Who needs closed bridge anyway?

nineballman

nineballman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
After reading some of the thread about teaching a closed bridge, I got to thinking about the real need for a closed bridge. I use a closed bridge on many of my shots. Is it because I learned how to play that way? Is it because my stroke is not perfect and I need something to stablize it? But I have noticed when I get in stroke and I'm fully relaxed while playing, that I often use a V bridge, even on shots that require long draw. I find a closed bridge to hinder my stroke in a humid environment. I find that I tend to aim more accurately with a V bridge.
What do you think?
 
I aim more accurately with an open bridge seeing as how I can see down the entire length of the shaft, but if I need a good draw stroke then nothing beats a closed bridge for me whether it's a long shot or a short shot.
 
nineballman said:
... What do you think?
Click to expand...
I think that although a closed bridge has the disadvantages you note, if your back-hand mechanics are not perfect, a closed bridge can make up for the faults. For example, on power shots, players tend to grip the cue very tightly, and this can bring the stick off an open bridge. If there is any twisting from the grip hand, the stick can come off the vee. If the stick is gripped forward, there is less weight on the front of the stick so it tends to come up more easily.

But to convince yourself that pretty much any shot can be made with an open bridge, just go to the snooker forum here and watch some of the videos that are linked to. Those people almost never use a closed bridge and they are playing for a heck of a lot of money.
 
I used an open bridge for over 40 years. When I came back to pool after a few years away I tried to go with the closed bridge. I couldn't run 3 balls. I have very short fingers so it was hard to get comfortable. Before anyone says anything...I have a very large nose and big feet:eek: . Johnnyt
 
Bob Jewett said:
But to convince yourself that pretty much any shot can be made with an open bridge, just go to the snooker forum here and watch some of the videos that are linked to. Those people almost never use a closed bridge and they are playing for a heck of a lot of money.
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Good point. Something definitely to think about.

Last night I was just fooling around and could power draw a long shot much better with an open bridget. Go figure. Matter of fact, I was drawing the sh!t out of the ball. Wow.

And Bob, I always thought of you as a young whipper snapper until I saw you as a judge on the 3 cushion billiards contest. Man, did you look old :D , but more distinguished :p . You should have Billiards Digest throw one of your new pics in their magazines. Then you would get even more respect :eek:
 
Open Bridge Power Draw Shot

noRulez said:
I aim more accurately with an open bridge seeing as how I can see down the entire length of the shaft, but if I need a good draw stroke then nothing beats a closed bridge for me whether it's a long shot or a short shot.
Click to expand...

An open bridge can be used for a power draw. See Neil Robertson at about 4:20 in this clip:D

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7N0BVxMwo44
 
Interesting piece of video when that power draw is made. What is the cue doing after he hits the ball? Seems to fly up in the air? Weird.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I think that although a closed bridge has the disadvantages you note, if your back-hand mechanics are not perfect, a closed bridge can make up for the faults. For example, on power shots, players tend to grip the cue very tightly, and this can bring the stick off an open bridge. If there is any twisting from the grip hand, the stick can come off the vee. If the stick is gripped forward, there is less weight on the front of the stick so it tends to come up more easily.

But to convince yourself that pretty much any shot can be made with an open bridge, just go to the snooker forum here and watch some of the videos that are linked to. Those people almost never use a closed bridge and they are playing for a heck of a lot of money.
Click to expand...

All good points, but I keep comming back to the fact that 3C players
basicly never use an open bridge, I realize you are well aware of this.

I have never thought it was automatic that you should do something
just because 'great player X' does it, but this seems to be
more than mere coincidence.

Any helpfull thoughts?

Dale
 
Scaramouche said:
An open bridge can be used for a power draw. See Neil Robertson at about 4:20 in this clip:D

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7N0BVxMwo44
Click to expand...

I wish ESPN would take a look at how they show Snooker. They cut out all the walking around the table and lint picking. They could show three times the pool games they do now in an hour. Johnnyt
 
pdcue said:
All good points, but I keep coming back to the fact that 3C players basicly never use an open bridge ...
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That's nearly universally true, but I do know of one 3-C player (0.800-speed?) who does play with an open bridge. maybe there are a few others. I think that some top players may use open bridges for distant thin hits, but I'd have to check tapes or tournaments to be sure. I think an open bridge is fairly common for some players at balkline, etc.

As for why the closed bridge is nearly universal, that's tough. Maybe the serious side spin tends to make the shaft jump out of the vee to the side. I do think that an open bridge on power shots takes nearly perfect back-hand mechanics, and maybe the carom players have avoided the time spent to acquire that perfection by using a closed bridge. At snooker, maybe there is no choice.

I have noticed an increasing number of top 3-C players using gloves.
 
Klopek said:
This topic has come up a thousand times, and in the end the usual consensus is to use the bridge that you feel comfortable with and allows you to play your game the way you wish to play it. ...
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I think that one problem with that approach is that most players will never invest in the time to see if something else (whether it be bridge, stick, stance, wrap, taper, etc.) will work better for them. For example, a lighter break cue might work better for a particular person in the long run, but he might take three breaks with such a cue and decide that what he's used to is better.

A rubber wrap would be another example, especially on break cues.
 
Klopek said:
... I've recently experimented with wrapless cues after using linen. I've tried every taper in the book, every tip, different joints etc. This has taken years, cost me a small fortune, frustrated me and thrown my game for a loop, but I now have a clear understanding of what works best for me.

Never once did I find myself saying I'm going to do that because so and so does that. I just learned the hard way, by missing shots and loosing matches.:D
Click to expand...
Well, OK, but you're not normal.
 
Johnnyt said:
I wish ESPN would take a look at how they show Snooker. They cut out all the walking around the table and lint picking. They could show three times the pool games they do now in an hour. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

Johnnyt,
I watch almost ever snooker event that is put on TV here in Europe. right now the Masters is on BTW. ALL of these broadcast are LIVE.. and I still dont see the lint picking and what not.
Different players play different ways.... but your are right, better edited shows might be a better thing...


As far as bridges go... if it feels good do it.. I swap from bridge to bride depending on my mood more or less. Ithink the closed bridge does give a little more control on "juicy" shots, but that maybe b/c of what Bob said about the tight grips and all.

One of the best players around here uses an open bridge...but his rail bridge is awkard as all get out!!. He manages to do "alright"
 
I think that part of the problem, at least for me, and probably most others, is a fair test of the new technique.

I know that we need a baseline for comparison and then about 30 trials with the new approach to say it has an effect. To be definitive we need about 150 samples with accurate record keeping.

While I know all these things to be true, I don't do it. But after following this thread for awhile I think that maybe a good test of some of these methods are in order for me.

For me the issue is whether or not a glove is useful. My gut tells me it is, my emotional reaction says no (don't want to look like a fool etc). The best answer is a good thorough test. This means a sufficient number of different shots.
 
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