How do you play this?

[billyjack]

I'm having trouble with the following shot, and hope there might be some sound advice in A-Z land. Visualize this; You're standing at the head of the table. CB is approximately on the headstring one diamond from the right long rail. OB is frozen on the foot rail two diamonds from the left corner pocket. I was always taught to use about two tips inside, and aim to miss the OB by just a hair to gently roll it in the left corner. CB's spin catches the OB on the rebound and rolls it smoothly along the cushion. Works great for me for cross-table for a ball frozen on a long rail, but the squirt on a near table-length shot with a standard maple shaft makes it damn difficult to execute consistently. I can execute it repeatedly with some practice, but I think it's because I can miss and adjust until I get it right. Any better ideas out there? Thanks for the help.
Bill

 

[shinigami]

The further I am away from the object, the less english I use. Besides you should able to pocket this frozen rail cut shot with no english. I usually visualize hitting the center of my cueball to the 90 degree wedge created by the object ball and the rail when shooting shots like this. Seems to work almost all the time.

 

[JXMIKE]

The further I am away from the object, the less english I use. Besides you should able to pocket this frozen rail cut shot with no english. I usually visualize hitting the center of my cueball to the 90 degree wedge created by the object ball and the rail when shooting shots like this. Seems to work almost all the time.

right.

i would also use center ball because using that much english over that much distance would be hard to judge with the throw.

center ball you wouldnt have to worry about that much throw.

 

[Colin Colenso]

Have you tried Back Hand English?

Just work out your bridge length (effective pivot point) for that length shot and speed. 14 inches is probably a good place to start.

Line up to where you want the CB to hit. Set the bridge firmly, then pivot the back hand for the english required. Shoot straight along this new line. Should travel to the same point (approximately) regardless of the amount of english.

Lengthen or shorten your bridge length until you find what works for that shot. If you hit it harder, you'll need to shorten the bridge length. Slower, and you'll need to lengthen it.

This video has some explanation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERFTM8dbat0

Colin

 

[Koopa]

How about just playing safe? Thin the OB and send the cue ball three rails back to the head rail.

 

[frankncali]

How about just playing safe? Thin the OB and send the cue ball three rails back to the head rail.

The pinoys will tell you that going for it plays the safety as well. If you watch ANY of those guys they all shoot balls rail first or with loads of spin so that if they miss the ball has a great chance of coming out on the end rail.

In the early 90s I had Parica showing me loads of shots where it comes in handy and last year Efren said the same thing.

After Parica's advice I started watching the players to see what they would do and what happened.

 

[shinigami]

How about just playing safe? Thin the OB and send the cue ball three rails back to the head rail.

I would agree with you if it was a more difficult shot than what billyjack described in his first post. But his description (CB on headstring one diamond away from long rail, OB 2 diamonds away from opposite corner pocket) should almost be a gimme.

If the shot was a lot more difficult, I would do exactly as you said and try to play a two-way shot, or an all-out safety attempt.

 

[unknownpro]

I'm having trouble with the following shot, and hope there might be some sound advice in A-Z land. Visualize this; You're standing at the head of the table. CB is approximately on the headstring one diamond from the right long rail. OB is frozen on the foot rail two diamonds from the left corner pocket. I was always taught to use about two tips inside, and aim to miss the OB by just a hair to gently roll it in the left corner. CB's spin catches the OB on the rebound and rolls it smoothly along the cushion. Works great for me for cross-table for a ball frozen on a long rail, but the squirt on a near table-length shot with a standard maple shaft makes it damn difficult to execute consistently. I can execute it repeatedly with some practice, but I think it's because I can miss and adjust until I get it right. Any better ideas out there? Thanks for the help.
Bill

Use maximum side english and minimum speed and your aim (of your tip)should be virtually identical for these two shots, barely outside the edge of the object ball. The extra distance is really only a factor if the cueball is curving. Don't hit high or low.

 

[billyjack]

Thanks to all. It sounds like we have three avenues to compare: center ball, BHE, and conventional side english. I don't consider the safety an option, since this is a shot I should be able to make IMO. Plus, any movement of the OB in a safety is generally gonna be toward the pocket and/or away from the rail, making it easy for an opponent if I don't do a real good job of hiding the CB. Looks like a little more practice time is coming up. Thanks again, and I'm still open for more opinions.
Bill