Tip Of The Week

Number: 39 Jim Tellier March 2012

TOPIC: Play to the Long Side

CATEGORY: Intermediate to Advanced

INTRODUCTION:

Youre shooting at a ball. Your next ball is down at the far end of the table. Chances are, its closer to one pocket than the other. Playing position to the Long Side means that you are trying to put the cue ball in the zone that is the largest, i.e. the one that gives you more room to work the cue ball on that next shot. Most of the time, it will be to your advantage to think about this, to see if you can take advantage of that wide open space to get position on the bal after the next one. There are times when you must play position to the short side for the next shot, but in general, its worth making a conscious decision to go for the long side shape.

TECHNIQUE:

Put a ball at one end of the table, and set up a cut shot that you can use to get the cue ball down to the other end of the table. Use varying amounts of left or right English with a touch of follow on the cue ball and observe the results. Vary the position of the first object ball and repeat the same shot over and over. Its important here to change only one variable at a time: the first OB position, the CB position, or the type/amount of English applied. Speed is also important, but by keeping the cut angle as constant as possible when you are doing these trials, you can get a feel for how just the English behaves by itself. There are no perfect formula systems for positioning the CB in these kinds of shots; only the general principles, because even the small handful of variables involved translates into something that must simply be learned by experience and practice.

It should be obvious why you want to play the position of the CB to be on the long side, but Ill state it anyway, in simple terms: It will give you an easier shot, and one that allows more flexibility in planning the next shot after that, most of the time. Think about it: when you end up on the short side of the OB, you have less room to work, and the cut angle you are faced with may be steep, meaning that youll send the CB off into unknown territory. Having more room to work is usually better.

Theres always a lot of information on Dr. Daves site:www.billiards.colostate.edu

Capn Carom

May your Next Shot be on the 8-ball!