If I'm really playing well and focusing on the game in front of me and I'm giving it my best, then I'm walking around more and seeing where I need to be on the next ball to get on the third ball. This is simply called 3-ball shape. What this means is it's best to get on the correct side of a ball in order to get to your next ball in order to get to your third ball because if you get on the wrong side of a ball then bad shape can curtail a run. And then you find yourself with tough shots because you got on the wrong side of the next ball to get on the next ball.
I hope I'm making sense lol.
So I was surprised the other day when I was playing a top player from my area and I was paying close attention to his patterns. At one point after he shot the first ball he didn't even walk around the table to see what side of the next ball he needed to be on. So I stopped him before he shot and I asked him why he didn't walk around the table and check out his angles that we're coming up.
He said very matter-of-factly and simply, "well, all the balls go and I didn't see any trouble spots."
It really got me thinking about how he could do this and be such a top player.
I remember back in the 90's a professional said one time to "just get in the center of the table." Between me and you I can't just get in the center of the table to run out. Further, if the balls are open and they all go I still need to figure out what my CORRECT angles are to get on the next ball well for a run.
So after watching this top player play a few more racks, it dawned on me very vibrantly why he didn't have to worry about angles when the table was wide open. Bottom line: top players and pros can move the cue ball much better than amateurs.
He could maneuver the cue ball no matter what shot he had in front of him. Whether it's drawing full table, coming around a different way than expected, going forward and getting below the ball, or power stroking, whatever it was that the shot required for him to get on the next ball, it just didn't matter because he can do anything with the cueball because he is so talented.
I fully admit that a couple of times he had to really come with it and he did. So, if he did look more at angles then he wouldn't have to come with shots. But because he has the stroke, knowledge, and experience, when the table is wide open he doesn't need to walk around and analyze 3-ball shape like I constantly do when I'm playing. It really was an eye opener to witness such great cue ball control no matter where he was on the table.
I, on the other hand, will need to continue to look at my angles for 3-ball shape lol.
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