planning ahead

[j4m13pl4tt]

hi, i have another question lol
its been in my head for a while now and i just need an answer
how many shots ahead do you think on positioning ?
thanks

[Tom Read]

I think 2 to 3 shots ahead at times. When I'm on a red, I'm thinking how can I get on a colour, to get onto a red. Then when I'm on the first colour, I'm thinking how can I get onto the red, to get on the colour, on to the next red, etc. etc.!

It doesn't always go to plan, but I know in my head what I want to do.

[j4m13pl4tt]

thats head blagging, did it take you a while to learn how to think like that ?

[CoolBlue]

hi, i have another question lol
its been in my head for a while now and i just need an answer
how many shots ahead do you think on positioning ?
thanks

2 - 3 shots ahead [maybe more?] - 3 is about my limit with reds on the table... Unless [for example] you need to develop the blue while working on a clearance, but this wouldn't be thinking ahead per se, but trying to work out where you need to be 1-2 shots BEFORE you get to the blue [you're just aware of it well in advance]. Most players don't think about it until they get to that point.

You'll never play for ONE ball... unless you're forced into it in a certain situation ie. being on the colours, the only accessible red is on a cushion, or you need to bring the black into play blah blah.

Try playing for an 'area' on the table where there are 2 or 3 reds... if you over hit your shot, you'll be on a red to the centre [or other corner] depending on how they lie... if you under hit the shot you finish on the other choice of reds... You get the idea.

Good luck man... keep it up.

[checkSide]

You only need to think two shots ahead, unless you are planning forward to specific 'key shot'..

e.g. You are on the red. You need to think I want to be low on the black, in order to move up the table for the next red.

Or more simply, before you the pot the red, you think, low on black, high on next red.

Specific situations where you may need to plan further ahead for a 'key shot' include, pack breaks, cannons to free reds/colours from the cushions. Plans to get big colours back on their spots. Plans to free "blocked" pockets to make the big colours pottable etc.

In these situations you are working your way to get nice position on one ball in order to play the 'key shot'.

Just my humble opinion!

[Tom Read]

thats head blagging, did it take you a while to learn how to think like that ?

I learn by watching the pro's on tele. I may not be the greatest player as shown by my highest break, but I can see exacty what I want to do.

Like I know I will want to get on the black as soon as, but I can see a red is blocking the black going in, so I'm working out in my head how within the next few shots I can get onto the red to clear the black.

I try to second guess what the pro's do on tele to see if I can think how they are thinking. But yeah, it sometimes goes to plan, it sometimes doesn't.

[damienlch]

mine's similar to checkside's, i.e. when i'm at the current shot, i think of landing high or low for the next shot in order to play the shot after... it would be tough to get back into position if you are on the "wrong" side of the object ball... i also try to play into areas which allows me to land on more reds...

whether i get there is a totally different matter altogether...

[cantpotforshíte]

Well we should be thinking two shots ahead.... whether or not we do is another question entirely
I think that just settling for position to be able to pot the next red/colour without asking yourself how you are going to get on the next colour/red is the reason that many breaks end.
Also, while playing for areas is essential when you are in amongst the reds, It's important not to aim at an area. I think it's better to aim at an exact spot in that area, whilst being mindful that if you overrun or underhit the cue ball a bit, you'll still be alright. The reason that I say this is that if you don't see the exact shot and outcome in your head, it's easy to miss.
It's something that I fail to do often, and I believe it's a common cause of missing.

[damienlch]

to add on to my previous post, before getting down on the shot, i visualise the path i want to cue ball to take immediately after it hits the object ball, or if i'm playing cushions, to visualise which part of the first cushion i want to hit with the cue ball... helps with my positioning.

watching how the pros play on tv sure helps but with the screen being 2 dimensional, i often have difficulty gauging what angles are they playing for. anyone one has the same problem?

[cantpotforshíte]

to add on to my previous post, before getting down on the shot, i visualise the path i want to cue ball to take immediately after it hits the object ball, or if i'm playing cushions, to visualise which part of the first cushion i want to hit with the cue ball... helps with my positioning.

watching how the pros play on tv sure helps but with the screen being 2 dimensional, i often have difficulty gauging what angles are they playing for. anyone one has the same problem?

I'm going a little off topic here, but I find that visualising the path that the cueball takes immediately after hitting the object ball helps a lot with my potting...

And second guessing what the pro's are going to do on the telly, as Tom Read says, is a great way to get your brain into gear as far a shot choice goes. I think it's the perspective of the table that makes the angles seem a little un-natural sometimes.