Unintentional side on the cueball... how to avoid?

[Sidd]

I have observed that at times I apply unintentional side on the cueball. Although it has been happening quite less frequently since Terry has been working out on my technique with me yet it isn't gone yet. I have noticed that generally it is the left hand side (I am a lefty) and when Coach Terry pointed out to Tommy in a thread that normally people have a tendency to apply right hand side; that instigated me to put up this problem. Why is it that right handed players would apply unwanted right hand side and lefties like me would put left hand side on the cue ball.

Coach while stating your response you also referred to bridge hand side of the body. Kindly elaborate what is it all about, why does that happens and how to avoid remove that from one's technique. Also please tell me why does this happen normally on long pots and not close range shots.

Looking forward to your response.

[Terry Davidson]

Sidd:

When I said bridge hand side of the body I was defining which side of the body for both right and left handed players. For some reason most right-handed players who are not cueing straight will have their tip end up to the left of the line of aim of the cue and most left-handed players will end up with the cue to the right.

This is a result of one of two things, the most common being when the player tightens the grip on the cue he will pull the butt of the cue away from the hip so the tip goes the opposite way. If the player tightens the grip AFTER the cueball has been struck this will not have an effect and will not put on unintentional side.

Now I'm just having a re-think because of what I've experienced in the last few days of practice as on hard shots I have a tendency to apply unintentional side and I've been trying to discover what that is being caused by. Two days ago I tried taking the cue off my chest by less than an inch and I found the unintentional side disappeared! When I analysed the video of myself on a hard shot I was tending to 'steer' the grip hand around the chest (to the right) and pushing the tip to the left however in the end I was cutting across the cueball with the tip from right to left and this was applying unintentional right-hand side.

So try taking the cue off the chest and use only the 3 points of contact, i.e. - bridge 'V', chin and grip hand but don't overdo it, just keep the cue slightly off the chest so your hand is not encouraged to steer around it when following through. Although this seems to be working for me it might not work for all players but I believe it's the solution to getting rid of unintentional side once the player has stopped moving his head/shoulder area, especially when playing with a lot of power.

This should have been a topic on the blog (which I've been too lazy to start...sorry ferret)

Terry

[Sidd]

OK thanks coach. This is interesting analysis and I will try that in practice and see what happens. It is good to note the possible reasons for applying unintentional side on the cue ball as this happens to everybody.

I will wait for the blog, do give me the address once done and yes do do start it whenever you could; it would be a real website full of absolute knowledge about the game.

Last but not the least, I did not play last night as I had to take a day off and go to another town. So I went in tonight for some time and just did a little bit of solo and then played a few frames. I won all of them coach isnt that amazing. And guess what, in my third last frame I made a break of 49 which is an achievement. I did miss an easy easy blue. I placed the blue near the side coushin next to the top cushion. It was a foot away from the pocket and I placed my cue ball just 6-8 inches near it and just needed to slowly simply stun the cue ball (using a rest) and follow through so that the cue ball could hit the coushin and come back straight jujst a bit for the red next to the black. But I really know the reason why I missed it and I think that will be another area for me to consider in my game. Actually my highest break is 54 and I was on 49 so this thought just came to my mind that if I take this blue I will level my highest and then take the easy red to score 55 hahaha and then I missed the blue. I think this thought pressurised me and I took my eyes off the pot

But then I am totally happy with how I am playing now. I do not fear anymore the fact that my form will go away like in the past cuz now I know my mistakes (loose grip - follow through) and also I know have a solid technique (all thanks to you) and hence am enjoying my game and above all improving and showing concrete CONSISTENCY.......!!!!!!!! Oh how can I ever thank you enough coach!

[Sidd]

Coacvh, there is something I needed to ask you. My game has improved quickly of course and by that I mean that I am not playing silly at least. I am really playing better now. Unlike the past when I would miss the easy pots and not being able to pot anything. So that has been removed form my game and now I am begining to be more consistent and be able to play proper. I played well tonight as well and with more practice this will continue I am sure.

Anyway, I have noticed something yesterday. Even though I played really well (49 break) but I noticed that I was missing and still am missing those easy easy reds near the black when I need ot just roll them in and place the black automatically. Why am I missing those easy of all simple slow shots when I just neet to contact the red and roll it slowly in the pocket??? Also another thing happened that on some medium power shots I did foul on a few occassions by double touching the cue ball. I know I am playing by keeping the follow through in mind and am followeing through well now and maybe due to that thought I was following through in a wrong way or something that I was hitting the cueball twice and getting the foul. But your thoughts on these two points are looked forward to ...

[Terry Davidson]

Sidd:

Missing easy reds is usually due to lack of attention to the line of aim or else rushing the shot which is the same thing really. In this game of ours you have to be just as careful with the simple shots as you do with the difficult shots.

On the second point I can only deduce you are decelerating through the cueball still but then as you grip the cue harder you are accelerating faster than the cueball is traveling. I can't think of any other reason. One reason might be your backswing is too short for the amount of power you want.

The rate of acceleration should be the same (or nearly the same) for every shot and the thing that changes the amount of power given to a shot is the length of the backswing.

Terry

[kramer8]

I have the same problem.

[Sidd]

Coach, this means that the backswing is altered as per the power applied, ok, now that should mean placing the bridge hand nearer to the cue ball on close range shots and placing it farther away as the range increases... Am I correct?

I followed your tips and advice and noticed that my slow roll ins have improved, which means that you are correct it is just about giving them more time and selecting line of aim while staying focused.

Teh other problem has not occured again. It occured only on one particular day and thank God it has gone automatically... As you said about decelerating the cue ball as I might grip harder so I will again focus on a loose grip, I believe it is not that easy to bring it in your technique.... Thanks again!

Anyhow, Tonight I was in a hurry so played just about 5 frames and made a 40 break in the 4th frame; took 5 blacks as the pink and blue were not pottable. Not bad i say...!

[Terry Davidson]

Sidd:

The length of the backswing is proportional to the amount of power required and has NOTHING to do with the length of cue between the 'V' of the bridge and the back of the cueball, which under normal circumstances should always remain the same.

Some players will use a long backswing all the time, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Higgins and ROS are examples and they adjust the rate of acceleration for different power levels.

The length of the cue between the 'V' and the back of the cueball should only change if the balls are close together. If they aren't then always use the same length of cue over the bridge and that would be normally between 9" and 12" although most players these days are up between 11" and 12" for most shots.

The only reason that length changes on shots where the two balls are close together is because with a shorter length in front of the 'V' this means the player would also choke up on the cue and thus have less length on the follow-through so he doesn't foul the cueball by hitting it twice.

Terry

[Sidd]

OK I got it. So you mean to say that except for close range shots (balls being close together) all shots must have the same brige v and cueball distance. If that it true then the power change for shots required will be brought by speeding and slowing the final delivery? Remember you said that the power is directly propotional to the backswing hence it means that the amount of backswing dictates power ok correct but then if I am not changing my V position then I have the same backswing for every shot?

In fact just like ROS I have developed this technique now that I would have the same amount of backswing and follow through for every shot and I would tend to change power by accelerating or decelerating the cue... If that is incorrect then would the following be correct?

I should use same v and cuevall distance right (lets assume 11") on almost every shot. Now in order to change power levels there is only one way, which is to alter the amount of backswing I give to my shots... This would mean the slower the shot the lesser the backswing and the faster the shot the greater the backswing??? Please guide me on this. If this is corect that I will have to change my technique one more time becasue right now I am doing like you said ROS is doing that I have the same backswing for every shot (almost) and I alter the pace of my delivery for the power.... A-ha maybe this is why I am double touching or missing long pots????

Please advice!

[Sidd]

And now I understand this concept fully... This is perhaps the reason why I was playing incorrectly even though it was producing results. But I was not considering the important fact. I was playing and was somehow using the same amount of backswing and then the problem wasnt exactly with the long pots that needed power for stuns etc but the problem was with 4-pocket potting and break building area cuz I even noticed myself that I was getting more movement on the cueball than intended i.e. in terms of placing my cueball was moving at a greater speed thaen I intended it to. MAybe that was cuz I was using the same backswing as in for longer pots and hence was getting more follow through than required and hence potting with a speed more than required.

One thing more here; if the length of backswing is propotional to the power required then what about the follow through? I thought and was playing like this that for higher power you dont need to hit with more acceleration but you need to follow through more and this was the problem in 4-pocket area (follow through)....! Kindly guide on all areas that I have confused.

[Terry Davidson]

Sidd:

It is not a BAD thing to use the same length of backswing on every shot as long as it's a long backswing and you always pull the ferrule of the cue back to the 'V' and if you have 10" to 12" of cue between the 'V' and the cueball. Most of the top pros play this way.

The Terry Griffiths school teaches the length of the backswing should be proportional to the amount of power required and a lot of players play this way too. It's basically your choice however the long backswing all the time appears to be what is favoured by most of the top pros.

On the follow-through question (you're not thinking again and just asking questions where you've not put any thought into it). So here is your answer and I guess i'll have to shout it out so you 'get it'...

IF THE GRIP HAND ALWAYS COMES THROUGH TO THE CHEST ON EVERY SHOT THEN THE FOLLOW THROUGH ON EVERY SHOT WILL BE THE SAME LENGTH OR VERY CLOSE TO THE SAME LENGTH DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE ELBOW DROP (the only time the follow-through is shortened is when the balls are close together).

GOT IT?????

Terry

[Sidd]

Sidd:

It is not a BAD thing to use the same length of backswing on every shot as long as it's a long backswing and you always pull the ferrule of the cue back to the 'V' and if you have 10" to 12" of cue between the 'V' and the cueball. Most of the top pros play this way.

The Terry Griffiths school teaches the length of the backswing should be proportional to the amount of power required and a lot of players play this way too. It's basically your choice however the long backswing all the time appears to be what is favoured by most of the top pros.

On the follow-through question (you're not thinking again and just asking questions where you've not put any thought into it). So here is your answer and I guess i'll have to shout it out so you 'get it'...

IF THE GRIP HAND ALWAYS COMES THROUGH TO THE CHEST ON EVERY SHOT THEN THE FOLLOW THROUGH ON EVERY SHOT WILL BE THE SAME LENGTH OR VERY CLOSE TO THE SAME LENGTH DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE ELBOW DROP (the only time the follow-through is shortened is when the balls are close together).

GOT IT?????

Terry

Got it, I guess. Thanks for your usual prompt response Coach. This now means that there are two techniques with which one can play and please do correct me if I am wrong. Those are:

1. Length of the backswing decides the power level and hence accelaration remains constant.
2. Acceleration decides the power level and hence backswing remains constant.

This means if I follow the Terry Griffiths school then I will alter the backswing levels and accelerate with same power. Whereas with the methods most pros use I will have the same backswing and control power levels by the level of acceleration. And in this process and both the methods the grip hand hits the chest and follow through is completed like that. Is that correct?

I think both methods have their own cons and pros and its down to personal preference in chossing one over the other. With the griffiths method I think judgement of pace can be tricky and with the other one accelerating too quick could be a thing to worry about. The only reason I was asking these things Terry was that my basic problem is the follow through and hence I wanted to be sure that out of these two techniques, is there anything relevant with folow through. But thanks to your response I now know there isn't anything in these techniques related to follow through as long as the grip hand hits the chest and hence I am relax now. I can carry on with the new method (ROS method lets say) because I believe with that method I will have the same level of backswing for every shot and hence would not worry about the length of backswing right and will have one thing less to worry for

[Terry Davidson]

Sidd:

You are correct

Terry

[Sidd]

Sidd:

You are correct

Terry

Thanks a million Coach!

[Sidd]

Dear Coach,

I have been practicing with the long backswing lately and also at times practicing with the (backswing decides the power level- Griffiths) method. However I am now in confusion: during match play I tend to use both and hence am not consistent. Sometimes I use the long one whereas on some close range shots I use the other method. I just wanted to ask if using a mix of the two is OK or do you think I should do more and more solo and perfect one manner and have it cemented in to my technique?

Please do guide...!

Also let me know what may be the best method of these two and why. I mean I can see both are OK and have their own plus and minus but since I am in the process of perfecting one of the two for me; was wanted to be sure which to prefer over the other. Your expert opinion and advice is anxiously awaited.


Regards, Sidd.