Playing League again .. whoopee!

is, “win this match.” If you are alone at a table though, without an opponent you repeat the same shot using different spin to see different results. That will help to understand how the left or right spin comes off a rail and moves the cue ball in a direction for position. You can practice that same shot over and over for as long as you need to perfect it. It is the same when you practice different cut angles over and over, you become better at those cut angles.

Ever play the ghost? It is a simple game that you play against yourself. When you miss it is the ghost’s turn, after the next miss it is your turn again. I know, it isn’t as much fun as winning against someone else. It will allow you, though, to reset a ball as many times as you need in order to learn how to make it nearly every time. The repetition of making the same shot over and over will increase your skill with a variety of shots. For example, play a particular bank shot that you see come up often, replaying it until you increase your skill level in making the ball go down, then, be more confident when it comes up in a match.

J.B. reminds us that the difference in equally good players may be the player that can just shoot the most effective safety. When was the last time we practiced a safety shot or in a match attempted or watched a safety played, that was hit too hard and failed to get safe? They are not glamorous to practice. When was the last game an opponent, by design or accident blocked a clean shot on a ball, or worse, even from hitting an object ball that cost a match? It is at those moments that the intentional or accidental safety suddenly becomes so very important. Would it be wise to practice the safety shot? Would it be wise to practice hitting our object ball that is hidden behind another ball? Of course, we might agree it might be wise to practice those shots, but how often have we done so?

The stop or stun shot is when you hit the object ball and the cue ball stops the moment it strikes the object ball or with an angle travels along that Tangent line. The stop or stun shot is considered one of the most if not the most important shot to master. How often do we practice this shot? Is that because we have already mastered the stop shot? I have a doubt. When was the last time we practiced the break shot? The break is the most important shot in a 9-ball match and the second most important shot in 8-ball. Why don’t we practice them? I dunno, maybe because practice can be so boring?

“Perfect Practice,” was Hugh’s refrain, he didn’t believe hitting balls around was really practicing. Hugh would practice specific shots that would come up in a match. Hugh was one of the best in our league for years, and believed in regular concentrated practice. Contact me at mcbohanon@gmail.com.