Screwing into the pack

[cazmac1]

Hi all, I have a question with regards to screwing into the back of the pack. I think I know the answer but would still like to hear it from others and explained from their point of view.
Quite simply how do you get the white to screw and the arc through and out of the pack when potting the black into it's own pocket.
I have always used helping side and screw to increase the speed through the pack, but I think I should be using check side and screw?

[pottr]

It's all to do with how you time the white.
I can play it and I find it's the type of shot I can just feel, rather thank think through.
Like a long blue to the corner. Feel takes over.

Bottom, power and timing.
A clean, straight follow through and definitive end to the stroke. Don't quit through it.

[tvietp]

Follow through is the main thing but a lot of it depends on Angle as well and not to mention how the balls are positioned...you wouldn't want to hit in the thickest area of the pack that has the most resistance so to speak kind of hard for me to explain but you want to hit in an area that would split the pack open nicely...the more the ball has to go through the more spin its going to require but to be honest for myself I really don't use anything other then bottom spin assuming im playing the black off the spot...Stephen Hendry's snooker App shows a pretty good tutorial if you ever get the chance to check it out

[cazmac1]

so what your saying is that you can achieve the same affect with no side at all. I thought the side helped to achieve the arc. To be honest the cloths I've been playing on for the last few years wouldn't allow this shot, but I'm playing on much better tables these days and so thought I would try the shot out

[Looki]

I think the side (with the aid of the nap) helps that the white doesn't get stucked to the reds.

[tvietp]

Cazmac1 for the times that i've used it i've never really had to use side on a lot of it at least not a lot of it if i had to. It really depended on the lay of the ball cluster and a lot of follow through. Once again if you use Stephen Hendry's app and practice the routine you can see for yourself that backspin is really all thats needed with a good follow through

[MikeWooldridge]

Hi all, I have a question with regards to screwing into the back of the pack. I think I know the answer but would still like to hear it from others and explained from their point of view.
Quite simply how do you get the white to screw and the arc through and out of the pack when potting the black into it's own pocket.
I have always used helping side and screw to increase the speed through the pack, but I think I should be using check side and screw?

You do not use any side at all. Unless you want to come right through and then kick off the cushion a certain way.

It's simply a very deep screw shot. All in the cue action mate, nothing to do with side at all.

[DandyA]

You do not use any side at all. Unless you want to come right through and then kick off the cushion a certain way.

It's simply a very deep screw shot. All in the cue action mate, nothing to do with side at all.

I agree, the other thing I think worth noting is every screw shot (or topspin shot) takes the stun angle before the screw/top takes effect ... the harder you hit gives more stun before the screw/top takes effect ... softer gives less stun before the screw/top bites ... hence the arc you often see ...

Not regarding the original scenario, ie a pack split with white low on the black ... and I know it's naughty but I think it can also be worth raising the butt of the cue a bit to get a really nice soft screw ... maximum screw for the least power so less stun ...

[pottr]

Yeah, no side required.

[vmax4steve]

Not regarding the original scenario, ie a pack split with white low on the black ... and I know it's naughty but I think it can also be worth raising the butt of the cue a bit to get a really nice soft screw ... maximum screw for the least power so less stun ...

No !!
Do not raise the butt of the cue, flatten the bridge hand to lower the cue while keeping it as level as possible, then strike through the cue ball as if it isn't there. I sometimes play through a looped bridge when playing this shot as it helps to keep the cue low throughout the shot maximising the spin.

[Terry Davidson]

I like the vmax idea of the looped bridge on this power shot as I've been using the looped bridge lately on all power screw shots and find it really helps both the amount of screw I can impart and also the accuracy on long power shots seems to be better.

I'm going to try this break-the-pack idea with a looped bridge today and see how I get on since on my table with a tight pack I really have to apply a lot of power (but no side - why make the pot more difficult and it achieves nothing on a regular table).

As has been said above, you have to pick the area of the pack you want to hit and more often than not you have to try and loosen up a few reds, not the whole remaining pack of 10 as trying to do that means you have to hit the thick part of the pack and will likely end up stuck on a red. Remember the pure stun shot idea and adjust the height of your bridge according to what angle you want the cueball to leave the black and attack the pack.

In addition, don't get sucked in by what you see on TV with the pros (unless you are playing on a new #10 cloth all the time like them). I have noticed a few of them, mostly Ronnie, will use side to get the cueball so sort of 'grind' and curl through the pack and sometimes split all the reds open but I don't believe this shot should even be considered on a club cloth or indeed anything less than a super-fast cloth with a good nap. Also I've seen them split the pack using side nicely and then ending up on the side cushion with a very tricky pot where they can't get ideal position.

Terry

[cazmac1]

Thanks for all your replies, its seems I've been using side without the need at all, I'm very good at playing screw so I can only imagine that the reason for me not getting the desired affect is down to the cloth. I'm playing out of kings cross at the moment and the cloths are really good and it's taken a while to adjust my game. I don't know what cloths they have on the tables but they are higher quality than what Riley's use.

[narl]

Screwing into the pack

Looped bridge is one shot where a parallel taper for about 15" on the cue would be beneficial. Find it hard to follow through properly without the shaft taper stoping the cue sooner than I'd like.

[cazmac1]

Looped bridge is one shot where a parallel taper for about 15" on the cue would be beneficial. Find it hard to follow through properly without the shaft taper stopping the cue sooner than I'd like.

I've never been a fan of the loop bridge, but I can see the benefit. I have recently changed the taper on my cue and it has a fairly straight taper so the loop wouldn't be a problem for me. But I don't think it's for me.

[magicman]

I wouldn't advise the loop bridge anyway. If it had any benefit over the normal bridge hand, pro's would be using it themselves. The fact that not one single pro uses a loop bridge tells me that it's to be avoided! Plus, pool players use it, so that's another reason not to bother!