Dr Billiards Blog- Pool Tips and Tricks

Time for Another Pool Trick Shot

2008-05-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun pool trick shot from Dr Cue. It is relatively easy and looks impressive to the ladies!

Tom "Dr. Cue" Rossman Trick Shot
3 Balls, 3 Pockets & 3 Cushions!

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 2.9

CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 5 minutes, 48 seconds per day for 3 days

SETUP/POSITION: 1-ball slightly left and 1 inch out from pocket BC; 2-ball frozen to 1-ball and aim setup line for (1) - (2) is to left center of TC; 3-ball on center edge of pocket TR; Cue ball 1 diamond segment back of 2-ball and in a straight line with 2-ball as you stand behind it. Maintain good fundamental form! DOUBLE CHECK SETUP!

BALL(S) POCKETED/OBJECTIVE: Shoot cue ball (c) to aim point (a) on 2-ball. 1-ball will drop in BC, 2-ball will travel to BL and drop, and cue ball will travel to (r) on #1 cushion and make 2 more cushion contacts on head and #3 before making 3-ball in pocket TR.

ADJUSTMENT ANALYSIS: If 1-ball and/or 2-ball does not go in, recheck setup and adust as follows: a) setup line for (1) - (2) adjusted to right slightly if 2-ball hits too much of cushion #3, and to the left slightly if 2-ball hits head cushion. If cue ball does not make 3-ball in TR at (h), adjust toward TL with cue ball contact (r) by making a thinner hit on 2-ball or applying a fraction more english — this is of course, if cue ball hits cushion #2 after 3rd contact at #3 cushion. If cue ball hits foot cushion after kick, adjust to TC or make fuller hit on 2-ball. You might also try a little more high english, and less sidespin.

Cue "Tips" From "The Blud"

2008-05-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

This article from Poolplayers.com answered so many of my questions regarding care and maintenance of my cue. There is nothing worse than realizing your prized stick has become warped. This article contains valuable information for anyone with a cue they value.

Cue "Tips" From "The Blud"
Leonard Bludworth is a pioneer in cue repair. He is considered to be the first traveling cue repair man, with 28 years of experience. Bludworth has been making cues for over 20 years, and has produced cues for 17 world champions. He is also the original founder of the American Cuemaker Association. Born and raised in Texas, Bludworth began repairing cues while playing on the Men's Pro Tour. After numerous request from fellow professionals to work on their cues, Bludworth decided to start his own cue repair business. A few years later, at the request of the Hall of Famer Buddy Hall, Bludworth began building his own line of cues.

Cues, Cases and Mother Nature
In my column in the Fall 2002 issue of The American Poolplayer magazine, I addressed how to properly clean your cue. Shortly thereafter, one APA member contacted me and said that he soaked his wooden joint with alcohol for several minutes, but then he could not screw the shaft on the butt of the cue. Note: I never said to soak the cue in alcohol to clean it. To properly clean the cue, you should pour some alcohol in the joint (fill it about halfway), cover it with your thumb and shake it up and down.

Then pour the alcohol out and repeat this process once more. If you are experiencing the same difficulty as this member, just put a little paste wax on the pin and screw the shaft on and off several times. Then remove the excess wax from the pin and shaft. This procedure should take care of the problem.

Cues, Cases and MoistureNever leave your cue and case in a trunk or inside a car during hot and humid weather. This can cause the cue and/or the shaft to warp. The case will also gather moisture. Not only will it gather moisture, but it will maintain that moisture for a long time. Some cases can hold moisture for up to several months. Remember, the lining of the case is made of cloth.

Ivory Ferrules and Cold Weather
Winter weather is upon us. Many of you may own cues that have ivory ferrules and/or ivory joints. Cold weather affects ivory. When you take your cue to your Host Location to play, hold or grip your ivory joint and/or ferrule with your hand to allow the ivory to warm-up to at least the room temperature or your hand temperature. This allows the ivory to become stable. If the ivory is not allowed to stabilize at a warmer temperature, you risk breaking or developing a crack in either the joint or the ferrule. It’s best to let the cue sit out of the case at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to allow it to stabilize. Whichever method you use, be sure not to screw the shaft down tight on the butt until you’re satisfied that it has reached the room’s temperature.
See ya,
“ Da Blud”
Source: http://www.poolplayers.com/blud.html

10 Vital Fundamentals

2008-05-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

Here is another great article off www.poolplayers.com. It contains several great tips for improving your game. Follow the simple pointers in this article and your game is sure to improve...

It’s a good idea to stop and check some basics from time to time. Unless we’re vigilant, we tend to drift into old habits and go into slumps. When you’re having a slump, or when you’re trying to help someone learn the game, the following are ten of the most common problem areas that cause us trouble, and some simple suggestions for dealing with them.

Doubt: Don’t shoot in the Thinking Position; don’t think in the Shooting Position. Don’t go down on a shot until you have a plan. If you go down, and feel you should change your plan, stand up, back away, chalk up, and start over. If you shoot with doubt or without committing to your plan, you’re likely to get what you had in mind— doubtful results.

Tip & Chalk: Some players don’t maintain their tip adequately. If your tip is too flat, you will not get as much spin as you expect, and you’ll miscue more easily. Keep your tip rounded and shaped the same all the way around. Chalk the edge of the tip. That’s where it is really needed and where you will miscue. Actually look at your chalk job before hitting an extreme spin shot.

Vertical Axis: Many players gradually develop a habit of using english on every shot. When you hit the cueball anywhere on its vertical axis (in other words, no sidespin whatsoever), it goes straight, in precisely the direction you aimed. Hit even a millimeter to the left or right of the axis, and that cueball is going to squirt and curve. If it hits the target, it’s because the squirt and curve happened to exactly cancel each other out at that distance and speed. And of course, there is also spin-induced throw and transfer of spin to the object ball to deal with. Master the vertical axis. Get off the axis only when there is good reason, and you know you’re making the adjustments. It’s a lot easier to deal with a cueball that’s going where you aimed.

Undercutting: Because of collision-induced throw (a sideways friction phenomenon between balls), most misses are by undercutting. For example, how often do you see someone miss a table-length, close-to-the-long-rail shot to a distant corner pocket by overcutting and hitting the end rail? Rarely. In fact, I call this “missing on the pro side” because most of us undercut and miss by hitting that side rail. The real fix here is to gain a clear understanding of the “rules” of throw.
But since we don’t have space for that here, just plan on cutting a little thinner. The dirtier the balls, the softer you’re going to hit the shot, the further it is from the pocket, and the closer the cut angle is to a half-ball hit (30°), the more throw effect you’ll get, and the more you’ll need to compensate. Overcut a little.

Elevation: Because we have knuckles, and because pool tables have rails, we can never get our stick completely flat. It’s important to get as close to flat as practical, though, because as we elevate the butt of the cue, we risk unintentionally causing the cueball to curve. If we strike the cueball with any sidespin whatsoever, it’s going to curve. The more sidespin, and the more elevation, the more curve. Try to keep your stick within a finger thickness of the rail, unless you have reason to elevate. When you must elevate and hit straight, focus on hitting the vertical axis.

Unstable bridge: The purpose of the bridge is to provide a solid foundation that will guide the cue to your precisely intended contact point on the cueball. If your bridge is not a rock, your plans are not going to work. Do not move your bridge side to side. Try anchoring the bridge to the table. With an open bridge (no loop over the shaft), press your forefinger firmly into the cloth. With a closed bridge (forefinger looped over the shaft), press your middle finger into the cloth. Nail it down.

Unstable stance: If your stance is moving, you’re not going to deliver where you think you’ve aimed. Settle into the floor. If you’re not comfortable, or if you have to twist or move to get aimed, get up, chalk up, and try again.

Finishing: One of the most common problems is not finishing a shot. Not following through, poking, and jumping up all lead to missed shots and inconsistent ball action. Get your stick through the cueball, and allow it to follow through as far as its momentum takes it.

Staying down: Coming up before the shot is complete is a common problem. Your body knows you’re going to jump up, and that affects your stroke. You need to plan on staying down, so your stroke will complete without interference. When possible, stay down and watch the shot until the balls come to a stop. Down until done.

Pocket speed: The harder you shoot, the smaller the pockets become, and the more you lose control of the cueball. Pocket speed is the speed that sinks the ball, but without hitting the back of the pocket. Less speed, more control. Shoot only as hard as necessary for the current shot, position requirements, and equipment—and understand the trade-offs.

Far more games are won or lost on these kinds of basics than are won or lost with tricky, advanced shots. In fact, with better basics, we don’t get in trouble and need those fancy shots nearly so often. Simple is good.

Sinkin' the Money Ball

2008-05-16T23:17:00.001-07:00

Who has not missed that critical shot to win or lose a game? Here is a terrific article off www.poolplayers.com on how to make the shots that count!

Sinkin the Money Ball
by Tom Simpson - PoolClinics.com

In most games, there is a moment when we face the game-winning (or game-losing) shot--the money ball. In Eight Ball and Nine Ball, obviously, it's shooting the 8 or the 9. We've been there a thousand times, and it's not always pretty.

Because making this one shot matters so much, and because the ball just sits there waiting for us to decide we're ready, we have opportunities to get ourselves in trouble. We think of the money shot as something different from the other shots, and the pressure begins to rise.

We allow the pressure to influence how we approach the shot, how we feel about it, and how we shoot it. And guess what? We start to see it as a different shot. It doesn't look like it would if it was just a regular shot. The pressure to make it, and the potential embarrassment if we don't, distracts us from the task at hand. We get tied up with issues of winning and losing, fear of missing an easy shot, looking like we have succumbed to the pressure and self-consciousness because we feel the judging gaze of the railbirds. We desperately try to avoid choking and, of course, that causes us to choke.

This is a huge, multi-faceted problem, one we're all too familiar with. We've all missed game-winning hangers. We all face the money ball challenge--hopefully, frequently. Psychotherapy is expensive, takes too long, and will have our opponents poking fun at us (causing even more stress and pressure). So, what practical steps can we take to deal with those pesky money balls? Here are a few tips:

Don't break your rhythm. We tend to shoot best with a particular cadence (a series of counts or beats that coincide with the various stages of our shooting routine). We also shoot with a certain tempo (how quickly or slowly our cadence runs). How everything works together for good timing and good results is our rhythm. It's okay to slow your tempo for pressure shots, but don't change the action sequence of your cadence. In other words, try to shoot the money ball just like any other ball. Play basic, easy position. Don't hesitate. Don't give it special consideration. Don't do anything different.

No speed, no spin. Okay, you've broken your rhythm and the anxiety is mounting. You still have to make the ball. On money ball shots, all you have to do is make the shot and not scratch. On every shot except the money ball shot, you have to control Angle, Speed, and Spin. This is why the game is difficult. But now, on the money ball, all you need to control is cut angle. Put all of your focus on cutting the ball; use no unnecessary spin, and shoot at your natural speed. Your natural speed is the speed your body shoots if you're not thinking about speed; the speed you shoot with your eyes closed.

Cinch the shot. Now, you're hoping your opponent doesn't see your hand shaking. You're so clenched up; you've lost any fluidity you once had. You don't trust your stroke. Okay, let's just make the ball. To cinch the shot, take the shortest bridge you can (maybe 4" of stroking room). Put your tip very close to the cueball, so you can see exactly where you're going to hit. Now take an insanely short stroke (maybe 2") and sink that ball. You won't have room to go off line, and with the short stroke, your opponent won't be able to see you quaking.

Back away. You're down on the shot, and your head is filled with chatter and doubt. You're not confident. Something is telling you you're likely to miss. STOP and back away. It's less costly and embarrassing than missing. Take a lap of the table. Go wipe down your shaft. Take a couple of deep breaths--whatever. Let some time pass to allow the adrenaline to drain out of your brain. Approach the shot, walking in on the shot line, from as far away as possible. As you approach, stay focused on the shot line. Settle softly down into the shot. It's just you and the balls.

Own the shot. Run the shot in your imagination. To give yourself the best chance to make it, you have to want it. You have to expect it. You have to believe it. Don't shoot if you're not ready. Yes, this is easier to say than to do. What can I tell you? Figure it out. If this game was easy, we wouldn't be such fanatics about it!

The Break

2008-05-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

I find the break to be the most overlooked shot on the table. Here is an article from http://www.poolplayers.com/ written by the great Steve Mizerak. The information is priceless when it comes to winning more games.

Steve "The Miz" Mizerak
"The Miz" Steve Mizerak was a Hall of Famer who began collecting titles in the late 1960's, including four U.S. Open Championships. He was one of the most recognizeable faces in the world of pool, appearing in the movie " The Color of Money" and a series of Miler Lite commercials. "The Miz" was named 5th in the 50 Greaest Players of the Century. Steve Mizerak passed away on May 29, 2006 at the age of 61.

The Break
Possibly the most important element in9-Ball is the opening break. Many times a good player will sink a ball on-the-break and then run out the table, with his opponent never getting a chance to shoot.

The major mistake people make on the break is having a wild cue ball...
Unlike the opening break in straight pool, where your main objective is not to leave your opponent with a good shot, in the 9-Ball opening break, you are definitely trying to sink a ball to have a shot at the next one. Your best chance to accomplish this depends on whether all the balls in the rack are frozen. In straight pool, it is imperative that the five balls at the rear of the rack be frozen; in 9-Ball, all nine must be frozen. That’s the key.

If the balls in the rack are not frozen, they won’t travel as far when your cue ball contacts them. If they are loose, as opposed to frozen, the 9-ball, being in the middle, is not going to move—and moving the 9-ball is what you really want to do. After all, it's the name of the game. So make sure all the balls in the rack are solid-frozen.

If you are lucky enough to win the chance to break, there are several points to keep in mind. Years ago, players would position the cue ball right next to the head spot on the head string and hit the l-ball in the rack straight on, contacting the cue ball just above center. A few players still prefer to open that way, but today most of the better players have what they call a floating cue ball on the break, which means they will move it anywhere along the head-string. But, from whatever point along the head-string you hit the cue ball, you want to hit it a tip above center and have it strike the l-ball flush. That way, the cue ball will carom away from the l-ball a little bit and come to a dead stop, which is what you want it to do.

The major mistake people make on the break is having a wild cue ball, which can fly off the table or scratch in a pocket. If either happens, and you’re playing a decent player, you are not going to be able to win. The key to avoiding these pitfalls is to control the cue ball. If necessary, sacrifice speed, but get control of that cue ball.

Wild cue balls occasionally plague even the best competitors. About what seems like a hundred years ago, I played Allen Hopkins. With the score 10-10, he broke, and his cue ball jumped the table. He left me with a 1 and 9 combination. It was a tough shot, but I made it. His wild break cost him the game.

I won that tournament in Houston, partly because I experimented with positioning the cue ball on the break. Early in the tournament, I was breaking from the right side of the head string and not making anything. So I moved over to the left side and started making everything. The one place you shouldn’t move it, though, is back near the head rail. That's one of the worst things you can do, because you lose power; and when you lose power you’re sacrificing the strongest part of your break. Whenever you hit something, the velocity is greatest right at impact. The closer you get to the rack, the better. The closest you can legally get on the break is to have your cue ball stationed along the head string, so get your cue ball as close to the rack as possible and hit it with authority, but without letting it go wild. In other words, sacrifice a little speed and power for control, which is the most important thing. Relax and have fun—it’s a great sport!
“THE MIZ”

Source: http://www.poolplayers.com/miz.html

Lets Start off with a Trick Shot

2008-05-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

This article comes from the APA website and was written by Tom "Dr. Cue" Rossman. It is a fun shot to try and very useful for impressing the ladies!

A "Nifty" Carom!
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: 3.2
CONFIDENCE FACTOR: 6 minutes, 24 seconds, per day for 3 days
SETUP/POSITION:Position the 2-ball right on the head spot; the 1-ball is frozen to the (2) and on a setup line aimed at the right edge of pocket TL. The 3-ball is frozen to both the 2-ball and the 1-ball. Cue ball is placed on the line formed by 1 diamond left of TC and 1 diamond left of BC, plus on the straight line to the 3-ball and pocket TL.DOUBLE CHECK SETUP!
BALL(S) POCKETED/OBJECTIVE: Ball(s) Pocketed/Objective: Hit cue ball to (a) on 1-ball causing 1-ball to go in pocket BL and 2-ball to make in TL. Meanwhile, the cue ball caroms off the 1-ball and strikes the 3-ball, which goes in pocket TL right after the 2-ball drops. Scratch not allowed in tourney!
ADJUSTMENT ANALYSIS:If 2-ball hits to right of TL, try a small adjustment of setup aim line of (1) - (2) to the left and vice-versa. If 3-ball misses to right of TL, hit 1-ball a little fuller and/or try a little more sidespin. If it hits to the left of TL, try a little thinner hit on 1-ball or less english on the side. Adjust angle first, then try spin adjustments. If cue ball scratches in BR, try a little higher hit on cue ball. Carom shots like this are vital for future shots.

Source: http://www.poolplayers.com/drcue/trickshots/drcue-trickshot-niftycarom.html

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2008-05-12T16:12:00.000-07:00

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