Casting 9s
Member
I am going to get destroyed for this, but here goes....
I have been an avid user of TOI for several years now, and have recently been toying with TOO, like Sigel, Buddy, SVB, and many others use. I have gotten very good at that as well, but in all of this, I believe I have come full circle to the idea of playing center ball only, using only the vertical axis.
My thinking is this: Less variables over time = higher winning %. CJ Wiley is very correct about this.
Yes, I can spin the ball all over the table as needed, or change my center with TOI, but I have found that I am even more consistent if I just stay at center ball, using only follow and draw, and make the table accommodate my style, instead of using any side spin. I just find it so rare that I can't get myself back in line if I need to, while still keeping the game as simple as possible.
I know a lot of people say you can't play at a high level playing this way, but I just don't agree with that. It's very possible that I am wrong about that. I'm open minded. But I have gotten really, really good at using side spins and/or changing center ball (like TOI or TOO), and I kept finding myself looking for ways to make the game more complicated than it needs to be. Even after clean run outs, I would have an honest review of my patterns and think to myself "That was cool, but I didn't need to do all of that if I'm being honest with myself."
I definitely am open to the idea of playing pocket zones, in other words, aiming at the edge of the pocket, and overcutting it to utilize the entire pocket. It makes sense in theory. It really does. However, the slight advantage that you get from doing that, I feel like you lose by the fact that you will have slightly more cueing/stroking/sighting errors by going away from center, so it's more of a trade-off than an advantage in the end, while adding more variables in the process. I found myself occasionally missing shots I would make 99.99% of the time with center ball, at the absolute worst times, all while trying to chase consistency with these other styles. Yes, they were misses from just lack of concentration because you get to be such a good shot maker that you sometimes take them for granted, but I was adding variables that just weren't necessary in the first place, and it would just infuriate me when I did that.
Another thing I agree with CJ on, is that it is good to use 1 type of shot over and over, to gain consistency (less variables). But you can do that by just sticking to center ball on the vertical axis. I know it's not exciting. It doesn't feel as cool. I concede that. But I sure do feel like I am in absolute command of the cueball when I stick to center. Yes, I lose out on the straighter angles off the rails with TOI, or the gearing english of TOO, but I feel like the added variables cancel those out anyways.
Is this just dumb, or is there merit in this way of thinking? Have there been any top pros that stick to center ball almost all of the time? I feel like I am a very good player now, as I have been playing and/or practicing 4+ hours a day for years now, and I just don't see the need for all the spinning or changing centers anymore. I'm never going to compete at a world class level, so I can afford to plateau at a certain level and win all the local tournaments or money matches. Am I wrong in thinking that keeping the game as simple as possible with the least number of variables is going to get the job done against really good players?
This is an experiment I decided to try just in the last maybe 2 weeks. I lost count of how many games it's been, but I am on quite the winning streak right now doing this. I feel like it's freed up my mind to focus on other things like better cueball placement after contact during safeties, cleaner combo shots (when needed), and lots of other little things. I'm going to stick with this for a while and see how this plays out.
Any other advanced players go back to center ball and found it liberating?
I have been an avid user of TOI for several years now, and have recently been toying with TOO, like Sigel, Buddy, SVB, and many others use. I have gotten very good at that as well, but in all of this, I believe I have come full circle to the idea of playing center ball only, using only the vertical axis.
My thinking is this: Less variables over time = higher winning %. CJ Wiley is very correct about this.
Yes, I can spin the ball all over the table as needed, or change my center with TOI, but I have found that I am even more consistent if I just stay at center ball, using only follow and draw, and make the table accommodate my style, instead of using any side spin. I just find it so rare that I can't get myself back in line if I need to, while still keeping the game as simple as possible.
I know a lot of people say you can't play at a high level playing this way, but I just don't agree with that. It's very possible that I am wrong about that. I'm open minded. But I have gotten really, really good at using side spins and/or changing center ball (like TOI or TOO), and I kept finding myself looking for ways to make the game more complicated than it needs to be. Even after clean run outs, I would have an honest review of my patterns and think to myself "That was cool, but I didn't need to do all of that if I'm being honest with myself."
I definitely am open to the idea of playing pocket zones, in other words, aiming at the edge of the pocket, and overcutting it to utilize the entire pocket. It makes sense in theory. It really does. However, the slight advantage that you get from doing that, I feel like you lose by the fact that you will have slightly more cueing/stroking/sighting errors by going away from center, so it's more of a trade-off than an advantage in the end, while adding more variables in the process. I found myself occasionally missing shots I would make 99.99% of the time with center ball, at the absolute worst times, all while trying to chase consistency with these other styles. Yes, they were misses from just lack of concentration because you get to be such a good shot maker that you sometimes take them for granted, but I was adding variables that just weren't necessary in the first place, and it would just infuriate me when I did that.
Another thing I agree with CJ on, is that it is good to use 1 type of shot over and over, to gain consistency (less variables). But you can do that by just sticking to center ball on the vertical axis. I know it's not exciting. It doesn't feel as cool. I concede that. But I sure do feel like I am in absolute command of the cueball when I stick to center. Yes, I lose out on the straighter angles off the rails with TOI, or the gearing english of TOO, but I feel like the added variables cancel those out anyways.
Is this just dumb, or is there merit in this way of thinking? Have there been any top pros that stick to center ball almost all of the time? I feel like I am a very good player now, as I have been playing and/or practicing 4+ hours a day for years now, and I just don't see the need for all the spinning or changing centers anymore. I'm never going to compete at a world class level, so I can afford to plateau at a certain level and win all the local tournaments or money matches. Am I wrong in thinking that keeping the game as simple as possible with the least number of variables is going to get the job done against really good players?
This is an experiment I decided to try just in the last maybe 2 weeks. I lost count of how many games it's been, but I am on quite the winning streak right now doing this. I feel like it's freed up my mind to focus on other things like better cueball placement after contact during safeties, cleaner combo shots (when needed), and lots of other little things. I'm going to stick with this for a while and see how this plays out.
Any other advanced players go back to center ball and found it liberating?
