Problem, playing with players that are far below your skill level. Looking back, I did that and it was alright for a little while since I always received praise for lots of shots I was making. But after a while I started getting very sloppy because it was too easy to win, in fact I purposely would miss some shots to give them more chances to win, these were not money games. My game started to fall apart, I slowly started to not go through my routine etc. etc. my game got worse, until I actually couldn't make shots that I always would make. I had to stop playing with these guys and move to another pool hall to play. It actually took longer to repair my game than the time I spent with this group. I believe now you need to play with players that are close to your level of play or a bit higher.
Taking the shot when it doesn’t feel right, absolutely guilty of this and I’m sure most players are. I’m definitely working on getting g out of that bad habit. I always feel like I’m on the clock playing league when I’m not at all, just have to make myself reset and start over instead of rushing it.
Trust me, Randall, no matter how much time you take you’re not going to be the slowest player in the league. Don’t let the bangers in the league pull you into there time patterns.
@@FXBilliards you’re absolutely correct but you know that feeling, time is all distorted when you’re on the chopping block lol I’ve definitely gotten much better about taking the time to not only look at my current shot but making sure my next few shots will clear and where I need to be etc. I just really need to stand back up every time I have that “something isn’t right” feeling. Thanks for the feedback pal and thanks for the awesome content!
You are Absolutely right to put the "anyway" shot as number one! Often you realize that you didn't do one of the other things like chalk, look at the line of the shot ect. and then shoot the "anyway" sometimes the pool Gods will punish you immediately and they will allow you to get away with it for three or four shots before extracting their revenge!
It is absolutely amazing how much one's skill level can improve by resetting and doing the pre-shot routine again. I used to be bad for not resetting but have learnt to make the effort.
I've watched hundreds of pool videos but yours just click with me. You explain very hard detailed continuous things, not just in this video but your english videos as well that are so easy to digest and apply to your game. THANK YOU so much for taking the time to make these! Very appreciated.
The shoot it "Anyway" reminder is a great one. Made me pause each time and re-think and re-aim if needed before hitting the cue ball. Got that from the course. thanks!
2 key bad habits I have (other than always drinking while playing), is shooting HARD and shooting FAST. I made a nice 5 ball run last night, and noticed I was spending about 3-6 seconds per shot. Terrible habit. I missed the 8 and lost the game. The more you know. Great tips, Sir B. 🤟
I'm trying to learn to play sober as well lmfao. Couple aiming juices I shoot great. But those few lead to 6-7 aiming fluids than everything spirals out of control
When I'm teaching someone, i line up a straight in 4 ft shot and tell them, "shoot this shot how you would if you got $1000 for making it." After they make it, I tell them 80-90% of shots should be at that speed. Have never had anyone hit it super hard or super soft. People don't understand that velocity/speed is not that important in pool. ACCELERATION is what matters. You get more acceleration with a relaxed comfortable stroke speed with GOOD TIMING.
Great advice as always. Laziness can literally suck the life out of your game. I really have to stick rigidly to my routine, stay focused or I get sloppy and lose that competitive edge.
I agree not using the bridge hurts people. When I was in my 20s I started learning to use both hands either way the bridge at some point will be needed.
I have done the anyway and when I miss I am so mad at myself. I hopefully have improved on not doing it. My second is not walking around the table. Awesome video as always.
This might sound ridiculous Bryan, but I've seen it with my own eyes in our APA league. The shooter makes a shot, someone from their team or a friend in the audience starts chatting with them as they're walking around to the next shot and as they get down they're still chatting. Obviously, they miss the next shot. It works best for me if I completely block everything from my mind when approaching a shot, deciding what to do and then getting down and shooting it. Thanks for another great video!
Simply talking while shooting is enough to cost a lot of players a shot - people have no idea how difficult it is to talking shoot at the same time. Timing - breathing - distraction is a perfect storm of reasons to miss.
Great points, one and all, but best is the 'anyway' shot. For me, it is almost always followed by the 'hope and poke', and then the miss. Thanks for great work.
Great video. Tuff love. It's the truth. Thanks Bryan. Focus on the object ball preplanning for the cue ball shape and then execute the shot. If anything changes or distracts us stop and refocus.
One of the best videos every. I've been guilty of every one of those things one time or another especially #1. I was told recently that if you stand down over a shot more than 8 seconds you should stand up and start your pre-shot all over again. thanks again for another great video.
By far the best videos out. With over 21,000,000 players in the U.S. and 797,631,248.02963 pool players world wide I don't understand why you don't have at least over 1 or 2 million subscribers. Btw a lot of people I talk to about you and FXBillards already know who you are from your videos but I will keep shooting it anyway. Thanks
Keep in mind: Of the millions of players in the world, less than 5% actually make any type of move intelligent moves to improve. Thanks for your comments and thanks for watching.
to play less hurriedly, I am trying two things: (1) playing as if I have all the time in the world; and (2) starting my pre-shot routine before I even stand up from my last shot
Lol 😂 I love how honest you said “yeah you can create a ridiculous bridge with your hands bc you don’t want to pick up the bridge may make the shot but left with shitty position lmao 🤣 “ Spot on made me laugh see it allll the time haha Ty for all the tips as always and for always keeping it real!
Hey Bryan - Had to smile when I heard these. Guilty as charged. Another one along the line of the "anyways" shot, on a really key shot, take a walk around the table to compose yourself. I have been in situations where I shot this shot "anyways" even if I was not calm. Take care - Pete
One example of a distraction that is always afoot(pun intended) is the passerby who is trying to be polite by stopping just before crossing my line of aim but still well within my narrowed field of vision and then standing in a frozen pose so as not to distract me. The tension that creates is palpable and highly distracting, much more so than if the person just blithely walked on through my shot line instead of stopping. It's almost like a standoff. When this happens, I always stand up and wave the person on with a smile before getting back down. I know the passerby means well, so I've never got upset by this at all. I just take it as a positive--an opportunity to re-approach and reset, possibly in an even more focused yet calm frame of mind. Am I the only one who is bothered by this? *Good points, Bryan. I'm guilty of all of them, some more than others, of course. I'm quite good about chalking, but I do avoid the bridge if at all possible. However, in every practice session, I run at least one full rack of balls opposite-handed. I’ve been doing this for several years, and it has really helped me reach and make shots I couldn’t have done with my right hand. I still need to practice using the bridge more, though.
Great video once again - I am guilty of many of these, I use chalking my cue to slow me down and to look at the shot - Also need to work on my anyways shots - as when it gets later into the night just trying move on faster - but this really makes the game run on longer due to many missed shots. Focus and run them out and go home!
Good point about those chalk review videos! They show a quality of the chalk that is useless (being able to shoot 10-12-15 times without rechalking), because we should chalk before every shot anyway.
I like the way those guys act like they can hit the ball exactly the same way to measure the results. Just because he looks and talks like a robot doesn’t mean he can hit the ball like a robot. Those comparisons are flat out silly.
Good advice - I play at pretty high levels, my biggest problem? Not standing up, re-assessing/re-setting. It might only win me one more game out of six - but if you are playing tournament or just league matches, that can be huge.
That video is spot on with so many players I see in my APA leagues. You hit nearly everything we all do, and unfortunately, even being a SL5 in both 8-ball and 9-ball, I still fall victim to a few of those, especially the "anyways" Thanks for sharing.
Other than playing a bit more regularly I've been working on mainly mental exercises and meditating. Last APA session I finished 25th on MVP list 9/15. As of now I'm 6/6 and first. Moved from 4 to 5. If I feel anything but 💯 on a shot I step back and regroup.
The anyways shots are big. Most of the time for me, it’s deciding on a bank or cut when I’m down and shooting. Stand back up, look at the bank angle, look at the cut angle and decide.
Sound mad? No. You sound passionate and dedicated to the craft.. Brian is my f_+&+& dude!... I add respect EVERY shot. Seen pros miss short rail layups.
Good strategies as always! Lazy shot: when using running English, not mentally tracking the path of the CB and taking note of other balls near pockets. Is there a possibility of contacting one? If you don’t think things through that CB has a nasty habit of finding that one ball on the table to nip off of and drop into the pocket! Especially the side pockets.
Not utilizing time in the chair. There’s a lot of players that come to the table with no plan because they were watching the guy/girl draw the ball around the table. There’s a ton of information to read when you’re sitting down. Which ball is their trouble ball? What opportunity do I have from any ball missed? What are likely cue ball spots with a miss? And that’s just scratching the surface. Doing that allows you to come to the table with more comfort and confidence because you already have an idea of what’s going to work. It’s easy to see what balls your opponent has, watch them shoot and hope you get a chance but it’s important to reread the table as if you would be coming up to shoot after each of your opponents shots.
I chalk every shot because it's too late once you mis-cue and it's part of my pre-shot routine. It also gives me a few seconds to look at the table. I'm not in any hurry...that alone will get to some opponents. I'm gonna shoot at MY rhythm...I don't care how fast THEY shoot. BTW #1 reason is spot-on: Guilty! Great Stuff, Coach.
Oh Boy!!! 100% with that list. I'm guilty of each and every one of those offenses!!! Kick myself each time (and laugh) ... and it ain't funny!!! It's called getting lazy/loosing focus --- True and Truer! Great one Bryan -- very good points! Be Safe
I agree 💯 percent with everything you said. When I play live my friends call me the master of the bridge because I almost never mess with it. I just been introduced to the V10 chalk... life changing 🎉 I still talk every time because it is a part of my preshot routine but I just touch it up I don't paste it on there like I used to.
I really felt it when you addressed the bad habit of not grabbing your short cue when you are in a restricted space. My home table is so tight on the sides, I have to grab my short cue every other shot and sometimes find my self holding my playing cue like a javelin just to avoid grabbing my shorty Lol
In practice situation is you should allow yourself to just take the ball and move it away from the rail so you have enough room to shoot properly. Thanks for watching and thanks for your comments.
Stubborness . Went decades thinking I could skin a hanger into the side pocket thin enough or soft enough to avoid the corner scratch, now I always use bottom.
I definitely suffer from the anyways. Probably my biggest weakness next to my kicking and positioning.. I guess im afraid that i will lose my rhythm or something. But i have fired alot of times when it didnt feel right and most of the time i miss.
I'm so glad I found a name for it , "The Anyways". Thinking that a shot isn't on, that it'll go to the left, but still shooting it and .. it goes left.
When I’m at a weekly tournament I get to a point where I realize that I have made the money round. Now usually by this point im 4-5 hours in and feeling like I would like to go home. So I don’t focus as much as I did when i first got there. Other times I push through and win
My number one killer is not looking at my next shot from behind it and figuring out exactly where I really need the cue ball to be. I just look at it from whatever angle the current ball provides, pick a spot that I think is right, and then line up on the next one and realize I am not as straight as I thought I was going to be, or I was too straight, whatever, and now I have to work hard to get to the next ball. Find myself falling slowly out of line until I am shooting something ridiculous on the 9 ball.
For myself, I solved a few of these issues by SLOWLY adhering to a very specific pre-shot routine. I have played for over 50 years, and realize my skills are not what they use to be. I would get so mad, missing an "easy" shot late in the game. LOL, no chalk, wrong stance, wrong not looking for the finite cut......Other than the "Anyway" oooops..... I am enjoying every game.
I have seen Swapping back in forth with sticks due to not having rt stick. And going from open to closed bridge on reg shots so much it makes u dizzy. Thats two i seen a lot as well as what u said. Mine is shooting to hard and not resetting as much as I should
I feel that Taom is the best chalk I have ever used. It’s clean, it stays on the tip and very available. And even though it’s very expensive it last for a very long time. predators new chalk is probably just as good, but I have not used it yet.
Love that video B. Thanks for all the Knowledge and Wisdom you share with us. As I become more successful in my Real Estate Journey I would like to meet you in person and Give You a few dollars and possibly go to some of the local Pool Locations and Win Some Money Playing Scottish 9 Ball doubles or and game really Not to Brag but I'm Nearly an APA 7 myself and only been playing 5 Years
Great tips! I really enjoyed the video. I have a question about 8 ball break. I have very little strength in my right arm due to C-5 nerve root palsy, this is where the main muscle in your shoulder and upper arm no longer work. I have watched videos about breaking and will try the different ways suggested. Do you have any ideas of how and from where, in the kitchen, to hit the CB, and where I should aim it, first ball/second ball, to get the best spread?
I would recommend breaking from the spot, hit the head ball straight on and don’t mess with the second ball break. It’s one of the most misunderstood shots in pool and most people using it are doing it all wrong anyway. Sometimes they make a ball because they’re playing on bar boxes, but hit the head ball full
Shooting too fast too hard..... Not taking the time to look at all the balls on the table..... Basically use the three H system.... Hit em Hard and Hope..... Preshot routine should be like tiring your shoes or driving to the local store in your town.... Natural..... Muscle memory!!!! Think about this Michael Jordan was at the free throw line in a game shooting a foul shot.... Michael Jordan did his preshot routine as he always did..... Closed his eyes..... Shot the free throw.... The ball went in perfectly.... His body routine took over and the rest is perfection.
I'm even handed so I'm constantly using both hands for positions.I like to use my left hand when playing a right hander.Much like baseball bringing a lefty to face a right handed hitter.
That’s pretty cool. Two years ago me and some of the other TH-camrs did a challenge where you had to shoot and run a rack of 9-ball switching hands on each shot. Stick around I think I might bring that back.
My worst bad habit is not walking around the table to check if a ball goes. I will play 2 or 3 shots, get shape on the ball I wanted, then come to find out it actually doesn’t go past the opponent’s ball. These instances are definitely fewer and far between but still happen if it’s a long day and fatigue sets in.
Growing up in Western Kansas we learned in a snooker hall. Sometimes when someone pulled out the crutch to use the opponent would say "Only old ladies use a crutch." The retorn was "And old ladies never miss." Maybe you've done a piece on how to use a crutch. The crutch I have now is far more complicated than the one I used in my old snooker days. What are all those notches for?
Depending on where you are on the table, you might need a higher or lower slot on the bridge head. Plus a lower one might help with a DrawShot, where a higher one might be used for a follow shot or to reach over a ball.
One other common one is instead of finding a proper position for your bridge hand when shooting over or stroking through a gap in other balls, players get lazy and use a rail bridge that is far too long for their stroke accuracy. For example: if I consistently use a 8-9" bridge length but go to bridging off of the rail but give myself a 15-17" bridge length, I am likely to sacrifice accuracy. It depends on the skill of the player as many can be accurate enough to do this but I have seen so many players try to look like Ronnie O' and miss the shot because their stroke isn't level and consistent. Personally I take the time to find a place for my hand, or the bridge, or an alternate type bridge (moose type) rather than risk it.
Bryan, I just missed winning a game by not getting back up off the eight ball when someone started talking to me. I MISSED and it was an EASY make. Dumb!! and like you said LAZY
Playing in a league, I find myself backing off a shot frequently because of distractions. I am not really concerned with my opponents need to hurry up. More good advice Brian, thanks.
I'm guilty of #1 more times than any of the others, and thinking about position on the next shot is another item that will cause a miss, I saw somewhere a phrase "make the ball and adapt" We would like to get at least a makeable shot on our next ball, but what good is that if you miss the ball you're on? Thanks for the video's Bryan, you don't sound angry to me, it's more of a matter of fact tone of voice, this is the real deal, listen to what I say and you'll improve your game. See you next time 👋
Number 1 bad habit I would say is getting up on the shot. We all do it. Along those same lines I think, is getting up, or maybe just bad fundamentals, where I miss side pocket shots. I miss seemingly pretty easy side pocket shots far too often. I am actually going to just shoot some side pocket shots tonight for practice and try some of the things I read today about shooting them. I just don't have the same confidence in those shots. They end my runs far too often. I need to work on that. A video devoted to side pocket shots is my suggestion and of course more straight pool. What is your high run by the way Brian? Mine is 98. Have not quite made the 100 club yet. With that said, I really only run 40s and 50s on a weekly basis. I love the game, but it is sooooooo frustrating.
lol we should start a club or a support group because I’ve run 99. I may have done more during a practice session, but I wasn’t keeping good score/ I keep telling myself it doesn’t really matter unless it’s some extraordinary number.
@@FXBilliards , well, you just have not played enough, or like you said kept score. I have no doubt you could or would run 100 if you played the game more. It is the only game I play for practice and I play almost every day. You pocket balls way better than I do. I have not great fundamentals, so really is amazing I can play as well as I do. I know another very good pool player who told me he has run 99 twice, but never a 100. He is like a 680 Fargo.
@@FXBilliards , unrelated, but related to a video you made and straight pool. What are your thoughts on the arcadia reserve cloth for straight pool? That is all I play on my 9 ft table. I have 860 HR. When you said you had 860 for decades you meant 860 and not 860 HR right? I think I want 860 or Reserve next time.
I HAVE A QUESTION🙋🏼♀️ What do you think about using a rolling bridge devise? Do you like or not like it? Is it legal to use in tournament play? I’m curious because I’ve seen people use them but I’m not sure if I want one or should get one.
By the way, what is the lengh of a short cue? I have that problem with my table, the space behind the short rails is not sufficient and I have to raise the cue. Thanks for the information.
One I'm guilty of is practicing differently than I play. It's easy to be loose and get into a flow in practice, trusting instinctual aim instead of being deliberate. It doesn't hold up for a whole tournament or when your opponent keeps you in your chair.
I forget the guys name, but there is one guy that goes all the way back to the bag even if he’s going to use the same club, he puts it back in the bag takes it out all over again to restart as preshow routine. Thanks for watching.
Two points about needing a short cue: 1. Get a decent one, because too many of them feel like they weigh about 2 oz. They're hard enough to use, as it is, so you might as well invest in a good quality shorty; and, 2. If you haven't gotten a short cue, you can get away with using your jump cue, IF the shot doesn't require sidespin. The harder tip of these won't be helpful if you're trying to impart english.
Hiya there! I've become a committed fan , of your video's! Myself am a intermediate pool player! However i'm struggling with my "Gemoatry " what tips can you offer me! Thanks
The best advice I can give you is to put in a lot of reps shooting balls from different angles, making predictions about where they’re going to go and then seeing where they actually go. Avoid using gimmicks like the peace sign and horizontal cues to find tangent lines. It just creates a crutch. It’ll make it difficult for you to learn the game properly in the long run.
I made a short that shows how to do this. I’ll try to find it for you. you put a slight bit of inside English on it so it comes off the rail and comes back on.
FX billiards, what if the pool hall that I play in doesn't have a mechanical bridge? What do you recommended? Thanks! P.S. Great content as usual, keep it up!
You can buy a bridge head for pretty cheap. It slides on the end of a cue. The one I use is pretty expensive but it’s the best it’s called “Kamui view.”
i talk about chalking up every shot realize i don't , and Wed. City League took Forfeit because was short 1 player in playoff and playing the #1 team or they was top 3 , and the ending have me thinking Steven Seagull Pool Hall fighting part but without the fighting part
#3 Look at any shot, not just "difficult" ones. This is my biggest fault. Assuming that it is an easy shot and then missing it because I didn't take the time to look at the alignment and subsequent follow of the cue ball.
Playing in a tournament I was shooting the 8 ball to win. My foot stepped on the rack laying on the floor and it flipped up. It distracted me but I didn’t stand back up an re-focus and lost the match.
Look at it as a lesson that will stick with you for a long time, and hopefully prevent you from making the mistake. Again, thank you very much for watching Thanks for your comments
A former friend I used to play with used to put both hands on the table next to the pocket I was shooting for and would press down on the table. It felt good throwing that guy away in my life.
A lot of players tell me I chalk too much but it's part of my routine every shot and really helps my focus to take that extra time..and bonus it takes the fast players right out of their mojo😅... Those anyways are one of my biggest problems. The last few months I've been working on tearing down my poor stroke and rebuilding a better one.... The anyways kill all that hard work I put in and make me rack😂
After many years of studying this game, I still fall into bad habits, e.g. not staying down on the shot after hitting the cue ball. The old chicken wing keeps haunting me. Taking my eye off of the OB when delivering the forward stroke, failure to concentrate (i.e. "not emptying your cup as the Buddhists say), etc. I fall into these bad habits even though I'm totally aware of them! The only thing I can think of is to just keep practicing without over thinking the table lay out and my stroke. It's very frustrating, knowing what I'm doing wrong, but I keep repeating it! Any other ideas?
Honestly, the issues you mentioned can be fixed pretty quickly with some good coaching. Find someone you respect to take a look at your game or look us up at fxbilliards.com for lessons.
Problem, playing with players that are far below your skill level. Looking back, I did that and it was alright for a little while since I always received praise for lots of shots I was making. But after a while I started getting very sloppy because it was too easy to win, in fact I purposely would miss some shots to give them more chances to win, these were not money games. My game started to fall apart, I slowly started to not go through my routine etc. etc. my game got worse, until I actually couldn't make shots that I always would make. I had to stop playing with these guys and move to another pool hall to play. It actually took longer to repair my game than the time I spent with this group. I believe now you need to play with players that are close to your level of play or a bit higher.
Taking the shot when it doesn’t feel right, absolutely guilty of this and I’m sure most players are. I’m definitely working on getting g out of that bad habit. I always feel like I’m on the clock playing league when I’m not at all, just have to make myself reset and start over instead of rushing it.
Trust me, Randall, no matter how much time you take you’re not going to be the slowest player in the league. Don’t let the bangers in the league pull you into there time patterns.
@@FXBilliards you’re absolutely correct but you know that feeling, time is all distorted when you’re on the chopping block lol I’ve definitely gotten much better about taking the time to not only look at my current shot but making sure my next few shots will clear and where I need to be etc. I just really need to stand back up every time I have that “something isn’t right” feeling. Thanks for the feedback pal and thanks for the awesome content!
Hiya there! Just curious wether you have any video's, on planning accurate angles! Thanks again!
You are Absolutely right to put the "anyway" shot as number one! Often you realize that you didn't do one of the other things like chalk, look at the line of the shot ect. and then shoot the "anyway" sometimes the pool Gods will punish you immediately and they will allow you to get away with it for three or four shots before extracting
their revenge!
It is absolutely amazing how much one's skill level can improve by resetting and doing the pre-shot routine again. I used to be bad for not resetting but have learnt to make the effort.
Bryan, you bring up some real issues with all of us. I want to be a better player and your videos are definitely helping. Thanks brother!
I've watched hundreds of pool videos but yours just click with me. You explain very hard detailed continuous things, not just in this video but your english videos as well that are so easy to digest and apply to your game. THANK YOU so much for taking the time to make these! Very appreciated.
I appreciate you taking the time to watch and leave your comments
The shoot it "Anyway" reminder is a great one. Made me pause each time and re-think and re-aim if needed before hitting the cue ball. Got that from the course. thanks!
Thank you Yas, I appreciate you watching. Let me know if you need anything.
2 key bad habits I have (other than always drinking while playing), is shooting HARD and shooting FAST. I made a nice 5 ball run last night, and noticed I was spending about 3-6 seconds per shot. Terrible habit. I missed the 8 and lost the game. The more you know. Great tips, Sir B. 🤟
I appreciate your comments and have a great week
I'm trying to learn to play sober as well lmfao. Couple aiming juices I shoot great. But those few lead to 6-7 aiming fluids than everything spirals out of control
drinking LOL same here
When I'm teaching someone, i line up a straight in 4 ft shot and tell them, "shoot this shot how you would if you got $1000 for making it." After they make it, I tell them 80-90% of shots should be at that speed. Have never had anyone hit it super hard or super soft. People don't understand that velocity/speed is not that important in pool. ACCELERATION is what matters. You get more acceleration with a relaxed comfortable stroke speed with GOOD TIMING.
I believe you shouldn't shoot hard, unless you have to. When you shoot hard, it takes away from your accuracy.
Great advice as always. Laziness can literally suck the life out of your game. I really have to stick rigidly to my routine, stay focused or I get sloppy and lose that competitive edge.
Lifting up on my shot or trying to steer the ball with my cue. These are things others point out to me frequently.
Hey! Best 9 minutes I've spent all week with these tips!
Thank you Jim glad to help
I agree not using the bridge hurts people. When I was in my 20s I started learning to use both hands either way the bridge at some point will be needed.
I have done the anyway and when I miss I am so mad at myself. I hopefully have improved on not doing it. My second is not walking around the table. Awesome video as always.
This might sound ridiculous Bryan, but I've seen it with my own eyes in our APA league. The shooter makes a shot, someone from their team or a friend in the audience starts chatting with them as they're walking around to the next shot and as they get down they're still chatting. Obviously, they miss the next shot.
It works best for me if I completely block everything from my mind when approaching a shot, deciding what to do and then getting down and shooting it. Thanks for another great video!
Simply talking while shooting is enough to cost a lot of players a shot - people have no idea how difficult it is to talking shoot at the same time. Timing - breathing - distraction is a perfect storm of reasons to miss.
@@FXBilliards Amen Bro!
Great points, one and all, but best is the 'anyway' shot. For me, it is almost always followed by the 'hope and poke', and then the miss. Thanks for great work.
Thank you for your comments
Great video. Tuff love. It's the truth. Thanks Bryan. Focus on the object ball preplanning for the cue ball shape and then execute the shot. If anything changes or distracts us stop and refocus.
Thank you for your comments Thanks for watching
One of the best videos every. I've been guilty of every one of those things one time or another especially #1. I was told recently that if you stand down over a shot more than 8 seconds you should stand up and start your pre-shot all over again. thanks again for another great video.
By far the best videos out. With over 21,000,000 players in the U.S. and 797,631,248.02963 pool players world wide I don't understand why you don't have at least over 1 or 2 million subscribers. Btw a lot of people I talk to about you and FXBillards already know who you are from your videos but I will keep shooting it anyway. Thanks
Keep in mind: Of the millions of players in the world, less than 5% actually make any type of move intelligent moves to improve. Thanks for your comments and thanks for watching.
Hey, you always deliver well. We appreciate you. Thank you!!!
I appreciate you guys too. Thanks for watching.
I'm constantly studying film also.This is a essential part of my training.
Thanks Dave it is quite underrated. I appreciate you watch and have a great day.
Solid advice, Brian! Keep the anger alive!
Thank you, Steve
to play less hurriedly, I am trying two things: (1) playing as if I have all the time in the world; and (2) starting my pre-shot routine before I even stand up from my last shot
Lol 😂 I love how honest you said “yeah you can create a ridiculous bridge with your hands bc you don’t want to pick up the bridge may make the shot but left with shitty position lmao 🤣 “
Spot on made me laugh see it allll the time haha
Ty for all the tips as always and for always keeping it real!
#1 is accurate af for me! You are right. Lost so many because of that
Wow! Bryant you are on it. I have seen myself in all 7. As a new beginner kicking those to the curb is going to improve my game well. Thanks!😅
As always, thanks for watching and thanks for your comments
Hey Bryan - Had to smile when I heard these. Guilty as charged. Another one along the line of the "anyways" shot, on a really key shot, take a walk around the table to compose yourself. I have been in situations where I shot this shot "anyways" even if I was not calm. Take care - Pete
Thanks for sharing Pete
One example of a distraction that is always afoot(pun intended) is the passerby who is trying to be polite by stopping just before crossing my line of aim but still well within my narrowed field of vision and then standing in a frozen pose so as not to distract me. The tension that creates is palpable and highly distracting, much more so than if the person just blithely walked on through my shot line instead of stopping. It's almost like a standoff. When this happens, I always stand up and wave the person on with a smile before getting back down. I know the passerby means well, so I've never got upset by this at all. I just take it as a positive--an opportunity to re-approach and reset, possibly in an even more focused yet calm frame of mind. Am I the only one who is bothered by this?
*Good points, Bryan. I'm guilty of all of them, some more than others, of course. I'm quite good about chalking, but I do avoid the bridge if at all possible. However, in every practice session, I run at least one full rack of balls opposite-handed. I’ve been doing this for several years, and it has really helped me reach and make shots I couldn’t have done with my right hand. I still need to practice using the bridge more, though.
Great video once again - I am guilty of many of these, I use chalking my cue to slow me down and to look at the shot - Also need to work on my anyways shots - as when it gets later into the night just trying move on faster - but this really makes the game run on longer due to many missed shots. Focus and run them out and go home!
Always appreciate your tips, lessons, and dimenor
Thank you Brian, another great video!
Good point about those chalk review videos! They show a quality of the chalk that is useless (being able to shoot 10-12-15 times without rechalking), because we should chalk before every shot anyway.
I like the way those guys act like they can hit the ball exactly the same way to measure the results. Just because he looks and talks like a robot doesn’t mean he can hit the ball like a robot. Those comparisons are flat out silly.
@@FXBilliards oh, yeah. I wasn’t even thinking about that, completely missed that. You are spot on!
Good advice - I play at pretty high levels, my biggest problem? Not standing up, re-assessing/re-setting. It might only win me one more game out of six - but if you are playing tournament or just league matches, that can be huge.
Great video Brian! Hopefully, the people listen because it's all very valuable
I’m glad to help
Excellent advice for all players of any level 😊.
I appreciate you taking the time to watch and leave your comments
Excellent video I've been guilty of all of them at times.
I’m pretty sure we all have been guilty. Thanks for watching.
That last one lol. Thanks for sharing. Nothing but facts 👍🎱
Thanks for watching. I appreciate your comments and your support of the channel.
Another great video Bryan!!! There is just one thing I gotta know. What is the best chalk in the world?
That video is spot on with so many players I see in my APA leagues. You hit nearly everything we all do, and unfortunately, even being a SL5 in both 8-ball and 9-ball, I still fall victim to a few of those, especially the "anyways" Thanks for sharing.
Great content. Thanks for being my favorite pool channel!
Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Sometimes, one has to get angry when the team keeps falling asleep. Good stuff!!
lol Thanks for watching
Other than playing a bit more regularly I've been working on mainly mental exercises and meditating.
Last APA session I finished 25th on MVP list 9/15.
As of now I'm 6/6 and first. Moved from 4 to 5. If I feel anything but 💯 on a shot I step back and regroup.
Check the tightness of cue all the rest was spot on practice with other hand on easy shots cheers friend "good job"
Thanks for watching
The anyways shots are big. Most of the time for me, it’s deciding on a bank or cut when I’m down and shooting. Stand back up, look at the bank angle, look at the cut angle and decide.
Yep, laziness and or complacency, can strike everyone at some time.
Sound mad? No. You sound passionate and dedicated to the craft.. Brian is my f_+&+& dude!... I add respect EVERY shot. Seen pros miss short rail layups.
As always, thanks for watching and thanks for your comments
Thanks!
Thank you very much for your support of the channel. Let me know if you ever need anything.
Good strategies as always!
Lazy shot: when using running English, not mentally tracking the path of the CB and taking note of other balls near pockets.
Is there a possibility of contacting one?
If you don’t think things through that CB has a nasty habit of finding that one ball on the table to nip off of and drop into the pocket!
Especially the side pockets.
My number one mistake is thinking too much about position when I’m down on the shot, rather than making the ball.
Thanks for sharing- you are right -those thoughts need to be made before you’re down on the shot. Thanks for watching.
Not utilizing time in the chair. There’s a lot of players that come to the table with no plan because they were watching the guy/girl draw the ball around the table. There’s a ton of information to read when you’re sitting down. Which ball is their trouble ball? What opportunity do I have from any ball missed? What are likely cue ball spots with a miss? And that’s just scratching the surface. Doing that allows you to come to the table with more comfort and confidence because you already have an idea of what’s going to work. It’s easy to see what balls your opponent has, watch them shoot and hope you get a chance but it’s important to reread the table as if you would be coming up to shoot after each of your opponents shots.
I chalk every shot because it's too late once you mis-cue and it's part of my pre-shot routine. It also gives me a few seconds to look at the table. I'm not in any hurry...that alone will get to some opponents. I'm gonna shoot at MY rhythm...I don't care how fast THEY shoot. BTW #1 reason is spot-on: Guilty! Great Stuff, Coach.
Oh Boy!!! 100% with that list. I'm guilty of each and every one of those offenses!!! Kick myself each time (and laugh) ... and it ain't funny!!! It's called getting lazy/loosing focus --- True and Truer! Great one Bryan -- very good points! Be Safe
I appreciate your comments in support of the channel Rod. Have a great week.
I agree 💯 percent with everything you said. When I play live my friends call me the master of the bridge because I almost never mess with it. I just been introduced to the V10 chalk... life changing 🎉 I still talk every time because it is a part of my preshot routine but I just touch it up I don't paste it on there like I used to.
You got it Chuck- best chalk in the world
The best part about this chalk is the “Do not eat” emblem. 🤣
I really felt it when you addressed the bad habit of not grabbing your short cue when you are in a restricted space. My home table is so tight on the sides, I have to grab my short cue every other shot and sometimes find my self holding my playing cue like a javelin just to avoid grabbing my shorty Lol
In practice situation is you should allow yourself to just take the ball and move it away from the rail so you have enough room to shoot properly. Thanks for watching and thanks for your comments.
Since first seeing this video, I have been a preacher of the "anyways" wasted opportunities. So true.
Stubborness . Went decades thinking I could skin a hanger into the side pocket thin enough or soft enough to avoid the corner scratch, now I always use bottom.
I definitely suffer from the anyways. Probably my biggest weakness next to my kicking and positioning.. I guess im afraid that i will lose my rhythm or something. But i have fired alot of times when it didnt feel right and most of the time i miss.
You’re a pretty good player JC let’s set up our meeting soon.
man you got me on a few... that anyways.....nailed me dead thanks. lesson always solid from you.
Thanks for watching
I'm so glad I found a name for it , "The Anyways". Thinking that a shot isn't on, that it'll go to the left, but still shooting it and .. it goes left.
When I’m at a weekly tournament I get to a point where I realize that I have made the money round. Now usually by this point im 4-5 hours in and feeling like I would like to go home. So I don’t focus as much as I did when i first got there. Other times I push through and win
Pool can be exhausting but you Gotta keep pushing through. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day.
My number one killer is not looking at my next shot from behind it and figuring out exactly where I really need the cue ball to be. I just look at it from whatever angle the current ball provides, pick a spot that I think is right, and then line up on the next one and realize I am not as straight as I thought I was going to be, or I was too straight, whatever, and now I have to work hard to get to the next ball. Find myself falling slowly out of line until I am shooting something ridiculous on the 9 ball.
Much appreciated. Thanks
For myself, I solved a few of these issues by SLOWLY adhering to a very specific pre-shot routine. I have played for over 50 years, and realize my skills are not what they use to be. I would get so mad, missing an "easy" shot late in the game. LOL, no chalk, wrong stance, wrong not looking for the finite cut......Other than the "Anyway" oooops..... I am enjoying every game.
I've made those anyways shots before trying my best to never do it as always great video
Standing up right after the shot or "not staying down" very guilty of this myself
I have seen Swapping back in forth with sticks due to not having rt stick. And going from open to closed bridge on reg shots so much it makes u dizzy. Thats two i seen a lot as well as what u said. Mine is shooting to hard and not resetting as much as I should
Thanks for watching and thanks for your comments. Shooting too hard definitely is a common issue.
@@FXBilliards I have a team member in the APA league I play in who states, Hes soo confident in making the shot so he slams it. He is an APA 5 tho.
Great video, it's great to have someone show us our mistakes. Please tell us what's the name of the chalk you think is best thank you..
I feel that Taom is the best chalk I have ever used. It’s clean, it stays on the tip and very available. And even though it’s very expensive it last for a very long time. predators new chalk is probably just as good, but I have not used it yet.
Love that video B. Thanks for all the Knowledge and Wisdom you share with us. As I become more successful in my Real Estate Journey I would like to meet you in person and Give You a few dollars and possibly go to some of the local Pool Locations and Win Some Money Playing Scottish 9 Ball doubles or and game really Not to Brag but I'm Nearly an APA 7 myself and only been playing 5 Years
Great tips! I really enjoyed the video. I have a question about 8 ball break. I have very little strength in my right arm due to C-5 nerve root palsy, this is where the main muscle in your shoulder and upper arm no longer work. I have watched videos about breaking and will try the different ways suggested. Do you have any ideas of how and from where, in the kitchen, to hit the CB, and where I should aim it, first ball/second ball, to get the best spread?
I would recommend breaking from the spot, hit the head ball straight on and don’t mess with the second ball break. It’s one of the most misunderstood shots in pool and most people using it are doing it all wrong anyway. Sometimes they make a ball because they’re playing on bar boxes, but hit the head ball full
Very good content Bryan
Thank you very much James.
Good info keep it coming.
More to come!
Shooting too fast too hard..... Not taking the time to look at all the balls on the table..... Basically use the three H system.... Hit em Hard and Hope.....
Preshot routine should be like tiring your shoes or driving to the local store in your town.... Natural..... Muscle memory!!!! Think about this Michael Jordan was at the free throw line in a game shooting a foul shot.... Michael Jordan did his preshot routine as he always did..... Closed his eyes..... Shot the free throw.... The ball went in perfectly.... His body routine took over and the rest is perfection.
I'm even handed so I'm constantly using both hands for positions.I like to use my left hand when playing a right hander.Much like baseball bringing a lefty to face a right handed hitter.
That’s pretty cool. Two years ago me and some of the other TH-camrs did a challenge where you had to shoot and run a rack of 9-ball switching hands on each shot. Stick around I think I might bring that back.
My worst bad habit is not walking around the table to check if a ball goes. I will play 2 or 3 shots, get shape on the ball I wanted, then come to find out it actually doesn’t go past the opponent’s ball. These instances are definitely fewer and far between but still happen if it’s a long day and fatigue sets in.
You’re not alone I’ve seen a lot of pros do the same thing. Thanks for watching.
Been there, done that!
I needed that ❤❤❤
Growing up in Western Kansas we learned in a snooker hall. Sometimes when someone pulled out the crutch to use the opponent would say "Only old ladies use a crutch." The retorn was "And old ladies never miss." Maybe you've done a piece on how to use a crutch. The crutch I have now is far more complicated than the one I used in my old snooker days. What are all those notches for?
Depending on where you are on the table, you might need a higher or lower slot on the bridge head. Plus a lower one might help with a DrawShot, where a higher one might be used for a follow shot or to reach over a ball.
One other common one is instead of finding a proper position for your bridge hand when shooting over or stroking through a gap in other balls, players get lazy and use a rail bridge that is far too long for their stroke accuracy. For example: if I consistently use a 8-9" bridge length but go to bridging off of the rail but give myself a 15-17" bridge length, I am likely to sacrifice accuracy. It depends on the skill of the player as many can be accurate enough to do this but I have seen so many players try to look like Ronnie O' and miss the shot because their stroke isn't level and consistent. Personally I take the time to find a place for my hand, or the bridge, or an alternate type bridge (moose type) rather than risk it.
Thanks Bryan
Thank you for your comments
NAILED IT
Thanks for watching
Bryan, I just missed winning a game by not getting back up off the eight ball when someone started talking to me. I MISSED and it was an EASY make. Dumb!! and like you said LAZY
Playing in a league, I find myself backing off a shot frequently because of distractions. I am not really concerned with my opponents need to hurry up. More good advice Brian, thanks.
I'm guilty of #1 more times than any of the others, and thinking about position on the next shot is another item that will cause a miss, I saw somewhere a phrase "make the ball and adapt" We would like to get at least a makeable shot on our next ball, but what good is that if you miss the ball you're on? Thanks for the video's Bryan, you don't sound angry to me, it's more of a matter of fact tone of voice, this is the real deal, listen to what I say and you'll improve your game. See you next time 👋
Thank you for your comments Thanks for watching
Number 1 bad habit I would say is getting up on the shot. We all do it. Along those same lines I think, is getting up, or maybe just bad fundamentals, where I miss side pocket shots. I miss seemingly pretty easy side pocket shots far too often. I am actually going to just shoot some side pocket shots tonight for practice and try some of the things I read today about shooting them. I just don't have the same confidence in those shots. They end my runs far too often. I need to work on that. A video devoted to side pocket shots is my suggestion and of course more straight pool. What is your high run by the way Brian? Mine is 98. Have not quite made the 100 club yet. With that said, I really only run 40s and 50s on a weekly basis. I love the game, but it is sooooooo frustrating.
lol we should start a club or a support group because I’ve run 99. I may have done more during a practice session, but I wasn’t keeping good score/ I keep telling myself it doesn’t really matter unless it’s some extraordinary number.
@@FXBilliards , well, you just have not played enough, or like you said kept score. I have no doubt you could or would run 100 if you played the game more. It is the only game I play for practice and I play almost every day. You pocket balls way better than I do. I have not great fundamentals, so really is amazing I can play as well as I do. I know another very good pool player who told me he has run 99 twice, but never a 100. He is like a 680 Fargo.
@@FXBilliards , unrelated, but related to a video you made and straight pool. What are your thoughts on the arcadia reserve cloth for straight pool? That is all I play on my 9 ft table. I have 860 HR. When you said you had 860 for decades you meant 860 and not 860 HR right? I think I want 860 or Reserve next time.
I HAVE A QUESTION🙋🏼♀️ What do you think about using a rolling bridge devise? Do you like or not like it? Is it legal to use in tournament play? I’m curious because I’ve seen people use them but I’m not sure if I want one or should get one.
I have never used one, but I would imagine it is legal
Two big ones for me. Not chalking enough and not resetting when I need to.
By the way, what is the lengh of a short cue? I have that problem with my table, the space behind the short rails is not sufficient and I have to raise the cue. Thanks for the information.
In most cases around 52 inches but it may vary
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it
One I'm guilty of is practicing differently than I play. It's easy to be loose and get into a flow in practice, trusting instinctual aim instead of being deliberate. It doesn't hold up for a whole tournament or when your opponent keeps you in your chair.
"You didn't stand back up" Great advice. You see pro golfers change their ideas and restart their routines.
I forget the guys name, but there is one guy that goes all the way back to the bag even if he’s going to use the same club, he puts it back in the bag takes it out all over again to restart as preshow routine. Thanks for watching.
Two points about needing a short cue: 1. Get a decent one, because too many of them feel like they weigh about 2 oz. They're hard enough to use, as it is, so you might as well invest in a good quality shorty; and, 2. If you haven't gotten a short cue, you can get away with using your jump cue, IF the shot doesn't require sidespin. The harder tip of these won't be helpful if you're trying to impart english.
I am guilty of every one of these errors. Sometimes I even think about it first and still make the mistake.
Hiya there! I've become a committed fan , of your video's! Myself am a intermediate pool player! However i'm struggling with my "Gemoatry " what tips can you offer me! Thanks
The best advice I can give you is to put in a lot of reps shooting balls from different angles, making predictions about where they’re going to go and then seeing where they actually go. Avoid using gimmicks like the peace sign and horizontal cues to find tangent lines. It just creates a crutch. It’ll make it difficult for you to learn the game properly in the long run.
please show how to pocket balls frozen to pillar ( cue and object ball ) into corner pockets. I believe inside English is a must?
I made a short that shows how to do this. I’ll try to find it for you. you put a slight bit of inside English on it so it comes off the rail and comes back on.
FX billiards, what if the pool hall that I play in doesn't have a mechanical bridge? What do you recommended? Thanks! P.S. Great content as usual, keep it up!
You can buy a bridge head for pretty cheap. It slides on the end of a cue. The one I use is pretty expensive but it’s the best it’s called “Kamui view.”
Bad habits of mine
1. Not chalking me cue regularly. 2. Pre shot routine. 3. Overthinking sometimes. 4 Dropping my shoulder.
Knowing you have a problem, is half the battle -you’ll get there, Rudy.
i talk about chalking up every shot realize i don't , and Wed. City League took Forfeit because was short 1 player in playoff and playing the #1 team or they was top 3 , and the ending have me thinking Steven Seagull Pool Hall fighting part but without the fighting part
Thanks for watching
Number 1 is 100 % fit's on me thanks
#3 Look at any shot, not just "difficult" ones. This is my biggest fault. Assuming that it is an easy shot and then missing it because I didn't take the time to look at the alignment and subsequent follow of the cue ball.
Playing in a tournament I was shooting the 8 ball to win. My foot stepped on the rack laying on the floor and it flipped up. It distracted me but I didn’t stand back up an re-focus and lost the match.
Look at it as a lesson that will stick with you for a long time, and hopefully prevent you from making the mistake. Again, thank you very much for watching Thanks for your comments
Banger voice! That's hilarious. I would add lack of focus on EVERY shot, especially the easier ones. Those will bite you in the butt the most.
Thanks Ken have a great week
A former friend I used to play with used to put both hands on the table next to the pocket I was shooting for and would press down on the table. It felt good throwing that guy away in my life.
With a scooped shot a flying cue ball can do miracles when it hits hard body of a jerk.
A lot of players tell me I chalk too much but it's part of my routine every shot and really helps my focus to take that extra time..and bonus it takes the fast players right out of their mojo😅... Those anyways are one of my biggest problems. The last few months I've been working on tearing down my poor stroke and rebuilding a better one.... The anyways kill all that hard work I put in and make me rack😂
Bro, you can never chalk too much. I have expensive chalk and I cringe watching locals chalk every 10 shots or so. Keep your game up!
Bro, always stick to your routine, eff everything else. Lol
After many years of studying this game, I still fall into bad habits, e.g. not staying down on the shot after hitting the cue ball. The old chicken wing keeps haunting me. Taking my eye off of the OB when delivering the forward stroke, failure to concentrate (i.e. "not emptying your cup as the Buddhists say), etc. I fall into these bad habits even though I'm totally aware of them! The only thing I can think of is to just keep practicing without over thinking the table lay out and my stroke. It's very frustrating, knowing what I'm doing wrong, but I keep repeating it! Any other ideas?
Honestly, the issues you mentioned can be fixed pretty quickly with some good coaching. Find someone you respect to take a look at your game or look us up at fxbilliards.com for lessons.