inside english and ball skid?

Using outside english has the CB "rolling" off the object ball while inside english has the CB "rubbing" off the OB.

Try to envision this experiment using people. Have someone stand to your left and slightly ahead of you, still, with their arms at their sides.

Slowly walk toward the person while spinning yourself counter-clockwise as you contact their shoulder as you pass by. (outside english) You hardly move the person except for a half twist in a direction opposite where you came in contact with them.

Now do the same thing, only as you walk toward them spin your body clockwise, ( inside english) The rub is much harsher as you pass.

I used this analogy on my kids a hundred years ago when they were young and I was trying to explain pool to them. It seemed to click as an explanation,

Maybe silly, but it is a dynamic way to illustrate the effect.


With the opening break in straight pool, using spinning outside english helps prevent the rack from what I call tearing apart and rather has the two end balls roll out and back more effectively.

This tearing IMO with inside english (skid) is caused by the CB forcing the OB to turn in the direction of the CB rather than allowing the CB from running away from the contact ball.

Inside spin will cause more skids than that of helping english - I would need a degree in physics to explain why (which I do not have). My experience is that there are 3 or four reasons as to why an object ball will skid. Humidity is number one, and by this I mean whether the room your table is located in has been insulated. The more insulation the less you are likeley to get a chilly hit. The second is how well you maintain the cleaning of the equipment. If you vaccum your table and use liquid turtle wax in a well insulated room you should be able to cut down on the skid factor for at least an hour and a half. In a garage with no insulation your turtle wax shell that covers the ball will last maybe only about 30 minutes (maybe less if it's raining outside). the speed at which you hit the shot - if you shoot easy with inside it's possible to get a skid even with a well insulated room and clean equipment. If you use a real soft tip on your cue this is more likeley to leave a chalk print on the white ball which will also cause a skid. I have lost a few huge runs due to the dreaded skid and so this is what I have found dries them up if you will.

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Danny Harriman said:

Inside spin will cause more skids than that of helping english - I would need a degree in physics to explain why (which I do not have). My experience is that there are 3 or four reasons as to why an object ball will skid. Humidity is number one, and by this I mean whether the room your table is located in has been insulated. The more insulation the less you are likeley to get a chilly hit. The second is how well you maintain the cleaning of the equipment. If you vaccum your table and use liquid turtle wax in a well insulated room you should be able to cut down on the skid factor for at least an hour and a half. In a garage with no insulation your turtle wax shell that covers the ball will last maybe only about 30 minutes (maybe less if it's raining outside). the speed at which you hit the shot - if you shoot easy with inside it's possible to get a skid even with a well insulated room and clean equipment. If you use a real soft tip on your cue this is more likeley to leave a chalk print on the white ball which will also cause a skid. I have lost a few huge runs due to the dreaded skid and so this is what I have found dries them up if you will.

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Thanks Danny. I totally agree with your whole statement. It is good to hear these good comments from you.