Why do I aim like this and why does it work?

CaptainPots

Registered
Hi all.

When I learnt pool a few years ago I started with the ghost ball method and abandoned it after a year or two. I lost track about how I continued aiming but currently I go through a process for every shot but I don't know why and how it works.

My process:
(1) Stand behind the object ball towards the desired pocket.
(2) Look at the contact point or contact patch.
(3) Walk back to the where the cue ball is whilst maintaining my vision on the contact point/patch from (2).
(4) I automatically stop walking the moment I am on the correct aiming line
Note: During (3) I do not look at the cue ball. At most my subconscious looks at the cue ball from a peripheral perspective. I don't think of anything. I'm not aiming, I'm just walking back to the cue ball and voila I end up on the correct aiming line.

Can someone tell me why this is working?

Thanks.

Cheers.
 

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Magic!

Hi all.

When I learnt pool a few years ago I started with the ghost ball method and abandoned it after a year or two. I lost track about how I continued aiming but currently I go through a process for every shot but I don't know why and how it works.

My process:
(1) Stand behind the object ball towards the desired pocket.
(2) Look at the contact point or contact patch.
(3) Walk back to the where the cue ball is whilst maintaining my vision on the contact point/patch from (2).
(4) I automatically stop walking the moment I am on the correct aiming line
Note: During (3) I do not look at the cue ball. At most my subconscious looks at the cue ball from a peripheral perspective. I don't think of anything. I'm not aiming, I'm just walking back to the cue ball and voila I end up on the correct aiming line.

Can someone tell me why this is working?

Thanks.

Cheers.

You discovered the trick. It's magic. Usually doing that keeps you at least from under cutting the ball so you know that much going in and gives you less room to make mistakes.
 

CaptainPots

Registered
Hahaha yeah and I wanna know the science behind the magic of my process. I'm pretty sure it's because I've developed a certain amount of feel towards potting balls. However what confuses me is that I don't have to consciously look at the cue ball when walking back towards it in Step (3).
 

CaptainPots

Registered
I just get down straight on my shot.
On my way down I will be looking at the cue ball and once my bridge hand touches the table my cue stick will be pointing at the cue ball (let's say centre-ball).
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
Sounds like you've developed a great feel for shot recognition. I'd say whether you consciously realize it or not, you are aware of the CB's relationship to the OB while you are walking from the shot line to the aim line. No mystery or mathematical phenomena happening here.

I like that you refer to contact patch. That's really what there is, a defined contact area rather than a specific point. But the term "contact point" sounds more precise so that's the adopted lingo.

This visualizing the contact point is the method Mosconi described in his little red book. He wrote about extending a line out from the pocket and through the OB, then focus on sending the CB to the point where this line comes out from the OB, the contact point. He must've assumed most players would understand not to aim the center of the CB to this point, because he doesn't go into the details. He just says focus on aiming the CB at the contact point on the OB and leaves it at that.

Anyway, you're doing something right if it's consistently working for you.
 

CaptainPots

Registered
What do you mean by shot recognition? Do you roughly mean something like: once I walk to behind the object ball towards the pocket, my brain recognises that this is Shot 939 in the catalogue of shots, and it will instruct me to stop a certain somewhere to match Shot 939's aiming line?

Sounds like you've developed a great feel for shot recognition. I'd say whether you consciously realize it or not, you are aware of the CB's relationship to the OB while you are walking from the shot line to the aim line. No mystery or mathematical phenomena happening here.

Yeah contact patch seems more fitting because to me, no matter how players burn their eyes to a singular point of say 0.5 mm in accuracy, there is always room for more precision, say 0.49 mm in accuracy. If players are not the most precise science allows, they are visualising a patch of infinitesimal points.

I like that you refer to contact patch. That's really what there is, a defined contact area rather than a specific point. But the term "contact point" sounds more precise so that's the adopted lingo.
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
What do you mean by shot recognition? Do you roughly mean something like: once I walk to behind the object ball towards the pocket, my brain recognises that this is Shot 939 in the catalogue of shots, and it will instruct me to stop a certain somewhere to match Shot 939's aiming line?

Yeah contact patch seems more fitting because to me, no matter how players burn their eyes to a singular point of say 0.5 mm in accuracy, there is always room for more precision, say 0.49 mm in accuracy. If players are not the most precise science allows, they are visualising a patch of infinitesimal points.

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. :thumbup:

And good point about the 0.5 mm figure. One degree of angle represents 0.5 mm on the circumference of the ball. So the contact "point" is actually a patch, a circular area with a diameter of 0.5 mm. The allowable margin of error effectively makes this targeted patch bigger when the ob is closer to the pocket where the allowable margin of error is bigger. Example, a ball sitting close to a pocket may have a margin of error of +/- 5°, so the contact patch is effectively 2.5 mm wide (0.5mm X 5°), which means the edge of the CB can hit anywhere on this 2.5 mm patch and the ball goes into the pocket. When the allowable margin of error is less than 1°, we still can't be any more accurate than that 0.5 mm patch on the OB. But this sure is a technical way to look at aiming!! :eek: It gets even more technical considering that at fuller/thicker shots, the balls actually compress a tiny bit, making this 0.5mm contact point/patch even bigger, depending on the speed of the CB when it hits the OB.

Here's something to think about: When it comes to aiming and pocketing balls, we are effectively playing with two circles, not two spheres. We could use hockey pucks and do the same thing, as far as sending one puck into the other in order to cut it into a pocket. I could shoot a 1/2 puck or 3/4 puck fractional cut shot. A CTE user could get a 15 or 30 degree "perception" and send the puck to the pocket. You could look at, walk around and then fire the puck into the pocket. The only difference between using pool balls and hockey pucks is the vertical location of the contact point/patch in reference to the table surface. For pucks, being cylindrical, the contact patch spans the entire height of the puck. For pool balls, the contact patch is located on a circle (the circumstance of the ball) that is happens to be 1.125 inches above the table surface. When the CB strikes the OB it's nothing more than a collision between two circles, each located 1.125 inches above and parallel to the table surface. Of course, if the CB is rolling or has back spin or top spin on it, that particular circle is not parallel to the table...it's flipping or rotating across the table.
 
Last edited:

CaptainPots

Registered
Very interesting observation!

If I understand you correctly, this photo will roughly depict a 1/2 ball contact from top-view! The circles are the circumferences of the two balls that are like circular planes parallel to the table. If the ball spins, the circular plane spins.
Screen Shot 2017-10-09 at 21.54.31.png


Here's something to think about: When it comes to aiming and pocketing balls, we are effectively playing with two circles, not two spheres. We could use hockey pucks and do the same thing, as far as sending one puck into the other in order to cut it into a pocket. I could shoot a 1/2 puck or 3/4 puck fractional cut shot. A CTE user could get a 15 or 30 degree "perception" and send the puck to the pocket. You could look at, walk around and then fire the puck into the pocket. The only difference between using pool balls and hockey pucks is the vertical location of the contact point/patch in reference to the table surface. For pucks, being cylindrical, the contact patch spans the entire height of the puck. For pool balls, the contact patch is located on a circle (the circumstance of the ball) that is happens to be 1.125 inches above the table surface. When the CB strikes the OB it's nothing more than a collision between two circles, each located 1.125 inches above and parallel to the table surface. Of course, if the CB is rolling or has back spin or top spin on it, that particular circle is not parallel to the table...it's flipping or rotating across the table.
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
Very interesting observation!

If I understand you correctly, this photo will roughly depict a 1/2 ball contact from top-view! The circles are the circumferences of the two balls that are like circular planes parallel to the table. If the ball spins, the circular plane spins.
View attachment 472487

Yes. This is why 2D images in books depict very well what is happening in reality. These two circles are really all that matters when determining shot angle, shot line, and CB departure angle after contacting the OB. (This is of course based on the 90° tangent line, so a rolling CB or forward/reverse spin on the CB would change the departure line accordingly.) But basically it's like we're playing pool with halos. Besides manipulating the CB for position, the sphere effects only come into play on certain shots, like jump shots and massé shots.
 

JB Cases

www.jbcases.com
Silver Member
Yes. This is why 2D images in books depict very well what is happening in reality. These two circles are really all that matters when determining shot angle, shot line, and CB departure angle after contacting the OB. (This is of course based on the 90° tangent line, so a rolling CB or forward/reverse spin on the CB would change the departure line accordingly.) But basically it's like we're playing pool with halos. Besides manipulating the CB for position, the sphere effects only come into play on certain shots, like jump shots and massé shots.
2d shows only the top down perception. It's very different than the 3d perception.

The illusions created by trying to align spheres is way different than drawing illustrations.

For context.
https://youtu.be/d-L4QMNiVxk

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk
 

JB Cases

www.jbcases.com
Silver Member
What you are describing is just stepping into the shot line based on experience. When you play enough and you have good hand-eye coordination you are likely to be able to do this for most shots with out issues.

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
2d shows only the top down perception. It's very different than the 3d perception.

The illusions created by trying to align spheres is way different than drawing illustrations.

For context.
https://youtu.be/d-L4QMNiVxk

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

It's really no different. Every time you look at a sphere, say the outer suface of it, like the half ball aim/hit shown above, you are looking at the equator of the OB -- a circle, not a sphere. Sure, your angle of perspective is different, but it doesn't change the fact that you are still looking at a circle. In other words, if you're standing up looking at the OB, then without moving right or left, only going vertically downward (into your shot), the circle moves with your line of sight. Your perspective changes and the circle is still there. No sphere-aiming mystery there.
 

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
Hi all.

When I learnt pool a few years ago I started with the ghost ball method and abandoned it after a year or two. I lost track about how I continued aiming but currently I go through a process for every shot but I don't know why and how it works.

My process:
(1) Stand behind the object ball towards the desired pocket.
(2) Look at the contact point or contact patch.
(3) Walk back to the where the cue ball is whilst maintaining my vision on the contact point/patch from (2).
(4) I automatically stop walking the moment I am on the correct aiming line
Note: During (3) I do not look at the cue ball. At most my subconscious looks at the cue ball from a peripheral perspective. I don't think of anything. I'm not aiming, I'm just walking back to the cue ball and voila I end up on the correct aiming line.

Can someone tell me why this is working?

Thanks.

Cheers.

Define working. You mean you cut in 80% of shots using center ball or a bit above or below center ball?
 

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
I do this with all my shots regardless of what sidespin I put on it.

Sorry, let me rephrase. When I hear a player say, "my new aim method works great!" I try to define what they mean by great.

If you're making many, many more shots than before--it's working "great". I can provide you with an improved aim system in a free lesson if you're not at great yet.
 

CaptainPots

Registered
When I said that this aiming method works, I meant that suddenly my potting ability is more effortless (even under pressure), more consistent and more instinctive (more feel, less science & guesswork).

Sorry, let me rephrase. When I hear a player say, "my new aim method works great!" I try to define what they mean by great.

If you're making many, many more shots than before--it's working "great". I can provide you with an improved aim system in a free lesson if you're not at great yet.
 

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
When I said that this aiming method works, I meant that suddenly my potting ability is more effortless (even under pressure), more consistent and more instinctive (more feel, less science & guesswork).

And that's a good thing! You are where every player wants/needs to be if you can "see the angle, shoot the angle". All my aim systems--even my superior aim systems :))) are a device to get the player there.

Thanks and congratulations!

PS. That's why pool teachers should exist, for players who lose it and need to find it again. :)
 
Top