I like the cold fusion part though...
Using "Center Ball" - is it good advice or a hidden disadvantage?
- Thread starter CJ Wiley
- Start date
There are a whole slew of shots long the long rails, as far as a diamond into the table, with the CB past the side pocket, for which your cue is over the slate and the rails do not come into play and you (OK, maybe not you but everyone else) can easily shoot with an ascending cue.
The other shot comes up all the time at 1pocket when your opponent has left you on or near the rail and you’ve got to go through an OB and control a small forward/follow movement of the CB.
Lou Figueroa
As you know (OK, maybe not you), with the butt on the cloth (and resulting grip awkwardness) you can get less than 1 1/2 degrees of upslope that way. What does that do for your "slew of shots" that's worth the trouble?
I'd like to see you try to put follow on the CB with the top edge of your tip and a legal stroke.
pj
chgo
It's not awkward at all -- and it's something I've seen top-level players do and as I've already said, it's a technique advocated by some pretty sporty 3C players.
Regardless, your claim was, to wit: "It's impossible to hit the cue ball with the cue angled upward." Sorry, thanks for playing ;-)
As to the udder shot, watch some 1pocket matches, you'll see it.
Lou Figueroa
OK, I should have said "impossible to hit the cue ball with a meaningful amount of upward angle, even with the butt on the cloth." I'd be happy to hear what usefulness you think it has.
Maybe you could provide a link to a video of one of those top-level players doing it - or even just describe how it's done?
pj
chgo
Wow, you really don't get it do you? lol
I have said over and over, it's not the deflection that creates the angles, it's the perception of cueing the ball to the inside with a center/center or center/edge alignment. If the ball does veer it won't hurt, because there's 2 bail out areas in the pocket. When someone tries to hit center ball to center pocket there is just one bail out area. This Is okay for beginners, but unfortunately players do it their entire life, get stuck at a certain intermediate level and they will NEVER get any better.
I have to admit neither do I - maybe because we don't speak Quantum Buddhist...?
pj
chgo
Maybe it's because you've copped too many stores!?!
I remember when I used to watch Omaha John play, he used to say he had it "on a string," and would go for days and not make a position error. He told me "you have to make it float," so that's what I set my mind to do. At the time I didn't know that secret to the Touch of Inside so I started subconsciously hitting slightly to the inside on my last stroke.
Then in Florida an old man gave me another piece to the puzzle and it all started coming together. I needed a way to beat the best gamblers in the country on their home tables, which is a daunting task, however, when I stared dedicating to the TOI Style it gave me a distinct advantage because the longer I played a match the better it got.
This is a result of developing a "Master Shot," then if the table rolls off or is super tight it shows up even more because the pocket zone is bigger.
It's one thing about human nature, many people are comfortable with how they do things and even the thought of changing paradigms is terrifying. This is good for players like us, H.E. it naturally keeps the completion at the same level no matter how much they practice. Glad you're doing well, and enjoying the game, I've been playing more than ever, about to go take "dead aim" on a few gamblers.
The Game is the Teacher
Then in Florida an old man gave me another piece to the puzzle and it all started coming together. I needed a way to beat the best gamblers in the country on their home tables, which is a daunting task, however, when I stared dedicating to the TOI Style it gave me a distinct advantage because the longer I played a match the better it got.
This is a result of developing a "Master Shot," then if the table rolls off or is super tight it shows up even more because the pocket zone is bigger.
It's one thing about human nature, many people are comfortable with how they do things and even the thought of changing paradigms is terrifying. This is good for players like us, H.E. it naturally keeps the completion at the same level no matter how much they practice. Glad you're doing well, and enjoying the game, I've been playing more than ever, about to go take "dead aim" on a few gamblers.
The Game is the Teacher
Well it's really only one example....lol.
The measured center of pocket obviously doesn't move. I'll assume that if you play a shot at a light pace from any cut angle into the pocket which makes the center of the OB cross this measured center then it should drop. I'd be lying if I said I have tested this.
Now this does not manifest in any notable manner until you start shooting the OB along more extreme angles into the pocket, but your margin for error shrinks on "inside" rail. I don't have any diagrams or enough interest to develop one so I hope you can envision what I'm saying. Let say your OB is 12" from the long rail (just below the side pocket for such of reference). The ideal spot to shoot this ball into the corner pocket is at the inside of the perpendicular rail's horn (..or point? whatever you prefer to call it). This may not cause the CB center to cross the pocket measured center. But what it does do is equalize the margin for error so a slight miss in either direction will stil allow the OB to drop.
Aiming for measured center of the pocket allows the path of the OB to travel closer to the inside 'long rail'. Depending on the cut of the points and the tightness of the pockets. Any contact of the long rail will end up with the pocket rejecting the OB.
Of course this is how I play the game, which I have gathered from this thread is completely wrong, so YMMV.
"on a string" = tight control
"make it float"...? = play with stun and light spin to move laterally..? Use extensively in 14.1 and snooker
"Master shot" = default CB hit when other variables do not require something different.
"distinct advantage because the longer I played a match the better it got" = growing accustomed to table conditions and nothing to do with aiming system.
"twist" = a fictional unit of rotation, that equates to less then 1 full rotation. <<I'd hazard that this is nearly as impossible on anything but the shortest distances between CB and OB.
"target zone" = the area of the pocket that allows an equal margin of error on a miss in either direction
Figured the thread would benefit from a decoder ring of sorts...lol
"make it float"...? = play with stun and light spin to move laterally..? Use extensively in 14.1 and snooker
"Master shot" = default CB hit when other variables do not require something different.
"distinct advantage because the longer I played a match the better it got" = growing accustomed to table conditions and nothing to do with aiming system.
"twist" = a fictional unit of rotation, that equates to less then 1 full rotation. <<I'd hazard that this is nearly as impossible on anything but the shortest distances between CB and OB.
"target zone" = the area of the pocket that allows an equal margin of error on a miss in either direction
Figured the thread would benefit from a decoder ring of sorts...lol
Here's that shot aimed at the "center of mouth" target. You seem to be saying that aiming it closer to the far pocket point gives equal margins for error on both sides. I think my target does a better job of that.
If you had described the OB being within a few inches of the long rail, I might agree that's an exception to the "center of mouth" rule (because of the "mirroring" effect of hitting the long rail just before the pocket at that shallow angle). But that's an exception, not a rule (and it's "cheated" in the opposite direction of your suggestion - toward the long rail, not away from it).
pj
chgo
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I'm talking about your perception of the center from the cueball.....you don't shoot from the object ball so you will not see that perspective unless you're straight in or very close to straight in on the object ball.
It would help if someone actually played pool these days, this is like talking to bowlers about pool.
It would help if someone actually played pool these days, this is like talking to bowlers about pool.
I am not sure he can bowl, either.
He may be a Bowling Scientist, too.
Let’s not get him on that subject.
As I said before, you can see the "middle of pocket mouth" point from anywhere on the table. Guess that's not as obvious as I thought.
Or like talking to the blind about what they can see...
pj
chgo
So elementary school geometry isn't your strong suit either. Nothing to be ashamed of - we all have our strengths and weaknesses.
pj
chgo
I think CJ’s strength is using a pool cue.
I think your strength is using a calculator, protractor, and a compass.
Nobody, besides you, brings all those things to the pool room.
Learn to play and you won’t need to bring them anymore.
And a mighty strength it is.
Last I looked, this ain't the pool room. We talk about pool here.
lol Devastating.
pj
chgo