"Center Ball" ! What does that mean to you?
- Thread starter Bobkitty
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Pigging!
On a Stun shot it isn't supposed to move. It's supposed to sit on its butt like a
pig. Some old schoolers called it "Pigging."
On a Stun shot it isn't supposed to move. It's supposed to sit on its butt like a
pig. Some old schoolers called it "Pigging."
Center ball to me is no right or left english, hitting the CB on the center vertical axis.
If the CB is hit dead center in regards to both y and x axis, where the CB goes is dependent mostly on distance of the CB off the OB, speed of CB. A short shot the CB will slide/stun the OB and will stop. There is enough of the cue tip above and below the horizontal center line the CB will slide initially. Within a short distance the CB will gain forward roll and in that case the CB will obviously roll forward after hitting the OB. To stop the CB, a stop shot is required and bottom spin is needed.
So, another question may be, how far can you make a shot w no English and no bottom spin and have the CB stop upon hitting the OB? I speculate, not v far.
If the CB is hit dead center in regards to both y and x axis, where the CB goes is dependent mostly on distance of the CB off the OB, speed of CB. A short shot the CB will slide/stun the OB and will stop. There is enough of the cue tip above and below the horizontal center line the CB will slide initially. Within a short distance the CB will gain forward roll and in that case the CB will obviously roll forward after hitting the OB. To stop the CB, a stop shot is required and bottom spin is needed.
So, another question may be, how far can you make a shot w no English and no bottom spin and have the CB stop upon hitting the OB? I speculate, not v far.
Re: Center ball
Low, bottom, center ball draws cue ball when it makes contacts center of object ball. High, top, center ball makes the CB continue forward. Center hit on CB stops the CB providing it is still sliding (no back or forward roll) when it contacts center of OB. No CB deflection. Predictable CB travel after contacting OB. Fewer misses are arguably the most valuable result. However, it is much harder to contact the center of the cue ball than it seems.
Low, bottom, center ball draws cue ball when it makes contacts center of object ball. High, top, center ball makes the CB continue forward. Center hit on CB stops the CB providing it is still sliding (no back or forward roll) when it contacts center of OB. No CB deflection. Predictable CB travel after contacting OB. Fewer misses are arguably the most valuable result. However, it is much harder to contact the center of the cue ball than it seems.
It rolls forward if it’s got a decent distance bt it and the ob, if it’s close of course it just stops
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It is not trying to play for shape when you already have shape. Just make the damn shot and move on to the next one.
Maniac (great advice from Buddy Hall)
At 1" you will have a stun shot
At 1' you will have a "lose it forward" shot
At 9' you will have a shot no different than if you put a 1/2 tip of top on the CB.
Good answer.
Here is a video of me shooting "center ball" at a medium speed but it can be done at any speed. At any speed, on a straight in, it is a stop shot + about 6". My teacher states this is the second most important shot in pool. I'm shooting this on a straight in shot so it can be demonstrated but the value is the angle the cue ball goes off the object ball at angled shots. We all know the stop shot goes off on tangent and how the rolling ball shot goes off, but there is a special angle in between these two tracks that the "center ball" will track on. He uses this track for shape. There are many spots on the table where it's impossible to get there without this shot.
If you put a OB on the one ball spot and hit a stop shot at an angle, the cue ball will scratch. The "center ball" will hit the end rail about 6" on the end rail from the pocket. Here is the way you'll know you've got it. Put a ball one ball width up from the one ball spot. Now the "center ball" shot will scratch. https://youtu.be/fjEGe0_rP2k
Literal/beginner meaning: straight up center of the cue ball. you aim your tip at the center of the cue ball and shoot it that way. hit it softly and the cue ball has some forward roll to it after object ball contact. hit it firm and you see more of a stun run through/stun after contact
Advanced meaning: when saying center ball hit what you're actually saying is lack of left or right spin and lack of extreme top/bottom. if someone talks of shooting center ball they are allowing for SOME top and bottom english to be applied as needed but more importantly for whatever reason removing the complications of side spin in the equation is important. This is how I interpret center ball as spoken by advanced players. They are not implying I can get down on the ball and shoot maximum draw. But if I do get down on the shot and see that maybe a half tip of bottom looks to make the shot play more to what was, that's fully expected in the 'center ball' verbiage.
Advanced meaning: when saying center ball hit what you're actually saying is lack of left or right spin and lack of extreme top/bottom. if someone talks of shooting center ball they are allowing for SOME top and bottom english to be applied as needed but more importantly for whatever reason removing the complications of side spin in the equation is important. This is how I interpret center ball as spoken by advanced players. They are not implying I can get down on the ball and shoot maximum draw. But if I do get down on the shot and see that maybe a half tip of bottom looks to make the shot play more to what was, that's fully expected in the 'center ball' verbiage.
I refer to center ball as absolutely no right or left spin, so it can entail dead center, high center or low center, depending on where you need the cue ball to end up, and it can be used not only on a straight in shot but on any angle of cut shot as well.. The big advantage of center ball when you can utilize it and still get the positioning you need is to completely eliminate having to calculate / compensate for deflection and swerve in to your aiming process, so if you miss the shot, it is either due to mis-aiming or a faulty stroke - a failure to deliver the cue straight back and straight through.
What the cue ball does and which direction and how far it travels after contact with the object ball when using dead center cue ball (not top or bottom center) depends on many factors - the degree of the cut angle or straight in, how far apart the OB and CB are on the shot, and the pace at which the shot is hit.
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If the CB/OB are different distances apart for two shots, then you must change either the speed or tip/ball contact point (or both) to get the same result.
It seems that you're saying "center ball" is wherever you have to hit the ball to get this result - i.e., different places for different distances/speeds.
For this reason I'd prefer to call it a "stun hit" rather than a "center ball" hit.
There are many carom angles between a rolling CB and a stunned CB - this is just one of them. I agree that it's important to learn them, at all distances and speeds.
pj
chgo
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Center ball is no harder to hit than any other part of the cue ball....
...however, like shooting straight in shots, it’s harder to alibi.
I watched your video. How can you claim to hit, 'center ball' when YOUR cue tip ends up down on the cloth on every shot?
The cue tip hits center ball, and if you don't drop your elbow the tip will wind up on the cloth. Some drop their elbow which will allow the tip to stay level, but in either case the CB is gone by the time the tip continues to the cloth, or not. I don't see anything wrong with either method .. preference thing .. enjoy the game!
By looking at he video again, he is NOT dropping his elbow after contacting the CB, (even though I can't see it), he's stopping his stroke almost at contact, (a short stroke) as known in 3C. Most likely, He's snapping the cue, (wrist snap) up into the palm of his hand, which would make the tip go downward! JMHO.
That's why the tip dips .
The grip hand finishes up above the level of stroke .
Imagine a pendulum holding the stick. At 90* from the floor , tip makes contact with the ball.https://youtu.be/xlmhEqTikYI?t=43
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You will NEVER see a TOP 3C player's cue tip end it that manner! No matter how long the follow-thru! It's a faulty stroke! The cue tip must travel perfectly straight, horizontally and vertically thru the CB, to get the correct effect on the CB the player intended! Cue tip speed, determines how the CB will react at different distances from the OB!
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I don't see a billiard table in his video.
If you have a pendulum stroke, no elbow dropping, where else would the tip go? When your tip makes contact with the CB your forearm is perpendicular to the floor, cue is as level as it's ever going to be. After contact and the CB is gone the tip continues to travel either straight, if you drop your elbow, or downward towards the cloth if you don't....GOOD stroke!
And it's not a faulty stroke.
If it is, snooker players have faulty strokes too then.
If it is, snooker players have faulty strokes too then.