aiming with side

[sextolik]

Hello there!

I'd like to know how you aim correctly with side, guys.

Is there a difference in aiming with running side and checkside?

I pay attention I just aim thicker on the object ball in both cases, maybe I am wrong.

[Terry Davidson]

sextolik:

I would be amazed if you aimed thicker with side when you break off, because I aim outside the pack and hit the end red with right hand siding from the yellow side of the table (near the brown actually).

There is no 'method' to tell a student to use when trying to aim with side and most coaches will tell a student not to use it except for the break shot or perhaps when swerving to hit a snooker or get around an interfering ball to hit or pot the object ball.

Because there are so many variables and even each cue will have different throw characteristics it is always a matter of experience as the player must select an off-set point of aim to compensate for the 'throw' or 'push-off' of the cueball when the tip hits it on its side.

So to answer your question...there is no one answer and you will have to learn this through practice and experience

Terry

[thinsy]

I always remember playing at a club once and listening into the conversation on the next table where a 'slightly underskilled' lad (player 1) was 'helping' his 'even more underskilled' mate (player 2). The conversation went something like this:

Player 1: You want to play that with left hand side to get position.

Player 2: Really? So, how much side do I need?

Player 1: Sh1t loads!!!

Had me giggling for days!!!!

[Acrowot]

thinsy,

Made me laff too. Will have to try that when I go to the club today for some practice.
:snooker:

[jorock63]

uses side

I wonder what is the percentage of shot the proffessionals uses when in a tournament??

DIRECT SHOT:
SHOT WIT RUNNING OR CHECK SIDE:

[Terry Davidson]

Nic Barrow estimates less than 2% for pros but over 10% for amateurs in the less-than-50-break class.

In my own coaching I tell a student until he is to the consistent 50-break class he should avoid the use of side whenever possible.

However, that said, I've had a very good player tell me that no one can ever hit the cueball dead centre so therefore he puts intentional side on every shot. (He was unwilling to shoot the spots or to have me show him when I shoot the spots that I'm hitting dead centre if I want to, although not with 100% consistency, especially with power).

Terry

[Quackers]

When people try running the spots they tend to play with just enough pace to get back to their cue. That's fine of course, but if they have problems when hitting the ball harder they tend to think that it's not because they're not hitting the white where they think they are - because they practise running the spots! In my view it is important to run the spots at all speeds so that faults show up on the harder played shots. When I played snooker every day (admittedly some time ago now) I ran the spots up to the point where I hit 6 cushions! That'll tell you if anything's wrong with your cueing!

[Acrowot]

If I run the spots as quacker says, I nearly always seem to get some right hand side when I do it at speed. But then, my cueing is not so good after such a long lay off. Am getting a little sick after trying for around five weeks now and my cue action does not seem to be getting back to where it was 36 and more years ago, but still keep trying.
:snooker:

[Terry Davidson]

acrowat:

When I use power on shooting the spots, usually about 5 lengths on my table here, I also end up with a little right hand siding so by the 4th length the cueball is about 2 balls widths from the brown spot.

I've been doing some testing and experimenting and trying to eliminate this problem and just this morning I hit on a solution, although my solution may not work for you.

I've always had the 'problem' (it's minor but bugs me) that my grip arm elbow is about 2" outside the grip hand, and I've always felt this was associated with my grip somehow. Today I tried a grip with just the forefinger around the butt and with the remaining 3 fingertips just touching the cue in the address position (similar to Mark Allen's grip but without the baby finger bent into the palm and not touching the cue at all).

Putting the cue more into the fingertips brought my elbow into line and actually a bit too far so it was hanging a bit into my back like Higgins and Hendry. Anyway, relaxing it a bit until the elbow was right in line seemed to correct the problem and now I can hit the cueball 5 lengths and get less than a ballwidth from the brown spot on the 4th leg.

As I said, this solution may not help you but it appears when using a lot of power the elbow alignment is crucial for some players (like myself)

Terry