[Artmustel]

I just watched a video of the US Open match between Francisco Bustamante and Earl Strickland, where the first won 11-4. I don't know if it was an optic illusion but I noticed that Bustamante almost always used low and left English. I am a total newbe and I understand that most probably my appreciation could be wrong, but I wanted to know if this makes any sense. Can a player strike the cue ball in a favorite spot most of the time?

[makeuacue]

You just assume he was doing this . If you played any amount you know this can't be the case . You can't steer right by steering left , you can't travel forwards by going backwards . I 'm sure Fransisco hit the ball with whatever it took to get what he wanted , just like you would !!!

[Mike in So Cal]

I agree with the post above.
However it seems reasonable to me that many players, even some pros, would tend to slightly favor one shot over another (when there are two ways to reach the next ball)
I'm not an expert on pool, but I wouldnt be shocked to see a pro use left english 50% more than right english during a match. He might have more confidence or control of that shot.

another example: guys like kobe bryant can easily go around you "left" or "right" to drive for a dunk, yet most basketball players favor one side over the other.

[FASTLARRY]

Mike in So Cal, on 02 December 2011 - 05:40 PM, said:

I agree with the post above.
However it seems reasonable to me that many players, even some pros, would tend to slightly favor one shot over another (when there are two ways to reach the next ball)
I'm not an expert on pool, but I wouldnt be shocked to see a pro use left english 50% more than right english during a match. He might have more confidence or control of that shot.

another example: guys like kobe bryant can easily go around you "left" or "right" to drive for a dunk, yet most basketball players favor one side over the other.

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What you saw, could have just been a series of shots where he used left. A lot of them put the cue tip on the cloth below the ball, even if they plan to hit center ball, and I think that is stupid. I put the tip, right on the place I intend to hit, and stroke it at that point. There is a lot of things these phillies do, you do not want to copy, and this is one of them.