I first came across your videos earlier this morning whit the 10 amateurs shooting Earl Strickland. Then this one, I like the videos so far. Im a 58 year old guy who at one time was a pretty good shot. Now, after about 10 or 12 years of not playing, Im finding it hard to get back to my old self on the table. I have watched almost all of Efern Reyes videos, and love watching him. But as a guy trying to get back into the game, his videos can be a little intimidating. Watching your videos seem to help me remember the basics and thats what I need. Greatjob, keep it up. I dont know where you are at, Im in Arizona but would like to come across you or someone like you to play. Any way, keep up the videos, Ill keep watchimg, and with any luck Ill get back my game.
Thanks so much, Jeff! I live in Michigan. I also quit playing for almost 10 years. I jumped back into it (head first) about 5-6 years ago.. I did find it hard to get back into stroke at first but, now I'm playing more than I ever did before! I love this game!
Excellent match. Good example of real world. Tough clusters, getting hooked. Getting distracted. Emotions running high on a key ball. Etc.. that teaches us way more than a clean run out. Excellent cameras angle. And not to criticize. But concider turning down the brightness/gamma a bit. Might be able to identify the balls easier. The yellow 1 and yellow 9 look almost identical at times.
Josh this camera view works well. I enjoy your videos. Watching pro videos with SVB types never missing is okay, but I learn more from your real world stuff. BTW was this match on an eight foot or nine foot table?
I definitely agree with you calling the foul on yourself when you tapped the cue ball. We may not get to the level of skill we want in the game but to be honest and have integrity is attainable for all of us. Good on you sir!
It depends on the game. 9 bak i try to hit close to the center of the cue ball. 8 ball i hit a little low and to the side. Check out my pattern play videos for my 8 ball break. I made a separate video on my 9 bak break
Great camera angles on this video Josh. Not in the APA games I'm sure but do you ever play bank the eight? My personal fav bar table game. Be cool to see a video on the game. Play on brother.
I love those bar type games (bank the 8, last pocket, etc). Don't see them played too often in serious pool matches though.. thanks for the support, Robert!
HEY, SWISS!!! I LOVE your knives, LOL... I'm using a cuetec true wood 2 (walnut) with an 11.8mm tip. The tip is a sniper soft tip. Thanks for watching!
Josh, like many others before me I have messed around shooting 8 ball a couple times a year and have decided to take the sport serious. I purchased a Players Pure-X model HXT69 19.5 oz 1" Ferrule and 12.75" Kamui Black Layered tip with a Low Deflection Shaft High Tech Ferrule with lightweight Polymer Core M2 Technology Wrap with ebony and silver overlay as my first ever cue. I am looking for a used table in my area as I have the room. Anyways I was wondering if you can let us know the size of the table before each of your matches. Oh I just also subscribed as your commentary is priceless.. Keep up the great work. -=Efrain=-
Love to hear this! Awesome that you got "the bug." The matches on my channel are always played on 7ft tables, with a couple matches on 9ft (i always say when it's a 9ft table). Thanks for subscribing!
Which one? I did pay in a scotch doubles tourney on Saturday but, it wasn't a huge tourney. Your probably talking about the soaring eagle open. I was going to play in that but, ended up flying to Vegas to film content with Venom Trickshots. I missed that tournament, unfortunately
@joedel9337 got a friend in midlothian. Lots of pool players in Texas, for sure. You'll be able to find an apa league. If i get down that way, I'll let ya know!
Hey Josh. When you Snookered yourself behind the 4 ball when you were on the 8. you kicked at the 8 and it ended up scratching. I'm not saying that was the wrong thing to do. I think I probably would have done the same thing too. I would have just tried to hit the 8 of course call a pocket just in case so you can win but also so you don't scratch. The other option is foul on purpose by tying up his balls so his runout is harder. Plus he had 8 balls on the table. I think you could have tied up the 4 with his 6 on the rail. Then at 27:00 you ended up on the 11 or 15 it was on the short rail. Granted you didn't have a great angle to do anything. You missed it because you played the rail first. Here is something that you can practice to help make those shoots it's not easy because it's all in the stroke. what you want to do is use sidespin from 9,8,7 O'Clock on that shot but you want the cue ball to go forward. Use opposite sidespin if the angle is the other way. Practice that when you have angle from a 1/2 ball to 1/2 ,3/4 a diamond width. The object doesn't have to be completely frozen to the rail but close. Practice this with the ball on the short and long rail. you will be surprised at how wide of angle you can get the cue ball to do. Plus depending on how the angle is laid out you can also use this technique to make the shot but hold the the cue ball to rail. That's when it really comes in handy. Like I said this is not easy it's all in the stroke. Anyway you played a good game but like you said you made some bonehead mistakes and that cost you the match. BTW that's what I say when I Fudge up. What a bonehead.
Lol... thanks for the tips man. When i kicked at the 8, it was all or nothing. I've played brian enough to know that he was out if i missed. Tieing up a ball a little tougher on him but, he would have still likely got it. I do play that safety occasionally though!
@@Amateur_Pool BTW that practice shot that I was talking about is called a drag draw shot. That's what the guy who taught me called it. You want the cue ball to go forward. People naturally think when you go low on the ball that you want them to draw the ball. The thing is though you will draw the ball if you stroke it like a draw shot. When I saw the guy shoot that shot. We were playing on a 9ft table and he had a ball on the long rail around the second diamond not quite frozen with angle about a diamond and 1/2 he made it in the corners and the cue stuck to the long rail rolled down and he got position for his next shot that was on the short rail. I saw that I knew I had to learn how to do that.
@@danp6101I think you might have drag shots confused with something else. Drag shots are when you have a lot of distance between the cue and obj ball and it's a way play a slow short follow at distance. Closer you'd play more of a stun
@@AdamMarr No Adam you're getting confused with the name I said it was what the guy called it who taught me the shot. Meaning a Drag Draw shot. This is not the same thing as drag shot or slowing the cue ball with a low hit on the cue ball. It's not a stun hit because that will either make the cue ball stop or slide on the tangent line. Sometimes go forward. what I'm talking about is using Low side spin or side spin to make the cue ball go forward because you want to open up the angle wider than what top spin would do. or kill the angle but still make the cue ball go forward. Although it looks similar to a drag shot but the stroke on shot I'm talking about is completely different.
Yo Josh how long you been in apa and how long did it take to become the highest skill level ? I know everyone’s different I’m just curious because I want to level up im currently a SL5 in 8&9 after two years
So, get your reading glasses out because it's story time...... LOL..... I started playing pool when I was about 21-ish. I played for about 6 years, then I quit playing all together, for 10 years. I never played APA back then. I started back playing again about 6 years ago, which is when I started in the APA. I was a fairly decent shot already when I started so, I shot up to a 5 my first season and went to a 6 in my second or 3rd season. I just went to a 7 last year. I really started improving my game when I made the decision to practice every day (not just hitting balls but, actually focusing on my stroke). Best of luck to you, Homie! Thanks for watching!
you are a good shot maker, just get ahold of that cue ball a little bit and ball selection.. every shot and positional play give yourself the best percentage of getting on the next ball!! great game..
Thank you for watching! I try t keep the language somewhat clean but, sometimes the ol' truckdriver in me comes out.. I apologize in advance if you hear anything in any of my other videos!
81 comments? Geez! Love the camera angle, it’s better, but I know the challenge you face with where to place the camera. I wouldn’t obsess about it though. Your videos are great overall anyway.
I struggle with what happened to you in your backswing myself.. If someone is down and a few strokes into their routine, I err on the side of caution and let them shoot, but every now and then I mess up like he did lol... I treat timeouts the same way when coaching the youngin's 🤣
I would never win against a guy in sandals either. Peoples feet are gross and that would have been a major distraction for me. It was bothering me in the video, LOL.
question for everyone. Speaking for myself. Not critizing anyones play. I cant bring myself to enter a tournament if I know I cant win. I dont think we have apa where I live. I get a few hours practice in once a week. Sometimes only once a month. I have never been able to run out a rack. come very close sometimes. The bar tender at the pool hall, who always sees me just practicing alone. Always trys to get me to sign up for tournaments. I tell her im not good enough. She says neither is she. I want to try it. But cant bring myself to because I might just embarrass myself. So should Injist waist the $15 and have fun and see if I can do anything? Or should I have my skill level up a little first?
This is an EXTREMELY common concern. I can tell you that I've learned a TON from playing tournaments that i can't win. I still plan to play more tourneys like that in the future also. You may feel embarrassed once in a while but, that's mostly in your head. Other people don't care too much if you miss shots.. if you got the money to spare, I'd say go for it
I can't say you won't embarrass yourself, but unless its a major tournament, I can tell you odds are good a lot of the other people that will play in it won't be all that great either lol. And it will give you a good metric on where you are at after playing in it a few times. And the old adage you "get better by playing better players" is probably the best advice anyone can give you. If you think you need to "skill level up" first, well... you'll get a lot better playing against tougher opponents in tourneys than practicing alone, and it will help make your practice sessions more focussed and effective.
When you make your thumbnails, the timestamp covers the title."Skill level 7 vs Skill level 9:42" see what I mean? Shorten your titles, that would be good.
I think it depends on what kind of device you're watching on. I've noticed that before too. I could try moving it a bit, so it's not in the way. Thanks for the insight!
Why can't anyone learn the word "defense " instead if "im gonna try to make that 4 and try to come back and get separation on the 5 maybe. Go back and look you could have hit the 5 and put the queball right on one of those strips and he might not have had a good shot.
Loving the videos Josh. Great angle and great commentary. This is much more relatable as an amateur than watching top tier pro play.
Thank you, Jason!
I first came across your videos earlier this morning whit the 10 amateurs shooting Earl Strickland. Then this one, I like the videos so far. Im a 58 year old guy who at one time was a pretty good shot. Now, after about 10 or 12 years of not playing, Im finding it hard to get back to my old self on the table. I have watched almost all of Efern Reyes videos, and love watching him. But as a guy trying to get back into the game, his videos can be a little intimidating. Watching your videos seem to help me remember the basics and thats what I need. Greatjob, keep it up. I dont know where you are at, Im in Arizona but would like to come across you or someone like you to play. Any way, keep up the videos, Ill keep watchimg, and with any luck Ill get back my game.
Thanks so much, Jeff! I live in Michigan. I also quit playing for almost 10 years. I jumped back into it (head first) about 5-6 years ago.. I did find it hard to get back into stroke at first but, now I'm playing more than I ever did before! I love this game!
Excellent match. Good example of real world. Tough clusters, getting hooked. Getting distracted. Emotions running high on a key ball. Etc.. that teaches us way more than a clean run out.
Excellent cameras angle. And not to criticize. But concider turning down the brightness/gamma a bit. Might be able to identify the balls easier. The yellow 1 and yellow 9 look almost identical at times.
I agree! I was wondering how to adjust for that. I'll play with it a bit. Thank you!
Josh this camera view works well. I enjoy your videos. Watching pro videos with SVB types never missing is okay, but I learn more from your real world stuff. BTW was this match on an eight foot or nine foot table?
Thank you! This was actually a 7ft table.
I definitely agree with you calling the foul on yourself when you tapped the cue ball. We may not get to the level of skill we want in the game but to be honest and have integrity is attainable for all of us. Good on you sir!
I've always believed that. Not just in pool but, in life as well! Thank you sir!
Tuff acting tinactin!! Very funny! Great video!!
Lol... 💥 BOOM 💥... tuff actin tinactin! Thanks Danny d
i’m a skill level 5 and i’m just curious on your preferred break spot. i feel i hit too low and pop it off the table often
It depends on the game. 9 bak i try to hit close to the center of the cue ball. 8 ball i hit a little low and to the side. Check out my pattern play videos for my 8 ball break. I made a separate video on my 9 bak break
Do you use the true wood walnut wrapless? And is it 12.5 or 11.8?
It's the true wood 2 (walnut) with an 11.8 cynergy
I enjoy these games more than watching the pros. Thanks!
My pleasure! Thank you for watching!
Great camera angles on this video Josh. Not in the APA games I'm sure but do you ever play bank the eight? My personal fav bar table game. Be cool to see a video on the game. Play on brother.
I love those bar type games (bank the 8, last pocket, etc). Don't see them played too often in serious pool matches though.. thanks for the support, Robert!
I got back into the 8 ball apa league glad i found your channel keep up the great work and videos 👍
Thank you, gibby!
I have the same cue, I think if it’s the cuetec true wood with walnut.
Yes, it's the True Wood 2, walnut. I really like it
13:01 since it’s open, he could also do the relatively easy 15-5 combo and take solids. Since we thing else is open for solids
Oh never mind. I was mistaking the 9 ball for the cue ball :(
@yes2crypto lol.. i actually watched it before i seen your second comment.. i was thinking, wtf? Lol - appreciate you!
What cue you are using?
Weight,tipp Diameter?
Greetings from Swiss
HEY, SWISS!!! I LOVE your knives, LOL... I'm using a cuetec true wood 2 (walnut) with an 11.8mm tip. The tip is a sniper soft tip. Thanks for watching!
Josh, like many others before me I have messed around shooting 8 ball a couple times a year and have decided to take the sport serious. I purchased a Players Pure-X model HXT69 19.5 oz 1" Ferrule and 12.75" Kamui Black Layered tip with a Low Deflection Shaft High Tech Ferrule with lightweight Polymer Core M2 Technology Wrap with ebony and silver overlay as my first ever cue.
I am looking for a used table in my area as I have the room. Anyways I was wondering if you can let us know the size of the table before each of your matches. Oh I just also subscribed as your commentary is priceless.. Keep up the great work.
-=Efrain=-
Love to hear this! Awesome that you got "the bug." The matches on my channel are always played on 7ft tables, with a couple matches on 9ft (i always say when it's a 9ft table). Thanks for subscribing!
Did you play in last weekend’s tournament in Michigan
Which one? I did pay in a scotch doubles tourney on Saturday but, it wasn't a huge tourney. Your probably talking about the soaring eagle open. I was going to play in that but, ended up flying to Vegas to film content with Venom Trickshots. I missed that tournament, unfortunately
You ever come shoot pool down in Texas?
Got some friends in the d/fw area. Haven't been down that way yet but, I'm sure i will. Lots of great players in TX
How do I join an apa league. I’m new and I go to pool halls after work for practice but I wanna join a club or a league just something
I think you can visit the apa website (poolplayers.com) and find the league operator in your area. You should be able to sign up that way.
@@Amateur_Poolthanks man I’ll check it out. I’ll seee you one day bro 😎
@@T3ARx i hope so... what area are you in?
@@Amateur_Pool I’m in Dallas Texas
@joedel9337 got a friend in midlothian. Lots of pool players in Texas, for sure. You'll be able to find an apa league. If i get down that way, I'll let ya know!
Hey Josh. When you Snookered yourself behind the 4 ball when you were on the 8.
you kicked at the 8 and it ended up scratching. I'm not saying that was the wrong thing to do. I think I probably would have done the same thing too.
I would have just tried to hit the 8 of course call a pocket just in case so you can win but also so you don't scratch.
The other option is foul on purpose by tying up his balls so his runout is harder. Plus he had 8 balls on the table. I think you could have tied up the 4 with his 6 on the rail.
Then at 27:00 you ended up on the 11 or 15 it was on the short rail.
Granted you didn't have a great angle to do anything. You missed it because you played the rail first.
Here is something that you can practice to help make those shoots it's not easy because it's all in the stroke.
what you want to do is use sidespin from 9,8,7 O'Clock on that shot but you want the cue ball to go forward.
Use opposite sidespin if the angle is the other way.
Practice that when you have angle from a 1/2 ball to 1/2 ,3/4 a diamond width.
The object doesn't have to be completely frozen to the rail but close.
Practice this with the ball on the short and long rail.
you will be surprised at how wide of angle you can get the cue ball to do.
Plus depending on how the angle is laid out you can also use this technique to make the shot but hold the the cue ball to rail.
That's when it really comes in handy.
Like I said this is not easy it's all in the stroke.
Anyway you played a good game but like you said you made some bonehead mistakes and that cost you the match.
BTW that's what I say when I Fudge up. What a bonehead.
Lol... thanks for the tips man. When i kicked at the 8, it was all or nothing. I've played brian enough to know that he was out if i missed. Tieing up a ball a little tougher on him but, he would have still likely got it. I do play that safety occasionally though!
@@Amateur_Pool
BTW that practice shot that I was talking about is called a drag draw shot.
That's what the guy who taught me called it.
You want the cue ball to go forward.
People naturally think when you go low on the ball that you want them to draw the ball.
The thing is though you will draw the ball if you stroke it like a draw shot.
When I saw the guy shoot that shot.
We were playing on a 9ft table and he had a ball on the long rail around the second diamond not quite frozen with angle about a diamond and 1/2 he made it in the corners and the cue stuck to the long rail rolled down and he got position for his next shot that was on the short rail. I saw that I knew I had to learn how to do that.
@danp6101 thank you.. i am familiar with the drag shot
@@danp6101I think you might have drag shots confused with something else. Drag shots are when you have a lot of distance between the cue and obj ball and it's a way play a slow short follow at distance. Closer you'd play more of a stun
@@AdamMarr
No Adam you're getting confused with the
name I said it was what the guy called it who taught me the shot.
Meaning a Drag Draw shot.
This is not the same thing as drag shot or slowing the cue ball with a low hit on the cue ball.
It's not a stun hit because that will either make the cue ball stop or slide on the tangent line.
Sometimes go forward.
what I'm talking about is using Low side spin or side spin to make the cue ball go forward because you want to open up the angle wider than what top spin would do.
or kill the angle but still make the cue ball go forward.
Although it looks similar to a drag shot but
the stroke on shot I'm talking about is completely different.
Yo Josh how long you been in apa and how long did it take to become the highest skill level ? I know everyone’s different I’m just curious because I want to level up im currently a SL5 in 8&9 after two years
So, get your reading glasses out because it's story time...... LOL..... I started playing pool when I was about 21-ish. I played for about 6 years, then I quit playing all together, for 10 years. I never played APA back then. I started back playing again about 6 years ago, which is when I started in the APA. I was a fairly decent shot already when I started so, I shot up to a 5 my first season and went to a 6 in my second or 3rd season. I just went to a 7 last year. I really started improving my game when I made the decision to practice every day (not just hitting balls but, actually focusing on my stroke). Best of luck to you, Homie! Thanks for watching!
you are a good shot maker, just get ahold of that cue ball a little bit and ball selection.. every shot and positional play give yourself the best percentage of getting on the next ball!! great game..
Thanks, Chelsea! I appreciate the input. I'm always trying to get better.. it's a journey, for sure!
I just want to say one thing..."God made so many perfect heads, He put hair on the rest". LOL Seen that on a hat years ago.
Lol, love it!!
Why didn't he take ball in hand at 17:57 , after you hit the 5 with your cue, and did you notice he touched the black when when the shot after tuat
I did notice that but, apa is cue ball foul only. It's not a foul to hit another ball with your stick.
@wesleyjoseph6413 not just APA, with a few exceptions, (and ignoring pro tournys with refs) most events will be cue ball fouls only honestly.
Oh, I've learnt something new, thank you,
Camera set up was nice! Great shooting fellas 👏
Thank you sir!
1ST TIME WATCHING. SUBSCRIBED TO THE CHANNEL. LOVE THE COMMENTARY AS A PART TIME PLAYER. 😊😊😊😊😊
Awesome! Thank you Nancy
Nice match Josh! Definitely should've been yours! Keep up the good work! Camera angle was great!
Thanks man! I'll try to get this angle more often, when it's available
Yeah he played good but bad mistake on the 1 at the end.
I like your videos alot though, thanks man. 😀
Thank YOU! i make them because you, and other people, watch them!
bro i hate when i tap the q ball like that too lol
It's the WORST! lol
Nice. I play a little pool. Thanks for keeping the language clean.
Thank you for watching! I try t keep the language somewhat clean but, sometimes the ol' truckdriver in me comes out.. I apologize in advance if you hear anything in any of my other videos!
81 comments? Geez! Love the camera angle, it’s better, but I know the challenge you face with where to place the camera. I wouldn’t obsess about it though. Your videos are great overall anyway.
Thank you sir!
Gotta love living in FL. It's always sandal season
For sure! Def NOT the case, here in Michigan, lol
I struggle with what happened to you in your backswing myself.. If someone is down and a few strokes into their routine, I err on the side of caution and let them shoot, but every now and then I mess up like he did lol... I treat timeouts the same way when coaching the youngin's 🤣
Same here.. I've missed a few time out opportunities because i didn't want to stop them while they were down on the shot
@@Amateur_Pool yep, being the timeout queen I am, I feel you 😅 - love the content, Josh! Keep it coming!
@raelynnclinard2915 thank you!
U really not serious. Findlay, little hick town 😂😂😂 Come to COLUMBUS big daddy 😂😂😂
Are you stuck on repeat? This is the same, trolling, comment you made twice
I found myself rooting for the bald guy in the orange shirt.
Lmao 🤣
I would never win against a guy in sandals either. Peoples feet are gross and that would have been a major distraction for me. It was bothering me in the video, LOL.
Lmaooooo... too funny
question for everyone. Speaking for myself. Not critizing anyones play.
I cant bring myself to enter a tournament if I know I cant win. I dont think we have apa where I live. I get a few hours practice in once a week. Sometimes only once a month. I have never been able to run out a rack. come very close sometimes. The bar tender at the pool hall, who always sees me just practicing alone. Always trys to get me to sign up for tournaments. I tell her im not good enough. She says neither is she. I want to try it. But cant bring myself to because I might just embarrass myself. So should Injist waist the $15 and have fun and see if I can do anything? Or should I have my skill level up a little first?
This is an EXTREMELY common concern. I can tell you that I've learned a TON from playing tournaments that i can't win. I still plan to play more tourneys like that in the future also. You may feel embarrassed once in a while but, that's mostly in your head. Other people don't care too much if you miss shots.. if you got the money to spare, I'd say go for it
I can't say you won't embarrass yourself, but unless its a major tournament, I can tell you odds are good a lot of the other people that will play in it won't be all that great either lol. And it will give you a good metric on where you are at after playing in it a few times. And the old adage you "get better by playing better players" is probably the best advice anyone can give you. If you think you need to "skill level up" first, well... you'll get a lot better playing against tougher opponents in tourneys than practicing alone, and it will help make your practice sessions more focussed and effective.
If you also want to skill level up, then taking some lessons would help tremendously.
Just go ahead and try ..bet you will do better than expected..
As you stated it pays to be honest! Nice video!
Thanks Matt! Appreciate the support
@@Amateur_Pool No thanks needed you earned my compliment. I did forget to mention both of you fellows shoot a mean stick of pool!
The percentages say the first person to try to run out on bar box 8 ball only wins about 60% of the time.
Interesting !
You know I'm okay with part of the commentary but there are times where I like to hear someone else you know any other channels
For sure! There's plenty of others out there
Another sandal wearin pool man
LOL, yup! :)
In the Phillipines it's seems to be their attire. I'll stick with sneakers.
@@JohnBowl14690 i guess if you're in a tropical environment, it makes sense. I just can't get down with playing pool in em'
Looks good
Thanks!
I get seasick in a bath, so the slight rocking from this camera makes the first 5 minutes unwatchable for me.
FYI
ya, I saw that. I need to get it set up earlier so it's done moving. Thanks man!
It's not sharked on accident. Sharked "by" accident.
Tanks fer da Englisch Losson :)
When you make your thumbnails, the timestamp covers the title."Skill level 7 vs Skill level 9:42" see what I mean? Shorten your titles, that would be good.
I think it depends on what kind of device you're watching on. I've noticed that before too. I could try moving it a bit, so it's not in the way. Thanks for the insight!
I feel for you brother. You are snake bit.
I like this view.
😍
Why can't anyone learn the word "defense " instead if "im gonna try to make that 4 and try to come back and get separation on the 5 maybe. Go back and look you could have hit the 5 and put the queball right on one of those strips and he might not have had a good shot.
@@stevefinheadzlureco8525 for sure.. I definitely wish that I played the right way all the time