Drill For Learning English:

Last week we posted a tip from CJ Wiley.  If you didn’t read it you should do so before moving forward with this drill.

Now that you’ve read CJ’s tip let me ask you, are you a person that uses the same hit on every shot?  Or maybe use English on most shots?  Do you think you only use center ball?  If you think you only use center ball reread CJ’s tip and you might think again.

Learning where exactly to hit the cue ball is critical in pool, billiards and snooker. You must not only know where you’re hitting the cue ball, but you must also decide what kind of stroke you’re going to use and what speed.  So let’s start with a simple drill that will enlighten you with cue ball control.  Before you can learn control you have to understand deflection and tangent lines.  So here it is.

Set up a shot with just a little angle and experiment a little.  First pick how hard you want to hit the cue ball and then shoot the shot with dead center ball (if you can do that I’m impressed already).  Once you’ve mastered that hit the same shot 10 more times using top English and then with bottom English.  You will hit all these shots with the same stroke and the same speed.  Don’t cheat and hit your bottom English shot harder.  Same hit, same speed on all three of these shots.

As you’re doing this drill the key importance should be on paying attention to what your cue ball does.  Playing 220 in Behind the Rock Tour or any tournament, match-up or pocket billiards game you must have cue ball control.  Of course you’re practicing pocketing the ball at the same time, but your focus is on what the cue ball is doing.  Once you’ve hit the same shot with the same speed and the same stroke, select three different speeds on each of the three spots on the cue ball on the same shot. Be sure to pay attention to your cue ball.  Not only the direction, but how far it rolls.

After you drive yourself crazy with that, try the same spots on the cue ball, but use left English and then right English.  Pay attention to how much English you’re putting on the cue ball; ½ tip off center or one tip off center.  Same stroke and speed as before.  What you should learn from this exercise is 15 different reactions with the cue ball using the same stroke and speed.  Imagine how many different ways there are to hit the cue ball and move around the table.  Endless, and that my friend is why we play this game.

The pros will play all the positions on the cue ball in between all the spots you didn’t hit and they will know the difference on each and every shot.  The cue ball will react to a finite degree and that’s perfection.  That’s the excellence we’re all striving for.  If this doesn’t keep you busy for months then you’re not hitting enough balls.  Hitting the same shot 10 times at each location on the ball and watching the reaction each time you will learn how to control your cue ball.  Once you’re mastered one shot at one speed then change the speed and start all over again. Your next step would be to set up a new shot with a different angle and do it all over again.  Remember this is cue ball control so make your shot fairly simple so you’re not distracted with pocketing the ball and you can focus on where and how you are hitting the cue ball. This is the best way to learn how your cue ball will react to your stroke and your speed.

Spend a half an hour each time you go to play you will find that you will start to be in control of your game.  Once you have control your game will jump dramatically.

Tips for Breaking Playing 220

Example of the order of the balls racking for 220.

This is the golden key that will unlock your 220 game when playing www.BehindtheRockTour.com.  Having control over your break is having control over every game.  Once you understand what happens on the break and what to expect then a new door will open for you with a bright light welcoming you through.  These tips are not written in stone, but if you use them as a starting point, build on them and stick with it you’re going to have great results. So let’s start with the rack.

Behind the Rock Tour highly recommends you use the Tite n’ Rite rack for your games.  This is a film rack that when used with a matched un-abused set of balls you will get a perfect rack every time.  Having a consistent and frozen rack every time you can now start working on your end of the deal.  Stroke, speed and english is everything on the break.  Using a Tite n’ Rite rack playing 10 ball is a completely different break than your 9 ball break so let’s talk about where to position your cue ball, speed, stroke and the reaction to expect from the balls.

Place the Tite n’ Rite rack on the foot spot making sure the rack is straight.  Set the balls on the rack.  The 1 ball must be on the foot spot and the 10 ball must be in the middle.  Other than that you can place the balls wherever you’d like.  We commend starting with the 2 & 3, the 2 &5 or the 2 & 7 in the second row behind the 1 ball.  In the third row try placing the 8 & 9 on each side of the 10 ball.  The fourth row place the 7 & 6 on the corners and the 4 & 5 in the center.  The 4 & 5 in the middle of the back row is if you used the 2 & 3 behind the 1 ball.  If you used other balls then your 5 ball will be different.

You will place your cue ball in the center of the table at the second diamond in the kitchen.  Your objective is to hit the one ball as square as you possibly can with no side spin and 3/4 of a tip below center with a medium firm hit.  Do not power this break.  The balls are already frozen so you will get a lot of action off the rack with a nice solid medium firm hit.  This takes practice to hit the cue ball and one ball accurately.  If you’re seeing your cue ball shoot off to the side it means you did not hit the one ball square.  Your cue ball should come straight back or stop in the middle of the table.  Now you should know what to expect from your break shot.

If you hit the rack accurately your 1 ball will come up table, the second row of balls will go to the side pockets and often pocketing one or both balls.  The third row will just mush out a little and the fourth row you need to watch so you can adjust your speed and hit.  The 6 & 7 ball will go three rails and end up back at the foot of the table close to the 8, 9 & 10 balls.  The 4 & 5 will hit the foot rail and come back up table and sit in front of the corner pockets at the head of the table.  If your speed is correct the 4 or 5 might fall in, but they will be no further away from the corner than about 12 inches.  When it’s all said and done your 1-5 balls will be on one half of the table and the 6-10 will be at the other end of the table saving you from having to travel from one end of the table to the other.

If your speed is good you will notice that none of the balls collide on the break.  If the 6 and 7 are running into balls then your speed is off (usually too hard) or you might be punching or short stroking your break shot.  Watch the path the balls take and you will see where your problem is.  If your stroke is smooth with the right speed and a nice follow through your balls will not collide and you’ll have a perfect layout.

Once you do this enough you will recongize the layout and it’s just a matter of staying in line and pocketing balls.  Easy right?

One Ball and What To Do With It

The one ball is so important to start your run. You have ball in hand and so you have every opportunity to start your run out right.  Make sure you get on the right side of the 2 ball with the correct angle.  Take the time to walk around and see exactly where you need to get and really think about what side of the 2 ball to get to your 3 ball.  Many times we don’t make an exact decision and commit to a shot or a plan because we don’t know how to get our cue ball there.  That’s okay, just start somewhere.

Next thing to think about is how to get there.  Always choose  in-line position when possible.  Look at what the traffic considerations and rate your options by risk. If you don’t know what “in line position” is, read the blog “In Line Position”.  You have ball in hand for the 1 ball and you will usually have a few choices of where we pocket the 1 ball, but the real question is where to position the cue ball when making the 1 ball to get on the 2 ball to get the right angle for your 3 ball to your biggest advantage.  when you’re on the 1 ball really think ahead and look at the 2, 3 and your 4 ball.  Deciding exactly where you want the cue ball to land after pocketing a ball is huge.  If you find yourself not knowing how to get there then you’ve now created a new workout for yourself.  Do it over and over until you understand and can execute it.  If you don’t know how to get on the next ball from a certain angle and can’t figure it out, find a the best player in your pool room and ask him/her.  They may not give you the correct answer, but it will give you another option.  Remember another player’s opinion isn’t always correct.

Making a decision and committing is huge in anyone’s game.  This is discipline and it doesn’t come easy.  If you aren’t committing to shots then this is the part of the game you need to work on.  If you aren’t making decisions and committing to the path you’re going to follow then it probably means you don’t know how to get there and you need to develop these skills.

You can start developing these skills by throwing three balls up on the table, make a plan, commit to it and run the balls off.  There are thousands of scenarios to practice.  Choose the first 500 and perfect them.  If you try something and you don’t get there then you don’t get there, but you made a decision and now you can develop your execution. Many times we don’t make an exact decision because we don’t know where our cue ball is headed.  That’s okay, just start somewhere, educate yourself on cue ball control by watching what the cue ball does and build on what you learn each time you’re at the table.

Knowledge is Power.  Power is Control.  Control is your best shot for a Win.

In-Line Position

 

In-line position is the angle that the cue ball comes into your next shot that gives you the most room for error due to speed control. Usually you have a choice of ways to get on your next ball. Pre-planning your next three balls is the basic rule for playing a game of rotation like 9ball and 10ball.

Last week we talked about how to start on the 1-ball and how important it is to get the correct angle for you to get to the 2-ball to get to your three ball. Thinking about where you need to be to get the correct angle on your second shot to get on your third shot is critical.  A ball may only have one pocket to go to, but you have several choices of how you can get to your next ball.  In-line position is choosing the path that your cue ball will take that it is rolling into the angle that you want on your next ball. Choose a path that if you hit the cue ball too hard or too soft that you don’t cross your angle line. This will still give you the angle that you need even if your speed is a little off.  Think about coming in two rails instead of one. Look at all your options to pocket your next ball. The most obvious option may not be your best option.