Playing with side over a long distance

[Billy]

Just watched John Higgins pot a red where it and the cue ball were about 9 feet apart. After the pot Stephen Hendry in commentary said how good a shot it was because John had to play the shot with left-hand side to avoid cannoning the pink and black.

I've never known with this kind of shot if the cue ball will take a slightly arked path because of the side, and if so, how the player knows how much to allow for this.

In other words, if he's playing with left-hand side over a fairly long distance, does he have to aim slightly to the right to allow for the ball swerving back because of the side, so that it strikes the object ball in the correct place when it reaches it, or does he just line the shot up the same as he would if he were playing it plain ball?

[narl]

They do have to aim slightly differently if using side, its down to how much their cue throws the white and they adjust to that while getting used to the cue.

[Billy]

Thanks, narl.

[Terry Davidson]

Every shot will be different, depending on power and distance and in the end it's really just an educated guess where the player relies on his experience with the cue and the kind of cloth he is on.

The only way to learn this is by practicing it

Terry

[Billy]

Thanks, Terry. In actual fact I wasn't asking from a learning point of view as I don't play, but it's something I've always wondered about.