The Mathematical Theorem Behind Poolology

[paultex]

poolology, its magically delicious.

and now, get twice as much lasers than before!! packed with vitamins and minerals!

Cut the fkn crap and get spidey and his little dog toto too back in here.

Christ almighty, Stan! Can you hear me??? SAVE US... or umm something.

.......voooooosh!

 

[straightline]

I much prefer Brian is it? to SWC. Seems to be on leave now. Maybe ran short of aiming fluid but really, he/she/it wanted this to be the Kingdom of enter to cedge. Moar redikoliss than the premise itself.

 

[Dan White]

The suffix "ology" implies science. I think applying the sacred inscriptions to reveal pool is pretty cool; and, an extra step that leads away from exactitude into the world of uncertainties where perhaps these approaches can thrive.

Whatever, I'm here to question and learn not gratuitously bash.

I have an idea for your laser project. Duck tape a laser to the front end of a stick and stroke at a wall 5' away. I will bet it's not even close to a kill dot but whatever you get is what's wrong with your stroke. I've never tried this; could be 5" or 20'. Dun matter...

From there, add stroke jigs. Yeah, like the weight machines except stroke. Stick on rails etc...

Not sure what all that means but it sounds like we're not too far off. The inscribed angle theorem does look like satanic worship, lol.

Poolology simply tells you where to aim the cue to pocket the ball until you get a feel for it and no longer need to use it.

Putting a laser dot on the shaft might work, too. It would have to be small and light, though, and might not work so well for people who use a pendulum stroke. My intuition tells me it wouldn't be exact enough to learn much unless you are a rank beginner.

I picked up a tripod bracket for my phone yesterday so I will be posting some sample shots with the laser soon.

 

[BC21]

The suffix "ology" implies science. I think applying the sacred inscriptions to reveal pool is pretty cool; and, an extra step that leads away from exactitude into the world of uncertainties where perhaps these approaches can thrive.

Whatever, I'm here to question and learn not gratuitously bash.

I have an idea for your laser project. Duck tape a laser to the front end of a stick and stroke at a wall 5' away. I will bet it's not even close to a kill dot but whatever you get is what's wrong with your stroke. I've never tried this; could be 5" or 20'. Dun matter...

From there, add stroke jigs. Yeah, like the weight machines except stroke. Stick on rails etc...

Years ago I affixed a laser to the end of my cue shaft. It was cheap laser pointer keyring purchased from a gas station/convenience store. I used a rubber band to secure it to the shaft. I then took a cardboard box and drew a straight thick vertical line on it with a black sharpie. Then you simply stroke the cue toward the box and ensure the laser beam moves up and down along that line with little to no left or right movement. Too much sideways deviation means you have a problem with your stroke. I didn't have a problem so I never did it again. But it was a pretty cool setup, though it took a lot of time to get the laser aligned perfectly with the cue.

 

[straightline]

Years ago I affixed a laser to the end of my cue shaft. It was cheap laser pointer keyring purchased from a gas station/convenience store. I used a rubber band to secure it to the shaft. I then took a cardboard box and drew a straight thick vertical line on it with a black sharpie. Then you simply stroke the cue toward the box and ensure the laser beam moves up and down along that line with little to no left or right movement. Too much sideways deviation means you have a problem with your stroke. I didn't have a problem so I never did it again. But it was a pretty cool setup, though it took a lot of time to get the laser aligned perfectly with the cue.

That's good. How much distance did you use? Meanwhile back OT, your stroke should be accurate enough to simply point and shoot rather than check your fractions. Allison Fisher credits fractional aiming but she always played perfect position; meaning that she could stay in the sweet spot of the system where pocketing didn't interfere with ball control. I think they call that snooker or something lol.

 

[BC21]

That's good. How much distance did you use? Meanwhile back OT, your stroke should be accurate enough to simply point and shoot rather than check your fractions. Allison Fisher credits fractional aiming but she always played perfect position; meaning that she could stay in the sweet spot of the system where pocketing didn't interfere with ball control. I think they call that snooker or something lol.

I had the box about 2ft away from the tip of the cue.

And yes, when a player has a good consistent stroke then all they have to do is alogn that stroke to where the cb needs to be in order to pocket the ob. But, believe it or not, that part of the game is not automatic simply because you have excellent stroke mechanics.

Recognizing exactly where the cb needs to be is an entirely different skill, separate from stroke mechanics, and it traditional requires a lot of trial and error, a lot of guesswork and repetition. And once you begin repeating successful shots more often than unsuccessful shots, you finally begin to start paving those neural pathways in the brain that are needed for accurate and consistent aiming skills.

Many snooker players develop their aiming skills using fractional aiming. It's a very simple way to visualize an aim line. Anyway, generally speaking, aiming a shot has nothing to do with playing position. I mean, playing position doesn't lead to good aiming skills -- it's the other way around: Developing accurate and consistent aiming skills leads to more accurate and consistent position play.

 

[straightline]

I had the box about 2ft away from the tip of the cue.

And yes, when a player has a good consistent stroke then all they have to do is alogn that stroke to where the cb needs to be in order to pocket the ob. But, believe it or not, that part of the game is not automatic simply because you have excellent stroke mechanics.

Recognizing exactly where the cb needs to be is an entirely different skill, separate from stroke mechanics, and it traditional requires a lot of trial and error, a lot of guesswork and repetition. And once you begin repeating successful shots more often than unsuccessful shots, you finally begin to start paving those neural pathways in the brain that are needed for accurate and consistent aiming skills.

Many snooker players develop their aiming skills using fractional aiming. It's a very simple way to visualize an aim line. Anyway, generally speaking, aiming a shot has nothing to do with playing position. I mean, playing position doesn't lead to good aiming skills -- it's the other way around: Developing accurate and consistent aiming skills leads to more accurate and consistent position play.

Yes I get your point about shooting position mechanics. It's like shooting a sitting duck from a moving vehicle. The ability to fine tune in place would be very beneficial.

To me, the duck is already stationary, why ya wanna do a drive-by? There's a move I'm sure you've seen when you can't quite reach a shot where you simply lay the stick on the shot, walk over to the side, gingerly pick the cue up and shoot it blind as is. Tournaments have outlawed leaving the stick on the table untended. Don't need to elaborate on that.

Where possible, having scoped out the shot and still standing over it, I land my bridge and stick on the shot before coming down into position. The torso sweeps - it has to but it's also anchored to the stick and therefore the shot; not the other way around.
Any subsequent adjustment is fine tuning the tip position to the desired spot; mostly backhand.

 

[BC21]

Yes I get your point about shooting position mechanics. It's like shooting a sitting duck from a moving vehicle. The ability to fine tune in place would be very beneficial.

To me, the duck is already stationary, why ya wanna do a drive-by? There's a move I'm sure you've seen when you can't quite reach a shot where you simply lay the stick on the shot, walk over to the side, gingerly pick the cue up and shoot it blind as is. Tournaments have outlawed leaving the stick on the table untended. Don't need to elaborate on that.

Where possible, having scoped out the shot and still standing over it, I land my bridge and stick on the shot before coming down into position. The torso sweeps - it has to but it's also anchored to the stick and therefore the shot; not the other way around.
Any subsequent adjustment is fine tuning the tip position to the desired spot; mostly backhand.

From an experience point of view, where the player knows the shot line or at least has a very good idea of it, what you are saying makes sense. But for inexperienced players, the fact that the cue stick is already designed to do its job really means very little until the player develops the shot recognition required to know exactly where to place the cue. And the player must also develop the required muscle memory and stroke mechanics needed to move the cue along that line consistently.

 

[straightline]

From an experience point of view, where the player knows the shot line or at least has a very good idea of it, what you are saying makes sense. But for inexperienced players, the fact that the cue stick is already designed to do its job really means very little until the player develops the shot recognition required to know exactly where to place the cue. And the player must also develop the required muscle memory and stroke mechanics needed to move the cue along that line consistently.

The required footing is a product of trial and error. That might sound crude to a tweeny from the touch screen generation but it is still the proven way. Since we touched on music, consider singing: nothing to press, pluck, no peeking, can't upgrade the parts - Why would anybody want to do anything so tedious? But people do and by pool aiming standards, at a humanly impossible level.

 

[Boxcar]

What is the secret to missing a half table straight-in shot?

 

[BC21]

What is the secret to missing a half table straight-in shot?

No secret...almost every shot is missable.

 

[Boxcar]

No secret...almost every shot is missable.

It's the simplest shot in pool. There must be a secret.

 

[Dan White]

It's the simplest shot in pool. There must be a secret.

You asked the question in a funny way. You asked what the secret was to "missing" a straight shot. Are you looking for the secret to "never" missing such shots?

 

[bbb]

What is the secret to missing a half table straight-in shot?

what has that got to do with the thread??

 

[Boxcar]

You asked the question in a funny way. You asked what the secret was to "missing" a straight shot. Are you looking for the secret to "never" missing such shots?

Thank you. I phrased the question as I intended. At what point do mechanical issues override theoretical mathematical solutions? How can math solve the riddle of missing a straight in shot?

I am not attacking Poolology. I admire it immensely.

A half table straight-in shot should be a mechanical and mathematical lead pipe cinch, but it's not. Unlocking the secret to the mystery is something I was hoping the group might enjoy.

I am a simple minded soul. I come in peace.

 

[BC21]

Thank you. I phrased the question as I intended. At what point do mechanical issues override theoretical mathematical solutions? How can math solve the riddle of missing a straight in shot?

I am not attacking Poolology. I admire it immensely.

A half table straight-in shot should be a mechanical and mathematical lead pipe cinch, but it's not. Unlocking the secret to the mystery is something I was hoping the group might enjoy.

I am a simple minded soul. I come in peace.

I agree 100%. Every shot solution, either mathematically or visually realized, ultimately relies on body mechanics.

So the secret answer you're looking for is.....lack of practice.

Developing consistent mechanics and consistent performance requires practice practice practice. Through successful repetition one can eventually form solid performance skills. Without practice, without successful repetition, we are likely to miss any shot at any given time.

 

[Boxcar]

I agree 100%. Every shot solution, either mathematically or visually realized, ultimately relies on body mechanics.

So the secret answer you're looking for is.....lack of practice.

Developing consistent mechanics and consistent performance requires practice practice practice. Through successful repetition one can eventually form solid performance skills. Without practice, without successful repetition, we are likely to miss any shot at any given time.

I knew you'd be the one who would answer the question. I was surprised at the "two-step" in your first reply.

 

[Dan White]

I knew you'd be the one who would answer the question. I was surprised at the "two-step" in your first reply.

Thing is there is no secret to missing a straight in shot. It can be missed in probably a hundred ways and without even trying to miss. A two year old can master the art of missing straight in shots.

Your question really didn't make sense which is why asked for a clarification. What you wanted to know is what the secret to MAKING the shot is, which is what Brian correctly answered.

But, OTOH, I think we all knew what you were getting at anyway.

 

[BC21]

I knew you'd be the one who would answer the question. I was surprised at the "two-step" in your first reply.

There was no fancy dance in my first reply. :wink:

Almost every shot is a shot that can and has been missed, even by the best players out there.

There really isn't a single "secret" that explains how a simple straight in shot can be missed. Lack of practice fits most players. But for those who have already developed excellent ball pocketing skills, those who've already put in the practice time needed to develop and tune those skills, it could be a combination of one or more other "secrets" as to why they might miss an easy shot.

I'm talking about focus, confidence, emotional control, stress, etc... I don't care who it is, if the player doesn't have a solid handle on these things, it's likely they'll find themselves missing that occasional easy shot every once in a while, or stringing a bunch of misses together. I've been there. If the mind isn't right, pool is extra tough.

So lack of practice isn't why a good player might miss an easy straight in. That little secret is for less experienced players that haven't quite developed consistent mechanics and aiming skills yet. More often than not, and this is no secret, the reason better players miss easy shots sometimes has more to do with what's cluttering their mind than it has to do with mechanics or specific aiming/ball-pocketing abilities. This game requires focus on every shot, regardless of difficulty. So if there is any secret at all...that's it.

 

[Boxcar]

"Your question really didn't make sense which is why asked for a clarification."

It made sense to me.