Cue not at CCB after alignment? A quick fix trick.

[Colin Colenso]

I'm sure I'm not the only one here who, after aligning (setting bridge) to pot a ball, my cue is not aligned through CCB along this line.

Usually my tip is to the left of CCB by a mm or so. This is caused by a perception problem between what I see further away, focusing on the OB and peripherally estimating where my cue's aim line is relative to CCB.

If I set my bridge and just pivot to CCB during the stroke, this often leads to shooting the CB right of the line I was visualizing.

However, if I shift my bridge and hence the cue, parallel until it comes to CCB, the resultant aim line is quite close to the original line perceived.

Ideally, our fundamentals and perceptions all align perfectly, such that, when we're perceiving the line of cue to the OB, we are perfectly aligned through CCB while setting the bridge on this line.

But if we're not, this quick fix can suffice, and it can be a lot more practical than trying to fidget around getting in line with CCB while staying on the aim line, as the differences in close v distant perceptions can fight with each other such that we're not perceiving either the line to the OB or the line through CCB very clearly.

By not having to think about aligning through the CB, just pointing to the aim line with the cue, then checking where that line intersects relative to CCB, you can start to learn what shots have which tendencies, and which stances or head / eye positioning tend to bring the aim perception closer to CCB.

This diagram may make it easier to comprehend.

 

[ENGLISH!]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Hi Colin,

I'm new to one pocket & have not played much straight pool either. So, i'm not really that experienced with shooting the cue ball from the bundle of balls at the the rack.

Since playing one pocket I have had to jack up more often & place my bridge in different locations along the cue & since I am recently changing from right eye to left eye, I have found that I rather often place the bridge initially to the left & then have to adjust after I notice it.

Even though I know better, my tendency is to want to pivot the cue.

I guess my point here is to confirm what you're saying & perhaps point out that the vision with the cue jacked up a bit or more can make things, the bad stuff, even more prevalent.

Good Post & Cheers.

 

[LAMas]

Good info.

I line up the shot with my cue on the table with the tip pointed at the CCB and then drop down...I don't just trust my eye/s when down.

Be well

 

[Colin Colenso]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Hi Colin,

I'm new to one pocket & have not played much straight pool either. So, i'm not really that experienced with shooting the cue ball from the bundle of balls at the the rack.

Since playing one pocket I have had to jack up more often & place my bridge in different locations along the cue & since I am recently changing from right eye to left eye, I have found that I rather often place the bridge initially to the left & then have to adjust after I notice it.

Even though I know better, my tendency is to want to pivot the cue.

I guess my point here is to confirm what you're saying & perhaps point out that the vision with the cue jacked up a bit or more can make things, the bad stuff, even more prevalent.

Good Post & Cheers.

Hi Rick,
Certainly jacking up, and I'd add shooting over and across rails is a time when different perceptions often lead to directing the cue through CCB on it's way to the OB aim line as we're aligning the shot.

Pivoting the cue, or just steering the shot toward CCB during the stroke, which achieves the same thing almost is the natural tendency, but also a common cause of error.

Hence my suggestion to parallel shifting of the bridge as a means to adjust when this type of misalignment is apparent.

Colin

 

[Colin Colenso]

Good info.

I line up the shot with my cue on the table with the tip pointed at the CCB and then drop down...I don't just trust my eye/s when down.

Be well

Hi LAMas,

I've tried this, basically moving the tip toward CCB and then dialing in the potting angle, but, during the dialing in, the cue line often moves a little off CCB.

So when we notice this, the question is do we fidget back and forth to get them both back on line, or hit slightly off CCB, or pivot to CCB or parallel shift to CCB from this line.

I'm kind of surprised I've not paid more attention to this tendency in the years I've been playing. In recent weeks, paying more attention to it, and using a parallel shift when I'm seeing a shot line that isn't passing through CCB when I shift focus back to the cue positioning relative to the CB, has helped a lot on some shots that have often caused me problems.

Colin

 

[Colin Colenso]

Note: When the CB and OB are close, this tendency seems to be less apparent, as on those shots, for me anyway, it possible to look through the CCB and see the OB and it's direction to pocket peripherally.

But when the OB is further away, peripheral perception of the OB, while observing the relative position of cue and CCB is much more difficult. We need to shift focus back and forth to check both, and in doing so, some may observe differences in perception which aren't accurately aligned to each other.

Colin

 

[bbb]

do you look at the object ball as you get down on the shot??
and move your eyes to the cue ball stick alignment only after you your body/bridge hand
arms have stopped moving??

 

[ENGLISH!]

Hi Rick,
Certainly jacking up, and I'd add shooting over and across rails is a time when different perceptions often lead to directing the cue through CCB on it's way to the OB aim line as we're aligning the shot.

Pivoting the cue, or just steering the shot toward CCB during the stroke, which achieves the same thing almost is the natural tendency, but also a common cause of error.

Hence my suggestion to parallel shifting of the bridge as a means to adjust when this type of misalignment is apparent.

Colin

Colin,

Just to be clear for the readers' sake.

It's important IMO to shift the whole bridge parallel, especially the base of the bridge. I've found myself. with this new to me one pocket situations, leaning the bridge & I am fairly sure that it moves a bit during the stroke.

I know you are talking about a normal bridge & I'm talking more about a 'tall' bride but I just thought that it might be good to throw that out.

Cheers.

 

[Ralph Kramden]

Note: When the CB and OB are close, this tendency seems to be less apparent, as on those shots, for me anyway, it possible to look through the CCB and see the OB and it's direction to pocket peripherally.

But when the OB is further away, peripheral perception of the OB, while observing the relative position of cue and CCB is much more difficult. We need to shift focus back and forth to check both, and in doing so, some may observe differences in perception which aren't accurately aligned to each other.

Colin

After finding CCB I make sure the shaft is pointing directly at the OB. It would be like an imaginary extension of the cue.
My stroke hand, shaft, cue tip, CB and OB will all be on the same line. Once everything is aligned I'll adjust for the shot.

Nice diagram by the way.

.

 

[Colin Colenso]

do you look at the object ball as you get down on the shot??
and move your eyes to the cue ball stick alignment only after you your body/bridge hand
arms have stopped moving??

Over the years I've tried all combinations of focusing back and forth, but more recently, have been focusing on the OB, imagining the line needed to make it, with some awareness peripherally of how the cue is pointing along this line.

I set my bridge when this feel right, then look at where my cue aligns to the CB. Sometimes I close my right eye, as my left eye is dominant and close to over the cue. I'm 50/50 on the best way to perceive the cue's alignment to CB.

It's important to hold the cue steadily on the line to pot as perceived while checking alignment to CCB. There is a tendency to let the cue drift toward CCB as I shift perceptions, as some part of the brain wants to align things.

I think it makes sense to check all alignment with out perception of aim to OB and then how the cue is pointing toward the CB. I've noticed it shifts according to different shots, such cueing over rails, elevated and left and right cuts. It provides a clue for such aim error tendencies. Once recognized, we have options how we deal with these perception errors. The parallel shift as I've outlined here is one of them.

Colin

 

[Colin Colenso]

Colin,

Just to be clear for the readers' sake.

It's important IMO to shift the whole bridge parallel, especially the base of the bridge. I've found myself. with this new to me one pocket situations, leaning the bridge & I am fairly sure that it moves a bit during the stroke.

I know you are talking about a normal bridge & I'm talking more about a 'tall' bride but I just thought that it might be good to throw that out.

Cheers.

When I bridge shift parallel, I hold the base, heel of the hand firm, and rotate the wrist, such that the left hand index finger turns to the right, as I almost always find I'm aligned a little to the left of CCB.

Bridge movement during a shot, to me, is probably the worst thing any player can do. It adds yet another variable to the already difficult challenge of aligning pots. That said, many rely on it as a stroke adjustment method... though, I can't think of a single top level player of any cue sport who bridge shifts during the stroke.

If I were a coach, I'd whack my students on the head every time they allow their bridge to move after setting their aim.

Cheers,
Colin

 

[Colin Colenso]

After finding CCB I make sure the shaft is pointing directly at the OB. It would be like an imaginary extension of the cue.
My stroke hand, shaft, cue tip, CB and OB will all be on the same line. Once everything is aligned I'll adjust for the shot.

Nice diagram by the way.

.

Thanks Ralph!

I've pretty much always tried to do it as you describe, but it requires some back and forth eye focusing trying to align all 3 things. That is, cue pointing direction, CCB and OB aim point.

I'm basically taking out the CCB perception requirement, while of course, hoping I'm close to it, but focusing more so on just pointing the cue to where I perceive the potting line to be.

Once I get that line feeling right, I set the bridge firm and hold the cue on that line, then check how it aligns to CCB. If it's out of line with CCB by more than 2mm, I'll redo everything. Usually it's within 1.5mm, and from there, I'll rotate my hand a little to align the cue to CCB and shoot.

I'd advise not looking at the OB after the parallel bridge shift, while learning this method. Just stroke through CCB. If you look up, the line may look off and there will be a tendency to swipe & or bridge shift during the stroke due to the brains tendency to balance out the different perceptions between the closer CB and farther OB.

Colin

 

[ENGLISH!]

When I bridge shift parallel, I hold the base, heel of the hand firm, and rotate the wrist, such that the left hand index finger turns to the right, as I almost always find I'm aligned a little to the left of CCB.

Bridge movement during a shot, to me, is probably the worst thing any player can do. It adds yet another variable to the already difficult challenge of aligning pots. That said, many rely on it as a stroke adjustment method... though, I can't think of a single top level player of any cue sport who bridge shifts during the stroke.

If I were a coach, I'd whack my students on the head every time they allow their bridge to move after setting their aim.

Cheers,
Colin

I agree with you, Colin. I use to be good at holding a finger tip jacked up bridge steady but issues associated with age & injury make that a bit more difficult to do, at least on a consistent basis.

There has been & will be some good info from this thread.

Cheers.

 

[Colin Colenso]

I agree with you, Colin. I use to be good at holding a finger tip jacked up bridge steady but issues associated with age & injury make that a bit more difficult to do, at least on a consistent basis.

There has been & will be some good info from this thread.

Cheers.

Yeap, that finger tip bridge sure can be vulnerable to bridge shifting. Even now I struggle with it when forced to use it when playing off or near to a rail.

While practicing a lot tunes in the accuracy of our perceptions, it also, via repetition, makes us more familiar with the nature of our mis-perceptions, for example when:
1. Jacked up.
2. Stretching for a shot.
3. Playing off rails.
4. Playing across rails such that legs, hip or chest tend to be obstructed and hence the positioning of head relative to bridge changes, or the arm is obstructed by the chest.
5. Left v Right cut perception variances.

It's this kind of minutiae that fill in a lot of the gaps in aiming.

Learning to compensate for them is much like learning to account for shots with english. We may recognize that on a certain shot we tend to miss to the right, so we gradually learn to adjust for that mis-perception in some way.

 

[SilverCue]

Book mark,
I started doing this yesterday and it helped.
I didn't remember your post but found it while searching for the BHE post
Good job.