Learn to Jump Balls (1 of 2) - Pool / Billiards

[BilliardInstructor]

I can't disagree with your comments. However, we have what we have, which is rule sets and venues that allow specialized equipment & techniques, within some limits. You'd be stupid not to learn jumping AND to have the easy to use equipment. You don't have to "believe in it" or agree that it should be allowed. If it's allowed, you'd better be prepared to take advantage of the way it is. Your opponents certainly will.

You don't want show up at a gunfight with a knife.

[BrianMichaelEvans]

Well said my friend.

Whether you agree or disagree with what the rules and stipulations are if you go to places to play COMPETITIVLY . . . bring the gear needed to out perform your oponent!

[rackrunner99]

I think jump cues have raised the standards for safety play. When I played APA jumping was uncommon because jump cues werent allowed. So merely getting behind a ball was enough. Now I play BCA and they are. So Ive had to learn to play more of a "lock up" type safe. Besides jumping isnt always the result of a good safe or bad position play. What about when youre playing that lucky scmuck who gets an uninteded safe roll every time he misses? Is it fair that Im then screwed as a result of rolls?

[zzzfore]

I'd like to see the jump cues outlawed. You'd get to break with one cue and shoot with the other. No break downs and no substitutions when you are shooting so if you can jump a ball with your regular cue, fine and dandy. I appreciate the skill to jump balls when done with the regular cue but those ridiculous shorties take away from the game.

[BilliardInstructor]

There are always edges to be gained through specialized skills and tweaked equipment. For example, players shooting with a Stinger "All-in-One" cue could be said to have an unfair advantage in venues where "jump cues" are not allowed, since that cue is engineered to work well for both play and break/jump, even without breaking it down. If my full-length playing cue jumps better than yours, is that fair? People will always push to the edge of what can be done within the equipment specs.

[zzzfore]

Players will shoot with the cue that plays the best for them all around. They will not play with a stinger or anything else unless it's at least 99.99999% as good (to them) as their favorite cue. But for pros, it's moot because they will play with their sponsor's cue--even if it's god awful. For example: Strickland played with cuetec for over a decade. Now he says it ruined his game. Pros can play great pool with anything though. Efren and his $13 cue did pretty well for many years.

[BilliardInstructor]

Don't assume pros are playing with "off the rack" sponsor products. Not even close.

[zzzfore]

I can't see my comments here, only your answers, so it's hard to respond. My main point still holds whether most pros play with sponsor's cues or not (I think they do--for example, many unknowns in my area have informal agreements with local cue makers to play with their cues). But my point is, good players can adjust to any decent cue so if it is in their financial interest, they will play with pretty much whatever is given to them.

[Sickopath333]

Actually now that I think about jump shots with professional billiards, I now it's been forever (if I ever have) seen someone masse the cueball around to hit the target ball. Honestly it probably does make more sense to go for a bank since masses are difficult to precisely control (I can hit the ball, but what's going to be left for my opponent). But before jump shots were made more popular did anyone ever masse it when they were screwed? I'm just curious since I never see it in action.

[BilliardInstructor]

You don't see masse often because it's very hard to be accurate with it. When there is a ball in your way and it's nearby, jumping makes sense. When the obstacle is further away, or you just need to clear an edge, (elevating your stick and) curving the CB around the blocker is more reasonable.

[bone6966]

you are cheating if you use a jumpcue! that takes away from great safety play, as anyone can get the cueball up and down very fast, to get out of a great safety. and it takes away the skill of a person who has honed his skills using his playing cue to jump! whoever disagrees with this, is not a true player, and don't understand the game! burn your cheatcue if you have one!

[BilliardInstructor]

I felt that way too, in the mid-90's, when the very short jump cues appeared. They gave a ridiculous advantage. However, since they were legal, you had to have the tool and the skills in order to keep a level playing field. Same today, but at least now, with the equipment restrictions governing jump cues, it takes some skill. If it's legal to jump and it's legal to use a Stinger (it is), you're cheating yourself if you don't take full advantage. This is why we have rules & regs - to set limits.

[lemonite1]

It takes knowledge and skill to play safe and if I put someone in jail because I made a nice safe, then they shouldn't be able to simply 'jump' outta trouble. Conversely, if my opponent misplays a shot and gets safe on himself, that's his error. He shouldn't be able to jump outta a trouble he made for himself. Jumping is not a skill, just a cheap/easy way to lower pool's standards. Efren Reyes, Earl Strickland doesn't believe in them.

[BilliardInstructor]

Your points are valid. However, since jumping & jump cues are legal in most venues, if you don't have the skills & equipment, you are putting yourself at a disadvantage.

Where do we draw the line? What's a jump? The CB jumps a little on every shot. If you put a coin on the table a few inches in front of the CB, and hit straight at it with a normal flat stroke, the CB jumps over the coin. If I elevate and make the CB come up a half-inch to clear the edge of an obstructing ball, is that a jump?

[lemonite1]

good point..... and if masse is legal, who's to say that jumping shouldn't be allowed. I guess you're right.

I still feel it takes much of the strategy away from the game. For nine ball, getting in and out of safety is tough, especially at tournament level. Remember when the games were just Billiards, Snooker and Straight? Nine ball ruined a lot....

[aoyster]

Great Stuff Tom..."Knowledge is Power!"

[Dazdzu]

easy to follow and use procedure