Using Stun Shots

[scott]

Hi guys, any help here would be appreciate, my highest break at the moment is only 40, that is all blacks, but what Im struggling with is using stun shots, I find on long straight shots I generally have no problem with my cueing, as long as I do not try to stun( the weird thing is I can spin back for a blue after potting a ball in line with the pink or black spots with the white up near the balk line on a straight shot), therefore I am not able to stun my shots at all, for example if a colour is down near the pink spot and I have a straight shot to a corner pocket from the balk end of the table am not able to stun the shot at all without destroying my cueing action. Also in close shots also struggle using stun, without this skill am generally breaking down at around 20 to 35 breaks as I lose position, dont have trouble with backspin or top, just cannot stun, not bothered to much with using side at this stage of my game untill I can master the stun, man is this a hard skill for me. Any help would be appreciated

[Watford]

Hmmmm
1 Where are you hitting the white? Up close and straight strike the middle, further away or bigger angle go lower!
2 It helps if you punch the ball in! Hit the ball quick, firm but not necessarily hard!
3 For stun shots I don't draw the cue as far back before striking the ball, in fact I stay really quite close to the white!
That's just my suggestion I'm sure there's people who know better than me here!

[Robert602]

What happens when you try to stun the white? Is it controlling the white that's the problem or making the pot? If it's the latter, it might not be stun shots you have a problem with so much as firm centre ball striking. It is a lot easier to put unwanted side on the white when you're trying to hit centre ball. If that's your problem then it might be that you're not looking down at the white when you're cueing up to a shot to make sure you're hitting it in the middle. Try to alternate the eyes between cueball and object ball.

If the former, then it's really just a case of judgement, you'll pick it up in time. Try setting up an easy pot, straight blue to centre pocket for example. Screw back off it at first, then just put less and less backspin on it until you find the sweet spot that stops the white dead. Once you've mastered that, repeat with the white further away from the blue. Eventually you'll develop a feel for where to hit the white for any length of shot.

[scott]

stun shots

thanks guys, will need to look close at your suggestions, am playing on Friday night and will apply your suggestions. Robert602 I have a feeling its a bit of both, for if I was a fantastic potter dont think I would be breaking down on 20-30 break, will monitor as close as I can on how I am stricking the middle of the ball and let you know. Watford thankyou for your suggestion and I will shorten my backswing and stay closer to the white for these shots. I am determined to get some sort of grip on this sooner rather than later as I want to be getting 40+ breaks regulary rather than 20-30's. Have been looking at other forums on this site and I think I will start practicing with a bottle when I have time at home as well. Its hard to get to a table for lots of pratice as I know run a business plus have 2 kids, I feel my game has dropped a fair bit, but I really am enjoying it more, bit of a paradox I know

[Stunrunthru]

Address the ball just below centre.

When Screwing back the key is to follow through. With stun shot - address the ball just below centre but do not follow through.

[Watford]

Sorry but you do still follow through the difference is that you punch the ball, not push through!

I know this because a pro player who also coaches told me that I was pulling out of these shots and I needed to follow through more.
He was right too!
Plus like we've said you address the ball differently depending on the distance of the object ball!
Punched in from close distance, centre ball will stun dead!
It's the same shot as a stun run through just a bit lower

[scott]

thanks guys, will see how I go tommorow night in local comp. Talk to you then

[Obligation]

I always find that if you hit the cue ball with a little bit more pace, it helps.