EYE PATTERN “Best Practices” … Cue Ball or Object Ball Focus Last?

dr_dave

dr_dave

Instructional Author
Gold Member
Silver Member
FYI, I just posted a video that discusses and demonstrates what are considered eye pattern “best practices,” showing and explaining why most top players focus on the object ball (not the cue ball) during their final stroke. It also gives perspective to Jayson Shaw's controversial video describing his CB-last focus. Check it out:


Contents:
0:00 - “The Video”
1:07 - “Best Practices”
3:22 - Jayson Explanation
4:21 - Current Top Pros
6:34 - Reasons for OB Focus
7:58 - Snooker Outlook
8:49 - More Info

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
 
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I can do it either way. On a cinch shot I am CB last. On elevated shots and jump shots I am CB last. If CB shape is a must, including some safeties, I'm CB last. If I'm just freewheeling on "normal" shots I'll go OB last.

You can look at anything for a different perspective, it really doesn't matter. IMO what matters is to be anchored on whatever you're looking at.

We can get into bank shots and sometimes I'm looking at the opposite pocket while shooting... again, it depends on the shot and what perspective I'm needing. On a Z shot, I'm focusing on a ghost pocket sort of like fly on the wall.

I'd wager that almost every serious pool player has one of those specialty shots that they might not be able to describe what the heck they are looking at, but the ball always drops.

EDIT: I'm not disagreeing with the advice you're giving. For most people OB last makes the most sense. For some it really doesn't, but both ways can be tuned to world class level usage.
 
boogieman said:
You can look at anything for a different perspective, it really doesn't matter. IMO what matters is to be anchored on whatever you're looking at.
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That reminds me of Cole Dixon knocking the back out of the pocket on a long shot, while he locked eyes with the waitress. 🤷‍♂️ She was a quite a cutie pie.
Anchored definitely describes his stance.
My wife had coached the young waitress regarding pool players. She was impressed but kept her clothes on. A certain player used to say, "I shoot good enough to make a nun take her clothes off. No wait, I could make a whole convent take their clothes off."
 
nataddrho said:
I think the pattern is very clear. Scots genetically must look at cue ball last.
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Using the dreaded rifle analogy; the gun is oblivious to anything but its simple mechanical way. Say you had an AI gun that was able to aim in real time. Well pool shooting can be like that but suffers in the mechanical consistency dept. CBL allows focusing on the very stroke and it's parameters.

Actions like throwing a ball or golfing require (more) real time holographic input. Not so with pool.
 
Last edited:
I have posted the results and conclusions of my study on the topic here. Experiments in looking at the cueball.
My in a nutshell conclusion is that the fine control of the cueball is the advantage I see in looking at the white when I whack it. 🤷‍♂️ My earliest accomplishments in pocket billiards came following Willie Mosconi's object ball last. With straight pool showcasing the cueball fine control it's interesting that Jason Shaw Just recently crushed the straight pool high run record.
The Snooker camera coverage is often showing a good look at eye patterns. Some like John Higgins are easy to read others like Ronnie, not so easy. The break off is the best time to get a good read on the eyes. I enjoy watching the Snooker matches to see the types of performances provided and look for variations in techniques.
Well Snooker ain't pool. Shrug 🤷‍♂️ There's a bit more money to be made. A pool player has never been able to join the Snooker tour. Snooker players that joined the pool circuit have possibly been surprised at the difficulty in the transit. Some considered Pool to Snooker as put put golf to the Masters. Hopefully they now have more respect for the other cue sport. 🤷‍♂️
I have no doubt regarding "The Majority". The majority however don't win multiple titles. Stephen Hendry makes his knowledge available on his youtube channel. He definitely has the credentials. He is very good at coaching but so is Barry Stark. Barry teaches object ball last and Kyren Wilson has shown what value Barry's coaching has.
12 years ago Ronnie told a young player object ball last. Now Stephen Hendry says Ronnie does the same as him. 🤷‍♂️ Well I made the transition so it's not a leap to think Ronnie experienced a similar evolution. I can only surmise but would love to hear Ronnie speak on it.
Good luck in your studies.
 
I think that at a high level the player has both a very good feel for both the shot line and cue tip accuracy, so they can choose a routine that they like best. They can either chose to feel the shot line and use visual feedback for tip location, or feel the tip location and use visual feedback for the shot line.

I also think that amateurs have poor feel for both the shot line and tip location, and feedback of how the cue ball travels down the shot line is easier to see than where they hit the cue ball. This is because the player has more time to see the cue ball travel on the shot line than they do to see the tip impact event.
 
nataddrho said:
This is because the player has more time to see the cue ball travel on the shot line than they do to see the tip impact event.
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That's flawed logic. Watching the tip contact the white facilitates rather than hinders watching it travel. The vision stays with whitey. it is moving at a speed that's simple to follow. (I could read the laces on a 90 mph baseball) I read the rotation as it departs the tip. I can still read the transfer of rotation to the object ball at impact. Well when I am playing my best.
Looking at the object ball when my tip was on the cueball left a blind spot when it came time to analyze an errant shot. Did I aim wrong or did I hit it wrong is not a good place to be. Watching the tip interact with the cueball is more likely to give me the feedback I need to adjust in the case of an errant shot.
 
gregcantrall said:
Did I aim wrong or did I hit it wrong is not a good place to be.
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This is where beginning players start.

gregcantrall said:
That's flawed logic….. (I could read the laces on a 90 mph baseball)…. I read the rotation as it departs the tip. I can still read the transfer….. I, my, I, I, me, I I, me, I.
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Personal experience or opinion cannot be used to refute logic.

Please read: https://www.debatingsa.com.au/wp-co...bating-A-Brief-Introduction-for-Beginners.pdf
 
Here is a video that gives occasional good looks at the eyes during the stroke. It's an interesting study, even if you don't find anything conclusive.
 
straightline said:
Using the dreaded rifle analogy; the gun is oblivious to anything but its simple mechanical way. Say you had an AI gun that was able to aim in real time. Well pool shooting can be like that but suffers in the mechanical consistency dept. CBL allows focusing on the very stroke and it's parameters.

Actions like throwing a ball or golfing require (more) real time holographic input. Not so with pool.
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'confirmation bias', 'holographic input'?????? WTF. It amazes me the level of pseudo-science bs spewed on AZ these days. As stated before, VERY few good players look at the CB last. I've watched a lot of video and slowed it waaaaay down just to check. Virtually all are OB last when they pull the trigger. Yes, their eyes go back-n-forth but at cue delivery its OB last. CB last is great when CB is against a cushion but shooting regular shots it offers no advantages.
 
I have one eye on CB and the other one on OB. 😅
I step out of the box to see the shot line.
Then i commit and step into the shot, knowing where i ll set my bridge hand, accordingly to the shot (spin, center) visualising tha path of the whitey to the contact point.
Psr is just final check that everything is in order, straigt cueing, tip on CB,..
Then i move my sight somewhere up to the Ob, visualising again the shot, then 123 and point of contact on OB and release.
I find it easier to make a follow through if i see the end point of the line.
 
mareh said:
I have one eye on CB and the other one on OB. 😅
I step out of the box to see the shot line.
Then i commit and step into the shot, knowing where i ll set my bridge hand, accordingly to the shot (spin, center) visualising tha path of the whitey to the contact point.
Psr is just final check that everything is in order, straigt cueing, tip on CB,..
Then i move my sight somewhere up to the Ob, visualising again the shot, then 123 and point of contact on OB and release.
I find it easier to make a follow through if i see the end point of the line.
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i think you just described how almost all players do it. imo a lot of these takes are a 'feel-vs-real' thing. its very common in both golf and pool: saying/feeling vs. reality. see it all the time in both games, especially when viewed in slo-motion. a couple of top snooker players were said to be CB last by a CB-last loving AZ'r. Well, when viewed face on in slo-mo it was clear their eyes shifted to OB when they delivered the cue. Again, whatever works.
 
garczar said:
'confirmation bias', 'holographic input'?????? WTF. It amazes me the level of pseudo-science bs spewed on AZ these days. As stated before, VERY few good players look at the CB last. I've watched a lot of video and slowed it waaaaay down just to check. Virtually all are OB last when they pull the trigger. Yes, their eyes go back-n-forth but at cue delivery its OB last. CB last is great when CB is against a cushion but shooting regular shots it offers no advantages.
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Just jargon.
Confirmation bias.
Semi correct application of the term. Consider hand eye coordination. Most shots you can't accurately see the angle. You shoot instead a tried and true visualization. So far so good? Add enough pressure to consider doubt. Now brain pictures don't cut it. You might over aim and dog it or patently play safe or miss for a 2 way... blah blah dog show.

Holographic input.
3D plus time and gravity and sex goddesses of planet 9. All required to throw a ball correctly. NOT a strict requirement of pool.

See the idea is to stamp out errors. Nothing more. I keep hearing this "all the pros" stuff. These are the guys keeping the pro spread 300 Fargo points? Wutevuh... :p
 
It never ceases to amaze me, the passion that the discussion can evoke. I have only seen that with the object ball last faction though. Obviously both methods can produce good results. The cueball last players seem to be a little more coy regarding their method. Sort of like why interrupt your opponent when they are making a mistake. Oops that's tongue in cheek. 🤷‍♂️ Seriously studying the play of various players is easier with directed camera work. Snooker coverage provides more opportunity to observe. As Yogi said, "you can observe a lot by watching". 🤷‍♂️
In my input I strive to relate My experience. I realize and embrace the fact that cueball last is a minority. My study however shows the ranks of Greatest are populated by The Minority.
My study of the results achieved indicates that the final resting place for the cueball can be more precisely controlled with the final focus on the tip/ball at impact.
Soooo my position is, Experiment, try it and see what works best for you. Of course a valid Experiment needs to eliminate or allow for bias. I am aware that looking for confirmation isn't the same as looking for the truth.
 
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