Fractional aiming and CB squirt

The image below shows OB fractions for various pocket angles from 7 to 38 degrees. The 8th ball fractions come off of both sides of the OB center & both sides of the OB edges.



The image above also shows the OB fractional aiming points for each of the 4 ball quarters and for the 1/8 ball cut angles when aiming through center CB.

The aim points on the drawing above are for Center Cue Ball aiming... and not for using the ball overlaps that I had drawn on my previous thread... Ball overlaps with pictures... http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=5799633&postcount=1... That thread is also an informative read.

The reason I didn't draw ball overlaps this time is because fractional aiming, using only CB/OB overlaps, is guesswork at best when aiming at longer distances. OB diameters not only look to be smaller, but the guess for the true overlap is compromised... especially if sidespin is used.

The OB will travel the angles shown if the CB center is aimed at the OB aim points drawn on the image. The .280 angles are from both sides of OB center and OB edges. Those known aim points can be used to judge CB deflection (squirt) when sidespin needs to be used. The fractional OB points will guide you.

Aim to hit your fractional aim point using Center CB... Adjust and allow for CB squirt by aiming slightly right when using left side... or aim slightly left when using right side... You'll soon know how much your cue deflects, and how much you'll need to adjust for squirt to hit the fractions at different speeds.

If you aim CP2CP or DTD these aim points should be recognized also. Someone told me by aiming to hit center CB at those fractional points on the OB that he couldn't judge the tangent line. I said to pick out a stun line aim point on the rail and hit the OB fractions at stop shot speed. He is now a believer.

Play well, Carl


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BC21 said:

That's exactly right. Focus on exact aim points, not visual overlaps. That's why I came up
with a method that shows which aim point to use without relying on guesswork as far as
the angles go. I like the drawing.

Click to expand...

Ralph Kramden said:

The image below shows OB fractions for various pocket angles from 7 to 38 degrees. The 8th ball fractions come off of both sides of the OB center & the OB edges.

View attachment 451624

The image above also shows the OB fractional aiming points for each of the 4 ball quarters and for the 1/8 ball cut angles when aiming through center CB.

The aim points on the drawing above are for Center Cue Ball aiming... and not for using the ball overlaps that I had drawn on my previous thread... Ball overlaps with pictures...

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=5799633&postcount=1

That thread is also an informative read.

The reason I didn't draw ball overlaps this time is because fractional aiming, using only CB/OB overlaps, is guesswork at best when aiming at longer distances. OB diameters not only look to be smaller, but the guess for the true overlap is compromised... especially if sidespin is used.

The OB will travel the angles shown if the CB center is aimed at the OB aim points drawn on the image. The .280 angles are from both sides of OB center and OB edges. Those known aim points can be used to judge CB deflection (squirt) when sidespin needs to be used. The fractional OB points will guide you.

Aim to hit your fractional aim point using Center CB... Adjust and allow for CB squirt by aiming slightly right when using left side... or aim slightly left when using right side... You'll soon know how much your cue deflects, and how much you'll need to adjust for squirt to hit the fractions at different speeds.

If you aim CP2CP or DTD these aim points should be recognized also. Someone told me by aiming to hit center CB at those fractional points on the OB that he couldn't judge the tangent line. I said to pick out a stun line aim point on the rail and hit the OB fractions at stop shot speed. He is now a believer.

Play well, Carl

Click to expand...

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Brian -
If you click on the link in my post you will see black squares on the drawings.. These are pieces of tape to cover what most folks consider overlaps.
The reason they're covered is they are bassackward from conventional overlaps. That's because aiming points are reversed from the ball overlaps.

I wanted to emphasize the fact that fractional aim points are much more important than trying to find the ball overlaps... and to avoid any confusion.
1/8 ball aim point would be a 7/8 ball overlap. A 1/4 ball aim point is a 3/4 ball overlap. Reversed aiming points for overlapping balls.. Confusion.

Carl
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duckie said:

The problem is that in the real world........the ball ain't flat......it's a sphere and your drawing doesn't show that.

And it does matter.

Click to expand...

Greg - Your right... a circle drawn on a flat surface does not show a sphere... but how else can a sphere be drawn on a flat surface?
Maybe with some shading or shadows on the drawing. Without shadings from a light source a pool ball does look like a flat surface.

What is shown on the drawing are Linear aim points, or a flat strip glued on the front of the sphere, or in this case across a flat disk.

Regards, Carl

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BC21 said:

Carl, I wish I had started using fractional aim points 30 years ago! Great
advice on adjusting for squirt and reflection.

Do you mainly aim using these aim points? If so, did you learn this way
or pick it up years later? Just curious.

I

Click to expand...

Brian - Picked it up many years later... and yes, I mainly use these known aim points.
I used to find my fractional aim points after looking at the angles from behind the OB.

I now find angles looking from in front of the OB, then find a corresponding aim point.

Carl

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BC21 said:

I don't consider the fractional overlaps to be bassackwards from the aim points.
Maybe it's because I begin with a straight-on hit being full, then a 7/8 overlap would
be achieved by aiming at the 7/8 aim point (1/8 from a full 8/8). Anyway, I think it'd
be great method for teaching a developing pool player. I'm old school, having learned
through shooting countless shots over countless hours. But this fractional aiming
seems to provide a nice shortcut, a better way to learn versus old-school conventional
learning.

Click to expand...

If you saw what was under the tape without knowing you'd probably think WTF is this?
I don't think about overlaps. The pics show conventional overlaps for a visual purpose.

After I find my angle in front of the OB, I pick an aim point by thinking .280, 1/2 or edge.

Regards, Carl

Edit: I think about overlaps if the balls are close, or overlap <1/4 ball, by using CP2CP.
The ball contact points are halfway between OB center and where center CB is aimed.

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Staying on the CB centerline, using high & low tip locations will be sufficient for most pool shots.
Sometimes sidespin must be used for position. If the CB is hit too far off center, or hit off center
but at a slightly faster speed, it could make your CB squirt.

Depending on how you aim, the amount of CB squirt becomes tricky. The same shot you just hit
may be a miss the next time if the CB speed changes. You can use sidespin if you know exactly
where the CB will squirt to contact the OB.

If practicing hitting with sidespin, try to hit a fractional OB aim point.... Your judgement of how far
the CB squirts will increase your confidence, and help you avoid future brain fart CB squirt shots.

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Ralph Kramden said:

The image below shows OB fractions for various pocket angles from 7 to 38 degrees. The 8th ball fractions come off of both sides of the OB center & both sides of the OB edges.

View attachment 451624

The image above also shows the OB fractional aiming points for each of the 4 ball quarters and for the 1/8 ball cut angles when aiming through center CB.

The aim points on the drawing above are for Center Cue Ball aiming... and not for using the ball overlaps that I had drawn on my previous thread... Ball overlaps with pictures... http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=5799633&postcount=1... That thread is also an informative read.

The reason I didn't draw ball overlaps this time is because fractional aiming, using only CB/OB overlaps, is guesswork at best when aiming at longer distances. OB diameters not only look to be smaller, but the guess for the true overlap is compromised... especially if sidespin is used.

The OB will travel the angles shown if the CB center is aimed at the OB aim points drawn on the image. The .280 angles are from both sides of OB center and OB edges. Those known aim points can be used to judge CB deflection (squirt) when sidespin needs to be used. The fractional OB points will guide you.

Aim to hit your fractional aim point using Center CB... Adjust and allow for CB squirt by aiming slightly right when using left side... or aim slightly left when using right side... You'll soon know how much your cue deflects, and how much you'll need to adjust for squirt to hit the fractions at different speeds.

If you aim CP2CP or DTD these aim points should be recognized also. Someone told me by aiming to hit center CB at those fractional points on the OB that he couldn't judge the tangent line. I said to pick out a stun line aim point on the rail and hit the OB fractions at stop shot speed. He is now a believer.
.

Click to expand...

This is to clarify the paragraph in blue above.

The center axis of the CB is a vertical line from where it sits on the table. The CB travels a line from where the tip touches the CB edge, toward the CB axis.

If the CB center isn't hit directly, but is hit slightly off center, it deflects from the intended aim point, toward the opposite side of where it was hit by the cue tip.

When center CB is aimed at one of the fractional OB lines (Post #1)... and side spin is applied... it will deflect, or will squirt away from the original aiming line.

If left side spin is used after your fractional OB point is found, the OB aim point is adjusted left. The OB aim point moves slightly left, for slightly more right cut.

How much depends on your cue & CB speed. A good rule of thumb is.. If the cue is 1/2 tip from center CB, the OB aim point moves 1/2 tip the same direction.

Play well, Carl

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