tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55312335323285188702024-03-13T21:05:19.249-07:00Trick Shot TimThe official blog of world ranked pool and billiards trick shot artist Tim Chin!www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-83732691392704736622015-01-20T13:59:00.001-08:002015-01-20T13:59:50.946-08:00League Night, MLK DayLeague last night went poorly again. I went 1-3 and the team lost 2-8. Two of the racks I lost were from breaking dry and my opponent running the table. Guess I need to work on my break shot. The other game I lost had a tactical endgame. I was faced with the following layout as stripes, with cue ball in hand.<span id="goog_1547340135"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN-4uED_V9euNjcZlTv1oTXUwoMuW7ULRfe3F3-Y2iE_iZ6PJ2UJmjo9XwnzXr-CUO-tNBGhPsBZM3eiXwBb1aXC67zBWef39E6Sb78qdFaI5iASJ3STfaL-agrDVpar8c52qO5PlSwE/s1600/vnea-150119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN-4uED_V9euNjcZlTv1oTXUwoMuW7ULRfe3F3-Y2iE_iZ6PJ2UJmjo9XwnzXr-CUO-tNBGhPsBZM3eiXwBb1aXC67zBWef39E6Sb78qdFaI5iASJ3STfaL-agrDVpar8c52qO5PlSwE/s1600/vnea-150119.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUN-4uED_V9euNjcZlTv1oTXUwoMuW7ULRfe3F3-Y2iE_iZ6PJ2UJmjo9XwnzXr-CUO-tNBGhPsBZM3eiXwBb1aXC67zBWef39E6Sb78qdFaI5iASJ3STfaL-agrDVpar8c52qO5PlSwE/s1600/vnea-150119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></a></div>
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The aggressive option would be to pocket the 12 and try to carom off the 13, making the 3 and hoping you still have a play on the 13. I ended up taking the safe route, contacting the 13, pocketing the 3, and running the cue ball up table. A few back-and-forth safeties later, and my opponent came with a long bank on the 7 and won the game.</div>
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I suppose the ultra aggressive play would've been to play straight into the 13-3 with draw, squeezing the 13 into the corner and likely leaving a shot on the 12, but I didn't think about that until I got home.</div>
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<span id="goog_1547340134"></span>www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-80461153905348058292014-12-08T22:11:00.000-08:002014-12-15T12:14:20.742-08:00VNEA League Week 4This was my second week playing in the VNEA bar box 8 ball league since I missed the first two weeks. It's still a little weird playing four games, one game at a time, but at least it makes for shorter nights than other formats. I made a crucial mistake in one my matches because I didn't realize how easily the side pockets accepted balls. You can fire them in from sharp angles and they'll still go down. I ended up trying to slow roll a ball and ended up scratching giving up that game.<br /><br />
In the last game of the night, for me and my team, I ended up with ball in hand in the following situation (I had stripes):<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSOZo0h77nacQbbllxlFCI8iHwT_lZoBhQmCdAzLVDEBCmYQfSIpC3PI3mHFP1SgLe_5GB_ExXjELl9d9kZMqD2ci71HEREhoo3g8M4Fx77NWPvWe4mXzWJTlDTzXFpyROO5zDYFA0h0/s1600/141208-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSOZo0h77nacQbbllxlFCI8iHwT_lZoBhQmCdAzLVDEBCmYQfSIpC3PI3mHFP1SgLe_5GB_ExXjELl9d9kZMqD2ci71HEREhoo3g8M4Fx77NWPvWe4mXzWJTlDTzXFpyROO5zDYFA0h0/s200/141208-1.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a>
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I'm sure I didn't pick through all of my options all that well, but I ended up shooting this:<br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7Fy-R8OREjpIavi2gMzuUlwOTv44x6WPzABZJ7bpZipZ-vozK2IjguCUx_8ZWn4DMb9ha7ft4zyh3zfy6z3ndoqpnPJmi19Fs01OViXisX6i1LxuHTrL6bQUTeNrE1TiDx7-wDdjrog/s1600/141208-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7Fy-R8OREjpIavi2gMzuUlwOTv44x6WPzABZJ7bpZipZ-vozK2IjguCUx_8ZWn4DMb9ha7ft4zyh3zfy6z3ndoqpnPJmi19Fs01OViXisX6i1LxuHTrL6bQUTeNrE1TiDx7-wDdjrog/s200/141208-2.jpg" height="198" width="320" /></a>
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Just to get the 13 out of there and leaving the 8 covered up. I ended up leaving a long 1 rail kick, but my opponent missed, and after I dogged a few more shots, he also missed the 1 rail kick a few more times before I finally got out.<br /><br />
Anyways, I ended up winning 3 of my games and losing 1. Realistically, I should have gone 2-2 since one of my opponent's slow rolled the 8 ball which was on a direct line for the corner pocket, but ended up not hitting a rail giving me ball in hand with only one my balls still up. The team won 10-0 again. My captain thinks he'll bump my handicap up though, so that might change things.<br />
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www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-91627234109340847582014-10-09T21:17:00.000-07:002014-10-10T20:47:20.369-07:00Trick Shot Magic 2014ESPN's Trick Shot Magic took place on October 9, 2014 at Harrah's Resort in San Diego, CA. A four-man field battled out for supremacy including Florian Kohler, Nick Nikolaidas, Andy Segal, and Gabi Visoiu. This was reduced from the typical eight man tournament, but there was no shortage of action.
<p>In the first semifinal, Andy "The Magic Man" Segal took on Nick "Quick Nick" Nikolaidas. They share 5 WPA World Championships between them, including the last 4 in a row, so the heat was on from the get go. The tight match ended 8-8 and went to a sudden death tiebreaker featuring an 9 rail bank on to a hundred dollar bill. Segal got inches closer for the victory and a spot in the finals!
<p>In the second semifinal, two of Europe's finest (and World Cup teammates) took battle with Gabi "Mr. Perfect" Visoiu taking on Florian "Venom" Kohler. The match started out tight and was 5-5 by the midway point. Kohler then started to pull away in the second half of the match to take a 10-7 victory!
<p>With Segal and Kohler in the finals, everyone was on the edge of their seats! Segal though took an early lead and while Kohler fought valiantly, he never closed the gap completely and Segal took a 9-7 victory to claim his fourth Trick Shot Magic championship in a row!
<p>The 2014 Trick Shot Magic will be airing on the ESPN networks on December 28<strike>sometime in November</strike>. Stay tuned for future updates!www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-63314644934241380512014-01-28T16:07:00.002-08:002014-01-28T16:07:38.753-08:00How To Do Trick ShotsIn December, Dr. Cue held Artistic Cup 7 in Florida, the first one on 9-ft pool tables, featuring a <a href="http://www.artisticpoolplayers.com/shot_programs/ArtisticCup2011.pdf">beginner-friendly shot program</a>. While I was unable to attend, I put together <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXgr7hyoitY">these video walkthroughs and tutorials</a> so other players could see how I shoot each shot and perhaps help them out in the competition. If anyone is interested in playing in tournaments, this is a great place to start. So <a href="http://www.artisticpoolplayers.com/shot_programs/ArtisticCup2011.pdf">download the program</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXgr7hyoitY">watch the videos</a> on a non-mobile device to see the overlays and click through all of the shots to get some expert tips and advice!www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-38881942118651813172013-06-18T17:12:00.000-07:002013-06-18T17:12:23.381-07:00Why you want the worst(ed) cloth<p>In my previous post, I discussed the technical differences between <a href="http://blog.trickshottim.com/2013/06/pool-table-felt-or-cloth.html">pool table felt and cloth</a>. For recreational players, the biggest choice is what color cloth to get while paying as little as possible. Why should you pay for more expensive cloth? Let's go over what makes one cloth better than the next.</p>
<p>First of all, it's important to consider what kind of qualities you want in a cloth. It should be consistent over the entire bed of the table, obviously, but how much do you care about characteristics like durability and stain resistance or more technical features such as speed? Some of the answers will depend on the environment your table is being used (indoor, outdoor, commercial, tournaments), how much use it will get, and what kind of players will be playing on it.</p>
<p>Cheaper cloth will often be made of napped wool. It looks and feels fuzzier. On other hand, more expensive cloth is made of worsted wool, so it feels smoother. You can think of napped wool as what is used for sweaters and worsted wool as what is used for expensive suits. The cloth is rarely pure wool; it's generally blended with 10-30% of nylon helping with strength and durability. The nap can lead to an uneven playing surface as well as wearing out differently over time. Worsted wool, on the other hand, will play more consistently both in terms of across the whole surface as well as over time.</p>
<p>Touching on durability, the fuzziness of the cloth can pill up and pulling these out can damage the fibers. This is more difficult, if not impossible, with worsted wool. But the other thing you have to look for is the weight of the cloth. The greater the weight, the more material there is per unit area. This should make the cloth more durable as well.</p>
<p>The weight can also contribute to the stain resistance of the cloth. The more tightly woven the fibers are, the more difficult it will be for the cloth to absorb liquids. The nap will generally help absorb liquid. You can also get cloth that is coated in Teflon to help repel stains.</p>
<p>As you might imagine by now, napped wool will play slower than worsted wool due to increased friction from the nap. This requires you to put in more effort to play a faster shot and to put the same amount of spin on the cue ball. Also the nap will 'take' the spin faster if you can generate it. On a worsted wool, the cue ball will have a tendency to slide more before the spin grabs the cloth and changes the trajectory of the cue ball. This can affect your cue ball control.</p>
<p>Making an investment in a worsted wool cloth is important if you want to have the highest standard of play. It will generally play faster, more evenly, and last longer than a napped wool. It will be more expensive in the beginning, but it will pay for itself and give you more enjoyment for the game.</p>www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-83586220193562477722013-06-11T15:15:00.000-07:002013-06-11T15:16:58.781-07:00Pool table felt or cloth?The fabric that covers the pool table bed is often referred to as felt or cloth. Most people don't care which one you say, but there are those out there that are passionate about it much like a grammar snob. In the latter case, they always prefer cloth. Let's take a look at why.<br />
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Felt, in textile terms, is generally defined as fabric that is made from pressing fibers together. What this means is the fibers aren't interwoven and, with enough work, you can pick and tear individual fibers out. Also, if you try to stretch felt, such as needed when covering a pool table, it should fray and separate.<br />
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Cloth, on the other hand, is a woven fabric, meaning all of the fibers are intertwined and run from one end to the other. It is difficult to pull individual fibers apart from the weave and you can stretch cloth without tearing since you're pulling on the entire length of a fiber.<br />
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One of the more reputable brands of cloth out there is<a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-3336806-10565497?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pooldawg.com%2Fproduct%2Fsimonis-860hr-high-resistance-pool-table-cloth-8-foot&cjsku=CLSHR8" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.pooldawg.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;">
Simonis</a><img src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/image-3336806-10565497" width="1" height="1" border="0"/>. You can certainly go cheaper, such as with <a href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-3336806-10565497?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pooldawg.com%2Fproduct%2Fmercury-ultra-tournament-pool-table-cloth-8-foot&cjsku=CLMU8" target="_top">
Mercury Ultra</a><img src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/image-3336806-10565497" width="1" height="1" border="0"/>, if you're not that much of an enthusiast. As far as what to call it though, cloth is technically correct. However, you'll see felt used all over the place since it's used more often, especially by people who don't know or don't care about the technical differences.
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<br />www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-38094885243920399432013-06-05T10:01:00.002-07:002013-06-05T10:01:36.806-07:00The Myth of the Trick Shot ArtistThis may be one of the best kept secrets. When people see me shooting trick shots, they automatically assume I'm a great pool player as well. While I can generally hold my own, I'm generally not a threat to run racks on a consistent basis. Most people would assume that you have to be a great pool player first and then you can become good at trick shots. That's not really accurate. There are other examples of this as well, <a href="http://www.venomtrickshots.com/">Florian 'Venom' Kohler</a> and <a href="http://www.stevemarklepool.com/">Steve 'Triple C' Markle</a> mastered trick shots well before honing their 8 ball or 9 ball games.<div>
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Certainly, being good at pool already will quicken the learning curve for trick shots, but there is more to it than that. Most good pool players will have a decent stroke, good aiming, and can control the cue ball. To be a great trick shot artist, it takes a monster stroke, ability to make fine adjustments, and coordination (think speed shots or one-handed shots). One of the biggest weaknesses in my pool game is the ability to control the cue ball. I tend to overhit it because I'm used to juicing it up so much for trick shots.</div>
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So, next time you see a trick shot artist, don't be so quick to assume they're great at pool. There are a fair number that made the crossover from typical pool to trick shots, but there are plenty of others that became trick shot specialists without developing their general game.</div>
www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-65882688403932104372013-05-25T15:11:00.000-07:002013-05-25T15:11:07.634-07:00Great Trick ShotsI've seen plenty of trick shot videos on the internet, from professional pool players to aspiring amateurs to friends just having fun. The range of shots on display is immense, but there are only a few that end up catching my eye as interesting and elegant. I want to explain what makes a good trick shot from my point of view. Trick shots, or <a href="http://blog.trickshottim.com/2013/04/artistic-pool.html">artistic pool</a>, is certainly a form of art and its beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so what I think is an interesting trick shot may not be so fascinating for others.<br />
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1. Creativity<br />
There are hundreds of standard trick shots. Books are filled with them and often you can see the same ones all over the internet. This makes the original creations stand out. Even finding minor ways to tweak the classics can be refreshing. What's really impressive is when someone finds a new setup shot, arranging three or more balls in a cluster and making them all in one shot. I was quite proud of inventing <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/y_not">Y Not</a>. Creativity can also be evident on the other end of the spectrum too, if you can make the cue ball dance in ways no one has done before.<br />
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2. Simplicity<br />
Some of the best trick shots are the simplest ones. Anyone can create a random trick shot using an esoteric prop that only they have, but it takes real genius to come up with something so simple that no one else has thought about it beforehand. Take something like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GA3ySz4el4">Gene Catron's domino trick shot</a>, it's probably the most complicated shot ever set up. And while it's impressive for what it is, it's not worth anyone's time to try to repeat it.<br />
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3. Repeatability<br />
The more you practice a shot, the more you should make it. While a shot you can make one in a million tries certainly has a 'wow' factor, if you can't repeat it, I almost think it's not worth doing. And if no one else can do it either, it's soon to be forgotten.<br />
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4. Skill<br />
I was debating whether or not to even include this on the list. There are certainly amazing trick shots that don't require any more skill than being able to shoot straight. But there are also shots that involve stretching your skills to the absolute limits, much farther than you would ever need if you only played typical pool games. Seeing what's possible with how much spin you can put on the cue ball or what you can do with a monster stroke pushes this sport to its boundaries.<br />
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These are some of the aspects that I recognize in great trick shots, but there are certainly others. I like to put shots on my site that I can do more than once and that I can teach others to do as well. If you have a shot you think I might like, leave a link in the comments!www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-59806994411994162572013-05-21T17:23:00.001-07:002013-05-21T17:23:37.242-07:00Las Vegas Trick Shot SceneAs many have found out by now, I recently moved to Las Vegas, NV. In theory, this sounds great for my pool career. Smoking and gambling are prevalent here, which are two activities most pool players engage in (unfortunately, not myself), so there should be a large built in audience. There are quite a few pool halls in the area supporting the assumption that the number of pool players is high. In addition, most of the national leagues hold there championships here throughout the year which only adds to the number of pool players here. Finally, Las Vegas is a destination town with plenty of parties, so there should be more opportunities for gigs.<br />
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Admittedly, I haven't leveraged my position here to its full potential, but there are other factors in play. First of all, there are actually a number of trick shots artists in the area including Ken 'Sarge' Aylesworth, Stefano Pelinga, and Jamison Neu. Recently, Jason Kane also moved here. Not to mention, many pros are moving here at least semi-permanently with the advent of <a href="http://www.wpbltv.com/">Bonus Ball</a>. This obviously increases the competition on my end.<br />
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What's perhaps most aggravating at this point is that I live near <a href="http://www.vegasexperience.com/">Fremont Street Experience</a> with poor practice options within walking distance. This limits my practice time and quality of practice, which definitely showed during the 2013 Masters Trick Shot Championship.<br />
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First off is <a href="http://www.drinkanddrag.com/index.php">Drink and Drag</a>. I don't mind that it sells itself as a gay bar or that it's staffed by drag queens. At least this place has 9-ft tables and Brunswick's at that. Pool's $1/hr up until 9pm too! That's about where all of the advantages end though. The cloth on the tables is super slow and some of the rails play funky, not quite dead, but not true either. Being a club, it doesn't open until 6pm and they like to keep the lights low. Even the table lights aren't super bright. Making it worse is that there are disco lights above which flash bright spots intermittently on the table while you're shooting which is a huge distraction. Even when I go when it opens and there's no one else there, it's tough to see anything.<br />
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Around the time I moved here, <a href="http://www.backstagebarandbilliards.com/">Backstage Bar and Billiards</a> opened up about a block away from my apartment. The big plus is they have Diamond tables with Simonis cloth. They are 7-fters though and they still charge $10/hr, which is probably a more typical rate among pool halls. But, also being a club, they don't open until 6pm, the lighting sucks (the lights over the table are blue), and it's super loud.<br />
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Just this past weekend, the <a href="http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2013/5/21/153339/986/vegas-travel/You+Really+Need+To+Take+A+Look+At+The+New+Gold+Spike">Gold Spike</a> held a grand re-opening, repositioning itself as a bar/lounge instead of a casino. They put in two 7-ft, coin-operated pool tables. I didn't even bother checking the brand. At least the lighting was decent and the place will be open 24/7.<br />
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While downtown Las Vegas may be undergoing a <a href="http://downtownproject.com/">revival</a>, they missed out on the pool scene. It's too bad I have to get out of the neighborhood to find a good place to practice because it's otherwise pretty nice here. I just hope I can get enough practice in to make a good showing at the <a href="http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/index.asp?id=25&pagetype=event_details&eventid=167">2013 WPA World Artistic Pool Championships</a>.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-91913351119796907672013-05-18T18:42:00.002-07:002013-05-18T18:42:27.373-07:00Tapping BallsIf you've ever seen a trick shot exhibition or tournament, you've undoubtedly witnessed the performer hitting one pool ball on top of another. We call this tapping the balls. What it does is create a little divot in the pool table felt for the ball to rest in. As a trick shot artist, this is an important skill to learn to do correctly, and it can help you out in a number of ways.<br />
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Whenever I do a show, inevitably, someone in the audience always asks why I need to tap the balls. The main reason is so that the pool ball stays exactly where I want it. It's not half an inch to one side or the other.<br />
Older, well-worn tables have divots or other irregularities in the pool table cloth already. This can make setting up a trick shot difficult as the balls will tend to roll one way or another. By creating new divots, the balls end up where I need them to be.<br />
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This is particularly important for <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php?cat=Trick/Fancy">artistic setup shots</a> where a number of balls are set up in a cluster. These shots typically don't work if there are gaps between the balls. By tapping the balls in place, I can ensure that these balls are in the right place and that they are all touching. There are <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/whip_massacre/">shots where the gap between balls needs to be precise </a>as well, and tapping helps with that.<br />
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If the balls are tapped in well, you can usually find these divots again. When I'm doing exhibitions, I'll usually try to show up early to a venue and tap in a number of shots beforehand. During the exhibition, this makes setup of the shots faster and easier as they seem to just roll in to place. It also makes trick shots look effortless, but the audience didn't see the work I put in beforehand.<br />
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When I'm practicing, tapping the balls is helpful so I can set up the shot again in the exact same way. I can try different spins and speeds or other adjustments and see what effect they have on the shot. On the flip side, if I tap the balls in and miss, I can also set it up again and, if I know one of the balls missed to the left of the pocket, I can adjust it slightly to the right and make a new divot. It's certainly possible to have too many divots in a certain area which can get confusing.<br />
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In tournaments, if I'm shooting a shot someone else has made, sometimes I can find their divots. Then I usually don't have to worry about if my setup is correct. It's tougher if I'm the first guy up. In a head-to-head match, the other option is to make as many divots as possible so my opponent doesn't know which one I've used. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it's not. It depends how difficult the shot is otherwise.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-2464202426242613912013-04-30T16:48:00.001-07:002013-05-03T10:19:48.083-07:00Artistic PoolArtistic Pool, as far as I can tell, is a term coined by <a href="http://www.drcuepromotions.com/">Tom "Dr. Cue" Rossman</a> that encompasses the competitive aspect of "trick shots". It is governed internationally by the World Pool-Billiard Association - Artistic Pool Division (WPA-APD). It is defined by eight disciplines:<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php?cat=trick/fancy">Trick/Fancy</a><br />
2. <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php?cat=prop/novelty">Special Arts</a><br />
3. <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php?cat=draw">Draw</a><br />
4. <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php?cat=follow">Follow</a><br />
5. <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php?cat=bank/kick">Bank/Kick</a><br />
6. <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php?cat=stroke">Stroke</a><br />
7. <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php?cat=jump">Jump</a><br />
8. <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php?cat=masse">Masse</a><br />
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While there are <a href="http://artisticpool.org/game/disciplines.html">technical definitions</a> for each of these disciplines, there are shots that are interdisciplinary, demonstrating skills and characteristics across two or more of these. Interestingly, using these definitions, the term "trick shots" only applies to the first discipline and typically covers setup shots with multiple ball configurations. Hence, Dr. Cue will use the phrase "Trick shots and so much more" as a tagline for Artistic Pool. Oddly, the North American governing body is called the <a href="http://www.aptsa.us/">Artistic Pool and Trick Shot Association</a>, implying they are separate entities.<br />
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Confusingly, the two of the most popular events of this nature have been titled <a href="http://www.trickshotmagicinternational.com/">Trick Shot Magic</a> and the <a href="http://www.trickshotworldcup.com/">World Cup of Trick Shots</a>, broadcast on ESPN, neither of which use the term Artistic Pool. One or both of these events have been sanctioned by the WPA in the past, so there are clearly some discrepancies within the organization about the enforcement of the use of the term. What's more, in the early days of Trick Shot Magic, they described shots as either being "artistic shots" or "skill shots", "artistic shots" being setup shots with multiple ball configurations and "skill shots" being everything else, essentially the inverse of what the WPA has drawn up.<br />
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Even though there has been sanctioning by the WPA of Trick Shot Magic and the World Cup of Trick Shots, neither has counted for official <a href="http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/artistic_pool_ranking">world ranking points</a>. These tournaments are invitation only, have only 8 players, and do not necessarily cover all eight disciplines of Artistic Pool. In ranking tournaments, players shoot five shots of varying difficulty levels in each of the eight disciplines, for 40 total shots scoring points depending on the number of attempts it takes to make a shot. This score determines a players final position in the tournament and their ranking points.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-54675794780639369452013-04-29T12:26:00.000-07:002013-04-29T12:26:03.472-07:002013 WPA World Artistic Pool ChampionshipsIf you're not on anyone's special email list, the 2013 WPA World Artistic Pool Championships have been announced and are taking signups. It will be held July 18-21, 2013 at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV during the BCAPL National Championships, which should ensure a great turnout for players and fans alike. Sign up fee is $300, but goes up to $350 on June 1, 2013, so get your entry in! Email me if you want more details on either the sign up process or the shot program.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-22534379751585280822012-12-17T13:38:00.004-08:002012-12-17T13:38:56.196-08:00Dr. Cue Classic Artistic Cup VIFrom November 29 to December 2, 2012, I played in the Artistic Cup 6 event held at the Marriott East in Indianapolis, IN. The event was held in conjunction with the Indiana APA state invitation tournament, so there were lots of pool players around. I got grouped up with Dave Nangle and Gordon Hedges for the first 3 rounds. I guess we were a little speedy as we tended to finish 30-45 minutes ahead of the other groups we were shooting with. After the trick/fancy and special arts disciplines, I was barely gripping on to a top 10 spot, even though I scored enough points to take the special arts medal. I was able to make a move in the draw and follow disciplines up to 6th place though. The jump may sound small, but with a program of easier shots, you can't take anything for granted. After bank/kick and stroke, I was in fourth place, actually tied for 3rd but Tom Kinzel beat me on the tiebreaker. I was actually surprised at that considering that I missed a shot in each of those disciplines. For the final day, the groups were shuffled up based on position, so I was matched with Florian 'Venom' Kohler, Curtis Robertson, and Kinzel as the top four players. In the jump discipline, I made the first three shots on my second attempt and the last two shots on my first attempt. However, the other guys scored zero on the second jump shot, while Robertson and Kinzel faltered on at least one more each, leaving me in 2nd place heading in to the masse discipline, down by 3 points to Kohler. Oddly, we took a 'halftime' break between the jump and masse disciplines which threw things off a little bit. We cruised through the first masse shot and I made the second masse shot on my first attempt. Kohler missed his first two attempts, finally making it on his third attempt but his lead had shrunk to one point. We kept pace with each other for the next two shots. On the final masse shot, I went first, missing my first attempt by not putting enough spin on the ball. I made my second attempt though, but left Kohler with some breathing room. He needed it too as he clipped the wall of balls on his first attempt, gathered himself, and nailed it on his second attempt to preserve his one point victory! It was exciting all the way down to the last shot.<br />
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So second place, special arts medal, and a nice weekend hanging out with the guys again. It was a fun time and I'm certainly looking forward to the next one.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-19366783981490181462012-08-03T00:24:00.001-07:002012-08-03T00:24:53.723-07:00World Class Artistic Pool Masters Cup, Shenyang, ChinaThe China tournament was quite the spectacle. I got picked up at the airport and taken to the hotel where they were getting the arena ready. All the other guys were milling around the lobby getting checked in as well.
The first night had a big reception with dignitaries and press. A rep from the US Embassy was even there. Nice spread, but they didn't reload the food, so I only got one round.
We were all anxious for the practice tables, but they were getting set up that evening. We finally got on one and rotated through for a while. The second one opened up a couple hours later.
The opening ceremony was the next morning, again filled with dignitaries. My first round was on the TV table with searing lights, but our group shot well and finished in decent time. We had a bit of a break before our second round that afternoon. That was also on the TV table and I managed to keep myself in it. The third round that evening killed me. My group was on the other tournament table which was super slick, making some of the shots pretty difficult, especially after we had broken in the practice tables already. That's pretty much where I crashed out of contention, but it left me in 8th place that evening.
The Sat morning round, we were re-grouped based on our rankings. The 9-12 guys went first, so I knew what I had to do to beat them. There wasn't a ton of motivation after that since 5-8 took home the same prize money and it would've taken catastrophe's from other players to make it to 4th. So I managed to squeeze into 8th while securing the follow discipline medal and putting myself in position for the masse medal as well. Gabi had a perfect masse discipline going into the final round, so I didn't hold out much hope. He shot in the next round and teased me by missing the shot twice before nailing the 3rd attempt.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-42988748302132493932012-06-11T23:21:00.001-07:002012-06-11T23:21:59.593-07:00Masse's in Walnut CreekHad a fun session with Juan who contacted me last week and wanted to get together. Man, my 8 ball and 9 ball game have gone to crap. We went out to <a href="http://www.masseswc.com">Masse's in Walnut Creek</a>. We played a few games and I showed him some shots. I had him hit a few too and he seems really excited to learn more. Maybe I can get him up to speed to play in one of the tournaments later. Masse's was ok. It's a sports bar but was pretty quiet for a Monday night. The tables are mostly 9-ft Olhausens with skinny rails. The cloth was quality except for all of the stains from spilled drinks, food, and who knows what else. And I think there was only one bridge in the whole place, so maybe we were lucky not many other people were playing. Anyway, should be a fun time to show Juan some more stuff.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-28850481964285824932012-03-27T12:02:00.000-07:002012-03-27T12:02:09.582-07:00World RankingsThe WPA world rankings have been updated to include the recently concluded 2012 WPA World Artistic Pool Championship. The first public release of these rankings is posted at the URL below:<br />
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<a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=99">http://www.trickshottim.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=99</a><br />
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The official WPA site hasn't even been updated, so we're ahead of the curve here, even if the event happened more than two weeks ago. Oh, yes, the high tech world of trick shots.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-40242918109480246072012-03-13T17:43:00.000-07:002012-03-13T17:43:30.356-07:002012 WPA World Artistic Pool ChampionshipsThe 2012 WPA World Artistic Pool Championships were held this past weekend at the annual Super Billiards Expo. It brought together some of the best trick shot pros in the world along with some new faces, including 14 year old Iulian Cernatischi and 15 year old Ignacio Block from Argentina. It was also one of the largest fields we've had in recent years with 36 players.<br />
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I started off pretty hot with a total score of 70 after trick/fancy and special arts, winning the special arts medal along the way. That was good enough for 1st place, but things quickly went downhill from there. I wound up in 8th place after the preliminary round and had to face 9th place Jamie Moody in the playoffs. It went back and forth, but I pulled out the victory in the end which earned me a shot at Andy Segal in the next round. I kept it close but threw away a few points here and there and ended up losing by nine. My final position was 7th, which is solid but not spectacular. Andy went on to win the tournament for the 2nd year in a row, beating Nick Nikolaidis in the final.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-63549250962282325342012-02-21T19:27:00.002-08:002012-02-21T19:27:55.788-08:00Star WarsI find it amusing that someone with an Iranian IP address thought it was worth their while to visit <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/trick-shot-index.php">my pool trick shots</a> page and give the first page of shots a 1-star rating!www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-13007037445137805812011-12-21T23:03:00.000-08:002011-12-21T23:03:20.983-08:002012 World Championship Sign Ups AnnouncedThe sign up process for the 2012 WPA Artistic Pool World Championships has begun. I can't find the documents anywhere on the internet, but they were emailed to a list of players and promoters. If you're interested in signing up for this tournament, let me know. It will be held at the Super Billiards Expo, March 8-11, 2012, in Oaks, PA.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-47149976162281107542011-09-15T07:00:00.000-07:002011-09-15T13:04:28.826-07:00Pool Synergy: Practice - What Works For MeThis month's <a href="http://www.pooltipjar.com/poolsynergy/">Pool Synergy</a> is hosted by <a href="http://www.poolstudent.com/2011/09/15/poolsynergy-23/">John Biddle</a>. The topic is about practice - what works for me.<br />
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Practicing trick shots isn't always about setting up the same shot and hitting it over and over again until it goes in (and making sure the camera is rolling when it does!). In fact, it involves certain principles that can carry over to your typical pool games. I'm going to write about two things that have helped me practice more effectively: focus and relaxation.<br />
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When I was practicing for the <a href="http://blog.trickshottim.com/2010/08/there-can-only-be-one.html">2010 Ultimate Trick Shot Championship</a>, I knew I only had a couple hours each day to practice. Instead of trying to practice everything I wanted to each day, I broke it down and focused on certain skills each day. For trick shots, this broke down into something like one-handed jump shots, one-handed multi-cue jump shots, masse shots, stroke shots, fouette shots, backward jumps, contortion jumps, speed shots, and juggling shots. I would cycle through these as my practiced progressed and build up a base skill level for each one. For typical pool skills, this could include straight in shots, shooting off the rail, stop shots from different distances, and so on. It was faster learning by dedicating larger amounts of time to certain things rather than doing everything for a little amount of time.<br />
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Another thing that has worked well for me is knowing when to take a break. It's certainly frustrating when you're trying to get better but you're obviously not. While there's much to be said for perseverance, you also need to know when you reach the point of diminishing returns. I've given myself headaches, literally, trying certain shots or skills for hours on end. Now, when I feel myself reaching that point, I turn to something else. Usually I'll turn to straight pool or speed pool to break the monotony. It takes the mind off whatever was going wrong and speed pool, at least, gets the heart pumping again. But sitting down for a few minutes or taking a quick stroll outside can accomplish the same effect.<br />
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Hope these tips can help you as much as they helped me. Keep a narrow focus while you're at the table, and know when to let off when things get too intense. Let me know if they work or don't work for you (and perhaps why). Happy shooting!www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-52023792364037863352011-08-31T17:25:00.000-07:002011-08-31T17:25:00.714-07:00dot nxtAfter getting back from Vegas, I showed off some trick shots for <a href="http://www.pool.com">pool.com</a> at the <a href="http://dot-nxt">.nxt</a> conference for two days. It was mostly setting up shots and having attendees shoot them for themselves, but it was pretty cool. I had to keep coming up with shots that other people could make which was a bit challenging, especially when you don't know the person's skill level or calibration. You can tell someone to hit it hard, but is their hard really you're soft? It was on a 7-ft Brunswick with a slate top, so I was able to bang out some jump and masse shots too. I had a lot of fun and think most of the other guys did too. It seemed like the only interactive booth at the show.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-36948207195865448652011-08-26T17:50:00.000-07:002011-08-26T17:50:46.366-07:002011 Ultimate Trick Shot Tour ChampionshipsJust got back from one of the most competitive pool trick shot tournaments of the year. Unfortunately, I was unable to defend my title and finished in fifth. I started off slow, losing my first two matches to Jamey Gray and Steve Markle. I rebounded to win against Dave Nangle and Gordon Hedges though, then lost to Andy Segal and finally beat Bruce Barthelette to finish off the preliminary round. I had the same record as Dave, but finished ahead of him based on the tiebreaker and squeezed into the playoffs. I played Florian "Venom" Kohler in the quarterfinal and lost 7-6, missing my last shot which would have forced him to shoot again. Oh well, lesson learned. Good to have some stuff to practice after the World Cup of Trick Shots.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-69789307977545827322011-08-15T07:00:00.000-07:002011-08-15T09:11:47.231-07:0010 Things You Can Learn From Trick Shots<span id="internal-source-marker_0.5714668102173857" style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here's my first post for <a href="http://www.pooltipjar.com/poolsynergy/">Pool Synergy</a>, this month <a href="http://www.pooltipjar.com/2011/08/10-things-ps-host/">hosted by Samm (Diep) Vidal</a> with a theme of "10 Things". I'm writing about 10 Things You Can Learn From Trick Shots to apply to your usual games. Check out the <a href="http://www.pooltipjar.com/2011/08/10-things-ps-host/">master post</a> to see what other bloggers are writing about!</span><br />
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.5714668102173857" style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.5714668102173857" style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Trick shots have always been a part of pool, whether for entertainment, proposition shots, or just to show off your skills. One question that often comes up is “Do trick shots help you with ‘real’ pool?” They may not come up during your typical 8 ball or 9 ball game so much, but there are many principles you can learn from them that you can certainly apply to other games. Here are a few of those concepts. I tried to keep the descriptions brief since this was going to be a long post, but feel free to <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/contacttim.html">contact me</a> if you need expanded explanations.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Kisses, Combos, and Caroms</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While many players view setup shots as elementary, they can open your eyes to possibilities when you’re confronted with clusters. Instead of blindly whacking into some problem balls, it’s much more efficient if you can predict where the balls will end up and you may even be able to pocket one. With setup shots like <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/y_not">Y Not</a>, you’ll be able to figure out how and why balls go in the directions they do after banging into each other.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. Throw</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One principle that is applied greatly to setup shots is throw. Throw, as defined by Dr. Dave (<a href="http://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/2006/aug06.pdf">Aug 06</a>), is the change in object ball (OB) direction due to sliding friction forces between the cue ball (CB) and OB during impact. This can be helpful when you have a combination that’s aligned slightly off where you want the ball to end up, or when you can’t see enough of the OB to cut it exactly where you want it to go. You can use throw to get it on to your intended line. Throw is affected by cut angles (or the line of the combination), speed, and spin. In setup shots like <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/any_questions">Any Questions</a>, the last ball to go in as significantly affected by throw from the line of the combination. Similarly, in <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/just_showing_off">Just Showing Off</a>, the ball traveling diagonally across the table is typically thrown 3-4 inches from its initial line.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. English or spin</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While practicing trick shots, it will also become apparent what effects spin has, not only on throw, but on the reaction of balls coming off rails. Shots like the <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/triple_reverse">Triple Reverse</a> or <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/robin_dodson_jump">Robin Dodson Jump</a> show extreme examples of what you can do with spin. This can help get you out of jams especially when there’s not natural kick angle to your target ball.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Banks and Kicks</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Speaking of which, there are plenty of trick shots that involve banking or kicking at balls. Practicing these will help you learn what aim lines you can use and how you can change the path of the balls by adjusting your aim point, the amount of spin you apply, or the speed at which you hit. Some examples include the first part of the <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/timing_masse">Timing Masse</a>, <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/7_rail_kick">7 Rail Kick</a>, and <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/wizards_tray">Wizard’s Tray Shot</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Spin Transfer</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This brings me to spin transfer, which is most apparent in certain bank shots, such as the <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/backward_bank">Backward Bank</a> and <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/glove_squeeze">The Glove's Squeeze</a>. In the <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/backward_bank">Backward Bank</a>, spin is transferred to the object ball allowing it to grab the rail and take a line to the side pocket that is not initially obvious. The other object ball just helps maximize the spin transfer, but check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5tbr4N0P">Vernon Elliot’s Bank Shot</a> to see a more natural (and much harder) version. In <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/glove_squeeze">The Glove’s Squeeze</a> shot, you have to put draw on the cue ball which imparts a top spin on the contact ball. With the right angle, you can get it to roll straight in to the pocket.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Speed Control</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Most people think of speed trick shots as lagging a ball toward a pocket and then firing in as many balls as possible in the same pocket before the first ball gets there. Getting the lag speed just right is a skill in and of itself, and some shots require the timing ball to be lagged multiple rails, like in <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/corner_collation">Corner Collation</a>. Practicing these have helped me better gauge my speed for shots to improve my cue ball control. There are other types of speed control shots as well, such as <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/321_123">321-123</a>, which tests your ability to dial in your speed rather quickly. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. Useful Shots</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While it may not happen often, there are certainly times when a “trick shot” does come up in a typical game. I’m not saying it’s always the right shot to take, but it’s nice to know all of your options. Take the <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/video/two_rail_reverse">Two Rail Reverse</a> for instance. It’s hard enough finding a pocket for the object ball no matter where the cue ball is. With a little knowledge and a little practice, this shot can become a good choice, even if the cue ball position isn’t perfect.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. Table Adjustments</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is a more subtle skill that’s important to success in pool: <a href="http://www.trickshottim.com/learn/practicing-trick-shots.html">adjusting to the table</a> (and other equipment) that you’re playing on. Between tables that play fast or slow, cushions that bank long or short, cloth that’s worn, new, or fuzzy, balls that are dirty or clean, room’s that are hot or cold, and air that is humid or dry, there are a lot of variables that affect the play of the game that are out of your control. The quicker you can identify these issues and adjust to them, the better you’ll play. It’s always frustrating to go to a new table and try a shot that you rarely miss and never be able to make it. Understanding why you’re missing and what you can do to adjust is a big part of the game, especially when it’s your first time playing on a particular table.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. Patience and Persistence</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Practicing trick shots is very much like shooting drills. It can be repetitive and frustrating, but the payoff at the end is worth the investment. Challenging yourself with shots that push your skill limits will only make you better and will teach you how to channel and focus your attention to little details that will improve your game. There have been many times in my career where I would see a shot and think, “I’ll never be able to make that!” Most of those shots, however, I have since made. Sometimes it takes a couple hours, others take a couple years, but having the mental toughness to persist and patience to accept that it may take more time is something that will make drawn out sets in tournaments seem short.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. Fun</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the best things about trick shots is that they’re fun. While the process may be arduous, once you learn how to make a shot, it’s fun. It’s fun for you and it’s fun to show off to your friends. It’s fun when you finally figure out a shot that you’ve been working on for a while and it’s even more fun when you didn’t think you could hit the shot in the first place! And fun is what pool should be about!</span>www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-30146763541940843232011-08-12T13:37:00.000-07:002011-08-12T13:37:57.126-07:00APAFinished up my APA season. There's still one week left, but I'll be in Vegas for the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=104979812935025">Ultimate Trick Shot Tour Championships</a>. I played one of the best players in the league, so I only needed to win 3 to his 5. I took the first two games, then he took the next four to go hill-hill. He broke the last rack and failed to make a ball (I don't think he made any balls on his break all night, actually). I managed to run the table after that, so I finished off strong.<br /><br />
I'll be taking next season off unless the team really needs a sub at some point, so it was a good finish. At some point in the last game, I just started focusing on making the shot and not trying to do too much with the cue ball. That had gotten me in trouble in some of the previous games, like when I tried to draw the cue ball while using the mechanical bridge. I guess it's easier to take the tough shot, than to try to take a tough position for an easier shot.<br /><br />
Well, I don't remember my whole run, but I got to the following position at some point with stripes as my group. Sure there was an option to pocket the 10 and draw back to try to play the 15 in the same pocket, but I thought putting too much stroke on it might make the 10 rattle out, so I played a little safer and brought the 15 back the other way (pg 2-3). Once I got on the 11 ball, I just played it safe and rolled it in (pg 4) to give myself a shot at the 8 since most of the pockets were blocked. Again, it was not wanting to try to do too much with the cue ball. Sure, it wasn't the easiest shot on the 8, but I gave myself a chance and it worked out this time.<br /><br />
<iframe src="http://CueTable.com/P/Player/?@3AHOj1BUKn1CaGA2DIIM1ECnT4FDNl4GADj1HNWx2Jary3KNoE2OVbK2PYac@3AHOj1BUKn1CaGA2DIIM1ECnT4FDNl4GADj1HNWx2Jary3KNoE2OVbK2PYac2eary2ebjs2kYac2kaKj2kWpp@3AHOj1BUKn1CaGA2DIIM1ECnT4FDNl4GADj1HNWx2Jbjs3KNoE2OVbK2PWpp2jVbK3jbjw2kWpp2kVKY4kRwM@3AHOj1BUKn1CaGA2DIIM1ECnT4FDNl4GADj1HNWx2Jbjs3KNoE3Objw4PRwM3fNoE2fdIA4kRwM3kLcL3kTuA@3AHOj1BUKn1CaGA2DIIM1ECnT4FDNl4GADj1HNWx2Jbjs2KdIA3Objw3PTuA1cNWx1ccQt3kTuA1kMpd1kWdE@" noresize="noresize" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" frameborder="no" width="600" height="400" ></iframe>www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5531233532328518870.post-76652050772766549162011-07-28T07:09:00.000-07:002011-07-28T07:09:09.558-07:00UpdatesSorry for the lack of updates. I've managed to ride a 4 match losing streak down to a 5 ranking now. Last week, I was down 4-1 in a 5-5 race, but started playing better the last two games before scratching on the 8 ball to lose 5-2. I've found that wrinkling my eyebrows like Jeanette Lee does helps with my focus. We'll see if that technique holds over for the next time I play...<br />
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In other news, I've been asked to take part in Pool Synergy next month. It's basically a collection of pool bloggers that each write their own take on a given topic every month. The prompt for next month was pretty vague "10 Things...". I'm planning on writing 10 Things You Can Learn From Trick Shots. If there's anything you want to hear about in particular, let me know and I'll see if I can slide it in.www.trickshottim.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07142619271892433197noreply@blogger.com0