1. The Eddie Taylor Shot: Temperature & Humidity Experiments

[@Krushard]

Nice to see you uploading again, when it comes to banks I stopped bothering with other's "systems" and always come back to your videos.

[@PoolandBilliards]

No higher compliment. Thanks! Got some more bank stuff under development, might be a few months before I adapt it to other table sizes, but even easier than track lines.

[@MrAndydavis78]

I heard this story too - I think from an old timer who owned Joss Cues (well a video of him). Great work to test this! As a player in a typically dry environment, I think this goes a long way to help me explain why my banks always seem to come shorter than system (not just yours). It helps to know not just that conditions impact how the table plays and we have to adapt - but what the reasoning is behind it. Snooker players have said that for years, and I was amazed to find out they use heaters and dehumidifiers (I think) in competition. Hope to see you back at this line of investigation! (after the sliding bank system!) Cheers!

[@PoolandBilliards]

Thanks! Always more plans in the works, never enough time...

[@AdamMarr]

An older guy I meant in nashville while travelling in the middle of the summer taught me that 4 rail bank. I had never seen it before (been playing for a long time), but was able to make it over and over again. When I got home I tried to show a few guys I shoot with and I could never get close, always ran long, on any table I tried. Now I know why lol, thanks!

[@PoolandBilliards]

Yeah, at least one reason as to why. There certainly could be other ways to make it, but humidity sure does help.

[@skiman863]

I've been shooting in a lot of hot and wet conditions so this was some great info.

[@PoolandBilliards]

Glad to hear it. A few more to come.

[@apexpredatorbilliardstraining]

I will be tuning. Definitely 💯 interesting to know what the results are.

[@chili015]

At the large pool hall I frequent (40 tables), the veterans of the place will tell you that the tables closest to the front door roll the slowest and have the shortest rebound angle, while the tables in back (near the kitchen that puts out a lot of heat) roll very fast and have a much wider rebound angle.

[@PoolandBilliards]

Interesting. I wonder if you could try what another commentor suggested and put a moisture tester on the rails. Maybe try a few sample shots to compare them. This topic definitely deserves more attention and research.

[@ngsaichin1]

Good video and informative, thanks!

[@PoolandBilliards]

Thanks for watching!

[@jacobjones5269]

It’s definitely plausible because I’ve made that shot, playing one pocket.. I had an angle to leave my cue ball uptable.. And this was in Houston, middle of the night, super wet conditions..

[@PoolandBilliards]

I know lots about the shot, but I've never actually hit it in a match that mattered. Cool to hear you got it. Rarely humid enough here. Maybe someday.

[@thegodofpez]

Pretty damn intriguing material. I live in Connecticut, which is either die of frostbite or die of heat stroke.

[@PoolandBilliards]

Thanks! Having done the experiment, there are certainly ways I want to improve it for the future, but I haven't ever seen anyone try this, so I thought the results might be interesting. Gonna try again in the winter when I can hopefully get even higher humidity with the cold.

[@nicktitchner296]

I watch tons of bank pool and one pocket, and love playing around with tough or interesting bank and kick shots when I'm practicing. But last year i was watching an old one pocket match from the 80's and seen this bank successfully pulled off. I had to rewind it a few times and rewatch because it just wasn't one I was familiar with. But now that I'm looking at the diagram that starts this video, I'm realizing that I've probably been close to accidently making this a number of times after missing the 3 rail bank to the side haha. I usually hit that shot pretty soft, so I doubt it ever has the pace to make it to the corner off the 4th rail, but the next time I'm on the table I'm gonna have to give it a go 🤙

[@PoolandBilliards]

You can pocket it with a full hit too, aiming the aiming the 3 rail in the side long, I think it was aligned like diamond 3 through 0.6. However, the diagram in the book had this setup with a slight cut shot, so that's what I focused on.

[@CueballcontrolSometimes]

Nice to see you back on your feet. For the 6 rail, do you get more length out of a break cue? On the Taylor shot you are getting large rebound difference off the very 1st rail. If you load up on spin to reproduce the 1st rail "wet" outcome what is end result in normal conditions.

[@PoolandBilliards]

Thanks. Yeah, the break cue seems to give a little pop, a little skip on the felt early on to help it carry at the end, but I don’t hit it with break power or it flies off the table. Start it within 2 diamonds away. For the 1st rail rebound, I didn’t really see wildly different rail locations around the table on the first few rails. What seems to be happening is near the end at the point the ball slows and develops natural topspin roll, like a slow speed one rail shot, that’s when the humidity really seems to catch the ball and run short.

[@temujinlong9222]

I've the shot in a tavern (twice) but never get it on 4 1/2 x 9. I will say that your rails are soft compared to most newly felted tables thereby giving you a slower return banking lane.

[@PoolandBilliards]

Maybe. But my rails are the same in all 4 simulated climates, and it works in some and not in others. I think the table is a factor, but factors 1 and 2 are humidity and temperature, in that order.

[@andyharris3376]

Why don’t you get a moisture detector they use on boats and wood that way you can get an accurate reading what the cushions and the cloth is carrying in moisture. I was talking to Tony Chohan about it he just laughed but you could probably adjust quite quickly if you were carrying one of those

[@PoolandBilliards]

Very interesting. I use something like that for firewood, not sure if it would work, but I will definitely try it. My plan someday is to make a 3-5 shot test calibration routine that can diagnose a table's playing conditions, with measurable recommended adjustments based on the results.

[@buzzly108]

I'd like to know also how the table is affected by sitting on the rail ;)

[@PoolandBilliards]

Then you knock a bottle over and the felt has even higher humidity. Will have to cross test ales, lagers and stouts after spilling and then after drying.

[@bucksniper65]

Where are you located? I am close to Chattanooga Tn. If you are fairly close,2-3 hiurs away,I would like to come spend some time on the table with you.

[@PoolandBilliards]

South of Boston... but I've done some video chats, find poolometry on FB and maybe we can connect that way.

[@bucksniper65]

@@PoolandBilliards thank you sir.

[@stefan3225]

What’s the book? Thought I’d read them all

[@PoolandBilliards]

Banking with the Beard. A must read for bank shots.

[@craigvandewettering7566]

@@PoolandBilliards I could have swore in the book the Beard talks about a 5 railer in the side pocket that Eddie Taylor did and that was the story with opening the backdoor. I'm almost positive its that shot and not the 4 railer in the corner

[@PoolandBilliards]

@@craigvandewettering7566 Not sure about a 5 railer, but I cross referenced the book as I set up this specific shot and story, so it's in there.

[@Mike-zf4xg]

who did you let buddy cough on that one shot? how did you not redo that? oh wait, you only made it once?

[@PoolandBilliards]

It's really not that hard to make, I just happened to choose that one.