Aiming BIH 9-ball combos

[Oikawa]

Does anyone have any insights into how to make BIH combos more effectively? If there is a semi-long dead-straight or almost straight 1->9 combo available (e.g. 9-ball 1.5 diamonds from the corner pocket, 1-ball 1.5 diamonds from the 9-ball), it is suprisingly tricky to sight and place the CB on the correct spot, such that you can ignore the 1 ball being there and aim at where the 1 will hit the 9. If this CB placement is done well, the shot becomes easier. If it's off by even a little bit, any error will be magnified.

Any tricks/ideas/methods?

 

[Poolmanis]

I use same method that i use all almost straight in shot(or straight in). I focus cueball movement after hit.

Let´s say you have very slight cut to left.
I focus (on stun) that cueball have to move to left after contact, just barely but movement need to be there for perfect cut.
Combinations need 4-5 times more accuracy than normal pot if there is more space between first and second ball.

If I use follow I focus path cueball need to go to make the pot. Same with low english.
This is something I practice a lot. It can reveal many optical illusions on cut when start doing repetitions and habits to estimate cut lazy( and wrong) way..

 

[Oikawa]

I use same method that i use all almost straight in shot(or straight in). I focus cueball movement after hit.

Let´s say you have very slight cut to left.
I focus (on stun) that cueball have to move to left after contact, just barely but movement need to be there for perfect cut.
Combinations need 4-5 times more accuracy than normal pot if there is more space between first and second ball.

If I use follow I focus path cueball need to go to make the pot. Same with low english.
This is something I practice a lot. It can reveal many optical illusions on cut when start doing repetitions and habits to estimate cut lazy( and wrong) way..

I see, that is a good way. I sometimes do the same. What about for actually placing the CB (with BIH) to be millimeter perfect on the ideal line, instead of slightly on either side, do you have any tricks for that?

 

[Bob Jewett]

....
Combinations need 4-5 times more accuracy than normal pot if there is more space between first and second ball.
....

There is actually a theory that covers this. If you start from the distances from the cue ball to the first object ball and from the second object ball to the pocket, the combination is harder than that by the distance measured in balls between the first and second object ball. If they are only a ball apart -- and you know how to aim the combo -- it is no harder that just shooting the back ball into the pocket.

If the balls are closer than one ball diameter -- and, again, you have to know where to send the first ball -- the combo is easier than the simple shot of the same length. Think of a frozen pair that is pointed close enough to the pocket.

If the two balls are a diamond apart, that is about five times harder than the simple shot. It requires a hit five times more accurate.

 

[Poolmanis]

This thread actually made me do little practice on subject. I like this setup because it is easy to set up exactly same time after time.
This cut is very slight. I have used it with students and 90% of them overcut it and have a lot problems with it before giving them tips how to use cueball path to give more accuracy...
If you have 1 degree cut to left cueball caroms around 3 degrees, so hitting shot so cueball hitting the target on rail perfectly needs 3 times more accuracy. This cut is only lil more than 2 degrees(when hit perfect). It looks more when set it up.

I do always also mirror this drill so i cut right too. Very good drill for stroke mechanics and lining up the shot too.
I was very rusty with shot and it shows but when use right method it is quite unmissable still. I do it also chinese pool table time to time.
If I hit it perfect cueball come towards chalk. One also can learn how much it is possible to cheat pocket with this and still make it.

 

[Oikawa]

If the two balls are a diamond apart, that is about five times harder than the simple shot. It requires a hit five times more accurate.

This is good to keep in mind. When faced with such shots, apart from just requiring about 5x more precise aim, there's also the added difficulty from actually judging where to aim, keeping that aim-point, compensating for the spin-induced(?) throw into the 2nd OB from the cut angle of the combo if it's not dead straight, and visualizing where you want the first OB to go after a succesful hit. So much to think about, even for relatively short-distance combos. No wonder why even pros miss them quite often.

At my non-pro playing circles, a suprisingly common type of a containing safety shot in 9-ball, when faced with no better options, is to leave a semi-tough combo against the long rail. As long as it's roughly below 50% to be made for your opponent, it's usually a good idea, and lower ranked players often go for the combos even when they shouldn't.