Is Touch Of Inside "the teacher"

ask the players at Buffalo Billiards in New Orleans.

Alright; forget about my sarcastic comments about this post on 2/26. I just bought a used, 9 foot, Gold Crown IV.

Gold Crowns are great tables......I just played on a Diamond after many, many months and adjusted within a few hours.

Both tables are fun to play on and both can be dominated using the 'Touch of Inside' system......just ask the players at Buffalo Billiards in New Orleans. ;)

'The Game is the Teacher'
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Thought I'd share something TOI related...I did a "tune up" of my TOI, and discovered that I had not been using as much as I used to. The tell tale sign for me was I was over-running my leaves and scratching a little more than usual, and was losing confidence in my game, and I realized I was spinning the CB a little too often. I had starting using the outside of the CB on more than half my shots...

I spent three hours tonight re-calibrating it, but for the first time I tried the Center-Center or Center-Edge alignment. Bang! it came on strong. I struggled for a little while, hitting too thin and worked on fine tuning it. The more I tried to concentrate on the CB path and leave, the less control I had. Then, a guy walks up and asks to play some 8 ball. I stopped thinking and just lined up and started shooting. Visualizing the shot and where I wanted the CB to end up, not so much the precise path...just the zone I needed. I just trusted the technique and I played flawless pool for about two hours, even though I was exhausted from the practice I had done earlier. It really holds up under pressure and fatigue.

In my case, sometimes I need to spend a little time to re-introduce this technique to my game. Now everything's Jam Up and Jelly Tight again! :grin-square:
 
The TOI calibration is easy and should be done on a regular basis.

I just got back from a road trip where I "introduced" TOI to a plethora of players.....there are now many, many believers in the system.

You are RIGHT! The better your stroke gets the LESS TOI you will need to get the desired effect. The TOI calibration is easy and should be done on a regular basis.

Remember to always calibrate to the center of the pocket so you can take advantage of the "3 Part Pocket System" for maximum Touch of Inside benefit.

Play Well my friends....'Your Game is the Teacher'





Thought I'd share something TOI related...I did a "tune up" of my TOI, and discovered that I had not been using as much as I used to. The tell tale sign for me was I was over-running my leaves and scratching a little more than usual, and was losing confidence in my game, and I realized I was spinning the CB a little too often. I had starting using the outside of the CB on more than half my shots...

I spent three hours tonight re-calibrating it, but for the first time I tried the Center-Center or Center-Edge alignment. Bang! it came on strong. I struggled for a little while, hitting too thin and worked on fine tuning it. The more I tried to concentrate on the CB path and leave, the less control I had. Then, a guy walks up and asks to play some 8 ball. I stopped thinking and just lined up and started shooting. Visualizing the shot and where I wanted the CB to end up, not so much the precise path...just the zone I needed. I just trusted the technique and I played flawless pool for about two hours, even though I was exhausted from the practice I had done earlier. It really holds up under pressure and fatigue.

In my case, sometimes I need to spend a little time to re-introduce this technique to my game. Now everything's Jam Up and Jelly Tight again! :grin-square:
 
I just got back from a road trip where I "introduced" TOI to a plethora of players.....there are now many, many believers in the system.

You are RIGHT! The better your stroke gets the LESS TOI you will need to get the desired effect. The TOI calibration is easy and should be done on a regular basis.

Remember to always calibrate to the center of the pocket so you can take advantage of the "3 Part Pocket System" for maximum Touch of Inside benefit.

Play Well my friends....'Your Game is the Teacher'

I just switched to an LD shaft and have been experimenting with a TOI. I figured I'd be having to go a little farther from center to get the desired effect while adjusting for speed. Not the case at all.

I found that I'm barely off of center cue ball, and moving the object ball to different parts of the pocket. The LD shaft is much more accurate after playing for years with a standard maple shaft. Less is more.

Best,
Mike
 
"Deflection" is a natural occurrence and should be looked at as a positive factor

Yes, the "LD" Shafts are Low Deflection, NOT "No Deflection". Also you must have a precise stroke because the better your "cue ball targeting" with TOI the less you will need to get the desired results. Ideally TOI should make the pocket seem 50% larger (targeting wise).....by using the '3 Part Pocket System' (favoring the inside of the pocket zone).

ALL cues deflect, "Deflection" is a natural occurrence and should be looked at as a positive factor when using powerful systems like the 'Touch Of Inside" technique.

As you know "moving the cueball" (off it's straight line) slightly has huge advantages in creating margin on error that most players have no knowledge of. Golfers take advantage of this by "fading" or "drawing" the golf ball and Pool Players can also enjoy this by using TOI.

Glad you like your new equipment, I have regular shafts, however I have then at the right size so they deflect only a half ball/9 feet...this is the amount I like the best.





I just switched to an LD shaft and have been experimenting with a TOI. I figured I'd be having to go a little farther from center to get the desired effect while adjusting for speed. Not the case at all.

I found that I'm barely off of center cue ball, and moving the object ball to different parts of the pocket. The LD shaft is much more accurate after playing for years with a standard maple shaft. Less is more.

Best,
Mike
 
Man, that was a long road trip. Welcome back. :thumbup:

I was playing some 9 ball with a friend of mine a week ago. Last two balls, 9 was on the spot and the 5 was at the head of the the table (like the shot in your video) about a foot of the cushion, the cue ball was straight across from the 5. The shot was to shoot the 5 in the head corner pocket and get shape on the 9.
My friend says to me, yeah a lot of folks over shoot this shot, I looked at him and said, not me, I'm going to float the cue ball down the table for a straight in 9 ball.
After I hit the QB and it floated down for a straight in 9 ball the only thing I heard him say was............HUH!

Thanks man, see ya the next time your in St. Lois.

John
 
Yes, the "LD" Shafts are Low Deflection, NOT "No Deflection". Also you must have a precise stroke because the better your "cue ball targeting" with TOI the less you will need to get the desired results. Ideally TOI should make the pocket seem 50% larger (targeting wise).....by using the '3 Part Pocket System' (favoring the inside of the pocket zone).

ALL cues deflect, "Deflection" is a natural occurrence and should be looked at as a positive factor when using powerful systems like the 'Touch Of Inside" technique.

As you know "moving the cueball" (off it's straight line) slightly has huge advantages in creating margin on error that most players have no knowledge of. Golfers take advantage of this by "fading" or "drawing" the golf ball and Pool Players can also enjoy this by using TOI.

Glad you like your new equipment, I have regular shafts, however I have then at the right size so they deflect only a half ball/9 feet...this is the amount I like the best.

The LD shaft lets me create angles better than my standard shafts when I stun the cue ball. Moving up and down the cue ball and varying my speed with TOI open up a lot of new pattern tracks. It's also easier to kill the cue ball, even on thin cuts.

I saw a lot of top flight players use this technique when I was coming up years ago, but just couldn't quite figure out what they were doing. And it wasn't just me. Some of my pro friends didn't know about it either. They used inside spin to play shape, but not TOI. I showed a couple and they got it right away.

When we talked about TOI before we knew what it was, we called it the stroke where the spin wears off. :grin: We couldn't duplicate it and got tortured by guys that used it. Thanks for filling in the blanks!

Best,
Mike
 
Because of CIT, I used to aim thinner when the OB was on the rail. I can now aim with TOI to deflect the CB thinner with the benefit of the helping English that lets the OB hug the rail on it's way to the pocket.
 
Because of CIT, I used to aim thinner when the OB was on the rail. I can now aim with TOI to deflect the CB thinner with the benefit of the helping English that lets the OB hug the rail on it's way to the pocket.

One of my favorite shots with this technique...they slice up the rail like butter! Added a whole new tool to my tool box, where I used to bank or run for cover, now I just slice it up the rail. I've played that shot against some pro players in open tournies and watched their jaw drop when I pulled it off AND had shape. I saw CJ do it in his old match with Mizerak, he just slices the six ball up the rail (about an 85% cut) without even pausing...Billy Incardona commented "he makes these shots look easy, but they're not..." But actually, it's a much more reliable shot than most think, just most won't risk it playing with spin or throwing it into the rail with center CB and CIT. TOI makes this a very reliable option.;)
 
Because of CIT, I used to aim thinner when the OB was on the rail. I can now aim with TOI to deflect the CB thinner with the benefit of the helping English that lets the OB hug the rail on it's way to the pocket.

One of my favorite shots with this technique...they slice up the rail like butter! Added a whole new tool to my tool box, where I used to bank or run for cover, now I just slice it up the rail. I've played that shot against some pro players in open tournies and watched their jaw drop when I pulled it off AND had shape. I saw CJ do it in his old match with Mizerak, he just slices the six ball up the rail (about an 85% cut) without even pausing...Billy Incardona commented "he makes these shots look easy, but they're not..." But actually, it's a much more reliable shot than most think, just most won't risk it playing with spin or throwing it into the rail with center CB and CIT. TOI makes this a very reliable option.;)

Overcutting a ball on the rail is a risky option on tight tables. My table has 4 inch pockets and they rattle. Using TOI, I can catch a piece of the rail at the jaws and still make the ball.

Best,
Mike
 
I may be back in St. Louis soon, for the White Castle's

Yes, that road trip had a series of adventures to say the least....it was like the "good ole days" except not too many people will match up with me like back then. We did get several hundred thousand dollars in action, but had to travel a lot to get it.

Glad you're "just showin off" with your TOI skills, John....it just keeps getting better and in the near future I'll start talking about "The Advanced Chapter of TOI"......

I may be back in St. Louis soon, for the White Castle's if nothing else. ;) Aloha


Man, that was a long road trip. Welcome back. :thumbup:

I was playing some 9 ball with a friend of mine a week ago. Last two balls, 9 was on the spot and the 5 was at the head of the the table (like the shot in your video) about a foot of the cushion, the cue ball was straight across from the 5. The shot was to shoot the 5 in the head corner pocket and get shape on the 9.
My friend says to me, yeah a lot of folks over shoot this shot, I looked at him and said, not me, I'm going to float the cue ball down the table for a straight in 9 ball.
After I hit the QB and it floated down for a straight in 9 ball the only thing I heard him say was............HUH!

Thanks man, see ya the next time your in St. Lois.

John
 
"Touch of Inside" technique (all TOI players cut balls well)

That's right, with TOI those shots are much easier and it's amazing the accuracy you can achieve with all types of cut shots. Roger Griffis always said I hit those shots better than anyone, but it wasn't just me....it was the "Touch of Inside" technique (all TOI players cut balls well). I've worked with some players the past two weeks that can now cut the paint off the ball and it's boosted their confidence to play games they would never play before.

That match with Mizerak was in the first pro tournament I played in the United States (my first one was technically in Toronto Canada). I was fresh off the road and had won over a million dollars gambling in the 5 years preceding the decision to "go pro". Many of my "steermen" and road partners didn't like the idea of me exposing myself to the professional scene, however, they knew I had burned all my action out at that time.

I'm looking forward to getting the game back on TV like we did in the 90s.....without TV exposure their can't be a real pro tour and the economy of the industry will continue to dwindle. All sports rely on their professionals to showcase their products and market the game to a diversified audience so they "real eyes" pool is a viable entertainment option.....after all "the game is the teacher".




One of my favorite shots with this technique...they slice up the rail like butter! Added a whole new tool to my tool box, where I used to bank or run for cover, now I just slice it up the rail. I've played that shot against some pro players in open tournies and watched their jaw drop when I pulled it off AND had shape. I saw CJ do it in his old match with Mizerak, he just slices the six ball up the rail (about an 85% cut) without even pausing...Billy Incardona commented "he makes these shots look easy, but they're not..." But actually, it's a much more reliable shot than most think, just most won't risk it playing with spin or throwing it into the rail with center CB and CIT. TOI makes this a very reliable option.;)
 
I don't care what anybody says, TOI WORKS!

It may not be for everyone, but it will improve many players games if they take the time to experiment with it and learn what it is all about.

I used this method almost exclusively when I played on bar tables most of the time many years ago. The bar tables are a bit more "playable" if you can keep the cue ball on a tighter leash to navigate the balls and clusters on the smaller surface.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend. Find some time to play pool and try out TOI.

Aloha.
 
.. the results speak for themselves...

Because of CIT, I used to aim thinner when the OB was on the rail. I can now aim with TOI to deflect the CB thinner with the benefit of the helping English that lets the OB hug the rail on it's way to the pocket.

Since you can "aim" to hit the object ball thicker using TOI is opens up a whole new experience with angles. No longer do you have to use spin to "cheat the pocket" you can do it by targeting the 3 different parts of the pocket (inside/center/outside) so that you get a MUCH better overall feel for the object ball/pocket connection.

Using TOI to get back position instead of spin keeps your stroke and overall shot pattern more consistent......this can't be said when using the outside of the cue ball. Watch Efren play for an hour and you'll see that he can target any part of the pocket WITHOUT using spin..... the results speak for themselves.....it's far superior and a huge advantage.

'The TOI is the Teacher'
 
That's right, with TOI those shots are much easier and it's amazing the accuracy you can achieve with all types of cut shots. Roger Griffis always said I hit those shots better than anyone, but it wasn't just me....it was the "Touch of Inside" technique (all TOI players cut balls well). I've worked with some players the past two weeks that can now cut the paint off the ball and it's boosted their confidence to play games they would never play before.

Unless the balls are really clean, I use TOI on the thinner cuts to avoid the CIT. When the balls get a little dirty, the super thin cuts won't go with center ball as well. Even if I cut the "paint" off of them , they'll cling and drag off line.

Using outside on these shots is an option, but compensating for swerve and speed is a tough proposition. Jack up on the rail and they get even tougher. Using TOI is easier to figure out with fewer variables and less cue ball movement.

Best,
Mike
 
I will tell you I've hit with TOI now for about 9 months. Took lessons from CJ at his place. Its the nuts period. But I must admit that you have to have the right speed. At least in my case. A little hard and you'll miss; a little soft and you'll miss. Once you dial in to the correct speed and do TOI its like a whole different game. I'm telling you it works but experiment with the speeds until you get dialed in; once you do you'll never look back !
 
at the highest levels of TOI you will get the sensation that every shot is the same

The main objective is to hit all your shots approximately the same speed and at the highest levels of TOI you will get the sensation that every shot is the same.

The reason is: 1) you'll be hitting the inside of the cue ball every time...2) you'll be creating the angle off the center or edge every time 3) the only other factor is the speed.....I think simply ACCELERATE in terms of speed control.

I suggest the mental thought TOI / ACCELERATE on every shot and you'll "Dial In" very quickly.

'The TOI Game is the Teacher'

I will tell you I've hit with TOI now for about 9 months. Took lessons from CJ at his place. Its the nuts period. But I must admit that you have to have the right speed. At least in my case. A little hard and you'll miss; a little soft and you'll miss. Once you dial in to the correct speed and do TOI its like a whole different game. I'm telling you it works but experiment with the speeds until you get dialed in; once you do you'll never look back !
 
I apologize for any inconvenience and will correct it right away.

TOI does work, amazing well. I even ordered the dvd but it never came. Oh well. :shrug:


Sorry about that, I hate to see anyone struggling without the appropriate "toi"s. ;)


We shipped a lot of orders from Illinois on my last road trip and may have missed yours. Please PM me your email you used on your order and I'll check out the status....I apologize for any inconvenience.

We should be back in Dallas/Ft. Worth this coming week so if anyone else needs anything I'll be available for lessons until this coming Thursday.
 
it's next to impossible to see the Touch of Inside unless......

Yes, on a bar table TOI is a powerful weapon for keeping the cue ball on a string. I used it on a couple of guys up in Illinois last week and they could tell I was doing something different.....they just couldn't tell what (they purchased the TOI Video and will know soon enough) I was doing exactly....it's next to impossible to see the Touch of Inside unless you're familiar with how it makes the cue ball react after contact.



I don't care what anybody says, TOI WORKS!

It may not be for everyone, but it will improve many players games if they take the time to experiment with it and learn what it is all about.

I used this method almost exclusively when I played on bar tables most of the time many years ago. The bar tables are a bit more "playable" if you can keep the cue ball on a tighter leash to navigate the balls and clusters on the smaller surface.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend. Find some time to play pool and try out TOI.

Aloha.
 
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