Las Vegas Confidential

The Right
Way to
Warm Up
By R. Givens
Randi Givens is the author of
The Eight Ball Bible: A Guide
to Bar Table Play and editor
of Banking with the Beard by
Freddy Bentivegna.
24
P&BÊA ugustÊ2009
Once you find yourself in the
competitive arena, there are a few
time-honored preparations that
will help you deal with the added pressure.
First, don’t attempt to warm-up just before a match.
Tournaments seldom allow enough warm-up
time to get things rolling well, so prepare yourself
beforehand. Serious competitors should already
have their arm loosened up before they come near
the match table. Winners warm up before matches
(well away from the tournament location if possible).
Remember you’re there to warm up your arm and
get to know the equipment. Instead of floundering
until you hit enough balls (by which time you may
be eliminated); you want to be prepared to get
off at maximum speed in your first inning. Tough
adversaries go full throttle from the first shot.
Warming up is much different than practice.
Instead of using your limited warm up time trying
to groove your stroke, be prepared and spend the
time reading the table. Cut angles never change
so focus on learning how the table plays.
Draw the cue ball different distances to check the
speed of the cloth. See how much force it takes
8-Ball Bash!
to drive the cue ball around the table. Measure
the stroke force needed to go one rail cross table
and one rail up and down. Check the pockets
for their cheat limit, how tight they are. See how
much a ball is thrown by english. Look for table
rolls. If the table has a bend one way or the other,
you need to know before it costs you a game.
If you will lag for the break, measure that shot well.
Bank a few shots to see whether the cushions
are playing long or short or right on the money.
Pay attention to rebound angles when moving the
cue ball around the table. See how the cushions
react to english, force and angle. Look for any
strange returns that may indicate a dead rail.
Check the resiliency of the balls. Knowing whether
the balls react like dried out lima beans or play like
quality Belgian balls with high restitution makes
a big difference in shot selection. Knowing the
elasticity of the balls is critical for fine control.
Concentrate on using your playing
rhythm while you read the table.
A bit of focused warm-up time before your
competitive match and you’ll be ready to
put your best foot (and cue) forward!
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