Hill-Hill & You're Shooting the 9 For the Dough

[BasementDweller]

Hill-Hill & You're Shooting the 9 For the Dough.

Talk me through you're thought process in regards to how you line up (or aim) this shot. Maybe thought process isn't the right term but you get the idea.

The picture is intended to be a nine ball near the center of the table with the cue ball just inside the kitchen a few inches but on the same line as the nine. You need not consider this shot exactly, I'm more just interested in how you would go about aiming a high pressure, difficult shot.

For me, I'm sort of reworking my approach to such shots so that's why I ask the question. When it comes to aiming I'm more of a simple overlaper, but there are shots that give me nightmares and this is one of them. Lately, in order to find the proper overlap spot I've been starting with the edge to edge point and then sliding further into the object ball until i see the right overlap. Then I lock in and approach the table.

On such shots are you totally confident with your method? Or do you employ a different or additional one?

I'll take my answers off the air.

Thanks

 

[cookie man]

I shoot it in the right hand corner as i am more consistent when aiming with my left eye and that shot sets up very well with my vision.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

I'd play to the upper left pocket after first removing the magic rack from the rail. Normal aim and routine as for any shot, commit 100%, and would play for the cue ball to end on the foot rail.

 

[Pidge]

These shots come up all the time, and they're shots that I will often leave my self. I would expect my self to make it 10/10 times.

The aiming aspect of pool, even under pressure isn't the difficult part. Aiming is the simplest thing to do in pool. The problem with shooting this shot under pressure is the mechanisms involved with shooting this can break down.

That said, its roughly a 1/2 ball contact to the left corner. I stand behind the centre of the cue ball to the right edge of the 9. Pick my spot on the BoB, walk in, place my bridge, get down, feather, pause, pull back, pause, fire the 9 in.

 

[bdorman]

I aim it the same way I aim other shots, as per below:

On this shot I'd also use low outside english.

 

[randyg]

To me the shot is a normal 1/2 ball aim, S.A.M #3 or
half ball overlap. This shot shows up about 60% of the shots in pool.

I just put my eyes center cue ball to right edge of target ball
and do my Mantra.

randy

 

[CJ Wiley]

align the center of the cue ball to the edge of the shadow under the object ball

These shots come up all the time, and they're shots that I will often leave my self. I would expect my self to make it 10/10 times.

The aiming aspect of pool, even under pressure isn't the difficult part. Aiming is the simplest thing to do in pool. The problem with shooting this shot under pressure is the mechanisms involved with shooting this can break down.

That said, its roughly a 1/2 ball contact to the left corner. I stand behind the centre of the cue ball to the right edge of the 9. Pick my spot on the BoB, walk in, place my bridge, get down, feather, pause, pull back, pause, fire the 9 in.

Yes, as far as the aiming is concerned you can just align the center of the cue ball to the edge of the shadow under the object ball (on either side). This way you can cut it into either corner. I favor the right cut, however, that's a personal choice.

The pre-shot routine you mention is fine too. The main thing I try to do is FEEL the connection between my tip, the cue ball and the object ball. I also mentally key on the inside of the pocket, not the center, then try to over-cut it slightly into the center with acceleration.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

See the OB contact point, judge the aim line by "experience-based intuition" (like all aiming is done), using where the cue tip is pointed in relation to the OB contact point as my "metric" (measuring tool).

pj
chgo

 

[duckie]

See where to put the CB and then do it.....simple. Whats to think about?

 

[CJ Wiley]

using low, outside english to throw the ball in

I aim it the same way I aim other shots, as per below:

On this shot I'd also use low outside english.

Are you using low, outside english to throw the ball in or is there another benefit for you?

 

[mohrt]

Left upper pocket. Using CTE Pro One, a typical choice might be CTEL/A with a left sweep. This particular shot I like CTEL/B with a right sweep, as it is a more natural movement being right handed. Either work very nicely. Speaking from my own experience, using a well defined system takes a lot of the pressure off as opposed to just eye balling it.

 

[BilliardsAbout]

I love this conversation! There are many ways to get this job done and I'm always impressed with how many different aim methods people use well. A few friendly observations for you as you are an edge-to-edge overlap player:

*Practice these in both far corner pockets, being calm as you stroke it--as has been ably pointed out it's technically speaking not a difficult shot--and you want confidence if the game changes to say, 8-Ball and your favorite pocket gets blocked--you can always go with your fave if it's unblocked

*Avoid excess stroke follow through--aka "steering" the shot--and make a good cue ball "hit" whether taking this gently or more firmly--thinking "softer" and "I have touch and feel" tends to prevent stroke lunging and swerving for me personally when the pressure is really on

*if you don't need a certain cue ball position for a "knee knocker" I'd choose either stun or follow and correct speed rather than english to cinch the shot and keep myself psychologically "in"--I'm not talking about a touch of inside or outside to cinch the ball but excessive english

*Before you slide into the overlap "place" I'd want you to be dead certain you eyed up the two balls together in your usual starting place--in other words, if you stand behind two contact points/edge points--be certain nose to navel you stand erect with a level, un-rotated head directly behind those points--then you get to psych yourself up and in by saying "I can very clearly see the spot to hit" and so on before you get into the stance--there's nothing like getting down behind a shot and thinking "not sure I have the right spot" to wreck your day... there's a real difference between confirming the angle before you get too involved then making a minute eye adjustment in the stance and bending over while praying you know the spot when you get there if you know what I mean...

 

[BasementDweller]

Thanks for all the responses gentlemen.

The reason I brought this shot up to begin with is because it's the sort of shot where I begin to second guess myself.

I just feel like I'm too good of a player to struggle with such shots (not that I'm a great player or anything). This has been confirmed by how many of you say this shot shouldn't pose any problems.

Now I can practice a shot like this over and over and get into a groove and make it 10 plus times in a row BUT when faced with such a shot out of the blue my confidence wanes and I then have to spend more time aiming in order to really feel like I can make the ball.

I guess I just need to practice these shots more often.

 

[Pidge]

Thanks for all the responses gentlemen.

The reason I brought this shot up to begin with is because it's the sort of shot where I begin to second guess myself.

I just feel like I'm too good of a player to struggle with such shots (not that I'm a great player or anything). This has been confirmed by how many of you say this shot shouldn't pose any problems.

Now I can practice a shot like this over and over and get into a groove and make it 10 plus times in a row BUT when faced with such a shot out of the blue my confidence wanes and I then have to spend more time aiming in order to really feel like I can make the ball.

I guess I just need to practice these shots more often.

What ever you do, don't over aim these types of shots. By over aim I mean don't put too much thought into it. If you are an overlap type of guy, like me, then find the rough overlap. For this the rough estimate would be 1/2 ball. So id choose to shoot to the left because that's my strongest potting side. So I would stand behind CCB to the right edge. Then I would move my head very slightly either left or right until something says STOP! Once i stop I'm on the line of aim with my head and vision centre so I lock this line in and walk in and get down whilst keeping my head and vision centre on this line.

I do this for Full, 1/2 and 1/4 ball overlaps. So its either a thick or thin 1/2 ball. The key is recognising the shot and which overlap it is closest to. This is how I treat every shot the same and give each shot the same amount of respect. But keep practicing them. The STOP! Only goes off in my head because I've practiced these types of shots thousands of times. Try getting into the habit of not second guessing yourself. How often do you tweak your aim and miss? I can't remember ever tweaking my aim and thinking thank god I did otherwise I would have missed.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I just feel like I'm too good of a player to struggle with such shots (not that I'm a great player or anything). This has been confirmed by how many of you say this shot shouldn't pose any problems.

Any shot with the OB far from any rail is more difficult, if only because the visual cue of the rail pointing to your target pocket is missing. That's why "back cuts" are so problematic for many.

It might help to walk over and sight the OB contact point for these kinds of shots - at least until you get better at "seeing" it from behind the CB (if you use the OB contact point for aiming, which I recommend if you can).

pj
chgo

 

[ENGLISH!]

Left upper pocket. Using CTE Pro One, a typical choice might be CTEL/A with a left sweep. This particular shot I like CTEL/B with a right sweep, as it is a more natural movement being right handed. Either work very nicely. Speaking from my own experience, using a well defined system takes a lot of the pressure off as opposumented to just eye balling it.

I'm not looking for any argument here as you & I have had some rather civil private & public 'discussions'.

But...how can this shot objectively be CTE/ETB when the 5th shot of the 5 shot perception YouTube video is overcut with the ETB & a right pivot? That shot was of way more angle than this one.

Actually this shot is more like shot #3 of that video which the solution was ETA with a thinning pivot, as was #4 & #5.

Remember it was Stan that said that #5 would overcut with ETB with a thickening pivot. I shot it that way & he was correct even though it came closer than an objective ETA with a thinning pivot...for me.

Thanks in advance should you choose to respond,
Rick

 

[Patrick Johnson]

...how can this shot objectively be CTE/ETB when the 5th shot of the 5 shot perception YouTube video is overcut with the ETB & a right pivot? That shot was of way more angle than this one.

"Objective" doesn't mean the same thing in CTEspeak as it does in real life. But you won't find much "objective" consideration of such heretical ideas among the Faithful.

Like every other way of aiming, CTE uses "reference" alignments as starting points for estimating the final aim ("acquiring the visual" and "pivoting" are the estimating steps in this, but you won't get CTE users to see that either).

pj
chgo

 

[BasementDweller]

What ever you do, don't over aim these types of shots. By over aim I mean don't put too much thought into it. If you are an overlap type of guy, like me, then find the rough overlap. For this the rough estimate would be 1/2 ball. So id choose to shoot to the left because that's my strongest potting side. So I would stand behind CCB to the right edge. Then I would move my head very slightly either left or right until something says STOP! Once i stop I'm on the line of aim with my head and vision centre so I lock this line in and walk in and get down whilst keeping my head and vision centre on this line.
I do this for Full, 1/2 and 1/4 ball overlaps. So its either a thick or thin 1/2 ball. The key is recognising the shot and which overlap it is closest to. This is how I treat every shot the same and give each shot the same amount of respect. But keep practicing them. The STOP! Only goes off in my head because I've practiced these types of shots thousands of times. Try getting into the habit of not second guessing yourself. How often do you tweak your aim and miss? I can't remember ever tweaking my aim and thinking thank god I did otherwise I would have missed.

The bolded part above is almost exactly what I do on shots like these. On easier, more routine shots it seems I don't have to do any of this sort of visual sweeping (for lack of a better term). On the easier shots I just see the overlap and walk into the shot and get on with it.

I'm convinced I just need to go back to practicing these sorts of shots more often and then I will more quickly see the shot -- so to speak.

Maybe I'll shoot 50 or so of these types of shots and post a video for some critique.

 

[ENGLISH!]

"Objective" doesn't mean the same thing in CTEspeak as it does in real life. But you won't find much "objective" consideration of such heretical ideas among the Faithful.

Like every other way of aiming, CTE uses "reference" alignments as starting points for estimating the final aim ("acquiring the visual" and "pivoting" are the estimating steps in this, but you won't get CTE users to see that either).

pj
chgo

Patrick,

If you check, you'll see that I've recently had my indoctrination into trying to have a logical discussion on CTE.

But...mhort has been civil & partly receptive to logic.

And yes, I came to learn of their new 'definitions' that are not defined.

Thanks,
Rick

 

[BilliardsAbout]

The bolded part above is almost exactly what I do on shots like these. On easier, more routine shots it seems I don't have to do any of this sort of visual sweeping (for lack of a better term). On the easier shots I just see the overlap and walk into the shot and get on with it.

I'm convinced I just need to go back to practicing these sorts of shots more often and then I will more quickly see the shot -- so to speak.

Maybe I'll shoot 50 or so of these types of shots and post a video for some critique.

Not trying to be a pain here, but what is the "something" that tells you to "stop" because you have it?