chin on the cue or a more upright stance? (more stuff to argue about)

[DaveK]

At 5'6" it is no problem for me to get right down on normal shots, which I do, sliding the cue on the right side of my chin (dominant right eye above the cue). The funny thing is when I kick at balls I stand straight up (which puts my head about 6" above the cue ) so I can see the whole table and targets using peripheral vision.

Dave, who was kidding about his head being only 6" above the cue when standing, honest ! It's closer to 7" ...

 

[Rickw]

My stroke is more fluid when I raise up a little off the cue. I see the shot better when I'm down low. So, for long difficult shots, I get down very low and don't stress too much about my stroke comfort. When I'm faced with a shot that requires maximum stroke effort, I raise up just a little to ensure I'm in a comfortable position. I would agree with the poster that said that when the pressure is on, I tend to get lower over the cue.

 

[Boogie]

I think it is extremely important that the ladies keep their chin on the cue. I couldn't care less what the men do.

Ummm...and how are we supposed to look down their shirt when they shoot like that ?????

 

[chefjeff]

Ummm...and how are we supposed to look down their shirt when they shoot like that ?????

You're not....like I said in my post, you're supposed to be looking at their asses....geez, pay attention, will ya.

You're supposed to look down their shirts when you're standing, talking to them at the bar.

Jeff Livingston

 

[Jersey]

In Between

yeh, I toyed with this while re-working my mechanics, watching the ladies, (Fisher, Corr, Barretta), I started to try this chin on the cue thing...just wasn't comfortable for me...probably more from habit, but I also wear glasses, and just can't get on the cue like that and still see through my lenses...I'll tell ya, taking a wider stance helps you bend more properly at the waist and get down a little lower without strain...so that's what I have adopted...(advice from Johnny Archer)...

my 2c-

 

[fxskater]

I find that my standard comfortable shot is low down sighting down the cue, chin touching or very close. BUT, lately i have been standing up fairly tall, FATS STYLE, and am much more consistent on table length shots. Also i can juice the ball way better if i stand up to free up my arm. I find if i stand up i no longer have to worry about those long shots that require a lot of draw, i am much more consistent. Generally i only stand up to 'see' the table a little better or to free up my arm a bit.

 

[Ctatyk]

I'm not too sure about this but, I tend to shoot better when my upper body is about horizontal. In order for this to be the case, my chin is usually about 6 inches above my cue. I'm 6'4" and unless I can talk the room owner into jacking the table up about 5-6 inches...I'm stuck with this. In order for me to put my chin on my cue, I have to fold a bit too far to be comfortible (even with a wide stance). I don't like to bend my knees as it gets uncomfy after an entire night of shooting.

I believe that it's more in what you're comfy with than physics. I'll admit that having your chin on your cue "DOES" give you a better line of sight. You'll have to admit that, unless you're comfy with that pose, you won't shoot worth a damn that way.

I guess that leaves me in the boat of loving the idea of women shooting with thier chins on thier cues.

 

[AuntyDan]

I use my chin to feel the stroke

I've always played with my chin on the cue, which comes from growing up in the UK and playing Snooker. It was not until quite recently however, when I have been playing a lot of 9 Ball and working on my stroke, that I have begun using the position to get an extra level of feedback. As I take my warm-up strokes (Feathering as they say in England) I concentrate on the physical feel of the cue on my chin. Once I am ready for the final stroke as I pull the shaft back if it feels different on my chin that it did during the warm up strokes I stop and adjust myself.

I find this very useful for catching myself in the awful habit of changing my aim on the final stroke, as well as jacking up the cue for a jab at the last minute.

 

[PrinsNick]

pro women seem to have their chin on the cue mostly, pro men seem to have more of an upright stance.(hmmm, could this be a clue as to why men play stronger overal?)

This is perhaps because many female players are (subconsciously) imitating former snooker champs like Allison Fisher, Karen Corr, et al. 99% of top-level snooker players play with the chin down on the cue, mainly because it allows you to better see the angle over the long distance, and to use the chin as a guide to be sure the cue comes through in a straight line. This is crucial because there is so little margin for error in snooker.

In pool, perfect accuracy is not that important (buckets for pockets, you see), so it comes down to what works for you. As a former snooker player myself, I tried playing pool with my chin a few inches off the cue at one stage, and it seemed to work just as well. So it really depends on what works for you while still being comfortable.

As for why men play stronger overall, that is an entirely different (and touchy) subject I try to steer away from, but I will say this: I believe that the difference lies not so much in the physical execution, but in the inherent mental approach (perhaps stemming from physiological differences?). Men have killer instinct while women are more compassionate. That translates to the tables in the sense that male players will show less mercy, while women tend to socialize with their opponents. There is more cameraderie among women. I've seen it in leagues, our tournaments, and even on TV.

 

[strikeout]

I stopped thinking about my stance, how far I am over the cue, grip, etc., a long time ago. I just aim, line up, get down on the shot and shoot. It seems to me, though that whatever is comfortable is most important. I do not really see an advantage either way, when watching good players.

Laura