Playing balls down the rail

[Island Drive]

No matter which direction I'm shooting this shot, assuming this is the last ball and position isn't a concern, I don't like crossing the side-pockets. I want that cue-ball rebounding off that rail predictably and safely. If it's an uber-thin cut and I have to hammer it, I might use a little inside to create that perfect right-angle. If it's a long shot and not that thin, I might use a little bottom-outside to kill the speed.

As laid out by OP....it impossible to make the ball with center and scratch cross side, unless you overcut the shot or add inside English of even the smallest amounts. Rempe was a perfect example of proper mechanics on this type of shot. On extreme long cut shots of this nature I do everything I can to work the middle of whitey, unless its a two way free shot or something else. The contact point on the object ball is so Small with this type of shot, why would I introduce, any squirt when the natural shot being made, won't allow the side pocket scratch?

 

[Island Drive]

How do you play this type of shots?
Removing english from the equation removes one more variable that you must factor into the shot, thus making it easier IMO.

In a nut shell, practice shooting this shot with with all manors of english and without, as you will need all of these tools throughout your playing career.

The above statement, no English, ''removes one more variable''.


Using English adds allot more than just One more variable to the shot and its outcome. The balls could be very dirty, the cloth could be clean, but the nose of the rails are RARELY ever cleaned thus, Grab more/less depending on humidity. Another is time of day as humidity goes up/down, plus the poolroom audience numbers will dramatically change conditions. Conditions are constantly in flux/you must be Aware, and thus off center hits are Much More unpredictable. These are just a few factors that are added once you go off center.
As conditions change, my approach and walking up to the shot also change for the same shot.

 

[3andstop]

We are all different. In the end, you practice shorter versions of the shot till you puke, then lengthen them up a bit and ... eventually, when you're playing well in any particular session, you will just feeeeeel the shot.

The stroke of the cue will be all you need to hug it down the rail and in. Don't try to make the shot happen, just let it happen, first mentally, and then when you get down, physically watch the rerun. Light grip on the cue and fluid follow through.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

As laid out by OP....it impossible to make the ball with center and scratch cross side, unless you overcut the shot or add inside English of even the smallest amounts. Rempe was a perfect example of proper mechanics on this type of shot. On extreme long cut shots of this nature I do everything I can to work the middle of whitey, unless its a two way free shot or something else. The contact point on the object ball is so Small with this type of shot, why would I introduce, any squirt when the natural shot being made, won't allow the side pocket scratch?

Perhaps I should be a little more descriptive with my answers. On any of these cut shots, I'm keeping the cueball away from the nearest pockets. Yes, if you make the shot with center, you shouldn't scratch BUT I'm also concerned about scratching if I miss the shot too. Rempe is a great player and I'm sure we all could learn a lot from him but the truth is, I'm not pocketing this ball as often as Rempe is. I have to make accommodations for if I miss and keeping the cue ball on the table is a top concern.

 

[predator]

Players usually miss these types of shots due to too much body/had movement. Reason of this movement could be simply a bad cueing habit possibly enhanced by anxiety.
All this allowing for side spin deflection, collision throw/friction...none of this matters. If after years of playing you still need to consciously think about that stuff, especially during matches, then I think your game has gone on a completely wrong path.
Whatever happened to letting go and playing strictly on subconscious? :wink:
I can't believe that somebody would start to think about collision induced throw just because the angle looks sort of 30 degree'ish...

 

[KMRUNOUT]

How do you play this type of shots?

I used TOI for these shots, but observed that many players use outside English, is it better or more natural?
For that shots when I need draw eg. I use center to edge, apply TOI and then pivot a bit for outside, it seems to work better then clear TOI.

Any tips?

Here is the diagram.

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Call me crazy...my fairly successful method is to aim the ball in the hole, and use whatever english is required to obtain my desired position. If I only have to make the ball, I roll it at medium speed with a hair of inside.

KMRUNOUT

 

[alstl]

Shot A if the ball is frozen low inside, hit the rail just in front of the object ball. Otherwise if I'm just cinching the ball I don't use any English unless I need to in order to avoid a scratch or get shape.

But then I'm not a very good player - but you asked what I would do.

 

[Rasputin]

If I only have to make the ball, I roll it at medium speed with a hair of inside.

As I understood, this what the OP is asking... and anyway this is the interesting part. Why would you put a hair of inside?

Above many have declared that if there are no worries about position, they would use centerball, which seems reasonable.

Personally, I would tend to put a little bit of outside, but that might be only because most often when you DO have to worry about the position while shooting a ball frozen to a cushion, you will need to use some outside. Hence it feels comfortable to put some outside even if it's not in fact needed.

 

[Pidge]

If I'm merely trying to make the ball, because the money ball is next and its hanging over the pocket, I use high centre ball. What would be shot C, although its not named I would simply stun the CB to travel along the tangent line so I don't risk going in the middle pocket. Each shot I'm hitting firm. When using no side spin, hitting with follow gives more margin for error in my experience, compared to stun or draw. This may not be fact, but its what I find easiest to make a frozen ball on the rail. An instructor of mine said topspin also adds spin the the OB that helps it hug the rail a little bit.

If I had to choose inside or outside, again not thinking of position I'm going to use the right hand side of the CB, so it could be inside or outside. I'm more accurate when hitting the CB on the right hand side compared to the left. Its very marginal, but I am.

If the balls truely are frozen, outside wouldn't throw the ball as it would if it wasn't frozen, and the same goes for inside. What seems to me why people prefer hitting frozen balls with inside or outside is how they hit the shot. Outside users tend to get better results because of the gearing effect on CIT, so they don't hit the cuts too thick and miss. Inside users tend to hit rail first so have more luck with inside spin. First you should nail centre ball rail shots, so you know how to aim them. Once you know this you can use inside or outside to make things easier.

You can't use TOI every single time for each shot. Position will eventually dictate you need to use outside or more than a touch of inside. CJ I'm sure will be the first to admit that if he needs to use outside for position, he's going to use outside. If you are a TOI user, then don't worry about if outside is better or not for rail shots. Use TOI if you don't need position. You can't make mid table cut shots using TOI but then shy away from TOI on a rail cut shot. That isn't going to help you try perfect your TOI technique.

 

[Rhea]

deleted........

 

[desmocourtney]

There is a ton of useful info in this thread, bravo.

A simple tip that has helped me make extreme cut shots on or close to the rail is to ignore the rail. Shoot it as though the rail is not there. I love these shots and all thin cuts.

I think its easy for the rail to confuse the shot picture in the shooter's mind and trick the shooter into an aiming error and it only takes a minute error to miss this one, especially if you under cut it.

 

[Island Drive]

If I was really in this situation, I'd probably bank the ball with High Center utilizing the natural shape....Huge shape area.

Anyway, during the shot from this angle, and if the balls are dirty..............What happens is the cue ball is coming across the side of the object ball at speed thus, a small amount of left is created on the cue ball. If you hit this shot at medium speed the amount of forward rotation applied to the cue ball is minimized and becomes a somewhat ''stunned'' cue ball. Basically your pounding it into the pocket and going about eighteen feet of cue ball travel side to side. Nearly the same distance as shooting a lag shot up and back.