Side spin.

[Phil C]

Hello everybody.

Basically I get myself around the table, without using side spin for potting. I'm a 20-30 break player and I realise I need to learn potting by using side, mainly for good position.

How should I go about this? Any tips anyone could share?

Thank you

Phil.

[Phil C]

Might I add, the problem I have potting with side, is that I completely lose the line of the shot and hardly ever pot what I'm going for.

[jrc750]

You shouldn't be using side at your standard, maybe for the break off or safety shots, but you can get where you want to be with stun, run thro and screw

[Phil C]

You shouldn't be using side at your standard, maybe for the break off or safety shots, but you can get where you want to be with stun, run thro and screw

That's what I'm currently doing mate but it's disheartening when I know side will help me get to where I want and I can rarely pull it off

[humperdingle]

You shouldn't be using side at your standard, maybe for the break off or safety shots, but you can get where you want to be with stun, run thro and screw

Exactly. That's what stage i'm at, and the only side I use is on safety shots or getting out of snookers.

Once i've 'sorted' the potting, side will be the next skill.

[richproc]

You should be able to make regular 50 breaks before needing to use much side and I would try to get to this standard before trying side as using it can make even easy shots missable and this will effect your'e confidence.

[jrc750]

It's a bit of an advanced skill to have, but i have reached a 64 break without needing it, maybe i should learn lol

[cpenney]

just start experimenting with it.... it won't take very long to figure out whats happening..

[Phil C]

Thank you for the replies guys.

You should be able to make regular 50 breaks before needing to use much side and I would try to get to this standard before trying side as using it can make even easy shots missable and this will effect your'e confidence.

Yes this is exactly what happens mate.

[Tiger800]

Juice em up I say, the sooner you learn the better and you going to need it when your straight in on that black and need to reverse out

[RobS]

I'm the opposite, I learnt playing with side. Perhaps I should try a few frames without and see if it improves or hinders my game.

[j6uk]

When I started that's what I loved to do was play with side, bundles of it, to create angles that weren't there At that time my highest break was 67, 5 reds, 5 blacks and colors. Then when I discovered the center of the white and the sweat spot, wow, my game transformed. Soon after i made my first tone..
I recommend less is more when it comes to rotation and you will probably need to compensate for that by hitting the object ball a tad thicker.

[Terry Davidson]

If you are really determined to learn how to play with side before you reach the 50-break standard, then start out using simple pots with side. Use the pink or brown off their spots and start out by placing the cueball anywhere off straight and try different amounts of side, height and power but make sure you place the cueball in the same spot for all the different combinations.

A very good way to learn side is using the black ball off the spot and at a 3/4-ball potting angle. Side will make this pot more difficult however with the cueball in the 3/4-ball position (cueball towards pink, not below black) you should be able to get the cueball anywhere on the table using different amounts of side, height and power. Again, remember to put the cueball in the same position for every shot.

For instance, place the cueball at 3/4-ball on the yellow side of the table and try using top left to swing the cueball off top and side cushions so it's travelling straight at the yellow (imagine you're running out from the last black). You will likely find on your first attempts you will use too much side (which again makes the pot more difficult) and will soon learn it only requires a bit of left-hand side but on slow tables a fair bit of power.

Terry

[j6uk]

If you wanna get to grips with side, it obviously must be relevant to real-time play. Like if you got a red close to a pocket and you need to get out on to a color, come to think of it, its probably one of the few times I use side. Anyway

[luke-h]

If you wanna get to grips with side, it obviously must be relevant to real-time play. Like if you got a red close to a pocket and you need to get out on to a color, come to think of it, its probably one of the few times I use side. Anyway

pretty much as above but somewhere i will say side is paramount is when your faced with a straigh black and you need reverse side to come up the table, invaluable imo