5 rack game?

Dennis "Whitey" Young

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Jul 8, 2017
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From
Klamath Falls, Or.
I just realized I was spending hours doing the 5 rack thing and actually getting worse so needed a break.
I've discovered if I am looking for the perfect high run video then a lot of time is spent racking and breaking. But, if I use it for practice then I am getting a great benefit. I am reading clusters better, combo's are better, position and pocketing/focus is better, and the pattern play is now starting to jump out for me, seeing the table. If I miss a shot, I set it up again, if I miss shape I set it up again. Separately I believe a guy should also work on banking, and work on the shots that are giving trouble.

If I miss a shot, or miss shape, there is a reason. So I try and fix it.

By doing this I am working back into stroke. The runs will only come (consistently) once the work has been put in. What are realistic goals, I say 'realistic', for as Billy Jackets states; "we are not hitting balls everyday 10 hrs.".

I actually played OP against myself the other day, it has been decades since I have done that, I enjoyed it!

If the MOT does a 5 Rack Mini then we have a heads up! Whitey
 

catkins

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Nov 1, 2016
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boulder creek ca
ty for this I was just getting to ocd about this one drill imo and needed to break off to just shoot a drill that I have done before I like your ideas and think they could be very useful
 

12squared

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Mar 14, 2005
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3,997
From
Fort Collins, CO
I had an epiphany. Since the pool gods like to play with our minds while playing 5 rack by allowing a good break and run then laying down multiple bad breaks ruining our total scores, I thought of a way to trick them...use different breaks for each of the 5 racks. Brilliant! (I thought). How could I not run 50?

Well, the best I could do was 29 (again, thank goodness for large pockets), here it is:


It sounded good on paper. 🤣😂
 

Dennis "Whitey" Young

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Klamath Falls, Or.
Hi Dave, that made it very interesting. 29 and of course you could of had much more, nicely done. Yes, I think that is the crux of the game, a consistent break.
I tried the 3rd. ball break this morning but it seemed that some breaks for no apparent reason I only moved a very few balls on the break and did not have a shot. This surprised me, for I thought was the to go to break.
I am doing pretty good with my elevated cue break, but found out I need to stroke the cb just slightly above center then it pops back top of the rack, and is fairly easy to control with moderate force.
thanks, Whitey
 

Dennis "Whitey" Young

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Jul 8, 2017
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Klamath Falls, Or.
Thanks Whitey. I have to go back through to remember all the breaks, there has been so many.
I believe Catkins break seems to be the easiest break to control and depend upon. It seems to open up the balls good, just not on my table with older balls, so I have to use more force which makes it harder to control the cb. Whitey
 

catkins

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Nov 1, 2016
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boulder creek ca
I ahve changed just a little and am hitting the same break a bit firmer and making sure it is a pure center ball which I think means the balls get less transfer spin so just separate where they are.

Now if I can learn to shoot consistently like Dave I will be in business:)
 

Hardmix

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Feb 28, 2015
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Cumming Ga
I look at the 5 rack drill/exercise/game, whatever you want to call it, as training for ball running. That said, I don't understand why you guys are beating your head against the wall with the break. Why not take BIH and work on the drill for what it is....running balls!

My .02
 

12squared

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Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
3,997
From
Fort Collins, CO
I look at the 5 rack drill/exercise/game, whatever you want to call it, as training for ball running. That said, I don't understand why you guys are beating your head against the wall with the break. Why not take BIH and work on the drill for what it is....running balls!

My .02
Because it's a sickness. LOL
 

Billy Jackets

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Sep 3, 2011
Messages
2,735
I had an epiphany. Since the pool gods like to play with our minds while playing 5 rack by allowing a good break and run then laying down multiple bad breaks ruining our total scores, I thought of a way to trick them...use different breaks for each of the 5 racks. Brilliant! (I thought). How could I not run 50?

Well, the best I could do was 29 (again, thank goodness for large pockets), here it is:


It sounded good on paper. 🤣😂
At 7:39 you went around the table on the 10 ball , was it possible to finesse that ball and get an angle on the ball near the spot ? That seems more the way Efren and Alex would run the balls clearing that ball then coming off the ball 2 rails out of opponents corner off the rail side of the balls near his pocket breaking all those up? You can either leave the ball near your bottom rail as insurance, or if you have a good break out shot , make it so it can't interfere.?
It would give me a better feeling to run the balls that way in a game , maybe in this format it is the wrong way to go after the shot, just thinkng out loud . What do you think?
 

12squared

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Mar 14, 2005
Messages
3,997
From
Fort Collins, CO
At 7:39 you went around the table on the 10 ball , was it possible to finesse that ball and get an angle on the ball near the spot ? That seems more the way Efren and Alex would run the balls clearing that ball then coming off the ball 2 rails out of opponents corner off the rail side of the balls near his pocket breaking all those up? You can either leave the ball near your bottom rail as insurance, or if you have a good break out shot , make it so it can't interfere.?
It would give me a better feeling to run the balls that way in a game , maybe in this format it is the wrong way to go after the shot, just thinkng out loud . What do you think?
Thanks for chiming in Billy. The angle was too severe to simply finesse the QB without going to the rail first to get position on the ball on the spot (if that's what you meant) and I thought there was a scratch if I simply rolled the QB naturally with reverse to get to it using one rail.

So my thinking was to 3 rail position to get on the stripe up there and get to the ball on the spot from there. The problem was that dang 6 ball sitting there in the natural 3 rail path so I decided to miss the shot to avoid hitting it. 😂😢

I'm not sure what is right, but those were my thoughts at the time. The shot previously, I meant to hit the QB a little harder and a hair longer to run into the 10 ball(?) To get a better angle on the stripe I missed to do exactly as you suggested, but things change during a run as you know. More importantly, you mentioned my name with Alex and Efren's!!! 🤯 (See how I did that?)
 
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Billy Jackets

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Thanks for chiming in Billy. The angle was too severe to simply finesse the QB without going to the rail first to get position on the ball on the spot (if that's what you meant) and I thought there was a scratch if I simply rolled the QB naturally with reverse to get to it using one rail.

So my thinking was to 3 rail position to get on the stripe up there and get to the ball on the spot from there. The problem was that dang 6 ball sitting there in the natural 3 rail path so I decided to miss the shot to avoid hitting it. 😂😢

I'm not sure what is right, but those were my thoughts at the time. The shot previously, I meant to hit the QB a little harder and a hair longer to run into the 10 ball(?) To get a better angle on the stripe I missed to do exactly as you suggested, but things change during a run as you know. More importantly, you mentioned my name with Alex and Efren's!!! 🤯 (See how I did that?)

Thanks!, You play a very solid game.
 

Billy Jackets

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Sep 3, 2011
Messages
2,735
I've discovered if I am looking for the perfect high run video then a lot of time is spent racking and breaking. But, if I use it for practice then I am getting a great benefit. I am reading clusters better, combo's are better, position and pocketing/focus is better, and the pattern play is now starting to jump out for me, seeing the table. If I miss a shot, I set it up again, if I miss shape I set it up again. Separately I believe a guy should also work on banking, and work on the shots that are giving trouble.

If I miss a shot, or miss shape, there is a reason. So I try and fix it.

By doing this I am working back into stroke. The runs will only come (consistently) once the work has been put in. What are realistic goals, I say 'realistic', for as Billy Jackets states; "we are not hitting balls everyday 10 hrs.".

I actually played OP against myself the other day, it has been decades since I have done that, I enjoyed it!

If the MOT does a 5 Rack Mini then we have a heads up! Whitey
I would give $1000.00 to be able to go play pool today and not have to fight thru pain every shot. All of you guys who can still play and have fun should be very thankful.
 

Billy Jackets

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Billy, what exactly is wrong with your back! If you do not mind saying that is. Whitey
5 herniated and 1 crushed disc lower back . Then I have arthritis and fibromyalgia from the damage. Then I have something undiagnosed either in my upper back or neck , my head is forward about a foot to 18 inches and I scuttle along pretty bent over. Can't call it walking anymore.
It's probably from years of walking weirdly to protect my back. I can only walk about 10 to 20 feet , then I need to lean on something or sit down.
They can burn the nerves and stop some of the pain, but it doesn't last and I could be in worse shape when they grow back,,so I am undecided on what to do. I wish I knew someone who had the procedure, I know Bill Incardona has a bad back and had surgery .I'm not sure how he is doing.
I 'm not having surgery, but I might have the nerves burned out.
 
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