The Ultimate Rail Drill

[forcefollow]

This is a really difficult drill to complete.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdHY6wnZkH8

[ADR147]

try it on a snooker table - shots where you hit the cushion first and its bouncing away from the pocket should not fall in!

[forcefollow]

There are four shots in this drill that you aren't going to make at all on a snooker table, but alas this isn't a snooker drill its for pool.

[ADR147]

ah i missed which thread it was under!

[cally]

ah i missed which thread it was under!

And ya slate ppl for not reading your ebay ads tidy eh......lol...

[ADR147]

And ya slate ppl for not reading your ebay ads tidy eh......lol...

lol - childs game anyway pool - quicker just to toss a coin!

[forcefollow]

You obviously have never played one pocket.

[ADR147]

actually i have - its the size of the pockets not the game that spoils it. i like playing most cues sports games its the american tables i am not a fan off.

[vucko117]

Your drills are really good and I enjoy watching your instructional videos. Keep up the good work. What do you think is the best drill for straight cueing?

[forcefollow]

actually i have - its the size of the pockets not the game that spoils it. i like playing most cues sports games its the american tables i am not a fan off.

One pocket is not coin toss. The size of the pockets are part of the game. I have ran racks on my table with pocket reducers that bring them down to 3 and 3/4 inches. My high break on a snooker table with tough pockets is 86.

[forcefollow]

Your drills are really good and I enjoy watching your instructional videos. Keep up the good work. What do you think is the best drill for straight cueing?

Watch my video called the 1 hour pool workout. The first few drills concentrate on straight cueing.

[ADR147]

One pocket is not coin toss. The size of the pockets are part of the game. I have ran racks on my table with pocket reducers that bring them down to 3 and 3/4 inches. My high break on a snooker table with tough pockets is 86.

can't get used to the size of the pockets at all i have tried but shots you miss go in and in my head that does not work - what i do like though is the heavy balls it allows slow doubles / bank shots that could never be done with the lighter balls.

[DandyA]

I'd just like to say I enjoy watching forcefollow's training videos (keep them coming ff) and I enjoy watching American 9-ball matches on youtube ...

Snooker and UK pool players (like I am) may whinge about the massive pockets but they're missing the point ... the skill in American pool is not in potting but in the positional side of the game ... I'm stating the obvious but in 9-ball they don't have the luxury of potting any red ball followed by any colour ball etc - they have to pot the ball numbered 1, followed by ball number 2 etc ...

So, for instance, in snooker if you get low on a red, you can go up for blue or pink or if you get high, you can go for the black - American 9-ball players don't have this option so they tend to use very skilful but KISS (keep it simple stupid) positioning which I certainly think helps me in both snooker and UK pool ...

If anyone's interested in watching some 9-ball on youtube, I recommend the Mosconi Cup 2010 (which I've watched) or Mosconi Cup 2009 (which I've nearly watched) or the "Color of Money" first to 120 between Efren Reyes and Earl Strickland (watched it all over a couple of weeks - absolutely amazing) ...

[finabb]

I haven't read the other treads but how does anyone miss a pot when the ball can hit the cushion 18inches from the pocket and still go in, why are the pockets so big is it for the people who aren't very good and English pool or snooker? How would a American pool table player play on an English table?

[ace man]

I haven't read the other treads but how does anyone miss a pot when the ball can hit the cushion 18inches from the pocket and still go in, why are the pockets so big is it for the people who aren't very good and English pool or snooker? How would a American pool table player play on an English table?

One word. Pressure.

You don't really have shots to nothing at this game, not nearly as often. If you're accomplished pool player, it is so easy to punish mistakes. That's why the pressure is so high in competitions. One silly mistake and your weekly tournament is over. Even though pockets are far more forgiving than rounded snooker pockets, they are still more than difficult enough for most people. Not as obvious as on a snooker table, but bad technique can catch you in pool also.

As for who play this game and why...well, most people in the world are not blessed by having snooker tables around so they started with this. In fact, snooker is not that widespread around the world.
Guys from UK who are now good at American probably play because they could not get into top ranks at snooker. Can't blame them. You have to make money somehow.