The Tip Jar

The Tip Jar has a new home

2006-08-17T01:27:00.001-06:00

If you've been checking, thanks for your patience. The Pool Tip Jar now has a new home. From now on, postings can be found at: Blog.SammsPocket.com While you're here, please sign my guestbook. Thanks for your support & for lovin' this great game!

Chronic Pain?

2006-01-25T02:32:00.000-07:00

In the past couple years, as my practice time at the table increased, so did the discomfort in my back and shoulder. The long hours of holding my body in a position that it was not intended to be in, is the contributing factor to this pain. Little did I know, I had a "sports injury." As I learn that I'm not the only person to have this chronic pain, I would like to hear from other players that may (or may not) also be suffering from pool related injuries. With this and other research, I hope to help educate pool players everywhere of ways to improve your game by taking care of your body. Please click "Vote" to cast your vote and submit your comments. You can also click "Email this" and pass it along to all your pool playing friends or "publish" to share this poll on your site. Thank you!

ShowBite poll

	Do you suffer from chronic pain due to or aggrevated by playing pool?

	by sammspocket

Vote

Results Summary*

yes

*Refresh page for latest results

See Detailed Results

Samm's Side Pocket

Email this or publish

"I'm a difficult student."

2005-12-25T04:28:00.000-07:00

When it comes to pool, I am not, by any means, the perfect student. In fact, I have even been known to be “difficult.” It’s not deliberate. It just happens. As I have recently been conducting some pool clinics of my own, I have a small group of regular students that attend most weeks. One in particular, Rob, is giving me a taste of my own student-hood. Being an imperfect student does not make me a poor learner. In fact, I understand and retain most things very quickly. That is, after the questioning and hesitation subside. Only after I let down my guard and allow myself to trust my instructor am I able to completely absorb all the information that is presented to me. You see… I can’t help my curiosity. Already inquisitive, having an analytical mind allows some slight paranoia to set in. This is the part where I wonder how it could be that this new information is true when I’d known it another way for so many years. “Are you sure I should use outside english here? I have always shot this with inside english.” This over-analyzing causes me to be reluctant to receiving the new information. It’s not that I don’t trust my instructor, I just can’t help myself. For me, and many others, I need to understand why, how, and what will happen. Why do I do it this way instead of the tougher way I’ve been doing it all along? How does that happen when I hit the ball the way you tell me to? And, what exactly will happen when I shoot it the way you say? Finding an instructor with the patience to understand your need for understanding is half the battle. Discovering myself on the other side of the fence, I now understand it’s a very busy two-way street. So, if you’re an eager student with an inquisitive mind and many questions, trust in your instructor. Believe in what they have to share with you. You don’t have to like it but don’t waste too much time. It may help to have a notebook with you to jot down some of the curious thoughts and ask them later. Try not to interrupt an explanation. You may find your answer in the end. Many times, I even answer my own question after just shooting the shot. On the other hand, patience I always had. I developed that while teaching private violin lessons to middle-schoolers for ten years. The important thing is to make sure the point is heard. I try to make my clinics fun and interactive. I have been know to ask students to repeat their question at the end of a session as to not stray from the lesson at hand. I always make sure I answer all questions and I usually like to ask a few of my own. I dedicate this article to Rob, one of my favorite students. He is not nearly as difficult as I am, but we’re lucky our brains work the same way. May you all find such rewarding student-teacher relationships.

Designing Your Own Game

2005-12-19T01:10:00.000-07:00

If you were shopping for a new car, you wouldn’t just purchase the first one off the lot just because the consumer reports gave it the highest ratings. Would you? You might do some research and test drive a few before making a decision. By that point, you should have a pretty good idea what color, model, and features you want to be driving around with. Perhaps cars are not important to you. Assume you’re searching for a new home or a mate. Imagine choosing something that is significant to you. Now, take those elements and direct them towards your pool game. This may sound silly, but if pool is important to you, why wouldn’t you put as much thought and consideration into designing that game as you would when designing a new home? Developing YOUR pool game deserves as much attention as making a major purchase. It should also be a major decision. The responsibility of processing what you learn is on your shoulders. Along with that, is the decision of WHAT TO LEARN. Yes, this is true. Many instructors out there will disagree with me on this one. Most of them feel that their way is the only way. I’m here to let you know that you do not have to buy into any of that propaganda. You DO have a choice. How is it possible that there are so many brilliant pool instructors out there that each subscribe to their own philosophies and concepts on this game? They are each just as successful and just as well-respected. Some may share a kicking and banking system; some may share mechanical views; and some may not agree at all. However, there is one thing that they will all agree upon. That is, their way is the best way. Right? Otherwise, why did they get into this business? Or, better yet, why wouldn’t they be teaching it the other way. My point is that you can not leave it up to the professionals (the consumer reports) to determine what you should know (or, what you should be driving). By reading books and columns by various writers, you’re doing the research for yourself. By taking lessons from more than one instructor, you’re test driving your options. Lastly, by taking with you the things that work best for you from each one of those instructors, you’re designing a game that is built for YOU. Ask any pro who they learned this game from and I guarantee that you will never hear just one name. Do not be fooled into believing that any one instructor’s way is the only way. The best instructors will agree with that. Of course, you will find one instructor betters another. I spent two years working exclusively with one mentor and learned more than I could possibly imagine about this game. That does not mean that I forgot anything that I learned prior to that. I still take lessons today from various instructors and take with me a little bit from everyone. Discover for yourself what works for you and never stop searching for more knowledge.

Did I really prove a point?

2005-12-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

I recently joined Chisolm's APA League on Sunday nights. I only agreed to play so long as I was never asked to throw a game or play below my handicap. The more I've been playing, the more I've been appreciating my teammates. Their eagerness to learn more and more about this game is what has kept me playing with this team. Anyway! Here's the point... Last week, during my first match, my opponent's teammate made some rude comments to my teammates about my game. I had not warmed up and admittedly was not playing my best. Although I stayed ahead of my opponent and eventually beat him, his teammate still found it necessary to tell my teammates that I wasn't playing up to my handicap and basically that I was overranked. Well, after league I approached this guy for a game. I said, "What do you want to play for?" He only had $7 to his name so we played one game for $5 and one game for $2. Not only was he not a good player (and didn't realize it) but he had stepped right out of my book, as though it were his bible. He didn't just get down on his shot before the cue ball stopped moving, it was going mach speed when he would get down and would never stop anywhere near where he was positioned. While I was down on a shot, he even tried to ask me where I was from. I said, "I'll answer any of your questions after this game." Anyway, I took his only $7 and he claims that he'd have more money to lose this week. After we played, he began telling me about all these other bars I could go to for good gambling action and where I could find people to gamble with. To all this I responded, "I don't even like to gamble. I only played you to prove a point. I heard what you said about me and I didn't appreciate it." He denied that he was trying to "talk sh*t" and claimed that he was only trying to boost his teammate's confidence (even though the teammate wasn't around when he made the comments). He completely tried to back-pedal his way out of it. The bottom line is: I am a far better player than this guy and will beat him 99.999% of the time that we match up. He is a decent ball-maker and that's about it. I would never gamble with someone just to take their money. It's not about the money. It was about the principle. However, I still wonder if continuously taking his money will ever really prove a point... On a side note: Personally, I am a tournament player. I train to compete in a controlled, respectful environment. I am courteous to my opponent and expect the same in return. I would not object to scheduling a gambling match where both opponents know when and where it will happen and I am playing a race for a certain amount. But, I do not agree with spending 13 hours in a pool hall, only to break even. Is this right or wrong? It doesn't matter. It's my choice. I choose to be a tournament player.

Brutal Honesty

2005-12-04T02:38:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my good friend, Mark Margaretten (writer for InsidePOOL magazine) and I had a nice, long heart to heart. You see, Mark is probably the highest paid pool writer out there today. His column, View From The Cheap Seats, is a creative, non-fictional perspective to this game. It's a unique, well-written, intellectual, obscure twist from just about every other pool article you’ll read. It’s not instructional, nor informative. It is what it is; the pool world as viewed through the eyes of Mark Margaretten. On that note, Mark's column is highly noted and his unique style keeps his editor and readers wanting more and more. What is his secret? This is what he shared with me. His secret is simple... Honesty. The key is utter and complete, brutal honesty. Mark does not try to write about things he doesn't know or understand. He does not try to sugar coat his wins and he does not disguise his losses. He simply writes about his observations and allows his distinctive writing style dictate the direction of his stories. Why am I sharing this with you? Well, it’s two-fold. First, in speaking with Mark, I have realized that I have fallen victim of the sugar coating and the disguising. I often only share the positive and not the negative for fear of judgment and disinterest in my readers. I am also guilty of not writing about defeats at times because I’m too disappointed to share them. Well, I am making an early New Year’s Resolution. From this point forward, I give you everything. I promise to share the good and the bad and everything in between. I promise to always give you my absolute “honesty”. Secondly, as I make this promise to you, I believe it’s important for us to make this promise to ourselves. In a game where you can not mask your shortcomings, it is still easy to try. We all have insecurities and deal with them in our lives. However, the table does not lie and will not allow distractions and dishonesties to be hidden. I have found my best game on my worst days by addressing disruptions in order to devote myself to the shot in front of me. In life and in pool, being honest about your weaknesses and confronting them will always clear your mind for what’s to come. Thank You for Reading & Happy Holidays

Goals & Defining “Accomplishments”

2005-11-28T15:18:00.001-07:00

If you asked a room of 20 pool players to share their biggest accomplishment, you will hear several answers. If you shared your own accomplishments, some may agree with your success. Some others may have a different idea of what is important to them. One player may feel proud of accomplishing top shooter in their league. Another may feel it’s an accomplishment to just draw the cue ball two inches. Many will agree that winning a national championship is a pretty big feat. And for some, setting specific goals and reaching them are how they define an accomplishment. The only person that can define an accomplishment for you is YOU. I spent two years working with The Monk, learning all that I know today about this great game. But, it wasn’t until I defined my own goals and accomplishments that I was able to achieve them for me, not for anyone else. It was then that I realized my own dreams and accomplishments were not, and did not need to be, the same as someone else’s. Nor, could I allow anyone to set them for me. I had to define them for myself. If “winning” tournaments is an accomplishment to you and you set a goal to win as many tournaments as possible, this is an easy task to complete. Simply only play in tournaments where you know you’re the favorite to win. You will never be challenged and you will always win. In this case, you will have accomplished your goal of winning many tournaments. However, if your goal is to become a better player, it’s critical to set specific benchmarks (i.e. stopping the cue ball, drawing the cue ball, running a rack…). Once you define your specific, attainable goals, each time they are reached, you can check it off your list and move on to the next one. Each time you check off something, feel proud of yourself. You just accomplished something that you set out to do! Who cares if your accomplishment is to run four consecutive balls when your teammate’s accomplishment is to break and run four consecutive racks?! You still accomplished what you set out to do. A few nights ago, I was working on The Monk’s “Keeping the Cue Ball off the Rail” exercise where you spread all 15 balls on the table and run them out in any order without letting the cue ball touch a rail. I shot 116 balls without a miss and felt just as excited as winning the 9 ball event last month. I did touch two rails, but it was my record high run for this exercise. If I defined an accomplishment only as “winning” something then I could not have been proud of my hard work. I would not have been satisfied with just shooting well without winning something. BUT! Since my goal is not only to win but to play strong, I was just as thrilled with my results. To me, it was as big of an accomplishment as any national title. The thrill of doing what you set out to do is an incredibly rewarding feeling. It’s a feeling you may never experience if you don’t set yourself up for it. Design goals that are tangible and set timelines for them. These goals may be shooting 50 stop shots without a miss, or breaking and running a rack of 9 ball, or being top shooter in your league, or winning a specific weekly tournament. Challenge yourself with new goals and afford yourself the opportunity to accomplish them. Because, trust me, the mission is to accomplish the goals, right? Just define it and do it.

Calibrate Your Stroke: The Stop Shot is Your Friend

2005-11-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

(This is one of my favorites. This one is from the January 2005 issue of Professor Q Ball.) How many stop shots do you shoot in a day, a week, or a month? It takes more than just skill to pocket 100 consecutive, perfect stop shots without a miss. It takes discipline. Every player aims and views the contact point of an object ball a bit differently. Some players may have one eye that is more dominant than the other. Some players can see and feel the contact point of a cut shot without even having to look at it. Some players are able to drill balls into the center of the pocket with no problem while using extreme english. Whatever system you use to site your shots, just make sure it's consistent. Regularly shooting series of stop shots will help you determine whether or not your stroke is 'calibrated.' What do I mean by that? It's simple. When you shoot 10 stop shots and 8 of them consistently enter the left side of the pocket, you may be inadvertently putting some right-hand english on the cue ball. And likewise, if you shoot 8 to the right side of the pocket, you may be applying some left-hand spin. You can also tell if you are putting unwanted english on the cue ball when you break. The break shot is a firm stop shop, to put it simply. With an ideal break, your cue ball should stay in the middle area of the table. After you break, is your cue ball spinning in place to the left or right? If it is, that is another indication that you have put unwanted english on the cue ball. So, what does all this mean? Basically, shooting a rack or two of stop shots a day keeps the doctor away. Not really, but taking the time to set up at least one rack of stop shots for yourself, at least a few times a week, will really help you calibrate your stroke. Note: If you are shooting hundreds of stop shots but are still not getting the results you want, You may want to invest in a Jim Rempe Training Ball. These balls are great! Line it up to your shot and check the chalk mark on the ball to see where you actually hit it.

Giving 100%

2005-11-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

(An oldie but goody. New material to come. This one is from the June 2005 issue of Professor Q Ball. Thanks for your patience.) This article is as simple as its title. Are you giving 100% to each and every shot you make? Did you make a solid decision, commit to it and follow through with your choice? Or, did you change your mind and reluctantly stroke the ball anyway? Did you allow the server walking in front of your table to distract you and then later use it as an excuse? When you think about all the possible factors involved in pocketing a ball, there is one important thing that only you can control. That is, the cue tip through the cue ball. When you make a conscious effort to really notice where you are contacting the cue ball, and not just where you are hitting the object ball, this is just another way to ensure your precision. Along with that, take the time to make sure your stance is solid and stable on each shot. Try not to just plop down, no matter how easy a shot may be. Give each shot your 100% respect. Also, once you are down on your shot, the only thing that should be going through your mind is delivering the necessary stroke to successfully pocket that object ball; visualize the object ball going into the pocket. The last thing that should be going through your mind is the last time you missed this shot, how you look, where you are on the tournament board, who your next opponent might be, what the score is, or how early you would have to play if you won this match. So, if you find yourself a victim of any of those thoughts, the next time you approach the table and approach your shot, just say to yourself “....100%....” Give yourself a little reminder to dedicate to the shot in front of you, and every shot after that, 100%, 100% of your knowledge, ability, and stroke.

Staying in the Game

2005-11-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

I recently received a very nice compliment from a fellow player that this article was helpful to him. This is from the March 2005 issue of Professor Q Ball. Is your mind wandering while your opponent is at the table? Are you looking around? Are you wondering who you might play next? Are you watching the match on the table next to you? Are you hungry or thirsty, or do you need to use the restroom? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you may discover you have trouble staying in the game. Perhaps you struggle with maintaining a consistent level of concentration or physical stamina. Whatever the reason may be, it is important to keep your mind and your eye on your table. Staying alert and in the game helps prepare your mind and body for its turn at the table. Staying in the game means knowing what’s going on at all times during your match (not the match beside you.) It means you know whether you have stripes or solids because you were paying attention. It means you know if your opponent just fouled when it’s your turn. It means completely appreciating every stroke you make because you’re not thinking about anything other than what’s in front of you. I know it’s easy to want to know what’s going on across the room if everyone begins cheering or gasping. But, if you catch your mind wandering or notice yourself getting distracted from the game in front of you, consciously make yourself watch the table. Find a ball or a spot on the table to physically focus and force yourself to stare in that direction. Once you get into this habit, you’ll begin doing it naturally. Be sure to use the restroom or get food and water if you need to. Also, spend some time before each match just staring at the cue ball sitting on the table. Do some breathing, acclimate yourself to the environment and try to relax. Staring at the table will also help your eyes adjust to the lighting at the table you’re playing on. As we all know, lighting can vary from table to table. These are just some little things we can do during and prior to a match.

Embracing the Winners' Circle

2005-10-30T00:01:00.001-06:00

This week, I wanted to write about my recent experience winning the BCA Amateur 9 Ball Event in Vegas. During this time, I played some of the best pool of my life. On top of that, I felt confident and deserving which, for me, was a true breakthrough. Though I have won smaller tournaments before and done well in other events, I hate to admit it, but last week was the first time I have ever felt completely deserving of entering the "winners' circle." In my previous experiences, as I approached the final four of the tournament and entered the semi-finals or finals, I would find myself inevitably sabotaging my next match(es) and not doing better than I knew I could. The bottom line, I never accepted that I deserved to be there. I thought I believed in myself and had confidence in my abilities but I never truly embraced it. For the first time last week, I went to bed knowing I was the winner of the winner’s side and would be playing in the finals the next day and I slept great! There was no anxiety about whether or not I was going to win because it didn't matter. I knew I had delivered a strong performance up to that point and I planned on continuing it. Something funny happens to us when we acknowledge how well we’re doing in a tournament. A strange anxiety overcomes us and we lose focus of what we’re there to do. For me, my goal was not to party in Vegas, or finish in the money, or even to win. My goal was to play well. I set out to apply all the skills that I had acquired over the past twelve months of working with The Monk and to appreciate each shot in front of me. My focus was to deliver my best performance. I can’t control the rolls I get or who my opponent is, but I can control my performance. With this focus new in mind, it was impossible for me to have anxiety about anything else when my sight is set on one thing… playing well. Unfortunately, as I have learned, this euphoric feeling I write of does not occur naturally, nor can you create it for yourself. It is something that happens after working long, hard hours to develop your game and just letting it blossom. When you are practicing or taking a lesson, you are learning and thinking. Once you’re at the table, competing, you should not be thinking, but trusting. If you work hard, trust and believe in your abilities and “accept your own greatness.” (A good friend once told me that.) For anyone that has ever felt the anxiety of entering the winners’ circle, do not lose sight of why you are there in the first place. We play this game because we love it. Appreciate every shot in front of you and appreciate yourself for getting you there. You deserve it! Embrace the winners' circle.

Keep it cool...

2005-10-23T00:01:00.001-06:00

By the time you read these lines, I will be enroute to Vegas for the BCA 9 Ball event at The Plaza. You will find this week's posting at the following link: http://www.professorqball.com/displaystory.php?RecordID=61 courtesy of Professor Q Ball National Pool & Carom News. Have a fun week & I'll be back at the end of the month!

Understanding Why

2005-10-16T00:01:00.001-06:00

As it is important to understand why we may miss a shot, it is just as important to understand why we miss position. Obviously, if we miss the shot and we stroked the ball as we intended, we should not achieve the perfect position. And likewise, when we get perfect position and miss the pocket by a diamond, it’s safe to assume that the cue ball would not be there had we made the shot we were shooting at. However, there are times when we pocket the ball and the cue ball did not go where we thought it would. It is very important to understand what happened to create this outcome. Here are some possible things that could have happened:

You did not stroke the ball the way you intended. If the tangent line brought the cue ball straight into the cluster for a perfect break out shot but you put a bit of draw in your stroke or you let up on your stroke, you probably will not achieve the intended outcome.
You had no idea what was going to happen after you made the ball. Part of the commonly referred to term, the “poke and hope,” where you just hope to have a shot at another ball if you just make the one in front of you.
You were not committed to where you wanted the cue ball to be. In order to play precision pool, you must decide and commit to a specific location you want the cue ball to be. If you are not specific, you can not expect specific results. Therefore, if you only wanted the cue ball to be “over there some where” then that’s where it will go. Walk over to your next shot, pick a spot on the table where you want the cue ball to land, and commit to getting it there.
You “cheated the pocket” or did not shoot the object ball into the center of the pocket. This is a common error that many players take for granted. Sometimes it is necessary to play the object ball into a specific part of the pocket in order to get better position. When the object ball is sitting very close to the pocket, there are so many ways to still pocket that ball while achieving various positions with the cue ball. Make sure you pick the spot on the object ball and hit it exactly where you intend to if you expect to get precision results.
Lastly, if you believe you hit the ball as you intended and broke up the cluster you were aiming for but still did not have a good shot afterwards, then there is a good possibility that you just got a "bad roll." We can't always come out smellin' like roses. Sometimes breakouts just don't work out the way we plan. Things happen that are out of our control. Instead of focusing on them, focus on the things we can control, like our stroke.

So, the next time you make a great shot but do not achieve the position you intended, don’t just throw your hands in the air and gasp, “I can’t believe it!” Instead, run through the above list and see if any of those applied. Understand why you didn’t get the position you wanted so you can make the adjustments for next time.

Conditions Ahead: Foggy

2005-10-09T00:01:00.000-06:00

The moment I knew that I had improved and blossomed into a budding fierce player was while, during league one night, I was not playing well at all. I was struggling to make a ball. I was playing someone with a much lower handicap so I had to spot them several games. I hadn't eaten. And, I did not trust my decisions or playing ability one bit. My head felt as if I was driving a car through thick fog with a low battery. I just plain couldn't focus. It was during this match, that I pulled through and worked it out. This would be the first of many matches I would win while knowingly not playing my "A Game." Perhaps you've heard it said before, "It's not how well your A Game is. It's how well your B Game is." How true this statement can be. Being able to work through the fogginess and use what is comfortable to you at the time is what wins more games. Specifically, on these occasions...

Avoid attempting any shot that you just do not feel good about. Instead, look for a safety or lag the ball or another ball in front of a pocket.
Do not try to map out your entire run. Chances are, if your head is already feeling a bit foggy, it will not help to add more congestion to the mess. Try to just stick to 2-3 ball runs and make the best of what you end up with.
Make sure the last thought that crosses your mind before shooting each shot is, "making the ball." Again, if your head is cloudy, try to keep it simple.
Do not shoot too hard. Chances are, you may be able to block a pocket if you miss. It might even be one your opponent needs.
If all else fails, make it hard on them. If you can't get out, make it as hard as possible for your opponent to get out. Don't be afraid to lock up your balls with theirs and make them work for it. If your opponent has a lot of break outs to attempt, they could get into some trouble. You might even get lucky.
And, for Pete's sake... Do what you need to do! If you're thirsty, get some water. If you're hungry, get a snack. If you have an itch, scratch it! If you need to go to the bathroom, then go. All these variables are just more unnecessary distractions to deal with.

About a year ago, "not playing well" for me would include not only missing shots, but making stupid decisions that would inevitably cost me the match. Today, when I'm not playing well, I can still win games because I am aware of this and I make the most of it. Moral of the story: Your battery may be low, but you have a full tank of gas, some good CD's, and you're almost home. Drive more cautiously if you need to, but just keep driving.

Wait for it... Finding Your "SET"

2005-10-02T00:01:00.000-06:00

By far, the single most valuable pool tip I ever received was incorporating the "PAUSE" in my backstroke. In the spring of 2003, I attended the Cue-Tech Pool School in Dallas, Texas. It was there that I learned the "SET, PAUSE, FINISH, & FREEZE" mechanics of my stroke. Having the pause in my backstroke has saved my butt on so many occasions. While in a pressure situation, the first thing to break down is your mechanics. Having solid fundamentals to rely on is the first step to consistency. I can recall many pressure, game-winning situations where I was so nervous my knees were quivering. Although I knew my body was trembling and my heart was pounding, I trusted my stroke and just let it take over. The "SET, PAUSE, FINISH, & FREEZE" refers to the series of motions just prior to shooting a shot. As you address the cue ball and get down for your shot, you may prepare to shoot it by stroking your cue several times upto the cue ball (also referred to as "warm-up strokes"). Just prior to striking the cue ball (what I like to call "pulling the trigger") pause for a moment and allow your eyes to really focus on that contact point on the object ball. This step here is called the "SET." How long you SET before pulling the trigger is entirely up to you. The SET allows your eyes to focus on the contact point in which you are aiming, avoids prematurely stroking the cue ball before you're ready, and allows your mind and body to separate the warm-up strokes from the actual stroke. Many players naturally have a SET in their routine. If you do not, I highly recommend you experiment with this. You will be amazed at how much just incorporating an extra second into your shot can help increase the accuracy of your aiming and the consistency of your shot-making. Develop a pronounced SET and do not shoot the ball until you are completely comfortable and ready to fire.

Aiming from a Little Table to a Big Table

2005-09-25T00:01:00.000-06:00

Week of Sept 25th, 2005. Most leagues are played on coin-operated 7 foot tables, aka "bar tables." Unless you often play on both bar tables and big tables ("regulation" or 9 foot tables), you may not necessarily notice the more subtle differences between the two. The more obvious differences on a big table are the longer shots and the many times tighter pockets. What many of us may not realize is that you actually need to aim the ball a bit differently for certain shots. Usually, a big table comes with a red circle cue ball. This cue ball weighs in at approx 5.5oz. The Aramith cue ball for the Valley bar tables weigh approx 5.9oz. And, if you're playing on a Dynamo table or with older balls, your cue ball could be oversized and even heavier than 5.9oz. This .4oz is at least a 7% window for error. 7% may not seem like much, but when we are referring to a mere 2.25inch diameter, the slightest mis-aim by a fraction of a millimeter can cause us to miss the shot.

(red circle cue ball)

(Aramith magnetic Valley cue ball)

What I like to say is, "You get more 'action' with a red circle cue ball than with a bar ball." This means, the same amount of english used for the same shot, with a red circle cue ball reacts more effectively than with a heavier cue ball. Therefore, when playing with a red circle cue ball, you will want to practice shots where you are using english to pocket the ball; "throw shots" as they are often referred to. If you have the opportunity to use both cue balls together, set up the same shot, using the same english and notice how much more the object ball reacts when using a red circle cue ball. The only way to get used to this difference is by practicing with both, and frequently.