Chin on the cue!

[victorl]

Mamics,

I used to switch between snooker and pool often and I found the size of the balls didn't affect me that much. And I don't think playing with smaller balls on a pool table will help much with anything. The main difficulty in snooker is of course, the table size and pocket shape, which makes shotmaking very tough, and some standard pool shots near impossible.

 

[Baxter]

In pool you can get away with not having your chin on the cue because you don't need to sight long distance shots. Snooker is a different story, and snooker players are the most accurate ball potters in the world. I liken it to sighting down the barrel of a rifle. You don't see very many marksman who shoot from the hip with any accuracy.

 

[mamics]

I used to switch between snooker and pool often and I found the size of the balls didn't affect me that much. And I don't think playing with smaller balls on a pool table will help much with anything.

Dammit - it must be me and my ability then rather than changes in ball size which cause me problems - doh - I was hoping for a magic bullet ! ;-D

Thanx
Cheers.

 

[Autist]

I think that...


If you take 100 best snooker players in the world, and 100 best pool players in the world, snooker players will win by a huge margin when it comes to ONLY POCKETING balls.
No real data on this but I believe 90-95% snooker players have their cues on their chin. Can't estimate the percentage when it comes to pool players, but I guess it's a lot less.


So, you want to be accurate, learn to play with your chin on the cue.

I found some pictures of myself playing pool which are taken about 4 years ago, I didn't know how to run 3 balls and was a rookie in every aspect. What I did notice on the pictures that for some reason, I had a snooker stance, or almost. One knee was locked and chin was very close to the cue.

I've played a lot of pool the last 2 years, and I have developed a real snooker stance. I even have the back-pause like most snooker players. And not intentionally. Some people ask if I am a snooker player if they see me play pool. I guess that is the most effective way of playing for me.

I do play some snooker from time to time, but not nearly as much as pool. I think if I had to guess my time at a snooker or pool table, it would be 5% vs. 95% respectively.

I have tried playing bringing my chin up from the cue - I miss everything, it feels very awkward.

Overall my personal opinion is that having your cue on your chin makes you a better player.

 

[naji]

There are several advantages to a low stance, with the chin closer to the cue. Here's the list from the low-stance resource page:

- It makes it easier to be consistent with your visual alignment (for more info, see vision center). With the chin so close to the cue, it is easier to see (or even feel) whether or not you are off to one side or the other.

- Being closer to the cue allows you to sight more along the cue, similar to a marksman looking down the barrel of a gun. This can help you better visualize the line of the shot. Note that with a low stance, it helps to use an open bridge or longer bridge length to allow you to see more of the cue (for more info, see bridge length).

- There is less eye movement between the CB and the OB while checking the tip position and aiming line in the set position.

- It is easier to visualize and create the exact tip position desired.

Regards,
Dave

Hi Dave,
I saw the vision center video, Bob's stroke does not appear to be 100% straight after the shot is completed his cue is way off line, at 2:22 you can see it, yet he still makes the ball? why is that? Thanks.

 

[mamics]

Bob's stroke does not appear to be 100% straight after the shot is completed his cue is way off line, at 2:22 you can see it, yet he still makes the ball?

I noticed the same thing tonite watching Jamie Cope in the Aussie Open Snooker. (OK, Jamie wasn't 'way off line' but I was surprised how 'not straight' his cue action was)

His opponent Neil Robertson on the other hand was like a stroke robot - dead straight & true cueing - pretty to watch.

Some of the camera angles were great for seeing the cue stroke line - My Austar Subsricption was worth every cent last nite. ;-p

 

[naji]

I noticed the same thing tonite watching Jamie Cope in the Aussie Open Snooker. (OK, Jamie wasn't 'way off line' but I was surprised how 'not straight' his cue action was)

His opponent Neil Robertson on the other hand was like a stroke robot - dead straight & true cueing - pretty to watch.

Some of the camera angles were great for seeing the cue stroke line - My Austar Subsricption was worth every cent last nite. ;-p

I always thought it does not matter where the tip placement on CB (left to right) is from aiming perspective or chin for that matter for aiming, as long as the eye looks at CB and OB for aim alignment. True off center tip will cause english, squirt, and swerve (ESS) of which fast speed takes care of swerve, long shaft takes care of squirt, and english most likely will have minimal effect on rolling follow through balls. I think touching the shaft with chin allows the player to be in exact same stance on every shot, and help for straight stroke, not that a straight stroke is needed if your aim is perfect and follow through, and allow for ESS which is the tricky part, and that is where low squirt cues come in handy.

Bob's did not have 100% straight stroke in that shot in the video, but his aim is accurate and he eliminated the tiny squirt with his long shaft. Who knows..

 

[dwalding]

This guy shot pretty good with his chin off the cue..... You might figure it out from the URL alone.

https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+of+willie+Mosconi

 

[Neil]

Hi Dave,
I saw the vision center video, Bob's stroke does not appear to be 100% straight after the shot is completed his cue is way off line, at 2:22 you can see it, yet he still makes the ball? why is that? Thanks.

If you freeze frame the shot, you will see that at contact he is dead straight on line with the cue. About 1 1/2" - 2" into his followthrough, he starts going sideways a little. Outward with his hand, which makes the tip go to the left (right as we see it). A likely cause of that is not having the cue directly under the center of the forearm. (although there are a number of reasons that can do it)

 

[scsuxci]

As you get older and lazier,it sucks to bend.Since people always talk about
the old greats and Mosconi never using LD shafts,he also didn't bend right
down on the cue till his chin touched.
I think its all what feels comfortable,but for all the guys who seem to refer to
the old timers,where they flawed and could of been better players or visa-versa?

 

[naji]

If you freeze frame the shot, you will see that at contact he is dead straight on line with the cue. About 1 1/2" - 2" into his followthrough, he starts going sideways a little. Outward with his hand, which makes the tip go to the left (right as we see it). A likely cause of that is not having the cue directly under the center of the forearm. (although there are a number of reasons that can do it)

Thanks Neil, i agree, he is in line for few inches, after that it does not matter, provided his aim is 100% accurate.

What matters the most is aim and ability to focus for those little hard, long large angle cuts at first, until one's position play becomes accurate, where no shot is more than 1/2 angle cut. Also ability to remember to follow through on every shot.

 

[mamics]

Because they have the possibility of millions playing snooker in the UK. Why would they want to play for peanuts?

For instance:
Steve Davis... Career winnings, £5,614,630
Ronnie O'Sullivan... Career winnings £7.091.664

Yeah the commentators mentioned Neil Robertson career earnings was 2 million & Mark Selby was almost the same - 2 million.

First Prize in the Aussie open was $70,000 - what does the Top US Pool events pay out for 1st place prizemoney ? (eg. US Open 9-ball ?)

Cheers.

 

[randallt6]

One of the newest monsters to really emerge on US soil, Carlo Biado, doesn't have his chin on cue, he's several inches above, and plays pretty sporty

 

[demonrho]

Repeat of above post.

 

[Sealegs50]

I liken it to sighting down the barrel of a rifle. You don't see very many marksman who shoot from the hip with any accuracy.

Tell that to Emilio Largo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HzEdcyLsFk (near the end of the clip)

Obviously, I took the bait.

 

[CreeDo]

Everyone should see the Superhumans episode on Bob Munden too. His main claim to fame
is his speed but his accuracy is pretty sick too. He can hit tin cans shooting from the hip,
and can shoot the heads off of nails when he aims with his eyes down the barrel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=Ir9kGRoBIrc&feature=endscreen

I can see two ways of looking at it... it's possible to have pretty good accuracy shooting
from the hip, probably good enough accuracy to shoot pool.

Then again when he needed maximum accuracy he sights down the barrel.

 

[ra[g]e]

I think that...


If you take 100 best snooker players in the world, and 100 best pool players in the world, snooker players will win by a huge margin when it comes to ONLY POCKETING balls.
No real data on this but I believe 90-95% snooker players have their cues on their chin. Can't estimate the percentage when it comes to pool players, but I guess it's a lot less.


So, you want to be accurate, learn to play with your chin on the cue.

I found some pictures of myself playing pool which are taken about 4 years ago, I didn't know how to run 3 balls and was a rookie in every aspect. What I did notice on the pictures that for some reason, I had a snooker stance, or almost. One knee was locked and chin was very close to the cue.

I've played a lot of pool the last 2 years, and I have developed a real snooker stance. I even have the back-pause like most snooker players. And not intentionally. Some people ask if I am a snooker player if they see me play pool. I guess that is the most effective way of playing for me.

I do play some snooker from time to time, but not nearly as much as pool. I think if I had to guess my time at a snooker or pool table, it would be 5% vs. 95% respectively.

I have tried playing bringing my chin up from the cue - I miss everything, it feels very awkward.

Overall my personal opinion is that having your cue on your chin makes you a better player.

I play with my chin on the cue and I'd tend to agree with you, but I must say I know people who play with their chin on the cue get clobbered by those who don't :lmao:

 

[naji]

I play with my chin on the cue and I'd tend to agree with you, but I must say I know people who play with their chin on the cue get clobbered by those who don't :lmao:

I agree, i have came to the conclusion that chin on cue most benefit is to align cue elevation to almost the same on every shot; if you are not aware of this fact, then placing chin on cue with different elevation will allow others to clobber the hill out of you!! ..True it helps in aim of large cuts too, but not very critical. Also i have came to the conclusion (IMO) short players naturally have low stance and tends to have consistent elevation therefore seem better players than tall giant players, who knows..