I got an e-mail from a reader by the name of Jason. He had a great addition to my post about stop shots. In fact, his addition adds a little to the topic besides just stopping the cue ball. His addition also brings to the discussion both draw and follow, not just stop shots. He wrote:

“Great site. I want to thank you for the top 10 things that most people do wrong. I think I do 8 or 9 of those. Your stop shot blog was good in that it mentioned practicing, but I like more details. I really like what Dr. "Dave" Alciatore shows. In particular he has a speed control drill which makes the point for all types of follow, stop, or draw shots. In particular, most experienced players know that the longer the shot, the faster you need to hit the shot in order to avoid normal rolling. Most beginner’s don’t know this. So this drill will work for beginners and help hone the more advanced player’s skills. I have a printout in my cue case. It has helped my cue ball control, in particular the stop shot. Hope you find it helpful.”

The link Jason provided is: http://billiards.colostate.edu/resources/stop_follow_draw_drill.pdf. It is a wonderful printout from David G. Alciatore, PhD (“Dr. Dave”) at Colorado State University, and I suggest that you do as Jason does and carry it in your cue case if you need help with draw, follow, or stop shots.

Jason, thanks a million for the e-mail. Not only are you one heck of a man for admitting you are guilty of several of the top mistakes people make, but you are definitely smart for carrying that printout in your cue case. In my bag, you will find annotated versions of several rule books, all sorts of printouts (conspicuously missing stop, draw, and follow, so I will be adding that), enough blue chalk that I could remake Avatar, tips, tip glue, tip shapers, tip punchers, etc. You don’t have to act all fanatic like me, but I do recommend having a few things that would best serve you.

Jason also recommended a printout for speed control, obtained from the same site, that I will share with you in the coming weeks when I do my speed control post. That is a big one as well, because a lot of people, not just beginners, are really good at hitting too hard or too soft. I have seen people hit balls too hard, knocking them off the table, in essence, scratching. I have also seen people hit balls too soft, causing them to miss the shot entirely, or watching the ball veer off course, creating a harder shot later. Speed control is even more important when you are doing something more sensitive like playing a safety. Keep an eye out for that post, featuring another addition from Jason.

Good luck out there, everyone! Good luck to all the APA members who are mid-way through their season and all the people participating in countless tournaments in the US! I know some people got back from Valley Forge recently, and some other places. Valley Forge is one of my favorites. It’s a haul, and I don’t get there much anymore, but it’s nice. I’ve sort of got a bucket list of places to go, even if I just feel like watching. Like I said, good luck everyone, keep practicing, and most importantly, have fun!

Cheers,

Shooter

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Now, on to talking about pool. (Since that’s obviously why you’re here, right?) I got an e-mail asking how to stop a shot. Apparently this reader has had a problem with that. He says he’s run into trouble making a straight in side shot or close corner shot because the cue ball wants to roll. Well, I can tell you that everyone has had that problem from time to time, and it is arguably one of the hardest things to learn how to do. Part of that problem is the unneeded pressure you put on yourself when trying to make the shot, which will definitely mess you up. You might also be trying to hit lighter. A lighter shot makes every ball move a less amount, but after contact the cue ball will still want to move, just not as much.

I assume that you’re either hitting the cue ball really low, which solves nothing, or straight in the center. Most likely you’re hitting in the center, simply because that is how you learn to shoot. Here’s what you’re doing wrong: English is a beautiful thing… if used properly. (For those who don’t know, english is the act of striking the cue ball anywhere but into the center. I will detail that more at the end of this explanation.) In this case, you want slight English. Aim toward the center like you’re used to, but then aim the tip down slightly, just below center. Don’t be afraid to hit the shot normal speed, just hit it firmly. Don’t exaggerate your follow-through. The farther the object ball is from the cue ball, the farther low you need to hit the cue ball. If you are entirely across the table from the ball but still want to stop it, you have to hit total low english. Back spin is much harder that far from the table. Low english will just stop it.

This takes some practice, so try to get into a little corner bar on a Saturday afternoon or a weekday evening when not a lot of people are out and set up a few shots. The bar I go to has open (free) pool on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evenings. I like to go on those evenings to practice, when I will likely have one of those four tables to myself for at least an hour before someone I know wants a game. By then, my practicing is over.

When practicing this, first try something odd: Put the cue ball on the head space (the dot that creates the imaginary line you break from in a game) and another ball no more than two feet away from it going straight toward the breaking area. Hit the cue ball into that ball as straight as possible, firmly, not hard, with the slightly lower English I told you about. The cue ball should stop or roll back slightly after it hits. If you did it right, the object ball should come straight back and hit the cue ball again, bringing it back toward you. Don’t be disheartened if the cue ball moves backward or to the side slightly. You still basically did it. Even a professional can hit a stop shot 10 times and have the cue ball move somewhat twice. Your key here is to make sure the ball doesn’t contact and follow the object ball in the pocket.

As you have practiced that a few times, move your efforts to a side pocket or a corner pocket. Just make sure to move it to both at some point. I don’t care which one you use first, just make sure to use both before you leave. Set up an object ball about four inches away from the drop point of a pocket, just outside of the corners the rails create in the pocket’s vicinity. Line the cue ball up straight from it, and use the tips I gave you. Get to the point where you can hit the ball off the drop point and not drop the cue ball as well. If you can do this, congratulations, you’ve completed the task! If you or anyone else has any remaining questions, feel free to ask. I’ve found a video that illustrates this perfectly. I hope this helps for a good visual:

Here’s a quick english lesson. (By the way, click on the image to see it in normal size if it appears a bit too small.)

For more information on how english works, visit: http://www.squidoo.com/learnpoolshotsenglish and http://www.squidoo.com/topandbottomenglish.

If you have anything to add, please feel free to add it in the comments. I will add anything good to my post and credit you. I’d love to get the community working for us. Don’t miss my post tomorrow about pool sticks.

By the way, check out a couple things I found that can really help with someone’s pool game: Learn the best 8 Ball Secrets, Guide to Buying Pool Tables, and Develop Grip Strength.

Shooter

So, let’s get started:

Credit: ExpertVillage.com and YouTube

Well, that was a great overview, but most of the time when shooters want to curve a ball, it is when they have NO shot, and want to curve around an obstructing ball to get to the shot they want. This happens a lot on the eight ball when your opponent is someone who knows how to play a good safety. (For readers who don’t know, a safety happens when a player plays a shot, not intending for a shot to necessarily go in the pocket, but more to place the cue ball in a horrible spot for the opponent’s next shot, or to put their object ball into the way of the opponent’s next shot. Most pool players say that is “playing a safety,” or more simply, “a safe.”)

Here’s an example of how to get around that:

Credit: ExpertVillage.com and YouTube

I know, I know. I use a lot of ExpertVillage.com videos. I’m hoping to soon get more of a variety of sources for videos, and in the near future begin to make my own.

In the meantime, here is a great video of the most incredible curve I think I’ve ever seen. (Remember, I play all the time, and I play with some incredible shooters in two pool leagues. None can curve like this.) I like how it curves nearly immediately, it curves directly into the eight ball, and it looks almost artistic. Especially with obstructing balls so close, that took years of practice.

Credit: YouTube

I’ve begun to get hooked on Dr. Dave Billiards. He brings it almost down to a geek science, which is great for learning. I’ll let him close out my lesson with two videos:

Large, short distance curve:

Credit: “Dr. Dave” and YouTube

I like how he addressed the potential damage driving the cue stick down at the ball can create. It’s really the truth. If you look at a bar table that hasn’t had the felt replaced in a while, it looks like garbage, for this reason. Luckily, my home tavern replaces the felt just about when it starts to look like garbage and they take care of their tables.

Practice that shot and get very good at it on garbage bar tables before you go messing with it on a good table, especially your own. I would much rather simply miss the shot or try a crazy bank shot before I go leaving lasting marks on a multi-thousand dollar investment.

Small, slightly longer curve:

Credit: “Dr. Dave” and YouTube

It was a very slight curve, and much more likely in a normal game, even a bar game, than the others I have shown you, so I had to add that in. I hope it helps. As I get better at writing on this site and can make my own videos, I will begin to explain things more thoroughly and then make my own videos to back them up.

Last but not least, I found a great place to learn the best secrets of playing 8 ball. (Click the link to go there.)

I’ll probably go out to practice again this Monday, and I’ll come back on Tuesday with some new tips and tricks I want to write about, unless you all have suggestions on something good to write about.

Sometime soon I want to start my own YouTube channel where I’m going to be creating videos to put in a post on this site.

Also, contact me if you would like to get in on the ground floor as a moderator, administrator, or something else like that for the forum. I already know who my top guest administrator and moderator is going to be, but I would love to get some of my visitors in on it.

Shooter