How to pot the ball and aim for position?

Redwing4114

Redwing4114

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Is there a routine to find the exact spin and aim to get the desired position and pot?

Im fairly new as you can probably tell so this is something im getting used to. Natural angles are simple but when it comes to compensating for CIT and throw from spin plus squirt and speed, sometimes im second guessing my self.


How should I go about this?
 
While I am no instructor I will write up what did help me.

Obviously you need to be familiar with the basics (tangent line, aiming, ghost ball); more advanced techniques are not yet needed.
You should also forget about CIT and SIT for a moment and see for yourself what happens - they are useful later to explain what you'll see.
I've learned all the spin stuff when training with Carom players.

There is a routine and you will not like it: practise practise practise.

Clean the balls beforehand.
You could start by lining up a straight shot into a pocket (OB and CB not too close together, OB about 2-3 diamonds away from pocket) and now strike the CB differently while not changing the aiming at all and put the OB and CB back on the exact same spot (mark it) and with exact same speed:

- center ball (for reference)
- maximum top spin
- maximum back spin
- slight left spin
- 50% left spin
- maximum left spin
- and the same with right spin

Now correct the spin shots' aiming that you will still pocket the ball. That will help you to get an idea what then spin does.

Now you can vary the distance and do all shots.
Next you can vary the speed and do all shots (finish all with same speed, then do the next round with different speed).
At last you can vary the angles between CB and OB; I'd suggest to keep the OB at the same spot and vary that last.

Cheers,
M
 
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I literally put no thought into spin inducted or cut induced throw. Learn to spot the tangent line from behind the shot, learn to spot the 30 degree line from behind the shot and go forwards from there. Notice when playing with outside the tangent line changes so you have to play with a little too to make the cue ball go along the tangent line. With inside you have to play with a little draw. Its all learned through practicing.

If you can learn to accurately judge where the cue ball is going to contact the first rail then you can start to move forward and learn to manipulate the second, third or more rails contact points on the rail with the use of side spin.

Lots of players will never admit it, but the cant accurately judge the tangent line of a pot from behind the shot. This is a fundamental requirement in improving. So naturally you should put a lot of effort in to getting it down.
 
Pidge said:
Lots of players will never admit it, but the can't accurately judge the tangent line of a pot from behind the shot. This is a fundamental requirement in improving. So naturally you should put a lot of effort in to getting it down.
Click to expand...

After I stand behind the shot line, I'll pick an aim point on the rail for a stunned CB.

I call this SLAP aiming (in my signature). I'll work off this stun line for position play.
.
 
Catchy name! Everyone needs a starting point to help calibrate their shot whether it's the tangent line, a tip position or a certain front or back foot position. Pool is full of these calibration techniques to help you judge the final outcome.

You mention about a llittle PAR you do. This is extremely beneficial for people like the OP who is new to the game. Getting a useful PAR as soon as you can in your development can drastically decrease the time it takes to improve. I had a mental check list I used to go through. It was....

Pick desired position for next shot
Pick desired path to next shot
decide on required tip placement and speed of shot
Then aim the shot

Its very simple and something people always do but not in the same order shot after shot. Once I picked the order and stuck to it shot after shot my potting consistency and positional consistency went through the roof. Because I've hit so many balls now I tend to just pick a spot I want to cue ball to land and I naturally get down with my tip where it needs to be on the cue ball and don't really give much thought to how hard or what route the shot needs. But when in playing bad I always revert back to the mental check list and it gets me going again.

I like slap though. Great name. Tangent line is too formal and a little bit nerdy for me!
 
Before experimenting with spin, try and be proficient with stun shots (hitting the cue ball on the vertical axis). This will allow you to develop a feel of how much speed to hit the cue ball. Here's a video from PoolShot.org that can help you:

https://youtu.be/iyhS7t_9cDo
 
What are your preferences when shooting with spin?

I have read to that most players dont add to much spin and is usually one to one and half cue tips of spin for left and right english.
 
anbukev said:
Before experimenting with spin, try and be proficient with stun shots (hitting the cue ball on the vertical axis). This will allow you to develop a feel of how much speed to hit the cue ball. Here's a video from PoolShot.org that can help you:

https://youtu.be/iyhS7t_9cDo
Click to expand...

Good video... but it is easier to draw lines where the CB went.. vs.. making the CB follow a drawn line.

.
 
Hit a million balls. Play and watch better players. Watch videos if that is your thing. You'll figure it out through trial and error and watching and asking questions. Proficient pool is an evolutionary process. Good luck.
 
Redwing4114 said:
Is there a routine to find the exact spin and aim to get the desired position and pot?

Im fairly new as you can probably tell so this is something im getting used to. Natural angles are simple but when it comes to compensating for CIT and throw from spin plus squirt and speed, sometimes im second guessing my self.


How should I go about this?
Click to expand...

I'm not a big fan of interchanging terms. I like the fact that pool terms are different than snooker terms. It helps keep both games original. In snooker, you pot balls. In pool, you pocket balls.

But that's just my opinion. You and anyone else can do what you like.

To answer your question -- If there is a routine to figure out the exact spin and aim to get the desired position and pocketing ---- The answer lies in your ability to observe --- to know exactly how you just hit the cue ball and your ability to analyze the result.

Pool is a memory game. You need to start building some memories as references. So pick a shot, and then decide how you will hit the cue ball. Shoot it that way and then observe the result. --- Bingo. You just created a memory.

Get into the habit of observing the result of every shot you shoot. If you're practicing, shoot it again with an adjustment if you weren't happy with the result. As you progress, your routine will consist of drawing from your experiences with certain shots and angles.
 
FranCrimi said:
Pool is a memory game. You need to start building some memories as references. So pick a shot, and then decide how you will hit the cue ball. Shoot it that way and then observe the result. --- Bingo. You just created a memory.

Get into the habit of observing the result of every shot you shoot. If you're practicing, shoot it again with an adjustment if you weren't happy with the result. As you progress, your routine will consist of drawing from your experiences with certain shots and angles.
Click to expand...
This is the whole enchilada when it comes to learning pool - everything else just helps with this.

pj
chgo
 
Redwing4114 said:
Is there a routine to find the exact spin and aim to get the desired position and pot?

Im fairly new as you can probably tell so this is something im getting used to. Natural angles are simple but when it comes to compensating for CIT and throw from spin plus squirt and speed, sometimes im second guessing my self.


How should I go about this?
Click to expand...

Even children don't do well in life if they walk too early and don't crawl enough before learning to walk. Pool, and any sport with round objects prove this. Once you have your weight right, and you understand how to properly hold the cue, you gotta play allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllot, and that still won't be enough....good luck with your new addiction:thumbup:. This will develop a baseline in which one is able to then truly judge ones improvements when applying new learning's.
 
For a new player the best advice I have heard is to avoid side spin (English) until you learn your basic aim without spin and what effects high center and low spin have on position. Once you actually understand how to make balls with these basics you will understand when you need to exceed their limits and add a little side spin to get the position you need. Starting out with side spin in the mix creates so many variables you will add hundreds of hours of table time to your learning curve and learn a lot of wrong ideas you will need to fix later.

I speak, not as an instructor, but as a 40 year player who did it the hard way and is now re-doing it the right way.
 
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