TangentLine

hit count

2009-12-30T23:20:00.000-05:00

Spring Session

2009-01-30T18:23:00.002-05:00

Last Monday night the spring session began with much anticipation from both teams. It is a common thing to want to win the first competition of the season. As a team I believe we won, but for me I lost my match. My opponent was pretty good and played some excellent defense which I failed to perceive because I was concentrating on my own approach to playing. One can not play a one sided game. Being aware of what your opponent is doing is all part of the game. My inexperience in defense was, I believe,
one of the reasons I lost. There was others, like me sinking the 8 ball in the wrong pocket and a few other mistakes. Even small mistakes in 8 ball can be a disaster that cannot be, in most cases, rectified unless your opponent is asleep or is inexperienced at the skill level you are playing at.

Oh well, back to the practice table. I think defense will be put at the top of the learning cycle. It should have been there already, but there are only so many hours in the day. It is a lesson learned. And that's what it's all about.

At least my stroke was working.

Seeking The Stroke

2009-01-28T20:44:00.000-05:00

There is one thing that makes or breaks a billiard player. It is the ability, or inability, to develop a sound working cuestick stroke. It may sound simple to the bystanders who watch the game of billiards or pool, but truth be told, it is as complex as any other physical motion that any athlete would use to accomplish an intended goal. Whether it is a quarterback throwing a touchdown, a ball player trying to hit a home run or even a base hit, a golfer trying to hit a small white ball in the air, or in a hole four inches wide. All achievers have one thing they all work on. It is called concentration and rhythm in the motion that is being utilized. It is the pursuit of perfection that drives the performers above and beyond the norm.

I have to keep changing the date on this post because I want it to remain as the first post.

The New Session 1/26/09

2009-01-22T21:11:00.002-05:00

Next Monday the new,or if you will,the spring session will begin. I am looking forward to it and the competition it creates. There is something about competition that brings out the gladiator mentality. There is a similarity in the mindset of those who put themselves on the line to win or lose. Obviously, it is a deep rooted state of mental preparedness that surfaces in the face of the enemy. This is a societal mentality at its best. Wining and losing is what drives mankind no matter what the agenda and where it is being carried out.

On a personal basis I am preparing for the competition. My practice sessions have increased to about 25 hrs a week, and I have also embraced about a dozen new drills.
You heard about one step forward and two back, that is proving itself in my practice
sessions. The obvious is the fact that when trying something new, one is making some changes to the regular routine. And as the practice progresses some of the changes will be embedded into the natural rhythm of ones game and others will be discarded as not comfortable in the greater scheme of things. Having set all these movements in motion, and practiced endlessly, one can only hope they survive the war on the table. Whether they do or not, one thing is paramount, others will replace them until the right formula is found and polished. Only time will tell.

End of winter session

2009-01-06T01:48:00.002-05:00

Tonight we (the team) lost in the first round of the playoffs, and ends the winter session. We have a bye week on 1/11 and then the spring session begins on 1/19. We had a good run tieing for first. The playoffs are usually played by the best players as it is a race to three. Whoever wins 3 out of 5 matches first takes all. We still have a shot in the Local Tournments Competition in June so all is not lost.

I think it was Frank Sinatra who said, "Memories are made of this." Goodby to 2008.

Wing Drill

2009-01-01T12:56:00.002-05:00

Here is another excellent drill. The object is to sink all the balls, but you must keep the cue ball within the angle. It is also a great draw and stroke practice.

New Years Day 2009

2009-01-01T09:50:00.004-05:00

This is the beginning of the new year and we go to the playoffs next Monday 1/5/09.
We tied for first place with the season ending 12/21/08. The first place team does not have to go into the division playoffs but directly in to the tri-county competition. You tied for first place one may ask, so how is the tie broken? I had the same question. What the league does is to go back to the last match we played against the other team. The winner of that match gets the nod. It is the only fair way of doing it other than a playoff which I think would be even fairer. But the APA makes the rules that fit into a certain time span, so that's the way it is. If we had won the last match the choice would have been reversed.

Anyway, we go into a two week division play off that will determine who goes to the tri-county playoff, that being the stepping stone to Vegas and the Nationals. The spring session begins around the end of Jan into Feb. There is an MVP award, which I did not know about. It is something of a personal goal to go in that direction while at the same time keeping up the team play, which, is the main goal.

My stroke is coming along pretty well. I bought a dvd called the Sixty Minute Workout, and was very pleased with it. I was even more pleased when I realized that the instructor, Bert Kinister, is also a stroke maven and he kept reinforcing that point during the complete lesson. I learned a lot. I also ordered two other disk by him from Seyberts. I am also thinking about buying a portable dvd player so I can take the disk to work with me and play them as I practice. Ready reference. It will depend on the cost.

Have a happy and healthy New Year.

Searching for Mr. Stroke

2008-12-18T08:03:00.006-05:00

As anyone who read this blog knows, I am a stroke maven, a pursuer of the Holy Grail of strokedom and a stroke techie. For me, it is paramount to a good pool match that can be won't or lost. Any wrong movement of the grip, the bridge, the head or an uncomfortable stance spells doomsday in a match.

One of the biggest culprits in the stroke is the scoop motion that so many players do without realizing it. The motion will also cause the head to come up.....or does the head come up before the stroke is finished thus causing the scooping motion? Or is it a simultaneous movement of equal mistakes? Or is it a too tight grip that can cause lost of control and followup? There are so many variables to consider when a person picks up a cuestick.

Last Monday at the league night I did not play due to the matchups. That in turn gave me time to analyse some of the strokes of the various players that played. It was like watching a movie. There were level cues, some slightly below level with the tip facing north of the equator, some with the butt raised various degrees, upright stances, side way stances, elbows flared out, wrist bent outward and inward,tight grips, forward grips and rear grips. And then there were a few miscues because some players forget what the chalk is for. The most entertaining was those who used body language. They are the ones you do not want to stand too close to less your eyeball becomes a cueball.

The interesting thing is that, despite all the different postures that come into play, the people who have one or some of the faults, come to play and they also come to win. The faults are not really faults. They are movements that each individual player developed as they learned the game, and no one ever took the trouble to point them out and try to correct them. The players, as a result, practiced the wrong thing instead of the right thing. And over time, taking into consideration the indomitable spirit of the human race, players took the wrong thing and adapted it to their own vision of the right thing and started winning matches.

So.....whose to say what is right and wrong? Not me...I've got my own stroke problems.

center table drill

2008-12-11T23:36:00.005-05:00

This is a great center table drill. I took the idea from a youtube presentation developed by Bert Kinister. The idea is to sink a ball from center table and return CB to center before next shot. Great draw practice and also english The balls can be set at any diamonds a person wants.

Down the Stretch

2008-12-10T19:24:00.002-05:00

It is two weeks until the end of the season...where did the time go? Where ever it went I'm happy my game didn't go with it. I won my match last Monday, and I believe it was only due to my practice sessions because my opponent was pretty good. As a team we are in third place. The next two matches will tell the story as to our future for the season.

Next Feburary I may go into a nine ball league. It plays on Thursday night so that will not be a problem with my job. Monday 8 and Thursday 9 should be an interesting schedule and competition. I'm looking forward to them even though I have not played very much 9 ball. I like 9 ball but truth be told I have no one to play it with. Most people work during the day or have more important things on their agenda. I haven't played with my friend George lately as he has be feeling under the weather. I found out last night he is in the hospital for a colon surgery. I'll call his wife tonight.

I have to find a daytime playing partner whether it is 8,9, or straight pool. It is a great practice for ball running against another player. It is a true test of ones ability and a great way to gain competitive confidence. Some where out there someone is thinking the same way I am. It's only a matter of finding him/her. I guess I'll have to wait until after the holidays. In the meantime, I will keep on with my own approach to practice with some informantion I got from Bob Henning's book called the Pro Book. The library finely came through. It has a lot of good stuff in it,but I'm happy the library saw fit to buy it instead of me buying it. I'm just a Po' boy.

I had lunch with my friend Bob today. It was very pleasent and we spoke about a lot of things. I would like to get a cue stick in his hands. I think he would be a good pool player. He' a retired accountant which means he has a systematic mind. Just what a good player needs. Maybe some day.

Bye Week

2008-11-27T20:02:00.000-05:00

This Monday, Dec 1, 2008 we have a bye week. And I think it is a good thing. The team has been off a little, and I hope it will give us a chance to get recharged. I believe we will meet for a practice session, but I'm still waiting for a call from Tom, (the Captain) to call me. For me it does not matter because I usually run a practice session on my own. It is better to have some competition to play against in practice games. If mistakes are made they can be looked at and discussed, maybe change something that could have caused it and reshoot the shot over a few times to instill it in everyone memory. Like trying to get the mostest by osmosis. Whatever works.
I stopped in the library today and spoke to Mr. Singer about the book he ordered for me. He said it was in processing and I should have it tomorrow. I told him I would stop by sometimes in the afternoon. I would love to have it before the practice session tomorrow night. I'm sure there will be some interesting shots and layouts in the book considering the DVD was based on its contents. I learned a lot from the DVD and the book should be a re-enforcer. At least I can make copies that I can take to the table to use as a ready reference.
I'm still working on my grip. I am also focusing on watching the ferrule. I had mentioned this in another post, and it is a good indicator of a problem. My grip has been eradic lately and I believe it is in the elbow or the shoulder. I think I will start wearing the right wrist glove again. It is like a training aid that one sees on professional bowlers to keep the wrist in place. I've used one before and it seems to help the memory muscles. If the wrist, on the back stroke, leans just a little outward or inside, something you don't even realize, it will move the cue tip off the aiming spot. And the shot is dead. hmmm.

My Stroke..what else.

2008-11-26T10:40:00.002-05:00

My stroke is off. I can feel it and it is showing up in missed shots. Two weeks ago I started trying something different.I had hoped that my stroke and follow would become a more smoother motion. As a result it has become something a little more erratic. And once that happens it takes a lot of concentration to get back on the right track. Even if that was not 100%, it worked well with some minor flaws. I should have left well enough alone, but human nature being what it is we are not always satisfied with 98%.

I have a feeling the problem is in my stance, because the stance will determine, in many cases, how the cuestick is held and aimed. It does not take much of a wrong movement to hit the cueball a tip off one way or the other. Even a half tip can effect the result. Billiards and pool is a game of total concentration and can only be improved and maintained by practice, something I preach and believe in.The extent of my practice is apparent by the callouses I am getting on my fingers and I may have to start wearing a glove.

So, I will keep at it and at some point I may consult a higher power (not the one upstairs, the one in the billiard hall)to have a look at my overall movements and make some positive suggestions. I need to get on the right track before I start trying different shots.

Then there is the grip. but thats another story.

Noisy team

2008-11-26T10:16:00.005-05:00

This week I lost my match again. We were both evenly matched and it was a tight match. He won the rubber game because I played a defense that put me in a tight position and he made it a little tighter on his safety. All I needed was about one millimeter for my final shot, but it was not there. All in all, it was a good match.
It went touch and go for 5 racks.

Practice play

2008-11-20T13:42:00.004-05:00

I put an ad in the APA (American Pool Association)web site looking for a few players who may be interested in doing practice sessions one day a week. I can set it up as I have the time and the place. It will be a no cost venture. I have the table and I can have at least 3-4 people. In the ad I requested handicap rated 3,4,5. The reason being that they are the most compatible in ability, and they can learn from each other. I am a 4 so I am in between. Many players do not practice because they do not have a place to practice unless they have their own table at home. Those that do are in the minority. The ones that don't can only practice in the bars they play in or a local pool hall and that cost $$$$$.

I heard from Rod, an BCA (Billiard Congress of America)certified instructor. He has been helpful with a few questions I had, and he sent me a half dozen safety practice drills that can be applied to 8 or 9 ball. I will try them out today.

Addendum :: Today, Nov 25, I checked the above ad. Fifty Seven people read the ad and there was not one response. I guess people work during the day and maybe there is not that many retired ones. I'll think of something else.

The shooter knows the shot

2008-11-15T22:58:00.000-05:00

And who is the shooter? It is the person who is playing in a match and doing pretty well. He/she has played four innings against an equally talented opponent, whether a 3,4,5,6,7, and the match is holding everyone's attention because of the experience and talent of the players as they try to out-maneuver each other in the final game. One of the players steps back from the table and is formulating the last shot that will end the match. The 8 ball is there for the taking, and little beads of sweat begin to form on the shooters lip. In the players mind it is game time. Pure and simple.

The word "TIME" echoes across the table as a self appointed coach walks toward the table. He discusses the shot with the shooter and convinces the player to change his choice. The shooter is not happy because in his/her mind the shot was in the comfort zone and confidence was a big factor. The player lets the coach suggest a different shot from a bank to a cut. The end result....match lost. The player was not comfortable with a cut.

The above scenario begs the question. Should a coach interrupt a shooter that is obviously doing well? It can only result in one thing. The shooter will lose the focus he had that has been carrying him through the entire match. He will now question the decision he made to play the shot in question, and in the long run he will miss the recommended shot because he is not confident with it nor comfortable with it. One can argue that the player did not have to change the shot. But does it matter, because his focus has now been compromised and the odds are against success.

Samm Diep said it very well in her article "THE SHOT".

There comes a point when, once we reach a certain level, we don’t always choose the shots that the books/videos or our coach or our teammates want us to. When we’re at the table, there’s only one person that knows what the real “right” shot is for us in that moment, in that game. Regardless of who you’re playing or what the score is, choose the shot that you believe in and believe in the shot that you choose.

Samm Diep
House Pro at Table Steaks East in Aurora, Colorado
http://www.pooltipjar.com/

Response to a question on the forum

2008-11-15T19:49:00.001-05:00

There is a truism that says for every step you change you will take two steps backwards. That applies to golf and also to pool. I took lessons 5 years ago (because they were free from my friend an assist pro) and my handicap went down from a 36 to a 26. But, it took me 2 years to get there. I then had 2 major operations in 3 months, and it took me almost 2 years to get back to square one. I began to play a little golf again and was back to a 36, where I still am and I do not care. My friend had a good approach to teaching. Instead of trying to change everything a person was comfortable with, he worked within the framework the person had. Unless it was a young person just starting out.

I agree with you about every player finding their own comfort zone in golf and pool or any other sport that is a one person endeavor. i.e. like the shot put, track, tennis etc cetra. I also believe that if a person wants to improve he/she will look very keenly at the finer nuances of the sport and pick them apart and practice them until they all blend together. And that can take months or even years. The end result will depend on the effort that is expended. There are no magic bullets.

As we get older we become more set in our ways and do not really want to hear constructive advice because we know that it will throw everything we have done for years out of synch. We know there is no magic bullet, but deep down we wish there was a magic fairy that could wave a magic wand and we would not have to work so hard to make changes that we know in our heart of hearts probably wouldn't make a difference anyway.

What I say to you is: keep playing at your pace (both golf and pool), keep hammering each other and enjoy the
friendship, and most of all have fun. Couple of beers wouldn't hurt either.

Clock cleaning

2008-11-14T12:27:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday I was playing around with my stroke and trying to use a little more finesse. I was having problems with my shot making while I was doing so. For some reason the change did not feel comfortable, and I decided to go back to square one.
When I finished the practice session I did not feel totally satisfied with the progress. It was a mind thing, a little mental widget I could not put in place. It bothered me on and off like one of those music tunes one hears and for some reason starts humming it without even thinking. I could call it a floating mental message that's trying to tell me something I do not want to hear.

I played last night against a 4 rating player the same as I am. He cleaned my clock 3straight games. He is a good player, but I feel I am equally, under regular circumstances, as good. The games went down to the last couple of balls but he out played me because of my mistakes. I was not completely comfortable with my stroke and timeing.

I should have listened to the widget.

perfecting stroke

2008-11-13T14:36:00.000-05:00

9 ball

2008-11-12T22:52:00.002-05:00

I played 9 ball with my friend George today. He was a good player umpteen years ago when he was younger, and he is still pretty good. I enjoy playing with him because it is a challenge if he is on his game. Mostly I play 8 ball so when I start with 9 ball I have to get my self in a different mindset. The big problem with George is,
when I start to get my game together and beat him he implodes. Once that happens he becomes wild. A ballbanger I call him. He tries to get lucky but it rarely works.

We played for about 2 hours and pretty much split the games. Next week it will be the same old-same old. In many ways he is still living in the 20th Century and will reject new rules like "ball in hand." Or, what he calls non-regulation tables. He has a tendency to be a little ridgid in his thinking. He does not know it, but that is how I beat him. But, I do like to play with him.

The Team

2008-11-11T22:33:00.005-05:00

Last night the 8 ball team I play on excelled and the play put us in first place. Now we have to work to stay there. I was pushed up from a 3 to 4 so I played a more experienced player. And that was a good thing. It kept me on my toes. Every time we play I watch the other team to see how they play. Many of the players, my team included, make a social event of the evening and have a few beers. Nothing wrong with that considering it is a bar league.(Im a water man) I watch the drinkers because I may have to play against them at some time. Maybe I'm being devious here, but not maliciously I assure you. It is my feeling that someone has had 2 or 3 bottles of beer cannot be totally focused on what they are doing when playing pool. They will made mistakes they would not normally make, and the mistakes could cost them the game. Especially when their opponent is a predator in the figurative sense.

Having said all this, I must point out that most of the people who play in the league, both men and women, are pretty good sports. And rarely will you see any one pissing and moaning because they lost a match. Even if they do not know why they lost. And,I for one will not tell them.

Save the sport

2008-11-08T19:10:00.003-05:00

Let me pose this question...is the BCA doing enough, or doing the right things to promote the sport in the USA? This was asked by a forum member named Gary.

Therein lies the big question. In my opinion a resounding NO. Between the BCA and the APA there must be 1/2 million members. And, both leagues are into their own little thing. Competing between themselves. Or that's the way it seems.
And then throw in the WPA who its own agenda and we have organized chaos as far as unifying and solidifying any aspect of the sport. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the only way the billiards and pool sport will ever prosper and survive is to have one umbrella organization as a ruling and governing body like the NBA, MLB, NFL and the PGA.

ESPN gives a token coverage and ESPNC will show an hour a day. The production in my eyes looks like a throw together one that follows beach volley ball and precedes a bowling show. And some of the tournaments are from past archives. I watched one today, and they showed quick clips of the first, I believe, 7 games. For a while there I was not even sure what was happening, so I can imagine what the causal channel surfer thought. The whole billiards/pool arena is in a rip tide and slowly drowning.

Week 5

2008-11-04T15:07:00.004-05:00

Had a good night last night. I won my match and I am now 4-1. I think they will be kicking me up to a 4 handicap if I win another one. I'll find out the end of the week. It will work out in my favor because I will be playing better players. And that has its advantages when it comes to improving ones game. The handicap system in the APA (American Pool Association) is a good barometer of how well someone plays. It is based on wins and lost. It's pretty fair and it extends all the way up to the national level.
I think next week I will have attained a national handicap, and I will be able to play in the singles tournments. Both 8 ball and 9 ball. That should be interesting. There is a $35 fee to enter , but you are playing for monetary prizes. Good incentive.

Library

2008-10-30T22:45:00.004-04:00

I went to the library today to get a couple of books. If I do not have a book to read at night I get a little nervous. I can only spend so much time on the computer,
and I'm not a big tv person. Over the past few months I have gotten to know the librarian because he looked up a couple of books I couldn't find. I asked him about a dvd that was made from a book. I had watched the dvd twice already, and I wanted to look at the book. I looked it up on line and it cost $50.00. Not out of my pocket. He is a nice guy and did a search through two counties and came up empty. He told me no place carried it. I thanked him and was about to walk away when he called me back.
"I looked it up on line", he said. "It cost $50.00. No wonder you want it from the library". He diddled around with the computer for a couple of minutes and said to me,
"Lets go for broke. The library will buy it". And he did. Now there is a nice guy.
I gave him my phone # and he said he will call me when it comes in.
Every now and then good things happen.

Safety Play

2008-10-28T21:35:00.001-04:00

Safety is the name of the game. Whether playing straight (14.1), 8 ball, 9 ball or 3 cushion billiards, you must have a game plan in order to be competitive. This is more so if one is playing with a stranger. Better known as sharks and hustlers. I spent three hours on the table today setting up and trying safety shots. I'm still leery about last weeks debacle, but I have decided that it will not happen again, for any reason. I also spent time on the billiard forums looking for chat forums that believe the safety shot is one of God's gifts. I found a couple but they are lacking in good info. I know of a couple that are pretty good, but I want some fresh input. Some of these forums tend to get stale after a while. Too many of the post tend to become self serving.
Anyway, I am happy with my new direction, as it is a step up in seeking new knowledge. There are many players who never think about upgrading their knowledge base, and at the same time they keep practicing the right shots wrong. Ii no longer try to educate them because it is a waste of time. I am also trying to find a really good instructor. If I can I will invest in some lessons. It will cut a lot of time off my seeking the right approach.

" As the great players will say, always have a plan. You can never be too prepared."

I think this also applies to life in general.

Coaching from the sidelines ????

2008-10-28T15:17:00.005-04:00

Last night I played the last match of the night. It seems I'm always the last match. I'll have to ask why. Not that it matters, the rest of the team has to go to work in the morning. But, last night was the final straw. I was ready to take a safety shot and the Captain called time out and sent Neil to tell me what kind of shot I should make. Immediately I tensed up. I do not like that out of the blue. Anyway, Neil explained the shot, and I was not happy with it. It was a very low percentage shot as against the one I wanted to take which was a high percentage shot and one I was comfortable making. Against my better judgement I went with the suggested shot and lost the match. The benchmark for shots are: If it is over 60% failure rate don't take it. Play a safety or give up the cue ball to your opponent and hope he makes a mistake that will give the ball back to you. Billiards and pool can be something of a cat and mouse game.

contact point calculator

2008-10-27T22:38:00.000-04:00

Duplicating the shot

2008-10-27T22:17:00.000-04:00

After Monday night I had that shot on my mind until Tuesday night. When I got to work the first thing I did was take the cover off the table. I was determined to justify my initial decision on what I wanted to do. This is not a world shaking event, far from it. But there is a principal involved here that I feel will nullify the captain's choice and verify mine. I have already posted some of my feelings on the forum, and I received some positive feedback. And that is a good sign. It means there are others who are on the same page.

Anyway, I got on the table and set up the shot the same as it was in the match. I shot it about 30 times from all different positions just to see how the balls would play. The position I was going to play was right. I tried it 3 times with good result. The importanr thing here is the lesson learned. I will never forget this setup, or even some shots similiar, and I will know how to play them. I will now talk to the captain and ask him never to call a time out on me again. If I neeed advice I will call the time out. By doing so I will still maintain my focus on what I'm doing. There was one bright spot in the situation. The woman who won was all smiles and happy as can be. I do not think she expected to win because I had beaten her 2 times already. For me, as I mentioned, leason learned.

As Bogard once said, "play it again Sam".

League day

2008-10-27T12:15:00.004-04:00

I took out, from the library, Bob Henning's dvd based on his book "The Pro Book" and viewed it again (third time) over the cause of two days. He has a lot of good stuff on the dvd. It consist of 4 separate disk and takes about three hours to view them all. The best part, I believe, is the first disk. He takes you through a series of shots that will oftentimes appear during a match. For me it's a memory thing, and it is working. Last week two of the shots he showed turned up in the match I was playing. They were carbon copies and I made them both with ease. So the time watching was not wasted. I'll probably get the dvd again in a couple of weeks and watch it again. Not all of it, but certain aspects of it that are geared to my level of play. Sort of a need to know approach. I would have bought Henning's book for the simple reason that I like good reference books, but they want $49.00 for it. Too high for my taste. (And pocketbook).

Got league play tonight in Maple's bar. I will be one step closer to getting a national handicap. That will enable me to play in open one on one tournaments.
Maybe win some $$$$$.

Angle Shots

2008-10-27T12:05:00.000-04:00

Another league night and then some.

2008-10-24T20:53:00.004-04:00

Once again the Monday night session went along without any problems until I got to play my match. The last of the night. It sometimes become tiring waiting to see what time I will be playing. It depends a lot on the previous matches and how many innings they went. All I had to do was win three games and call it a night. I won the first two and was shooting the eight ball in the third. It was a chancey shot that could have scratched if it was not on target with the right angle and english.
I became so absorbed in the shot that I forgot to mark my pocket, and when the 8 ball dropped the other team captain called me on it. I lost by default. Stupid for sure, but things happen. He also insisted on playing another game in the vain attempt to win the match. It didn't happen. But it is a lesson learned. And so we will move on to next week.

Since buying the OB 1 shaft I feel strongly that my level of play has improved and kicked up a notch. Of course the fact that I practice about 15 hours a week helped also. The shaft dropped the weight of my cuestick to 18 1/2 oz from 19 1/2 which was the original weight. I did not realize that the OB 1 was a lighter shaft until some one with a lot of knowledge as an instructor told me so. Had I known I might not have bought it. So it worked out well. I like the light weight in my hand. It is easy to control and slides back and forth in the bridge with barely a feel. It also responds well to the use of english and draw.

My goal right now is to find a couple of people who like to practice but don't because of the quarters that need to be pumped into the bar tables. I have 2 tables at my disposal where I work that are seldom used. It is purely a matter of finding people who are tuned into the same learning curve that I am. Im currently dabbling in position play and defense. Three weeks ago I used saftey and defense against a woman I played and beat. Was she pissed. Too bad.

cuetable

2008-10-22T22:15:00.006-04:00

Another league night

2008-10-16T23:30:00.005-04:00

Last Monday I played in my regular league, and I won my match. It was a nice feeling in that it showed that all my practice was beginning to show in my game. I observe many of the players who could play better if they were more diligent about the mechanics of the stroke. (See Watch the Ferrule).
I need 4 more matches to establish a National handicap. When I get there, in about a month, I intent to play in some open tournaments where the competition level is higher. It should be fun.

Watch The Ferrule

2008-10-16T22:35:00.008-04:00

FERRULE: "Metal ring or cap that is put around the end of a stick, a tool, cane etc,
to prevent splitting or to give added strength to the designated weapon of choice."
In the case of billiards and pool the ferrule is put on the end of the cue stick. It does double duty. It not only adds strength, but it also serves as a base for the cue tip. It is the tip that strikes the cue ball and sends it merrily on its way to contact an object ball that, it is hoped, will end up in one of the six pockets. And much to the dismay of many pool players, all too often, the pockets remain empty. The blame will be laid on the worn rails, the table felt being worn, the balls being old and dirty, the lighting, the noise and the juke box. Or, in some cases on another player who made a noise, or stood too close to the table. But, never on the shooter who calls himself/herself a pool player. Never, because they are suppose to know what they are doing. Except, mind you, beginners.

The ferrule on the end of a pool cue is like a lifeline to the dominant eye that most players use when aiming. The cue slides back and forth on top of or through the bridge formed by the players hand. And it is at that time, if the players watch the ferrule it will tell him/her what they are doing wrong with the stroke. It will indicate if the grip hand is going up, down, left or right, or short on the backstroke. Or short on the follow through where the stroke becomes a poke and the pockets remain empty.

Straight Pool Opening Break

2008-10-10T16:10:00.004-04:00

This is a layout insert test after enlarged the post content width.

Feel free to delete this post after done - Wei :)

League Play

2008-10-07T23:07:00.008-04:00

Last night I watched four matches between various levels APA,4/4, 5/5, 3/3,and a 6/5 It was most interesting watching the strokes used by different players, and the easy shots that were being missed. I do this when I'm not playing. I concentrate on the games that are being played and the players even more so. One of the reasons I zero in on the players is because I may be playing them someday, and I hope to retain some of their strategies. You know the old saying, "know thine enemies". Not that they are real enemies, only on the pool table. Next week it may be an altogether different ballgame. Errr!! poolgame.