Pro side of pocket?

[DogsPlayingPool]

I didn't show the 2 inch miss because I'm working on the assumption that on the worst day of the shooter's life, he can't miss the ball by that much.

Obviously you don't know me. Can you say 1/2 diamond? lol

If the worst day of his life is a 2 inch miss, then it's the exact same situation: He can overcut really badly by 2 inches or he can undercut really badly by 2 inches. Only one of those 2 options leads to sinking the ball. It'd be cheating to say "let's add the possibility that he can undercut by 2 inches, but we won't ever overcut it by more than 1 inch"

I'm not saying that he can only miss by two inches one way and not the other. All I'm saying is the outcome where he favors the pro-side and undercuts by two inches and sinks it is pertinent and needs to be included in your list of outcomes. Of course he can overcut it by two inches as well but that outcome is not pertinent because it's a miss in either scenario-whether aiming to the middle or the pro-side.

Also don't forget that while a cut miss of 2" is probably infrequent what I am actually talking about is anything over 1". An overcut by 1.001" is a miss while an undercut of 1.999" is a pot.

BTW, in situations where I am "cheating" the pocket I will not over and under cut with the same frequency. I will undercut the ball (from where I'm aiming) far more than overcut it and miss the facing (and the shot) altogether. So I may still hit it center pocket or hit the rail and sink the shot.

The reason is that if I'm favoring one side of the pocket (rather than the center) I'm more aware of not exceeding the limit to that side. I guess another way to put it is I am giving myself more leeway to one side but am conscious not to exceed it. Perhaps even a better way to put it is that because I'm allowing more margin of error to one side my misses will tend to more frequently be towards where I've allowed for error. Of course this doesn't mean I never do over-cut the ball, but it does not happen with near the same frequency. With shot aimed to the center of the pocket I am closer to 50/50 missing on either side, which makes sense to me since I've allowed for the same margin of error on either side.

But that's just me. Naturally, YMMV. :wink:

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Patrick,

I get it. I still favor a little more cut and be inside the actual opening of the pocket than favor the undercut and be inside the "effective opening" but outside the actual opening. I guess I think the actual opening is more effective. :smile:

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but it doesn't sound like you get it. If the ball hits inside the effective opening it goes into the actual opening. There's no difference in the outcome.

If you don't use the whole effective opening you're arbitrarily reducing the size of your target for no gain. There's no upside to doing that, only downside.

pj
chgo

P.S. This "mirrored opening" concept is only relevant when the OB is close to the rail. For all other shots the best aim point is midway between the two actual pocket points (the center of the actual opening).

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Except for shots where the OB is very close to the rail (when the "mirror effect" enlarges the "effective pocket opening"), there is one unchanging spot in every pocket that's the best target regardless of the angle to the pocket. It's the midpoint between the pocket points at the mouth of the pocket.




pj
chgo

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Look, whatever works for you. I don't know how else to say it. On this type of shot I've missed so many more balls from under-cutting your best aim line and hitting the rail first than from over-cutting your best aim line and hitting the facing.

Your experience is obviously different so it's all good. You continue to favor the rail before the pocket and I'll keep favoring the facing. :grin-square::thumbup:

Daaohmmm, those diagrams are sweet. :wink: