Yeah, it is usually done when you have a tough positional shot that could cause you to miss the pot if you go for the tough position.
To "Cinch" the ball in effect is to shoot the shot without trying to get the tough position as getting that postion might cause you to miss the first shot and instead take on a tougher subsequent shot.
It is not to say you "don't" play position, you are simply not doing anything crazy with the cueball to get perfect position on the next ball and deciding to take the simple natrual shape the shot offers and then shooting the tougher shot that simple shape resulted in next.
To "Cinch" the ball in effect is to shoot the shot without trying to get the tough position as getting that postion might cause you to miss the first shot and instead take on a tougher subsequent shot.
It is not to say you "don't" play position, you are simply not doing anything crazy with the cueball to get perfect position on the next ball and deciding to take the simple natrual shape the shot offers and then shooting the tougher shot that simple shape resulted in next.