Billy_Bob
05-28-2006, 11:00 AM
I've been playing with my left hand due to an injury to my right hand. And my left hand is a "day one beginner". Can only pocket one ball at a time, can't leave position, can't draw or follow, miss a lot of shots, etc.
So anyway I was playing a game of 8-ball left handed last night. I was able to hold my opponent at bay with strategy and safety play. I pocketed 4 balls and blocked the 8 from going into either corner pocket (leaving my opponent with a bank on the 8).
After I had the 8 blocked, I called a safety and moved a ball which was clustered with my opponents out into the open. (Neither of us had a good shot on either ball prior to this.)
Then my opponent tried a carom off of one of my balls blocking the 8 (to get it out of the way) and missed pocketing his ball. Then all the balls on the table were out in the open and the 8 was no longer blocked. Next person to shoot has an easy runout. It was my turn to shoot.
But I can only shoot in one ball at a time and pocket about 50% of my shots shooting left handed and can't leave position for my next shot. Hummmm... My right hand *is* feeling much better... Should I?
So I wave my "magic wand" and switch to my right hand. Suddenly I am Efren! I run in 2 balls leaving perfect position for each next shot and on the 3rd draw the cue ball back off the rail and then a second rail to get perfect position on the 8 and win the game. But then the clock struck 12:00 and I was back to shooting left-handed again.
It sure is cool to be a "frustrated beginning player" who has trouble pocketing one ball, then be able to wave a "magic wand" and suddenly play like a pro! A lady watching who has never seen me play before just stood there with her mouth open. "How can he play so good all of a sudden?"
(My hand is quickly getting better. I think I will be OK with another week of rest and frustrating left-handed playing...)
So anyway I was playing a game of 8-ball left handed last night. I was able to hold my opponent at bay with strategy and safety play. I pocketed 4 balls and blocked the 8 from going into either corner pocket (leaving my opponent with a bank on the 8).
After I had the 8 blocked, I called a safety and moved a ball which was clustered with my opponents out into the open. (Neither of us had a good shot on either ball prior to this.)
Then my opponent tried a carom off of one of my balls blocking the 8 (to get it out of the way) and missed pocketing his ball. Then all the balls on the table were out in the open and the 8 was no longer blocked. Next person to shoot has an easy runout. It was my turn to shoot.
But I can only shoot in one ball at a time and pocket about 50% of my shots shooting left handed and can't leave position for my next shot. Hummmm... My right hand *is* feeling much better... Should I?
So I wave my "magic wand" and switch to my right hand. Suddenly I am Efren! I run in 2 balls leaving perfect position for each next shot and on the 3rd draw the cue ball back off the rail and then a second rail to get perfect position on the 8 and win the game. But then the clock struck 12:00 and I was back to shooting left-handed again.
It sure is cool to be a "frustrated beginning player" who has trouble pocketing one ball, then be able to wave a "magic wand" and suddenly play like a pro! A lady watching who has never seen me play before just stood there with her mouth open. "How can he play so good all of a sudden?"
(My hand is quickly getting better. I think I will be OK with another week of rest and frustrating left-handed playing...)