Thursday

I was practising on a very slow table on Wed. The table was really very slow, with slow cloth and rails. The balls are heavy, super crystalline. The pockets are not too big, not too small. For regular open pocket shots, it will drop if I hit the jaw slightly, but for tight angle shots, you need to be very precise.
I practiced for about 4 hours. I could make the blue ball from baulk quite consistently. About 5 in a row before I missed 1 or 2 and then 3 or 4 in a row again. I usually practice this drill on a more forgiving pocket so it was a good thing. I remember last time when I was at this place it took me almost an hour to finish shooting 10 balls into each corner pocket.
So, that is good to know, that my cueing and aiming has improved.
I practised the long blue and the long pink, then did some line up, and shot some random clearance.
I did not clear up with one visit. But I did a few big breaks like 50+ and 60+. The table was very hard to control because I had to hit the ball very hard.
It helped me to control my long follow through with precise straight cueing, so that I can make the ball with more power.
I went to hit some balls this afternoon (Thursday) at my usual club, with the Brunswick. I practised potting the blue ball from baulk in the D to get on the pink. I can do it from the green/yellow spot, without hitting the cushion, but it was not as consistent a shot as if I shot three quarter to use one rail to get on the pink. I did 10 balls into each pocket. My left hand cut (shooting from yellow side) seemed more accurate, so I should practice more right hand side shots.
Then I did a bunch of blue ball drills. I noticed recently my blue ball control is not so good, especially when I need to play shape on my next red without hitting a cushion. I fail to gauge the right line and weight.
Also, If I have to draw the red to get on the right side of the blue, I always end up either too hard or too soft. I am doing some drills I came up with, to get over that problem. Basically I am trying to use the cushion a bit more than just a sharp draw--with the cushion, I have a bigger margin of error.
My black balls potting was so much better today on the Brunswick after my practice yesterday possibly due to the pockets I practiced being less forgiving yesterday.
I am pretty upset that I could not play with S today. But I had something very important to do. I need to wait till next week.
Tomorrow, I want to practice early on the super slow table, then go play a bit at the Brunswick table. D might be there to play me, may be not. Sat is our usual small tournament and I hope I will do better this time. The good thing is I do not think it would be possible for me to do any worst than last week.
My cueing arm feels so much more straight when I am keeping my body much more steady on the shot. However, I do notice that I am hitting the ball too hard and tight from tiem to time. I need to work on being more smooth.
I want to try practicing just hitting the pink off the spot with striaght in pots, to control my white to stop dead, stun follow a couple inches, stun follow half way to the pocket, roll to stop short of the pocket, and my draw on different distances. I need to practice on both siades.
I think my stun follow is one of my weakest shot, power follow being the next. I will keep on practicing until next time. Thank you for reading.