Thinning a ball on a long shot

[uwate]

One thing I do on occasion is you can load a ball up with outside english and aim for a hair thicker hit. The english will curve the ball out and gives a desired hit. Definitely a shot to practice a few times, but it will alot of times result in a hit of cutting the ball backwards. The same shot can be used to reach into your bag of tricks and make a ball from a position that many consider to be uncuttable.

From distance, this shot is of course low(er) percentage and most times something else is the better shot. Still nice to have in your arsenal of shots. I shoot it from distance mostly when the outside english is what is called for to play position on a snooker.

 

[TheConArtist]

i found out that i set up a shot that you think you have to just nick the objectball to pocket it, i like a side pocket shot here. Now i line up objectballs from the ball i am trying to pocket in a straight line to where i just can see the edge of the objectball and i do this drill. Now you will notice on shots like this you can overcut the shot and you think to yourself i didn't even think that was possible but its because you think you can't, its either missing the whole ball or pocketing it. BTW personally i like to use objectball like this when i practice aiming, as one misses shots when a ball can be by a pocket and get in your line of aim, and also helps with precise pocketing, and can help with cheating the pocket.

CueTable Help

CueTable Help

 

[BRKNRUN]

I'm talking about super thinning it to play safe. I aim about 1 full tip to the right or left of the object ball which would result in a little less than half ball hit IF I kept that alignment.(sp?) As I take my final stroke I vear left or right just a smidgen while focusing on the outer edge of the object ball.
Sometimes if I am fortunate enough to see a smudge or blemish on the edge of the rail that is half a cueball from the edge of the object ball I will aim dead center for the mark with no vearing.


Does anyone have a specific system for super thinning a ball near the rail to play safe back up table.

EDIT: Its probably not correct to vear so this is not advise Im giving.

Of course there is the Shish-Ke-Bob method.

Aim your cue through the inside 1/4 of the CB to the edge of the OB...then slightly "pivot" the tip of your cue to center CB.....That produces a edge to edge contact.

 

[Harvywallbanger]

Of course there is the Shish-Ke-Bob method.

Aim your cue through the inside 1/4 of the CB to the edge of the OB...then slightly "pivot" the tip of your cue to center CB.....That produces a edge to edge contact.

Very interesting. Thanks for your input.Similer to my method. I'll have to try this out.

Also if the ball is in the middle of the table and can find a spot on the cloth to focus on 1/2 ball away I will shoot through the spot on the cloth.

 

[Boro Nut]

Of course there is the Shish-Ke-Bob method.

Aim your cue through the inside 1/4 of the CB to the edge of the OB...then slightly "pivot" the tip of your cue to center CB.....That produces a edge to edge contact.

Geometrically this doesn't make sense. Why not just learn to hit the ball straight in the first place?

Boro Nut

 

[Harvywallbanger]

Geometrically this doesn't make sense. Why not just learn to hit the ball straight in the first place?

Boro Nut

Shooting straight will get you no where if you don't know where your aiming. I can shoot straight but on this particular shot I and some others have problems picking an aiming point to thin the hell out of the ball so different methods were created to help achieve this. Do you have a method on how to pick your aim once you shoot it straight?

 

[BRKNRUN]

Geometrically this doesn't make sense. Why not just learn to hit the ball straight in the first place?

Boro Nut

I don't think I said anything about not hitting the ball straight

I think learning to hit the ball straight is probably the first requirement of ever attempting to play pool

I surely don't want to discuss Geometry with you...(I am no where near smart enough) I only reference 1/4 & Center ball as simple reference to a specific spot on the CB & should be easily recognized by 99% of the population....If I was referencing something like 3/10 of the ball I could see some confusion on where that actually is...

You can see the 1/4 spot on the CB, you can see the edge of the OB. You can also see where the center CB is.....(at least I think)

When you aim the 1/4 CB at the edge of the OB there is a 1/4 overlap at contact . When you (holding your bridge hand solid) then pivot your cue to center CB you have effectively subtracted the 1/4 overlap causing a edge to edge contact between the two balls.

Is it Geometrically exact...I doubt it, and never said it was. I don't think any "system" works without the involvement of some sort of human element.

All I do no for sure is that this "method" works for me very well on severe cut shots or if I want to thin a ball for whatever reason.

EDIT: BTW..I take no "credit" for coming up with this method. I do know who the credit belongs to but it will only cause further bashing and choose not to go there...

 

[Jal]

...You can see the 1/4 spot on the CB, you can see the edge of the OB. You can also see where the center CB is.....(at least I think)

When you aim the 1/4 CB at the edge of the OB there is a 1/4 overlap at contact . When you (holding your bridge hand solid) then pivot your cue to center CB you have effectively subtracted the 1/4 overlap causing a edge to edge contact between the two balls.

Is it Geometrically exact...I doubt it, and never said it was. I don't think any "system" works without the involvement of some sort of human element.

If it works for you, great. But BoroNut has a point. Let's say your bridge length is x inches. After pivoting and shooting, the cueball will move sideways a quarter-ball's width for every x inches it travels forward. The only way it could contact the object ball at a specific point is if the object ball is at a specific distance. It won't work for any arbitrary distance without, as you say, the human element.

For all I know, your method is better than the one I sometimes use, which is to aim to miss and then swerve back via inside english. All else being equal, I think that lining up centerball and shooting centerball is the better way to go. But it really smarts when you do this and whiff the object ball anyway.

Jim

 

[TheConArtist]

Aww Hals aiming systems. I use the systems, and think using the ball to ball method works for me also, as the S.A.M system i can't pick a spot to the left or right of the edge of the objectball to aim at, so the contact point to contact point works very well for me, as i never could use the ghostball system. But i do suggest one learn to aim through the center of the cueball.