1. Stop slow rolling balls otherwise cue ball might deviate the target ball slightly 2. Stick to pre-shot routine even for easy shots. This makes you comfortable because you are doing something familiar. 3. Shorten the backstroke : it improves stability and accuracy while doing the shot 4. Aim for the pocket opening, most probably on the sides. It helps in potting in case of speed shots. Otherwise there's always a chance of not making the pot. 5. Don't allow yourself to doubt your shot after doing the pre-shot routine. You have to be confident with your pre-shot routine. Aim, Go Down, Shoot. Do not make any adjustments. Commit to the aim-point you found while you were standing.
Excellent video. People get so tied up with aiming, stroke, etc. they loose confidence and that causes them to make last minute changes which results in things like miscues, bad shots, etc. I think that the most important thing is table time and lots of practice of common shots. When you are going on muscle memory developed from years of playing, there is less doubts and over-thinking each shot.
I’m 23 and just started playing for a pool team, and what you said is bang on I spend that much time thinking about it and lining it up, then I miss, but if I just feel my shot and hit it with more faith I’m finding myself more auccesful
Another reason for the shorter backstroke is table cloth is must faster than it was 30 years ago. For most shots you don't need that much power. Great video!
I honestly wish they never made wursted cloth and kept it to wool. The speed of cloth now is too insane to me. Woolen cloth makes the power and speed of your stroke actually “add up” to the speed it should be. I hate rolling in a ball where my next ball is like right in the vicinity of my current object ball just to travel 3x farther than necessary
Agreed , I am 62 and played on much slower tables that require a full long stroke to get around the table etc , simonis is ok but sketchy sometimes , the other brands of felt are even mire sketchy to me personally and that doesn't count yhe rails and new materials they put into certain sets of pool balls
A big thank you! These tips did indeed INSTANTLY improve my game. I started playing less than 2 years ago. Have a 9’ table and play in three leagues a week. I’ve watched tons of YT vids and practice every day. My game seemed totally stuck and sucked. My thought was to slow down and be more careful - the opposite of your advice. Just watching the vid convinced me that I needed to do something drastic and SPEED UP my shooting - not to baby each shot even more. I can’t believe the TOTAL difference. You’ve saved me years of more frustration. Just after two days (and playing league last night) my game is ridiculously improved. You’re so right about the mindset change when it comes to home practice vs match play. Your tips make all the difference. Thank you again - subscribed of course.
In all the years that I've played pool, one thing I noticed about beginners and those who just bang the balls around and miss a lot is that they shoot way too fast/soon without any practice strokes. Maybe it works for some people but it really looks amateur to me to shoot pool that way. Watch all the top pros.. none of them shoot like that. They all do a lot of practice strokes. Sometimes it gets annoying watching them because they spend so much time doing that but the results are obvious.
the best learning video i ever seen since i start playing pool 3 years you talk about some realllllllly important staff i think i will repeat this video everyday
I agree with everything that you inputted in the video. Each one was the things that I had to improve in my 1yr and 2 months of playing pool. Especially the preshot routine. You must always be consistent and have that rhythm in you. My prestroke consist of chalking (sometimes), finding ob path to pocket, cue ball path, then my 2 practice stroke and back swing. Playing too slow and playing too fast are bad, stay consistent with your rhythm.
I used to play and referee professionally in the US for the PBTA in the 90's. I have coached some of the best in the game. I agree with most of your conclusions. We used to play on Brunswick SuperSpeed rubber (K55 profile) and SImonis 860 speed cloth (which was very fast at the beginning of the tournament), so adjusting from a slow roll to faster stroke speed to reduce friction on the balls (the reason the object ball doesn't follow its intended path) affects position as well - so that needs adjusting in speed. Often times, when slow rolling cuts like that, we would counter the "friction" with heavy "english". Ex; If cutting to the left 75 degrees, we would use a soft stroll stroke with heavy right english to keep the balls from sticking to each other. But, that is a professional technique that requires a lifetime of practice to master. I would add that when you are reducing your backstroke, it also automatically reduces your follow through. The easiest and perhaps most widely needed reminder for players of all skill levels is to "stroke, don't poke". I agree that supper long, flamboyant strokes such as with Bustamonte and many other Asian players is detrimental to the masses, but it is their "flawed" fundamentals that gave them "personality" on tour. Good luck with your pool career!
You actually touched on things that are important (most YT channels do not as few people play decent). I'm glad you covered throw, but I disagree: I think it's less at higher speeds, but it's always present unless it's a straight shot. And if people stopped thinking about the "contact point" on the ball, or where to hit the pocket ... and instead, looked at where the object ball needs to be hit in order to make it go into the pocket (very subtle difference) it'd help reduce missed shots. Also, I think people should get really comfortable using as MUCH side spin + speed as they'll ever use when pocketing a ball at medium distances ... in a dead-straight-in shot. And causing the CB to just sit and spin after you make the ball. The inability to do that shows inadequate familiarity with the correct side picture for your cue's deflection. I suggested doing it at kinda firm speed to minimize the swerve that slower speed shots will get ... which is something that takes a lifetime of feel to learn to manage. But deflection is something you can really get up to speed on pretty quickly ... Lastly, you're spot on (again) about pressure. The thing is, I think people should make it a skill just like all the others they work on to train to relax under pressure. As important as the other things I mentioned are ... nothing is perhaps more important than pressure management. You have to deliberately believe in yourself (even if you're playing poorly -- perhaps especially if you are). Because nothing can do as much harm to you as the self-harm of doubt. Great job on this bro.
Unlike other pool videos, your video is concise, well edited, and very clean. Love it! And these tips are going to be super helpful. I shortened my stroke and it's already feeling way better, can't wait to try to others!
I really resonate with that last tip. Sometimes i just have a mood where i don't take it seriously and i just go down with power shots for every hit and i play WAY better
I always wanted some video that gives tips to players who already know most of the basics. As a local tournament winner, this video points out to many mistakes I have been doing that caused me to miss easy shots. Please keep doing videos to our type of players.
Very interesting. Stumbled on this video, haven’t played in a decade, gotta go find a table and check some of this out. If I use a golf analogy, I address the ball, backswing, and stroke. I don’t take several backswings before I let loose…several things to think about in this video. Lost my pool table and the house in the 2014 divorce, but I still got my stick….
Had to learn about this at DUI school of all places unfortunately. But alcohol can cause “state dependent restriction,” or basically where you perform certain skills or motor functions better in an altered state. I don’t remember the exact range but I think it was something like 0.08-0.11 BAC. Any more than that though and you actually end up doing way worse. Over time though, your body actually adapts to this and you begin to feel like you can only “perform your best” while in an altered state. For me it was your typical bar games like pool or corn hole (obviously not driving lol), but yeah hope this answers your question.
How to dominate pool: 1) Play serious snooker for 30-45 mins. that's it. I did this today. Played snooker then placed a round of 8 ball pool and-- didn't miss a single shot. NOT A SINGLE SHOT. cleared on the first attempt. also don't get nervous. i used to get nervous, my heart used to beat fast, hands shake. Don't do that that just messes up the shot. Usually i play with people im trying to flirt with so that gets a bit hard not to only focus on pool, but trust me if you pot the 8 ball in style, you won't be waking up in the morning alone
The "shorten your backstroke" tip is one that has served me well when I remember to do it. I'm a tall, lanky kind of guy and I naturally want to have this super long backstroke. When I shorten it to what I feel is the minimum I can get away with my accuracy with the shot and position play both go up. The issue is that it's not muscle memory yet so I still end up reverting to the long backstroke in moments of anxiety.
JL Chang is a great example of a Pro with a SHORT back swing. Chang is a large man amongst his fellow pool professionals, and yet his back swing is very short and compact, and his play is amongst the best on the planet. Shortening my back swing has vastly improved my shot making & overall game...
For me , shooting everything at the correct speed is the key for accurate potting , any speed more than required or slower can ruin your accuracy and to know exactly what i mean you just have to try it on a chinese 8 ball pool table or snooker
I agree with number 5, but sometimes I know I am wrong and I do readjust. For my game, if I don't, I almost always miss and knew ahead of time. I don't restart the entire sequence, but if my first impression looking down the stick is wrong, I adjust. This is once or twice in 10 or 20 games. I would also add #6, a tip from Mosconi's video. Raise and lower your bridge instead of hitting up and down on the cue ball; this was my biggest aha moment by far. Top spin will thank you
I like it...Your suggestions all make sense and for practice at least I will try the drill at the end of the video. I have a friend who uses this during play and he is deadly accurate.
Shortening my backstroke is my #1 aha moment because it improved literally every type of shot that I made. I HIGHLY suggest this to anybody who wants to up their game. After realizing that I didn't need to pull back so much, I improved: 1. My stroke consistency because I was hitting the cue ball EXACTLY where I was trying to. 2. My draw shots because I focused more on hitting as low as possible instead of trying to add more power by having a longer backstroke. 3. My shots when the cue ball is frozen against/close to the rail, since I don't feel FORCED to use a shorter stroke anymore. 4. My power control, because I gained a much better understanding of how strong I can throw the cue ball around with just a short stroke. I've always had a great sense of the physics of the balls and how I can position properly in my head, but unfortunately, my execution was not catching up with my observation and knowledge. I also had a generally straight stroke but the minute differences in where exactly I was hitting the cue ball vs. where I needed to was the biggest improvement in shortening the backstroke.
It's not necessary to play with more speed and power at all. Speed control is a big part of this game. Pocket speed is putting the ball into the pocket with just enough speed to make the shot and position the cue ball for the next shot. That might be a slow roll tap, or it may take a 3 cushion power stroke, depending on where the cue ball needs to be for the next shot. When I watch a pro player, 90% of the time it's 1 cushion cue ball rebound and rarely a 3 or 4 cushion cue ball power shot. For most , a medium/soft shot works best.
the first one is so true! i was stunting my own growth by being a slow, methodical player for years. just last week in league i started speeding up my shots and won a match against a player rated higher than me! i was also listening to jazz music for good measure. :D
That's true. You do on the other hand have slightly more deflection to deal with, but I still totally agree. Not only is the SIT a problem, but you have to deal with the swerve as well. Thanks for the comment!
Regarding long stroke vs short stroke. The most important thing is to have a "straight" stroke. Stroking the cue on a straight line is a skill. And it takes practice. If you don't back-stroke strait, your forward stroke isn't going to be straight either. A strait stroke is the most important part of the shot. If your stroke isn't straight, seek out a coach that can help you adjust your grip correctly and fix your stance and teach you what you need to do to develop a straight stroke. The benefit of using a short stroke is that it's easier to stroke straight for a short distance; but if you can't stroke straight with a long stroke, your accuracy is going to suffer, even with short strokes because you are probably not stroking the ball entirely on a straight trajectory... but because it was a short stroke, you just don't notice it and it's probably causing you to miss more balls than you should.
Agreed, whether you have a short or long stroke, it really comes down to a straight stroke. Neither is better, its just whatever is comfortable to you and achieves that goal.
Stance, bridge, grip, eyes sight positioning might make you think you are hitting the center of the cue ball, sometimes people covers 1 eye…and that last seconds decision, having doubts of your stroke, should you target here or there…
This is great. I will comment on the last tip about not getting up. This is advice that I think gets misunderstood. The REASON your shot doesn't feel right is usually that you didn't execute your pre shot correctly. A foot is out of position, your shoulder tucked wrong. Etc. So now you don't only not "feel right" you are likely mechanically misaligned. You should absolutely get up and reset. Learning to identify when you've mechanically misaligned or are simply nervy just comes with time and partaking in competition.
That's very interesting. My biggest problem as a player is that some days I am misaligned all the time. I assume it is because I've slightly changed my pre-shot routine, usually bad feet placement. In 3 cushion billiards where the table is 10 feet long and we often play with a lot of side spin, it's not ideal!! I really suck at recognising what I'm doing different. Any suggestion to improve?
Another amazing content from you. Make me wanna jump right back to the training table now :D You are talking about "not baby the stroke/shot" and I agree 💯 . Most pros use "drag shot" in many situation so they dont need to baby the ball. Can you talk about that in future video? I have been practising this shot long time and I'm not sure if I do it right :D 10/10 for video btw
They actually do it very often. I didnt know that until I watched some videos jo f Neils Feijen and Karl Boyes covering this topic. For long shots, stun-run-through is more risky shot than the drag-shot. Drag-shot makes the pocket play "bigger" as players dosent need to either force the cueball or baby it. However, drag-shot can be used to increse the angle of the cueball path because the cueball gets forward motion(like high ball/top spin) short after sliding. The stun-run-through will still follow the tangent line and it is used for stright shots mostley. ruclips.net/video/ERImjxBGdl8/видео.htmlsi=8j0umYwyw6qqhioj
I haven't practice your short back stroke before hitting the cue ball though. that's new to me so I'll practice that. thank you again. I subscribed to you. @@PoolProblems
My friend a uk champion and European when younger said the same thing with out confidence and commitment you always buckle and miss black ball syndrome when it never happens at home practicing
I agree with you 90%. But I don't agree about standing up if in doubt. If you settle into your shot and realize you aren't aimed correctly, the only way to guarantee a successful outcome is to stand up and reset. If you try to adjust too much while down, your stroke will suffer. Otherwise, you are right on the money with everything else. Great clip. I'll subscribe !!
I agree. But if you temporary practice like that you learn to be more thorough with the process before you go down. You'll bring that skill with you to your normal shooting routine. Hope that makes sense. Thanks for the comment and sub 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
@@PoolProblems OK, I think I missed that you saying that during practice. in that case, Agreed! I've been playing for about 55 years, finally at a pretty high level, all your points are exactly what I have learned the hard way....where were you when I was 9? 😁
Before Efren the Magician played in the US, there were no spots on the cue ball, after playing there, they saw how good his control over the cue ball is, hence the spots on the cue ball to see how he hits it.
I decided to go play the 10-ball ghost while trying to stop babying shots and shortening my backstroke to only what the shots required. I won 9-3! Really useful tips
1:23 in and i am already thinking this is great advice! i used to be good and gave up for years, now back into it and i am having to learn stuff i could once do that i just did without having to think what i was doing i could just do it lol i am trying not make excuses about my eyesight age ect awsome advice
I actually came back from a long break a couple of years ago myself, and I came with some new perspective on things. How's everything been for you since you came back?
Excellent video there is one thing I do disagree with though and that's at the end about committing to a shot once you're down I think for a lot of people once they get down and there is doubt they need to pick themselves back up usually their brain is telling them get up stand up You're out of line your body is not a line The shot line is off your vision is off but they shoot it anyway because they've already committed to the shot
I actually also agree. The good thing with the last example is that it's more a practice strategy. It teaches you to really do the work before going down, so when you actually do allow yourself to stand up again, there will be fewer instances that it'll be nescassary. If you always allow yourself to stand up, you tend to get sloppy with the process before you go down. Thanks for the comment!
The getting up to adjust isn't onlu due to a lack of confidence, it is being confident that you may have lined up incorrectly and it is better to adjust your form than try to change the angle of your stroke to compensate for the lack of form. Other than that i think all the other tips are spot on.
"Aim, go down, shoot" I've been playing that way for many years and I'm not a bad player. My top tip would be this. Watch how people miss. 90% play thick shots too thin and thin shots too thick. ie: people play 3/4 ball as 2/3 ball and 1/4 ball as 1/3 ball. Even the pros normally miss this way. I also agree that dead weight is dangerous. even on a really top quality table you can get some roll off if you play shots too slowly.
Thank you! I'm a fan of your channel as well. I actually have your book, and I'm gonna drop some of the knowledge there soon. I'll make sure to point people in your direction!
Nice video and tips. I have to disagree with the “don’t ever get up” tip as sometimes you haven’t lined up straight or got the stance right as opposed to having doubt about the shot. In those cases I always benefit from standing up and resetting and always regret staying down to just play the shot, which 99% of the time I end up missing. But I’ll try the other tips 😎
A lot of people are misunderstanding that tip, and it probably comes down to me not being clear enough. When I say standing up and reseting is a "double edge sword", I mean it has two sides, one good and one bad. The bad being you allowing doubt to come into your mind at any given time, even right before pulling the trigger. So the tip is most of all a practice method (and I say this, but people still think I mean "don't ever get up"). If you practice like this you develop a better pre shot routine, since you have to commit to the line of shot and tip placement you vizualize while standing. And you get to experience how it feels to shoot without doubt, meaning you develop confidence. You'll see that a lot of times you feel doubt, you are infact properly aligned. So practice like this for 10 minutes and see how it feels afterwards.
I play billiard every month since I don't really have my own table, I watch videos like this cuz I might find it useful for something else or for when I finally play billiard
Your video and communications are of an excellent quality. However, all shots are to be aimed at pocket center and there are good reasons to use a longer backstroke--but with a shorter bridge.
It's a predator roadline butt with a predator revo 11.8. It's more of a sneaky pete, the butt is not black. That's why I asked 👍🏼 Thanks for the comments, my friend 🙏🏼
The gift and the next thing you do is the chalk up. Did just like this, and that's already. In case the tip is slippery, you chalk it up and then I won't skid off the ball, say, look how well he did that garden. He was a good chocolate for the first time. Yeah, the next thing to go is to learn how to stroke. So you can put it in between number 4, the head and you put the Q in between your fingers like that, and you have what they call a brake, you see. Now you go back easy, easy and the idea is to hit the white wall into that pack and break them all out and say when all the boys break up there on a break of one of the balls that goes in east pocket that each one of those is a point for you who I see you know like.Go ahead, you can take a dinner to wall and you'll have to be patient with me.Remember I just ever did I want it
As boring as it sounds, planting the rearward foot as precise as possible is the start of my setup routine. But I agree, to cue confidently, you need to stick to your setup routine. As a RH player my left foot placement is my priority after deciding the cue ball strike while planning the shot for position. Then get down, commit to take the shot, trust your technique (don’t overthink that when cueing, that’s what practice is for)
Yes, absolutely. But IMO players tend to do it too much - meaning they think they need to slow roll shots that better players tend to hit firmer - f.ex. a long straight in shot where you need to roll a bit forward - pro players will stun follow, while average players might try to slow roll. Same with long cut shots where you need to hold the cue ball - instead of slow rolling, pro players will use drag/kill shots or maybe use more rails.
@@PoolProblems Oh, that sounds really interesting. I would like to learn how to do what you refer to as Stun Follow, because I have no idea how to do that. I have always slow rolled the cue ball on follow shots. I also never had a pre shot routine, and I know that has really hurt my consistency, and my mental game, as you also noted about. Really great video. Thanks.
My comfort zone is when I gots about 6 or 7 chili dog's in me and maybe a case a Coor's Light buddy, and when I start rippin fart's, the dog's is barking. Then I know I'm good.
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Subscribed! 🤟🏻🎱
You’re gonna be big. I’m glad I subscribed early.
That jump video of yours is excellent too. 🙌🏼🙌🏼
1. Stop slow rolling balls otherwise cue ball might deviate the target ball slightly
2. Stick to pre-shot routine even for easy shots. This makes you comfortable because you are doing something familiar.
3. Shorten the backstroke : it improves stability and accuracy while doing the shot
4. Aim for the pocket opening, most probably on the sides. It helps in potting in case of speed shots. Otherwise there's always a chance of not making the pot.
5. Don't allow yourself to doubt your shot after doing the pre-shot routine. You have to be confident with your pre-shot routine. Aim, Go Down, Shoot. Do not make any adjustments. Commit to the aim-point you found while you were standing.
You're a legend. Now I don't have to watch the entire video. Thanks!!
I was waiting to see if anyone summarised. Cheers man.
Has someone just paraphrased the video authors content in the comments section? 🤯
Excellent video. People get so tied up with aiming, stroke, etc. they loose confidence and that causes them to make last minute changes which results in things like miscues, bad shots, etc. I think that the most important thing is table time and lots of practice of common shots. When you are going on muscle memory developed from years of playing, there is less doubts and over-thinking each shot.
Yes, that's so true. Consistent and purposeful practice helps! Thanks for the comment!
I’m 23 and just started playing for a pool team, and what you said is bang on I spend that much time thinking about it and lining it up, then I miss, but if I just feel my shot and hit it with more faith I’m finding myself more auccesful
Another reason for the shorter backstroke is table cloth is must faster than it was 30 years ago. For most shots you don't need that much power. Great video!
Snooker cloth is a lot faster and heated and they also have a beautiful backspin
I honestly wish they never made wursted cloth and kept it to wool. The speed of cloth now is too insane to me. Woolen cloth makes the power and speed of your stroke actually “add up” to the speed it should be. I hate rolling in a ball where my next ball is like right in the vicinity of my current object ball just to travel 3x farther than necessary
Agreed , I am 62 and played on much slower tables that require a full long stroke to get around the table etc , simonis is ok but sketchy sometimes , the other brands of felt are even mire sketchy to me personally and that doesn't count yhe rails and new materials they put into certain sets of pool balls
A big thank you! These tips did indeed INSTANTLY improve my game.
I started playing less than 2 years ago. Have a 9’ table and play in three leagues a week. I’ve watched tons of YT vids and practice every day.
My game seemed totally stuck and sucked. My thought was to slow down and be more careful - the opposite of your advice. Just watching the vid convinced me that I needed to do something drastic and SPEED UP my shooting - not to baby each shot even more. I can’t believe the TOTAL difference. You’ve saved me years of more frustration. Just after two days (and playing league last night) my game is ridiculously improved. You’re so right about the mindset change when it comes to home practice vs match play. Your tips make all the difference.
Thank you again - subscribed of course.
Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad you found my tips helpful! Thanks for subscribing and supporting me.
In all the years that I've played pool, one thing I noticed about beginners and those who just bang the balls around and miss a lot is that they shoot way too fast/soon without any practice strokes. Maybe it works for some people but it really looks amateur to me to shoot pool that way. Watch all the top pros.. none of them shoot like that. They all do a lot of practice strokes. Sometimes it gets annoying watching them because they spend so much time doing that but the results are obvious.
the best learning video i ever seen since i start playing pool 3 years
you talk about some realllllllly important staff
i think i will repeat this video everyday
Thanks, bro! Glad you liked it! Hope you've checked out my other videos too! Keep it up, my friend.
I would only add one thing… Consume at least three pints of premium lager before even thinking of playing well…
That's the sweet spot. It only lasts for 2-3 pints. After 5-6, it's all downhill from there, in my considerable experience.
I agree with everything that you inputted in the video. Each one was the things that I had to improve in my 1yr and 2 months of playing pool. Especially the preshot routine. You must always be consistent and have that rhythm in you. My prestroke consist of chalking (sometimes), finding ob path to pocket, cue ball path, then my 2 practice stroke and back swing. Playing too slow and playing too fast are bad, stay consistent with your rhythm.
I used to play and referee professionally in the US for the PBTA in the 90's. I have coached some of the best in the game. I agree with most of your conclusions. We used to play on Brunswick SuperSpeed rubber (K55 profile) and SImonis 860 speed cloth (which was very fast at the beginning of the tournament), so adjusting from a slow roll to faster stroke speed to reduce friction on the balls (the reason the object ball doesn't follow its intended path) affects position as well - so that needs adjusting in speed. Often times, when slow rolling cuts like that, we would counter the "friction" with heavy "english". Ex; If cutting to the left 75 degrees, we would use a soft stroll stroke with heavy right english to keep the balls from sticking to each other. But, that is a professional technique that requires a lifetime of practice to master. I would add that when you are reducing your backstroke, it also automatically reduces your follow through. The easiest and perhaps most widely needed reminder for players of all skill levels is to "stroke, don't poke". I agree that supper long, flamboyant strokes such as with Bustamonte and many other Asian players is detrimental to the masses, but it is their "flawed" fundamentals that gave them "personality" on tour. Good luck with your pool career!
You actually touched on things that are important (most YT channels do not as few people play decent).
I'm glad you covered throw, but I disagree: I think it's less at higher speeds, but it's always present unless it's a straight shot. And if people stopped thinking about the "contact point" on the ball, or where to hit the pocket ... and instead, looked at where the object ball needs to be hit in order to make it go into the pocket (very subtle difference) it'd help reduce missed shots.
Also, I think people should get really comfortable using as MUCH side spin + speed as they'll ever use when pocketing a ball at medium distances ... in a dead-straight-in shot. And causing the CB to just sit and spin after you make the ball. The inability to do that shows inadequate familiarity with the correct side picture for your cue's deflection. I suggested doing it at kinda firm speed to minimize the swerve that slower speed shots will get ... which is something that takes a lifetime of feel to learn to manage. But deflection is something you can really get up to speed on pretty quickly ...
Lastly, you're spot on (again) about pressure. The thing is, I think people should make it a skill just like all the others they work on to train to relax under pressure. As important as the other things I mentioned are ... nothing is perhaps more important than pressure management. You have to deliberately believe in yourself (even if you're playing poorly -- perhaps especially if you are). Because nothing can do as much harm to you as the self-harm of doubt.
Great job on this bro.
This was excellent, succinct sections, no pandering or selling products. I'll be using these tips next time I practice. Thank you!
Glad you liked it, thanks for the comment! Let me know how it works out in practice, okay?
I needed 15 years to know some of this tips. New generations are lucky to find material like this one.
Me too, man :( We had to learn the hard way. Glad you liked it, and thank you for your acknowledgement.
Unlike other pool videos, your video is concise, well edited, and very clean. Love it! And these tips are going to be super helpful. I shortened my stroke and it's already feeling way better, can't wait to try to others!
I actually play worse in practice. lol. I play better under pressure.
Like me😂
Nahh
Same
@Me6eS-su7akp I get better every week. Work only on your weaknesses.
Always shoot better with money on the table
I really resonate with that last tip. Sometimes i just have a mood where i don't take it seriously and i just go down with power shots for every hit and i play WAY better
This helped me out SO much. Havent even started practicing it and I already know my game has improved. 🙏
I always wanted some video that gives tips to players who already know most of the basics. As a local tournament winner, this video points out to many mistakes I have been doing that caused me to miss easy shots. Please keep doing videos to our type of players.
Glad to hear that, my friend. That kind of players are my main target, so feel free to check my other videos as well! I think you might like it :)
Very useful video. Loved the tips and will apply them to my game.
Very interesting. Stumbled on this video, haven’t played in a decade, gotta go find a table and check some of this out.
If I use a golf analogy, I address the ball, backswing, and stroke. I don’t take several backswings before I let loose…several things to think about in this video. Lost my pool table and the house in the 2014 divorce, but I still got my stick….
Sorry to hear about your losses brother. But good luck with your pool.
Excellent advice, and clean, short, well edited presentation.
Glad you liked it!
All 5 Tips are very good, but the advice to aim for the pocket opening was a game changer for me!
It really was for me to. You'll increase your ball pocketing by quite alot! Thanks for the comment!
Pocket opening is sick!
I only play good when I’m drunk, where’s the science on that?
Can't have last minute adjustment thoughts if you've eliminated all thoughts 🤔
Had to learn about this at DUI school of all places unfortunately. But alcohol can cause “state dependent restriction,” or basically where you perform certain skills or motor functions better in an altered state. I don’t remember the exact range but I think it was something like 0.08-0.11 BAC. Any more than that though and you actually end up doing way worse. Over time though, your body actually adapts to this and you begin to feel like you can only “perform your best” while in an altered state. For me it was your typical bar games like pool or corn hole (obviously not driving lol), but yeah hope this answers your question.
Trust me, you don’t
It's because that's when you lose fear when you are drunk
Liqour itself froms from chemical reaction. There has entire science to it. Same science is helping you to play better😂
How to dominate pool:
1) Play serious snooker for 30-45 mins.
that's it. I did this today. Played snooker then placed a round of 8 ball pool and--
didn't miss a single shot. NOT A SINGLE SHOT. cleared on the first attempt.
also don't get nervous. i used to get nervous, my heart used to beat fast, hands shake. Don't do that that just messes up the shot. Usually i play with people im trying to flirt with so that gets a bit hard not to only focus on pool, but trust me if you pot the 8 ball in style, you won't be waking up in the morning alone
Great video....After a session where my aiming is off....sometimes surprisingly off, I come back to this vid and it helps reset
The "shorten your backstroke" tip is one that has served me well when I remember to do it. I'm a tall, lanky kind of guy and I naturally want to have this super long backstroke. When I shorten it to what I feel is the minimum I can get away with my accuracy with the shot and position play both go up. The issue is that it's not muscle memory yet so I still end up reverting to the long backstroke in moments of anxiety.
JL Chang is a great example of a Pro with a SHORT back swing. Chang is a large man amongst his fellow pool professionals, and yet his back swing is very short and compact, and his play is amongst the best on the planet. Shortening my back swing has vastly improved my shot making & overall game...
For me , shooting everything at the correct speed is the key for accurate potting , any speed more than required or slower can ruin your accuracy and to know exactly what i mean you just have to try it on a chinese 8 ball pool table or snooker
Can we try it on 8ball pool. Just downloaded it from playstore.
I agree with number 5, but sometimes I know I am wrong and I do readjust. For my game, if I don't, I almost always miss and knew ahead of time. I don't restart the entire sequence, but if my first impression looking down the stick is wrong, I adjust. This is once or twice in 10 or 20 games. I would also add #6, a tip from Mosconi's video. Raise and lower your bridge instead of hitting up and down on the cue ball; this was my biggest aha moment by far. Top spin will thank you
I like it...Your suggestions all make sense and for practice at least I will try the drill at the end of the video. I have a friend who uses this during play and he is deadly accurate.
The short backstroke tip has been a game Changer
Shortening my backstroke is my #1 aha moment because it improved literally every type of shot that I made. I HIGHLY suggest this to anybody who wants to up their game.
After realizing that I didn't need to pull back so much, I improved:
1. My stroke consistency because I was hitting the cue ball EXACTLY where I was trying to.
2. My draw shots because I focused more on hitting as low as possible instead of trying to add more power by having a longer backstroke.
3. My shots when the cue ball is frozen against/close to the rail, since I don't feel FORCED to use a shorter stroke anymore.
4. My power control, because I gained a much better understanding of how strong I can throw the cue ball around with just a short stroke.
I've always had a great sense of the physics of the balls and how I can position properly in my head, but unfortunately, my execution was not catching up with my observation and knowledge. I also had a generally straight stroke but the minute differences in where exactly I was hitting the cue ball vs. where I needed to was the biggest improvement in shortening the backstroke.
Thank you for this epic video with detailed explanations... I will try to improve my practice sessions and games with your advises. Salute!
It's not necessary to play with more speed and power at all. Speed control is a big part of this game. Pocket speed is putting the ball into the pocket with just enough speed to make the shot and position the cue ball for the next shot. That might be a slow roll tap, or it may take a 3 cushion power stroke, depending on where the cue ball needs to be for the next shot. When I watch a pro player, 90% of the time it's 1 cushion cue ball rebound and rarely a 3 or 4 cushion cue ball power shot. For most , a medium/soft shot works best.
This channel is very under rated! Keep it up man
Thanks! Fingers crossed it'll grow!
Agree. Very nice editing and engaging and direct with information
the first one is so true! i was stunting my own growth by being a slow, methodical player for years. just last week in league i started speeding up my shots and won a match against a player rated higher than me! i was also listening to jazz music for good measure. :D
Well done, buddy. I used to play jazz trumpet btw :D
Just like in basketball, 90% of nba players have a pre free throw routine. Totally agree with that tip! 👍🏽
Awesome video and presentation! This information will do wonders for my game. A huge thank you for sharing!
Let me know how it works out! Glad you liked it!
Excellent! I think this is what is missing in my game- among other things! Lol!
We have to start somewhere, don't we! Good luck!
Great video and explanation. SIT is a lot stronger on soft shots so slightly faster shots helps.
That's true. You do on the other hand have slightly more deflection to deal with, but I still totally agree. Not only is the SIT a problem, but you have to deal with the swerve as well. Thanks for the comment!
@@PoolProblems subscribed
Regarding long stroke vs short stroke. The most important thing is to have a "straight" stroke. Stroking the cue on a straight line is a skill. And it takes practice. If you don't back-stroke strait, your forward stroke isn't going to be straight either. A strait stroke is the most important part of the shot. If your stroke isn't straight, seek out a coach that can help you adjust your grip correctly and fix your stance and teach you what you need to do to develop a straight stroke. The benefit of using a short stroke is that it's easier to stroke straight for a short distance; but if you can't stroke straight with a long stroke, your accuracy is going to suffer, even with short strokes because you are probably not stroking the ball entirely on a straight trajectory... but because it was a short stroke, you just don't notice it and it's probably causing you to miss more balls than you should.
I agree. We should do what we can to hone our fundamentals.
Agreed, whether you have a short or long stroke, it really comes down to a straight stroke. Neither is better, its just whatever is comfortable to you and achieves that goal.
Stance, bridge, grip, eyes sight positioning might make you think you are hitting the center of the cue ball, sometimes people covers 1 eye…and that last seconds decision, having doubts of your stroke, should you target here or there…
Really inspiring, educational and motivating video! Thanks! 🙏
Always a pleasure, my man!
Dude, awesome video! Super well made and great content!
Glad you liked it!
This is great. I will comment on the last tip about not getting up. This is advice that I think gets misunderstood. The REASON your shot doesn't feel right is usually that you didn't execute your pre shot correctly. A foot is out of position, your shoulder tucked wrong. Etc. So now you don't only not "feel right" you are likely mechanically misaligned. You should absolutely get up and reset.
Learning to identify when you've mechanically misaligned or are simply nervy just comes with time and partaking in competition.
That's very interesting. My biggest problem as a player is that some days I am misaligned all the time. I assume it is because I've slightly changed my pre-shot routine, usually bad feet placement. In 3 cushion billiards where the table is 10 feet long and we often play with a lot of side spin, it's not ideal!! I really suck at recognising what I'm doing different. Any suggestion to improve?
Thanks, keep ‘em coming
Great instruction and explanation through the whole lesson :)
Another amazing content from you. Make me wanna jump right back to the training table now :D You are talking about "not baby the stroke/shot" and I agree 💯 . Most pros use "drag shot" in many situation so they dont need to baby the ball. Can you talk about that in future video? I have been practising this shot long time and I'm not sure if I do it right :D
10/10 for video btw
They don't use the drag stroke much. They use the stun-run-through shot.
They actually do it very often. I didnt know that until I watched some videos jo f Neils Feijen and Karl Boyes covering this topic. For long shots, stun-run-through is more risky shot than the drag-shot. Drag-shot makes the pocket play "bigger" as players dosent need to either force the cueball or baby it. However, drag-shot can be used to increse the angle of the cueball path because the cueball gets forward motion(like high ball/top spin) short after sliding. The stun-run-through will still follow the tangent line and it is used for stright shots mostley.
ruclips.net/video/ERImjxBGdl8/видео.htmlsi=8j0umYwyw6qqhioj
Yes drag shot is very useful ...also using reverse English to kill the cue when hits the rail....
People have been asking me for years, "Why do you hit them so hard?".
Now I know why. 😊
i don't do pre strokes now too and it greatly improves my accuracy. new sub
That's cool. Was it something you used to do, or did you try it after seeing this video?
I discovered it a few days ago but at least your video also confirms i'm not alone and doing it right. thank you.@@PoolProblems
I haven't practice your short back stroke before hitting the cue ball though. that's new to me so I'll practice that. thank you again. I subscribed to you. @@PoolProblems
My friend a uk champion and European when younger said the same thing with out confidence and commitment you always buckle and miss black ball syndrome when it never happens at home practicing
I agree with you 90%. But I don't agree about standing up if in doubt. If you settle into your shot and realize you aren't aimed correctly, the only way to guarantee a successful outcome is to stand up and reset. If you try to adjust too much while down, your stroke will suffer. Otherwise, you are right on the money with everything else. Great clip. I'll subscribe !!
I agree. But if you temporary practice like that you learn to be more thorough with the process before you go down. You'll bring that skill with you to your normal shooting routine. Hope that makes sense. Thanks for the comment and sub 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
@@PoolProblems OK, I think I missed that you saying that during practice. in that case, Agreed! I've been playing for about 55 years, finally at a pretty high level, all your points are exactly what I have learned the hard way....where were you when I was 9? 😁
Before Efren the Magician played in the US, there were no spots on the cue ball, after playing there, they saw how good his control over the cue ball is, hence the spots on the cue ball to see how he hits it.
I’m a slow roller for life!!! Baby!!!!!
this video is truly helpful. train few hours today bout these mistakes but feel much more confidence. thank you❤❤❤
I decided to go play the 10-ball ghost while trying to stop babying shots and shortening my backstroke to only what the shots required. I won 9-3! Really useful tips
Wow, that's amazing. Thanks for the feedback. Beating the 10-ball ghost 9-3 means you're at a very high level! Keep it, buddy!
@@PoolProblems thank you for the compliment! I wish I always played like that too but I lack consistency and confidence most of the time.
1:23 in and i am already thinking this is great advice! i used to be good and gave up for years, now back into it and i am having to learn stuff i could once do that i just did without having to think what i was doing i could just do it lol i am trying not make excuses about my eyesight age ect awsome advice
I actually came back from a long break a couple of years ago myself, and I came with some new perspective on things. How's everything been for you since you came back?
the only video that we need to enhance our playing, thanks!
Thank you! Now let's get to practice!
Great stuff!
Excellent video there is one thing I do disagree with though and that's at the end about committing to a shot once you're down I think for a lot of people once they get down and there is doubt they need to pick themselves back up usually their brain is telling them get up stand up You're out of line your body is not a line The shot line is off your vision is off but they shoot it anyway because they've already committed to the shot
I actually also agree. The good thing with the last example is that it's more a practice strategy. It teaches you to really do the work before going down, so when you actually do allow yourself to stand up again, there will be fewer instances that it'll be nescassary. If you always allow yourself to stand up, you tend to get sloppy with the process before you go down. Thanks for the comment!
5:45 The practice routine you found is on Jimmy Reid's "No Time For Negative" Volume 2 from 1991. I have all three volumes and they are fantastic.
Oh, that's cool. Never heard of that one! What are his reasons behind the method?
Yeah my friend told me on straight in shots don't roll it. I found out this is because the cueball will roll off its path a bit
I like the CIT graphic, so much easier to understand.
Great tips for newbs and reminders for experienced players.
Keep on the good work!
The getting up to adjust isn't onlu due to a lack of confidence, it is being confident that you may have lined up incorrectly and it is better to adjust your form than try to change the angle of your stroke to compensate for the lack of form. Other than that i think all the other tips are spot on.
Thanks Bro, appreciate your help
"Aim, go down, shoot" I've been playing that way for many years and I'm not a bad player. My top tip would be this. Watch how people miss. 90% play thick shots too thin and thin shots too thick. ie: people play 3/4 ball as 2/3 ball and 1/4 ball as 1/3 ball. Even the pros normally miss this way. I also agree that dead weight is dangerous. even on a really top quality table you can get some roll off if you play shots too slowly.
That's great advice, thank you !
Great video! You need more subscribers! Your content and presentation is excellent!
Thank you! I'm a fan of your channel as well. I actually have your book, and I'm gonna drop some of the knowledge there soon. I'll make sure to point people in your direction!
Great Video! I agree with all of it. Thx for the quick lesson!
Glad you liked it!
I'm bad in 8 Ball Pool(Game) and but I'm actually pretty good in real pool...I lost 500k in just one bet 💀
Nice video and tips. I have to disagree with the “don’t ever get up” tip as sometimes you haven’t lined up straight or got the stance right as opposed to having doubt about the shot. In those cases I always benefit from standing up and resetting and always regret staying down to just play the shot, which 99% of the time I end up missing.
But I’ll try the other tips 😎
A lot of people are misunderstanding that tip, and it probably comes down to me not being clear enough. When I say standing up and reseting is a "double edge sword", I mean it has two sides, one good and one bad. The bad being you allowing doubt to come into your mind at any given time, even right before pulling the trigger. So the tip is most of all a practice method (and I say this, but people still think I mean "don't ever get up"). If you practice like this you develop a better pre shot routine, since you have to commit to the line of shot and tip placement you vizualize while standing. And you get to experience how it feels to shoot without doubt, meaning you develop confidence. You'll see that a lot of times you feel doubt, you are infact properly aligned. So practice like this for 10 minutes and see how it feels afterwards.
Awesome video!
Thanks 🙏
Woah this was really good. I hope you make more videos
This took me 1,5 months, so let's see! Thanks.
Really good quality video👍
Awesome, thanks!
Wow! This is really nice video! Very fresh editing. All the best🙏
Thank you! Your videos are also great. Keep it up!
@@PoolProblems Thank you very much 👊
content is great! tnx for this!
great future
very good video, thanks
Excellent tips, thanks for sharing! Subscribing. 🤟
Thank you! Hope to see you in future comment sections!
Very good video!!
I play billiard every month since I don't really have my own table, I watch videos like this cuz I might find it useful for something else or for when I finally play billiard
I love when Carlos eats the music
great video thank you!
Your video and communications are of an excellent quality. However, all shots are to be aimed at pocket center and there are good reasons to use a longer backstroke--but with a shorter bridge.
Me: Trying to focus on the ball
My friends around me: "sKibiDI DOp dOp yEs yeS"..
Helpful video! Do you mind dropping the name of your all-black cue stick? I’ve been looking for sth like that for a while, thanks 🙏
Thanks. Do you mean my playing cue?
@@PoolProblems yes that’s exactly what I meant
It's a predator roadline butt with a predator revo 11.8. It's more of a sneaky pete, the butt is not black. That's why I asked 👍🏼 Thanks for the comments, my friend 🙏🏼
For some reason tables have tiny pockets here in Peru, certain angles are just imposible.
Awesome video, so clear, easy to understand, keep on going man, you will be huge, you’ll see 💪🏼 Im Joaquin from Ask by the way 😁💪🏼
My man, nice hearing from you. Thanks for the comment, and I hope I'll see you soon!
Good stuff. Subscribed
Thanks. And I can see from your picture that you know how to play. Solid stance!
Short shot,, short bridge,, Medium shot,, medium bridge length,, Long shot,, slip stroke,, You are welcome..
Facts.
Really great tips
The pockets are like buckets on these tables.
The gift and the next thing you do is the chalk up. Did just like this, and that's already. In case the tip is slippery, you chalk it up and then I won't skid off the ball, say, look how well he did that garden. He was a good chocolate for the first time. Yeah, the next thing to go is to learn how to stroke. So you can put it in between number 4, the head and you put the Q in between your fingers like that, and you have what they call a brake, you see. Now you go back easy, easy and the idea is to hit the white wall into that pack and break them all out and say when all the boys break up there on a break of one of the balls that goes in east pocket that each one of those is a point for you who I see you know like.Go ahead, you can take a dinner to wall and you'll have to be patient with me.Remember I just ever did I want it
very helpful video
Can You teach the eye pattern do you use thank you
great video thanks
I always get better with good players but I get worse playing with worse players
This isn’t a jab at you, but that sounds like a personal hurdle you need to get over
Good advice EXCEPT the last advice about staying down on the shot.
As boring as it sounds, planting the rearward foot as precise as possible is the start of my setup routine. But I agree, to cue confidently, you need to stick to your setup routine. As a RH player my left foot placement is my priority after deciding the cue ball strike while planning the shot for position. Then get down, commit to take the shot, trust your technique (don’t overthink that when cueing, that’s what practice is for)
I do that as well. Along with just holding my stick on my hip to help get that back foot in line.
In some situations, you must slow roll the shot, to get good shape though.
Yes, absolutely. But IMO players tend to do it too much - meaning they think they need to slow roll shots that better players tend to hit firmer - f.ex. a long straight in shot where you need to roll a bit forward - pro players will stun follow, while average players might try to slow roll. Same with long cut shots where you need to hold the cue ball - instead of slow rolling, pro players will use drag/kill shots or maybe use more rails.
@@PoolProblems Oh, that sounds really interesting. I would like to learn how to do what you refer to as Stun Follow, because I have no idea how to do that. I have always slow rolled the cue ball on follow shots. I also never had a pre shot routine, and I know that has really hurt my consistency, and my mental game, as you also noted about. Really great video. Thanks.
My comfort zone is when I gots about 6 or 7 chili dog's in me and maybe a case a Coor's Light buddy, and when I start rippin fart's, the dog's is barking. Then I know I'm good.