The Art of English in Billiards

2/2/2009 7:42:36 AM

I wrote a blog on using english in billiards...

sundownr1.blogspot.com

I would like to think this blog contains valuable information for billiard players.

8ball on 2/2/2009 8:30:56 AM
Good blog on the use of english. The only thing I would add is that in 3 cushion billiards it's important to learn to stroke a dead ball shot (no english) understanding that even dead ball shots will pick up some table english as it comes off the rails at an angle. Admittedly this is difficult and takes a lot of practice and patience but it really comes in handy. A good exercise to improve your ability to shoot a dead ball is to place the cue ball on the head spot and shoot it directly down table striking the middle diamond on the foot rail and try to bring it straight back to the head spot - or at least on that line. It is very difficult to do because, as you accurately point out, it is difficult to (1) stroke the exact center of the ball and (2) maintain a cue stroke precisely parallel to the plane of the table and the side rails. But with some practice it will be there. As I said, this stroke is more often used in 3 cushion but it also is very important in pocket pool games where you want to bank the cue ball, let's say, from one corner pocket off the center diamond of the foot or head rail to pocket a ball sitting in front of the opposite corner pocket. Using english this shot is much more difficult unless you have a fairly clear table and you use one of the diamond systems to shoot a 3 rail natural (3-2-2). I think to be truly competent in any billiards game it's important to be very comfortable shooting dead ball shots. Again, good blog.

sundownr on 2/2/2009 5:48:12 PM
Thanks for the compliment 8ball. I am a poor 3 cushion player. After 50 years of nine ball and slamming balls around I doubt if I could handle a dead ball shot. The fact is I can not shoot without using english. I guess old habits die hard. My best game is golf on a snooker table but it is hard to find a game anymore.

sundownr

8ball on 2/2/2009 10:03:41 PM
Don't be so modest. Most pool shooters use english of some type 95% of the time and so do I. But if you've played for 50 years I'll bet you shoot dead ball shots more often than you think without even giving it any thought. Hey, I've met guys like you. They ask, how do you play this game and the next thing I know my wallet's empty. Didn't we play nine ball once in 1963 at the Casino in Harrisburg, PA? Probably not, but those were the days.