What Percentage Of Shots Do You Spin?
- Thread starter Johnnyt
- Start date
Straight pool: (edit) 20%, even less when I'm playing well. 9 ball 75%, even more when I'm playing well.
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I completely agree with this guy. I play a lot of straight pool and find that I very rarely need to use English to get good shape. Most of the time your just stunning the ball. Playing 9 ball normally requires more movement on the cue ball so you have to create a lot of your angles to get good position.
I believe that means after object ball contact, not before.
As few as possible......I'm right there with Efren that says his game is "no spin" (if possible)....of course I believe that means after object ball contact, not before.
As few as possible......I'm right there with Efren that says his game is "no spin" (if possible)....of course I believe that means after object ball contact, not before.
This depends, do you mean on purpose or because of a bad stroke? LOL
I'm going to assume by spin you mean side spin not draw/follow, I never really paid attention but for me would be 75% where I intend to use a bit of spin either to help pocket a ball or for position.
Edit... I noticed people were talking about what game they play, I'm pretty much 100% 9,10 or 8 ball, and use more side spin in 9 and 10 ball probably by 30% or more than in 8 ball.
I play only rotation games , 1p and 3c.
3c, prob 60-70%.
Other, damn near all of em.
3c, prob 60-70%.
Other, damn near all of em.
I agree. I have no idea of percentages, but intentionally, very, very little in Straight Pool and even less in a rotation game.
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This is what an old road player (My Dad) told me 60 years ago. He to him said, "Stop putting all that $hit on the ball. You might think it looks cool, but did you know more spin you use the less money you'll have in your pocket at the end of the night? The better you can control that white SOB, the less need for sidespin. You don't need to spin if you get the position right. Get on the next shot right and all you need is maybe, a little running English.
I wish I would have listened to him more back then...but I knew everything back then. What took me years to figure out, I had been told right from my first playing days. Johnnyt
Way more than I should, but using rails for shape is fun to try. In real matches, my percentages swing favorably toward less sidespin. I miss less when I reduce sidespin but I play by myself mostly so I don't care.
The more spin a player puts on the cue ball, the less margin of error
Yeah, that's my strategy is to take the "after contact spin" off the shots using a touch of inside on most of my shots. The "running english" will run away from you if not careful. I like to see the cue ball "floating" with no spin after the ball goes in the pocket....time after time, after time.
The more spin a player puts on the cue ball, the less margin of error, unless they are playing the pocket as a zone....then it's best to just use a "touch" of spin (TOO).
Yeah, that's my strategy is to take the "after contact spin" off the shots using a touch of inside on most of my shots. The "running english" will run away from you if not careful. I like to see the cue ball "floating" with no spin after the ball goes in the pocket....time after time, after time.
The more spin a player puts on the cue ball, the less margin of error, unless they are playing the pocket as a zone....then it's best to just use a "touch" of spin (TOO).
You know you hear all these guys say they play with absolutely no sidespin, and it's a good thing to tell beginners not to use too much of it, but IMHO a lot of those guys are full of it. I've been playing and watching pool for a long time now (although not compared to some of you guys, lol) and I can count the good "nothing but center ball 9/10 ball players" I've ever seen on one hand. The only truely world class guy would be Yang and all the others snooker players. I have a very small diameter shaft and I barely go outside center. If you'd stand behind me you might not even see that I put english on, but I do and it's a significant amount on fast cloth and bouncy cushions it changes a lot, even if you would not notice with a casual glance. This might be what the players mean by "no english", and of course CJ has his thing.
The thing about center ball is that it is simply not "natural". The ball just doesn't act right on certain shots, it just dies, while with a little english it will glide naturally into place. You can do it with center ball but the speed is actually harder to judge and you will need more speed on the cueball for the same result. And of course in 9 and 10 ball you have object balls on the rail and need to get back to center table, then unless you are dead perfect on your angle you will need a little english, not a lot, just a little. What about the classic "two rails out of the corner" position shot in 9 ball. Are you honestly going to tell me that on a regular beat down old table you don't use english on that shot (which comes up every game)? I mean, it probably could be done, but why on earth would you, when the low outside is so completely natural and easy to execute?
Straight pool and snooker are completely different animals and what I said above doesn't apply. In these games you play patterns and lots of little stuns etc, but every once in a while you will need a little something here too. I can show you dozens of breakshots where english will help you in straight pool for instance (as can anyone who has ever run a rack), not to speak of the opening shot. And of course when you do need spin in these games it is so critical to get it right. If you can't play with spin it will mean the end of your run in these cases. I personally think it is hard to play stricktly center ball and then on a 40- 50 ball run play exactly one spin shot and get it right. If you play a couple of spin shots a rack you are ready to play anything when a shot of this nature comes up.
The thing about center ball is that it is simply not "natural". The ball just doesn't act right on certain shots, it just dies, while with a little english it will glide naturally into place. You can do it with center ball but the speed is actually harder to judge and you will need more speed on the cueball for the same result. And of course in 9 and 10 ball you have object balls on the rail and need to get back to center table, then unless you are dead perfect on your angle you will need a little english, not a lot, just a little. What about the classic "two rails out of the corner" position shot in 9 ball. Are you honestly going to tell me that on a regular beat down old table you don't use english on that shot (which comes up every game)? I mean, it probably could be done, but why on earth would you, when the low outside is so completely natural and easy to execute?
Straight pool and snooker are completely different animals and what I said above doesn't apply. In these games you play patterns and lots of little stuns etc, but every once in a while you will need a little something here too. I can show you dozens of breakshots where english will help you in straight pool for instance (as can anyone who has ever run a rack), not to speak of the opening shot. And of course when you do need spin in these games it is so critical to get it right. If you can't play with spin it will mean the end of your run in these cases. I personally think it is hard to play stricktly center ball and then on a 40- 50 ball run play exactly one spin shot and get it right. If you play a couple of spin shots a rack you are ready to play anything when a shot of this nature comes up.
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I spin probably 96% or higher.
Even when I'm not going to a rail I put a little helping English (TOO). The spin is minimal and dies after contact. Only when I'm in a poor position do I have to load up and spin 3 rails or really check a ball of a rail.
Even when I'm not going to a rail I put a little helping English (TOO). The spin is minimal and dies after contact. Only when I'm in a poor position do I have to load up and spin 3 rails or really check a ball of a rail.
This what I was taught by a road player in the mid '80s.