 After
more than a year of work on the Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots
the recent release of Disc V completes the series to yield the most
comprehensive collection of pool shots ever published with over
740 different shots and seven and a half hours of total video. In
the Diagram we see two shots from Disc IV in the series.
In Shot A we’re shooting stripes with no good shot on either
one of our last two stripes. If the three balls we see were the
only balls left on the table perhaps a good option would be a thin
hit on the nearer stripe to send the cue ball to the opposite end
of the table to leave our opponent with a difficult shot on the
8 ball. However, if our opponent still had some solids spread around
the table the offensive shot on the other stripe would be a better
option. Even though the 8 ball blocks a direct hit on that stripe
we still have a good shot and one that we can play confidently after
a little practice. To aim the shot we measure the distance from
the desired contact point on the stripe to the cushion nose as shown
with the solid line. Then we double that distance onto the rail
as shown with the dashed line to give us the X on the rail. A good
way to measure while playing is to span the distance from the contact
point to the cushion with your index finger and thumb and then back
your index finger from the contact point to the cushion while keeping
the span intact so your thumbnail will land on the X. After determining
that point we simply aim for the X with a slow, naturally rolling
cue ball and no english. With good speed the cue ball should roll
into natural position for the second stripe and an easy run out.
To see a video of this technique in action go to: http://www.dr-dave-billiards.com/veps/disc_IV.html
and watch the clip labeled NV B.83.
In Shot B we see a shot that can arise in any game but is most
common in bar-table 8-Ball because of tighter traffic. Here the
8 ball blocks the stripe’s path to the corner pocket but its
proximity to the cushion offers a good, rail-first kiss shot into
the corner. Because shooting an object ball rail first into another
object ball for a kiss is somewhat more complicated than Shot A,
this type of shot will require considerable practice to get a good
feel for pocketing the stripe with various setups. Also, variables
such as speed, the stripe’s angle into the cushion, and the
8 ball’s distance from the cushion all come into play to add
complexity. In the diagram the stripe is likely to be sliding as
it hits the 8 ball, so we use the shaded ghost ball shown to measure
for the aim point. For this shot I like measuring off the edge of
the ghost ball and then doubling that span onto the rail. After
that we aim the stripe at the X and play it with moderate speed.
Sometimes the setup dictates measuring from the ghost ball’s
center and doubling the distance. Also, if the stripe were hitting
the rail at a shallower angle it would be rolling as it hit the
8 ball so we would envision a ghost ball that hits the 8 ball slightly
more full than the one pictured and then play the shot with slow
to moderate speed. This shot is a must for anyone who plays on bar
tables where crowded conditions and big pockets make it a necessary
and deadly offensive weapon.
Although both shots are found on Disc IV of the VEPS series only
Shot A can be seen in one of the preview clips. In any case here
are two of the 742 shots now available to improve anyone’s
game.
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