ball move into a rail and then back out a bit... they fail to recognize the problem and just shoot at normal speed (often leaving themselves stuck on the rail).

Advanced players will understand when they can't hold a shape by playing the shot at low speed, and they'll also recognize when they're too straight and need to put a little extra pop to make the ball move.

Not sure if all of this is totally accurate as I saw mike massey run racks and he almost went out of his way to baby shots in and hardly had to flex his arm to move the cue ball. There's also a tendency for bangers to hit harder than is necessary.


But yeah to answer your question, yes, the key word you mentioned is confidence. The better players know when they can afford to put some zip on it, so they're fearless about pouring it on as needed.

I have a video I'll post soon of hsia hui kai practicing 14.1, his style is noticeably more 'rifleman' than a lot of straight pool players. I dunno that it's any better or worse, I think it's just a preference, he prefers to get straighter on balls and use speed to get position while others prefer to use spin.
 
Seems to me that at times it comes down to controling throw. Bang it and there is less throw. Hit easy and there is more throw. This fact changes some people's game depending on their knowledge, ability, and the needs for a particular shot.
 
I really appreciate your guys feedback. I have been playing seriously for nearly 8-9 years. After watching someone play pool with so much confidence in their level of cue ball control makes me wonder if I am playing this game the way it should be played.

Also and most importantly makes me wonder if I have the talent to take this game to a level that would please me. I consider myself a perfectionist in the things I like doing and wonder to myself if I will ever win a major tournament someday. Please don't mistake my 'wondering if it is worth it' for a lack of heart. I put myself into this game as much as possible by watching, learning, attending tournaments, reading, videos, etc.

I don't need to be thought of as the greatest or be associated with the upper class of this sport to consider myself successful. Just to know that many people consider me a really good player and always the gentleman would be success enough. I feel like I am a gentleman now but hope that the other part comes too.


Gary
 
Good Luck

KY BOY said:
I really appreciate your guys feedback. I have been playing seriously for nearly 8-9 years. After watching someone play pool with so much confidence in their level of cue ball control makes me wonder if I am playing this game the way it should be played.

Also and most importantly makes me wonder if I have the talent to take this game to a level that would please me. I consider myself a perfectionist in the things I like doing and wonder to myself if I will ever win a major tournament someday. Please don't mistake my 'wondering if it is worth it' for a lack of heart. I put myself into this game as much as possible by watching, learning, attending tournaments, reading, videos, etc.

I don't need to be thought of as the greatest or be associated with the upper class of this sport to consider myself successful. Just to know that many people consider me a really good player and always the gentleman would be success enough. I feel like I am a gentleman now but hope that the other part comes too.


Gary
Click to expand...

Good luck on your quest, I would say watch players like James Walden, Corey Deuel, Dennis Orcollo and Shane VanBoening as they all seem to have perfect mechanics and one thing I noticed about all of them getting to watch them for several hours they practice just like they play for the cash. Practice like it really, really, really matters.

-don
 
KY BOY..

It's good to have a player you look up to, and that you emulate, but I think you would be best served with picking one that is closest to your natural style.

There are a lot of players out there who hit most of their shots very firmly.. And then, there are all the good players..

Just kidding, just kidding.. But for real, you and I both know that balls hit at pocket speed fall easier. The pocket can sometimes be twice as wide when you hit at pocket speed, because the ball can still catch some rail going in and still fall.

Look at Corey, Efren, Parica, Luat, Joyner, and to a certain extent, Archer.. They use enough speed to avoid the ball rolling off, and stick to just over pocket speed.

The thing about these guys is, they can wake up late for their match, start with blurry eyes, lack a little bit of accuracy in the beginning of a match, and still run out. Why? because they play pocket speed, and balls not hit particularly well still go in.

Your guy that rifles the balls in? If he is lacking accuracy that day, he doesn't run racks, because the OB jaws.

Just something to keep in mind..

Russ
 
ky i know a few players that play like you the ones you are thinking of and they stun the cueball on about 90% of the shots they play.its just the way they play and here is why i wouldnt suggest anybody learn to play that way;i have yet to see one of these players get on a tight table and play long sets and come up winner.i just dont think that type of play will hold up for hours and they tend to get weak.i sometimes will fire balls in for a few minutes when im practicing but its just to loosen up.i dont see the benefit in hitting balls 100 mph,under pressure,for the cash,when it matters when you dont really need to.
 
Just off the top of my head one player that comes to mind is Larry Price. I have seen him play lots of times. He just fires balls in left and right with remarkable accuracy. And Larry generally holds up well over the long haul for the cash.IMO
 
I find that the people who look like they warp shots in have two big differences in their game #1 they have very good stroke resulting in a smoother more efficient transfer of energy from the cueball to the objectball, making the objectball look like it was warped in when it was just hit smoothly and firm.

#2 they play better angles on their shots allowing them to stroke shots firmly but retaining cueball control, it is rare to see them let their cueball loose and have it flying around the table. These players usually have very consistent games because they only have two variables to deal with (angles & speed) and only use left or right spin when they don't have the correct angle.

Bern
 
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