Cue ball or Object ball

[taipafan]

When sighting just before a stroke, what are the advantages and disadvantages of focusing on the cue ball versus the object ball?

[Marcelo.Snooker]

I think it’s just down to personal preference, Hendry spoke about it in a cue tips video (I would recommend his YouTube content!)

Focusing on the cue ball should improve the straightness of your stroke?

[taipafan]

[QUOTE=Marcelo.Snooker;n1031987]
"Focusing on the cue ball should improve the straightness of your stroke"
Thanks. This is one of the advantages of focusing on the cue ball.
I hope to learn more.

Regarding billiards players, is it common for them to primarily focus on the object ball?

[147888J]

[QUOTE=taipafan;n1032007]

"Focusing on the cue ball should improve the straightness of your stroke"
Thanks. This is one of the advantages of focusing on the cue ball.
I hope to learn more.

Regarding billiards players, is it common for them to primarily focus on the object ball?

I was talking about this with a Korean friend who plays Carom. He has a much more upright stance. He observes the angles required, addresses the white ball at a low point, then stands himself more upright after when he is aware of his striking point on the white ball. A bit like lining up and addressing a break in 8-ball.

But he is only observing the object ball, and using his peripheral vision to maintain the contact point on the white. It seems very unfamiliar/odd to me as someone with a background playing snooker. Especially as I am a 'Cue ball' sighted player

Even some of the cueing methods I see playing 8/9/10 ball are quite frankly bizarre (some bloody effective mind you), and you can always tell if someone is also a snooker player

[taipafan]

[QUOTE=147888J;n1032075]

I was talking about this with a Korean friend who plays Carom. He has a much more upright stance. He observes the angles required, addresses the white ball at a low point, then stands himself more upright after when he is aware of his striking point on the white ball. A bit like lining up and addressing a break in 8-ball.

But he is only observing the object ball, and using his peripheral vision to maintain the contact point on the white. It seems very unfamiliar/odd to me as someone with a background playing snooker. Especially as I am a 'Cue ball' sighted player

Even some of the cueing methods I see playing 8/9/10 ball are quite frankly bizarre (some bloody effective mind you), and you can always tell if someone is also a snooker player

I asked this because in the club I play, seems the cue ball guys are good at potting, and the object ball guys are good at positioning.
I am a object ball guy, my cue ball control is the top class in the clue, but my potting is the third class only.
Wondering if I can do something on the cue ball/object ball thing.

[147888J]

[QUOTE=taipafan;n1032076]

I asked this because in the club I play, seems the cue ball guys are good at potting, and the object ball guys are good at positioning.
I am a object ball guy, my cue ball control is the top class in the clue, but my potting is the third class only.
Wondering if I can do something on the cue ball/object ball thing.

I cannot pot a ball on a snooker table by sighting the object ball 😂 My cueing on the white ball suffers drastically, perhaps It would be better for me in around the balls if I sight the object ball, but I am sighting the white ball comfortably, and considering it's line of travel. I don't think it has much of a bearing on Potting vs. Position - unless someone wants to conduct a study? I think the best positional players are very adept at being aware of balls, their lines of travel, before ever committing to a shot. They are visualising, and aware of exactly what they wish to do. This premeditation, or knowledge of the shot, is what is ensuring their positional play/potting success. Everything else is just purely coincidental (again, unless someone wants to study it)

[vmax]

Let's apply a little logic here

Consider the line of aim

Now where does it end, at the object ball or at the cue ball ?

Will the cue be more likely to go past the cue ball to follow through along the line of aim if one is looking at the cue ball or the object ball ?

When striking the cue ball while looking at it would one be more likely to move the head to see where the cue ball is going once it's struck or would it be better to look at the object ball and wait for the cue ball to come into vision ?

Do you look at the cue ball on the strike because it's likely to move before you strike it ?

When playing darts do you look at the dart in your hand or the area on the board you wish to dart to go ?

When knocking in a nail with a hammer does one look at the hammer or the nail ?

Would one consider the cue ball to be an extension of the cue ? after all the tip is only a couple of millimetres away at the address point.

Would one consider the cue to be an extension of the hand ?

So therefore would it be correct to assume that whatever is held in the hand is an extension of the hand ?

That also the brain knows what is in the hand because it saw it when it was picked up and held, knows it's shape and dimensions ?

So therefore would it be correrct to assume that whatever is held in the hand is an extension of the hand, if that's a cue and if the cue ball is an extension of the cue then would it not be better to look at the target (object ball) than to look at the cue ball which is only an extension of the hand ?

[147888J]

Let's apply a little logic here

Consider the line of aim

Now where does it end, at the object ball or at the cue ball ?

Will the cue be more likely to go past the cue ball to follow through along the line of aim if one is looking at the cue ball or the object ball ?

When striking the cue ball while looking at it would one be more likely to move the head to see where the cue ball is going once it's struck or would it be better to look at the object ball and wait for the cue ball to come into vision ?

Do you look at the cue ball on the strike because it's likely to move before you strike it ?

When playing darts do you look at the dart in your hand or the area on the board you wish to dart to go ?
y mind, it's all graWhen knocking in a nail with a hammer does one look at the hammer or the nail ?

Would one consider the cue ball to be an extension of the cue ? after all the tip is only a couple of millimetres away at the address point.

Would one consider the cue to be an extension of the hand ?

So therefore would it be correct to assume that whatever is held in the hand is an extension of the hand ?

That also the brain knows what is in the hand because it saw it when it was picked up and held, knows it's shape and dimensions ?

So therefore would it be correrct to assume that whatever is held in the hand is an extension of the hand, if that's a cue and if the cue ball is an extension of the cue then would it not be better to look at the target (object ball) than to look at the cue ball which is only an extension of the hand ?

This felt very philosophical to read alongside my morning coffee haha

I am pushing the white ball to the cushion, the object ball just happens to be in the way. As long as the white ball is going in the line of intended travel, in mind it's all gravy (granted I'm not a spectacular player). I do find when I am playing with a lot of side/considering the throw of the white ball, I feel it beneficial to consider this from the viewpoint of cueing down for the shot. But that is the only real time I find myself looking at the object ball with intent/purpose (beyond sighting when I am wandering around the table).

I think, like most things, people have their preference. People are also incredibly diverse, and sometimes... quite frankly bizarre. There might be a method that works better for a majority, but from a sensory or visual perspective, I don't think there is a 'one-size-fits-all' approach.

[mikee]

Once everything is lined up I’m convinced most peoples last split second look is the object ball ,even Hendry I know he says he looks at the cue ball now but that is bollox and I don’t know why he is saying that now ,maybe he thinks it’s trendy or something .Watch Hendry in his prime you can see that wide eyed look at the object ball as he delivers the cue.How many people look at the steering wheel when their driving and not the windscreen .

[147888J]

Once everything is lined up I’m convinced most peoples last split second look is the object ball ,even Hendry I know he says he looks at the cue ball now but that is bollox and I don’t know why he is saying that now ,maybe he thinks it’s trendy or something .Watch Hendry in his prime you can see that wide eyed look at the object ball as he delivers the cue.How many people look at the steering wheel when their driving and not the windscreen .

I don't think that he is saying that he ignores the object ball completely, just that it is not his direct focus, it is in his periphery (as is a lot of other stuff). Yes, our eyes do reflex to follow moving objects, or observe many things once the other purpose (striking of the ball) has been completed. That's the way I take what he is describing anyway.

[taipafan]

People who practice gun shooting and archery often face similar problems. Perhaps we can gather some insights from their experiences.

[taipafan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEPx8u3a7L8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCa6jcfTlys

[itsnoteasy]

I shoot a bit, rifles with scopes and even then there are a few ways people do it. When target shooting some people's main focus is on the bull and the cross hairs are in the periphery, so in snooker terms they are object ball sighters, some focus on the cross hairs and place them in the centre of the target and the bull is in their periphery vision, they would be cue ball sighters.
Which ones better? Just like snooker, it depends who you ask but in both sports it all comes down to staying as still as you can, having a smooth delivery and staying with the shot until completion, so that's what I concentrate on.

[mikee]

I can see some similarities with shooting especially when in sighting ,closing one eye and seeing the point of aim moving in cue sports is a bit like dialing out parallex on a scope ,you move your head and the cross hairs move too ,used to have a real thing about it ,not so much now .

[itsnoteasy]

FFP scopes nowdays solve a lot of the problems.
You get scopes now that are digital screens provide excellent night vision and have ballistic calculators along side built in range finders, they work out hold over and under and windage and adjust the cross hairs for you, it's incredible. I used to have mine written down or on stickers on the turrets. Technology today is mind blowing.