If your stroke varies a maximum of 1/4 inch left or right, then you have to aim to hit at least 1/4 inch from center to eliminate the risk of hitting the other side of center. If you aim only "a hair" off center like TOI dictates, then your stroke cannot vary more than "a hair" either way. That's not exactly correct. It could only vary a hair toward center but the ball would still be pocketed in the full hit side of the pocket. It could vary more than a hair to the inside & still pocket the ball in the thin side of the pocket. Whose stroke varies a 1/4 inch in either direction? Certainly not mine. And... as I said if one's stroke varies enough that it would cross over center while intending to hit on one side of center then they should be doing nothing but working on their stroke. But...if one's stroke is as bad as you suggest then they would be better off using TOI or intended english than trying to hit the exact center of the cue ball & not know if they are going to hit with right of left or luck out & actually hit center.
More importantly, missing the tip/CB contact point causes the same kind of miss no matter where you're tryin to hit the CB: What do you mean by 'kind' of mis? With TOI, you can intend to hit with TOI & if you do you pocket the ball in the center of the pocket. If you mis your intended tip/contact point & hit center instead, you pocket the ball in the full hit portion of the pocket. If you hit more away from the center than intended, you pocket the ball in the thin hit side of the pocket.
If you intend to hit with a center CB/Tip hit while aiming at the center of the pocket opening how far off to one side or the other would you say one could go before a missed pocket ocurrs due to squirt/deflection & swerve? What if the aim is off of center of the pocket in the opposite direction of the squirt/deflection & swerve?
- If you try to hit the CB on center and miss it to the right of center the CB squirts to the left of your intended CB path Correct & rather obvious & you probably mis.
- If you try to hit the CB off center but miss to the right of that off center spot the CB still squirts the same amount to the left of your intended CB path. Correct but because the TOI calls for aiming to the full hit side of the pocket the OB is still pocketed but into the thin side of the pocket. The TOI's plan of operation takes this into account.
This has been said several times in these TOI threads. Isn't it time you actually thought about it? Why do you suggest that I have not thought about it. Believe me, I understand your point that simply aiming to a different point on the cue ball will not improve one's stroke. But...the plan of operation can take the mis hit into account. I do not think that can be done with a planned center hit. Maybe a better way of saying it would be to ask, can you plan to what side you will miss your CB contact point with an intended center hit? With TOI it will be inside or center, unlless one's stroke is simply terrible, & both of those misses are planned for.
TOI does not increase the 'aiming size' of the pocket (I'm not even sure that means anything). I agree that the phrase 'aming size' is in fact incorrect as one could not aim for the thin side of the pocket & still pocket the ball unless the CB would be hit with center by mistake or a touch of outside. So 'size' is incorrect with regards to aiming. However with combination of 'touch of inside with touch of outside' one could aim for a center ball hit to mis on either side of the pocket & still make the ball. Can that be done with a center CB hit? I don't think so. So in effect the technique does allow for a wider array of availabele aiming but not with just the TOI.
TOI does not give a wider margin of error with the stroke. Why? With the TOI plan of operation one can mis to either side & still poket the ball. Can that be done with a planed center hit? It might happen with BHE at the proper bridge length matching the pivot point of the cue provided the speed is correct as well. But for that to happen other than by pure luck, one would have to plan to shoot the shot with only the correct speed to account for a mis hit. It would be sort of like carrying insurance with regard to a mis hit but you can't drive your car at different speeds.
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