Why Play Other Games?
When I pose that question I am making a couple of assumptions. First off, I’m assuming that you want to become a better player; and secondly that you are willing and able to put some effort into that cause.
Other games —games on a pool table, that is— can help build your skillset as a pool-player. Every game played on a pool table has it’s own primary area of focus, and it’s these focus areas that translate into a larger and better skillset.
You can’t just play ten games of one-pocket or snooker, however, and then expect some kind of dramatic improvement as an 8-ball or 9-ball player. That just won’t work. What’s required here is that you immerse yourself into another game. Immersion will develop your skills in that game’s area or areas of focus.
When I analyze my own game, I can see the positive effect that ”other games” have had on me. I started out playing 8-ball (as most players do) and snooker, which was very common back in the dark ages when I started playing pool. Every time I play a bank shot now, I either think of 9-Ball Banks or One-Pocket. When I need to see the exact angle of deflection that the cue ball will take after contact I think of how lucky I am to have a background in English Billiards.
Here are some other games that you may want to try:
Snooker teaches you a wide variety of skills. Accuracy is probably the most dominant skill of a snooker player. Making a twelve-foot shot requires a high level of accuracy. Safety play, timing, and patience are other strengths of a true snooker player. Embracing Snooker give you accuracy and precision.
English Billiards is game that I fell in love with as a 20-year-old. I had an old-time billiard expert, by the name of Bill Dickinson, show me many of the ins and outs of that wonderful game. He left me with a passion for the game that still remains. The areas of focus for English Billiards are cue ball control, creativity, and controlling 3 balls at once. Do you think that cue ball control might be important in other games? Creativity comes from trying to find ways to score and control the other balls at the same time. Controlling 3 balls at once comes into play when you are making a carom shot. A carom shot in English Billiards is when your white ball contacts both of the other balls on the table. A good player doesn’t want to only contact the other balls, he/she wants to control the other balls so that they end up in an advantageous position. After a while I could really see the path that the cue ball would take after contacting the object ball. What a powerful advantage that is over other players. I can remember spotting a player 150 points in a game to 200. I started the game with a perfect break shot that left him nothing to shoot at. After he shot I ran 149 points. Danny packed it in right there and then. I still practice English Billiards once in a while as a treat, and it brings on lots of smiles. Embracing English Billiards will gives you better cue ball control.
Golf on a snooker table is a game that lets you hone your touch, creativity, and kicking skills. Many shots in that game require an extremely deft touch. You always need to control at least two balls with a high degree of accuracy, sometimes more. Creativity is often required to find ways of disturbing your opponents’ lays. Kicking skills are needed because “they” are always finding ways to hook you and mess you up. Embracing Golf will give you a deft touch and better weight control.
One-pocket is game that focuses on strategy. The strategy in one-pocket is all about trying to maneuver balls to better positions while not over-risking and letting your opponent in for the kill. Banks are another area of focus in this game. This is a favourite game of many professionals. Embracing One-Pocket will give you better strategy and banking.
8-Ball is a game of pattern play. What is the best and most reliable way to run out the table? It also focuses on strategy, safety play and timing. When is it the right time to go for the win and when is it the right time to play safe? Embracing 8-Ball will give you endless hours of happy frustration.
9-Ball primarily focuses on cue ball control. Finding ways to gain position on the next ball with an angle to let you get on the subsequent ball is what’s required in 9-ball. Embracing 9-ball wil give you better cue-ball maneuvering skills
9-Ball Banks is a game where all shots must be banked in cleanly. Nine balls are racked in a diamond and the first player to bank in five balls wins the game. You can shoot at any ball at any time. Obviously improving your banking skills will pay dividends in most other games. Embracing 9-Ball Banks will make you a better banker.
Rotation is a game where fifteen ball are racked up and players must contact the lowest-numbered ball first. If you make any ball you get to keep shooting. It is a race to 61 points and you score the value of any ball sunk, for example, eleven points for sinking the 11-ball. Cue ball control is paramount in this game. It is so crowded out there with fifteen object balls on the table. Cue ball control is a good thing to have in every game. Embracing Rotation will help you when playing on those small seven-foot tables that are overly crowded.
Straight Pool (a.k.a.14.1 continuous) is a game of pattern play. This transfers directly to 8-ball. Fifteen balls are racked up and the game is call pocket. You can shoot at any ball at any time. Each ball scores one point. After fourteen balls have been made, you leave the fifteenth ball on the table and rack up the fourteen balls with the top ball missing. You then try to pocket that left-over ball and break apart the rack and keep going this way as long as possible. Patterns, patterns, and more patterns. This is another favourite game of many professionals. Embracing Straight Pool will help you develop cluster-reading skills (how clusters will break up) and better pattern play.
In summary, every one of these games makes you to focus on different aspects of playing pool. Putting them all together just makes you better. The worst thing you can do is just play one game on one type of table. Can you say rut? You should also try to play on different tables under different conditions of lighting, cloth speed, and size. Doing this will also keep you from falling into a rut.
End of sermon.