The Importance of Hitting Center Pocket

A picture is worth a thousand words. This also illustrates that depending on the shot the center of the pocket is not always the center.

I like the term "Center of the Effective Pocket" I may have to pay you royalties if I use it.

This principle is illustrated in one of Bert Kinisters shot makers workout videos. Knowing where the true center of the pocket is (center of the effective pocket) not geometric center is a must on some shots.

Anyway this is beginning to drift away from the topic of the thread.

Patrick Johnson said:
The side with the visible facing isn't the side with the greatest margin for error on all shots. For shots down the rail into the corner, the greatest margin for error is the side toward the rail - because you can hit the rail and still make the shot.

Here's a drawing I posted a few years ago illustrating what I mean:


pj
chgo
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Try that on a Diamond

Patrick Johnson said:
The side with the visible facing isn't the side with the greatest margin for error on all shots. For shots down the rail into the corner, the greatest margin for error is the side toward the rail - because you can hit the rail and still make the shot.

Here's a drawing I posted a few years ago illustrating what I mean:


pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Missing to the inside may work on Valley bar boxes but not on Diamond pro cuts. It we are debating which point is more forgiving I agree with you. My "point" is that the side with greatest visible facing - from the viewpoint of the object ball - is the most forgiving. But didn't we all know that anyway?
 
When shooting object balls in that are near the rail a good basic aim point is where the pocket liner meets the cushion or as I have read in the past where green meets black especially gold crowns and Valleys.

The effective pocket opening needs to be understood and you will improve if you watch the OB enter the pocket to see how you did relative to your sighted pocket entry location.
 
If you want to work on effective center pocket skills, do this shot from Bert Kinisters shotmakers workout.

Cueball on spot, object ball 3 inches away from side pocket (on the side nearest the cueball) and put the OB ball a balls width from the rail.

Pocket the OB in the far corner pocket.

Make the shot harder by bringing the OB closer to the cueball and/or closer to the rail.
 
That's what I've always thought BillardsAbout.

I tried to simplify where in/around the pocket the point of aim should be and it's the same for every shot isn't it.....?

.....where the two rails intersect should get you the best chance for ANY ball from anywhere going to any pocket.

i just visualize rail intersection......(you know, the one that doesn't exist)
 
LuckedOut said:
...where the two rails intersect should get you the best chance for ANY ball from anywhere going to any pocket.
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That's almost right, but as Matt shows, midway between the pocket points (the middle of the pocket's "mouth") is better. Take a close look at Matt's drawing and you'll see that where the rails intersect in a corner pocket is an inch or two into the pocket's "throat" - way better than the back of the pocket, but not quite ideal.

pj
chgo
 
americanfighter said:
Ways important is not as much that you hit center pocket but the bottom of the pocket.
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Hey "AF":

Trite but true! But you can't aim at the bottom of the pocket without jumping the cue ball into the air, right?

Midway between the pocket points with the base of the object ball is the best chance for the ball to find the pocket bottom--eventually. :)
 
Thought I'd bump.....something I wrote and I ain't even a "champion" so I wonder how the hell I figured this out on my own.....
 
duckie said:
By always striving for hitting center pocket, this helps establish a standard for what can be considered a "good" shot. If going for center pocket and miss to one side, this is an indicator something was wrong in the execution of the shot and needs attention to what it was so this error doesn't creep in as playing continues.

The source of these possible errors can from the players execution of the shot and the playing conditions.

Also, becoming proficient in hitting the center of the pocket, cheating the pocket becomes easier and is a very valuable skill to learn when you need to make a angle for a shot, need to squeeze a ball by a ball blocking a pocket and so on.

The ability to hit center pocket applies to banks as well. How the table is banking can be ascertained by how well the center of the pocket is being hit.

In addition, how the table felt is playing can be ascertained when not hitting center pocket on cut shots when that was the goal.

Basically, having a set point to hit or roll over on the table with an OB gives a known starting point to make needed adjustments or that you are hitting the OB well.

This level of precision may not seem necessary for cut shots, but when banking, combos, and caroms shots become part of your skill sets, this level of precision is necessary. The best place to start learning this precision is with the cut shot and hitting center pocket.

Pool really is a precision sport when played at the highest level. It is amazing how 1 mm can kill a run.
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Greg,

Are you saying that 1 mm or maybe even less can be & therefore is significant?

Best,
Rick
 
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