To $pin or not to $pin... Depend$ if you like Money

[measureman]

Sounds like Danny DiLiberto.

No he was a lot older than Danny D.
His name was Sam one poke Fauver and he was born in 1900.
Everyone just called him Poke.
I always wondered if his stories of playing the legends of the time were true.
I played Mosconi an exhibition game in 1964 and Poke was there.
Mosconi asked him to stand and introduced him as one of the best players to come out of New Jersey.

 

[straightline]

I try to spin the ball only as required for cue ball action. I might use one side or the other to cinch the hit but that's still cue ball marksmanship and not so much pocketing technique.

 

[CJ Wiley]

Read some of his descriptions in the old "Touch of Inside" threads. He specifically aims for center pocket, and claims the inside hit on the CB increases the margin of error by limiting misses to one direction.

Ironically, he promotes that idea in his own thread encouraging limiting side spin.

pj
chgo

No wonder you never understood the Touch of Inside Technique. I have not claimed to aim at the center of the pocket, the TOI would not increase the zone of the pocket (using the Touch of Inside), that would be like a golfer aiming for the center of the fairway with draw and fade....it would be silly and actually make the zone smaller!

You will discover an entirely new world when you change your aim from the center of the pocket and use a Touch of Inside (or Outside), unless you're shooting a straight in shot.

 

[CJ Wiley]

Perception/belief/confidence have so much to do with playing pool or any game for that matter. You can talk science til you're blue-n-the-face but sometimes just pure belief in how one does something can lead to success. Belief and conviction can be powerful team-mates.

We understand the science too, but like you said it doesn't matter much. There are a lot of people that understand physics and geometry on paper, but can't apply it on a pool table. The most important thing to understand at the higher levels is how to create zones, not only pocket zones, they are created for position play too. When I'm playing my best my mind shifts into another dimension, I see edges, centers and start cutting the balls in sections subconsciously. It's almost impossible to explain this phenomenon, many books have tried, I like 'Zen in the Art of Archer' and a few others that tap into what's really going on in the "Zone".

 

[jbcueman]

When competing it's best to eliminate or at least reduce unnecessary calculations. I've played a lot with Earl Stickland and he does spin his ball, but does it consistently. He's not putting a various of random "spins" on the ball, he's using the spin to increase margin of error in his "Pocket Zone". I do this using a "Touch of Inside" and the 3 Part Pocket System to increase my target size (the pocket).

Spinning the cue ball is something you must practice to become comfortable. If you use a lot of different speeds and spins you will become stuck at a certain intermediate level. I suggest you practice with one shot speed, and a variety of spins to see how your cue ball reacts. Then reduce your speed and practice the same variety of spins. Notice the difference and be realistic about how difficult it is to make those calculations.

I'm telling you from a lot of playing and gambling experience. I can do almost anything without spin that anyone else can do with spin.
The exceptions is when I have to change the natural angle after contacting the cushion and if the cue ball needs to be swerved. Those two type shots require spin, and every other shot can be done without spinning the cue ball.

I suggest developing ONE consistent shot and try to use it as much as possible, especially under a lot of pressure. If you think spinning the ball all the time is more fun than running out every time.....well.....I just hope you don't play for your hard earned money.

'The Game is the Teacher'

Thanks C.J.,I enjoyed your information. JB III

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I have not claimed to aim at the center of the pocket

You say that's where you want your OB to go - just like everybody else with every other kind of "aim". When I try to send the OB to center pocket and I'm using a touch of inside for shape, I "aim" the CB a little fat to compensate for squirt, just like you do. The only difference I can see is that you describe the steps in a different order:

You: Aim the CB a little fat; offset the tip a touch to the inside.
Me: Offset the tip a touch to the inside; aim the CB a little fat.

They're exactly the same thing. Describing them differently doesn't change anything, including the "margin of error".

pj
chgo

 

[CJ Wiley]

You say that's where you want your OB to go - just like everybody else with every other kind of "aim". When I try to send the OB to center pocket and I'm using a touch of inside for shape, I "aim" the CB a little fat to compensate for squirt, just like you do. The only difference I can see is that you describe the steps in a different order:

You: Aim the CB a little fat; offset the tip a touch to the inside.
Me: Offset the tip a touch to the inside; aim the CB a little fat.

They're exactly the same thing. Describing them differently doesn't change anything, including the "margin of error".

pj
chgo

There's a 0% chance you play "just like you (I) do" - anyone could see that in less than a minute.

I never said I "Aim a little fat" - I align to the exact center, that's more than "a little fat".

I do say how important it is to understand the difference between "Alignment" and "Aiming"

Also there's never a time you have to "use a touch of inside for shape" it is easier to control the cueball because the shot produces no after-contact-spin......the old time champions used to say "I have it on a string," or "I make the cue ball float to the next position".

I also do not use "Squirt" to create the angle, it's done by the change of perception when using the Touch of Inside - Shane VanB does it with the inside of his shaft to aim with visual perception, not "squirt". When the cue ball does "Squirt/Deflect" it over-cuts the shot slightly, and I usually calibrate it to the Center of the Pocket......I can also hit any of the 3 Parts of the pocket at will because I have developed a Master Shot with TOI.

The Touch of Inside technique is not just an aiming system, it's an overall playing system, blending all components of the game into one.

 

[CJ Wiley]

Treat all shots the same.... unless they're different, I suppose

You treat the same only when you know how to made them as similar as possible. This means aligning the same, aiming the same, standing the same, going down on the cue ball the same, tempo the same, shot speed the same, and same grip pressure. This is what I'm striving for, don't take this too literally, when you get in the zone doing what I'm suggesting it will seem like you go from playing the game to the Game playing through you.

 

[xXGEARXx]

I was playing earlier today. Spinning my ass off I was, lol.

 

[CJ Wiley]

I was playing earlier today. Spinning my ass off I was, lol.

That's awesome, wish I would have been there.....what time will you be in tomorrow?