How to put english on the cueball?

[CaptJR2]

I have watched several youtube videos on how to use english. They all say to hit the cueball on the left or right. They talk about deflection, the effect of speed when you use it, etc. I have not seen any that talk about HOW you hit the cueball on the left or right.

That is what I would like to talk about here. I see three ways to hit the cueball on the left or right. Also the hundreds of combinations of these three. (please excuse the poor graphics, lol) In the graphic you have the cueball at the top, then the stick. The top small circle represents the forward hand and the bottom represents the back hand.

Starting aimed for the shot with no english...then
a. move the forward and back hand to the left or right.
b. move just the back hand left or right.
c. move just the forward hand left or right.

Thoughts?
What do you do?
Do you think about this?

 

[Bob Jewett]

I just place the cue stick where it needs to be to get the needed spin and along the needed line. It's by feel rather than conscious calculation.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I have watched several youtube videos on how to use english. They all say to hit the cueball on the left or right. They talk about deflection, the effect of speed when you use it, etc. I have not seen any that talk about HOW you hit the cueball on the left or right.

That is what I would like to talk about here. I see three ways to hit the cueball on the left or right. Also the hundreds of combinations of these three. (please excuse the poor graphics, lol) In the graphic you have the cueball at the top, then the stick. The top small circle represents the forward hand and the bottom represents the back hand.

Starting aimed for the shot with no english...then
a. move the forward and back hand to the left or right.
b. move just the back hand left or right.
c. move just the forward hand left or right.
View attachment 771232
Thoughts?
What do you do?
Do you think about this?

"b" and "c" are backhand (move the backhand) and fronthand (move the fronthand) english, respectively. Which one you should use depends on how much "squirt" ("CB deflection") your shaft produces - more squirt: use backhand; less squirt: use fronthand.

But neither of these methods is exact - both are "first guesses" (especially fronthand) that have to be adjusted "by feel" (as Bob described above) for the particular shot and conditions.

Learn more:

Sidespin Aim Compensation - Dr. Dave Pool Info

Answers to frequently-asked questions (FAQs) about how to compensate your aim for squirt, swerve, and throw when using sidespin.

billiards.colostate.edu

pj
chgo

 

[vincett]

English system is the most elusive system in this game of pool. A lot of players and pros will tell you that this system come from Intuitions and feels

 

[BC21]

English system is the most elusive system in this game of pool. A lot of players and pros will tell you that this system come from Intuitions and feels

Exactly. Basically, it's guesswork, meaning we estimate the aiming compensation. The more we do it, the better we get at guessing/estimating.

 

[boogieman]

English system is the most elusive system in this game of pool. A lot of players and pros will tell you that this system come from Intuitions and feels

It drives me nuts when people say "Put X tips of english on the ball at 1:30." I get what they are eluding to, but my 1 tip might be wildly different than their 1 tip. My stroke might require the tip to be 1/4" from the center, somebody else might be 1/8" and yet another person's 1 tip might be 1/2" from the center. I think it all depends on the stroke of each person. I get that it's a baseline but it just irks me for some reason.

 

[Bob Jewett]

It drives me nuts when people say "Put X tips of english on the ball at 1:30." I get what they are eluding to, but my 1 tip might be wildly different than their 1 tip. My stroke might require the tip to be 1/4" from the center, somebody else might be 1/8" and yet another person's 1 tip might be 1/2" from the center. I think it all depends on the stroke of each person. I get that it's a baseline but it just irks me for some reason.

I think the problem with that is more in the interpretation of what a tip of spin is. A reasonable definition of one tip of spin is to move your 12mm tip 12mm away from a perfect center ball hit. I think, though, that most people would feel that is too much.

The important thing is to hit where you intend so you can learn faster where you have to hit. Many new players, and a lot of 20-year players, never hit the same place twice.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

It drives me nuts when people say "Put X tips of english on the ball at 1:30." I get what they are eluding to, but my 1 tip might be wildly different than their 1 tip. My stroke might require the tip to be 1/4" from the center, somebody else might be 1/8" and yet another person's 1 tip might be 1/2" from the center. I think it all depends on the stroke of each person. I get that it's a baseline but it just irks me for some reason.

I like to think of the amount of spin as x% of maximum - that's easy for me to judge because...
1. I know where maximum is (halfway from centerball to the ball's edge)
2. I know what part of my tip contacts the CB at different distances from center
3. I've practiced it

pj
chgo

 

[BC21]

I think the problem with that is more in the interpretation of what a tip of spin is. A reasonable definition of one tip of spin is to move your 12mm tip 12mm away from a perfect center ball hit. I think, though, that most people would feel that is too much.

The important thing is to hit where you intend so you can learn faster where you have to hit. Many new players, and a lot of 20-year players, never hit the same place twice.

To me, that is the best example. A half-tip of spin would be aiming to strike the cb so that the side/edge of your tip or ferrule is lined up with the middle of the cb. Maximum spin would then be around 1.5 to 2 tips, depending on tip size.

This method is simple to understand and simple to apply. The fact that different tip sizes will impart slightly more or less spin is irrelevant. Because, as you stated, the important thing is to hit where you intend to hit, and to develop consistency with it. Having a consistent method is a benefit.