A sudden break of 61 while down in the abyss.... I shall answer the 'How' in it

[nrage]

I don't get 'change alignment', there is only one line. So a players line is, one, your aligning your setup on that one line. I don't see how a slight turn say 4mm left or right of the head would through a player, may need to get off the shot a few times to reset the feet a fraction.
Cueing along a straight line, you should be able to recognize where you need to be at once.

The term alignment generally refers to a relationship between two things (they are either in line or out of line). In your usage you're referring to the player's cueing and the line of aim. Terry is referring to smaller parts of that whole, so the alignment of the head relative to cue (line of aim), eyes relative to cue (line of aim), etc.

The issue, and this is maybe something you've not encountered, is that it is possible to have the cue on the line of aim, but for it to look "wrong" to you when you're down on the shot. This causes people to move the cue off the line of aim, until it looks "right". The reason it looks wrong is because of the position of the head/eyes relative to the line of aim - thus it's a problem of alignment (of head/eyes and cue).

[j6uk]

Knew you'd pop up..
No I'm not and I know what is said.
There is one line

The term alignment generally refers to a relationship between two things (they are either in line or out of line). In your usage you're referring to the player's cueing and the line of aim. Terry is referring to smaller parts of that whole, so the alignment of the head relative to cue (line of aim), eyes relative to cue (line of aim), etc.

[j6uk]

I was even eyed with a box stance 'and couldn't miss a long ball if I tried' around early 90's. Now I'm left eye and boxer stance. And anyone who played the pro-am scene in London late 80's-90's would tell you there was alot of talent with strange yet relaxed setups who toned for fun. All of these players had one line..In playing.

The issue, and this is maybe something you've not encountered, is that it is possible to have the cue on the line of aim, but for it to look "wrong" to you when you're down on the shot. This causes people to move the cue off the line of aim, until it looks "right". The reason it looks wrong is because of the position of the head/eyes relative to the line of aim - thus it's a problem of alignment (of head/eyes and cue).

[Terry Davidson]

j6uk:

I honestly don't think you understand how serious your advice to Sidd was. If he moves either the head or the cue he will change his alignment unless he makes other adjustments to compensate for moving either one. That would completely screw him up.

There is only ONE correct alignment and that is straight through the centre of the cueball and exactly 90degrees to it however moving anything on the upper body will change that, perhaps only by a fraction of a degree but the cue will no longer be exactly on the 90degree line (or square to the cueball and on the line of aim if you like) and will be cueing either left-to-right or right-to-left even though the tip will still hit the centre of the cueball. There is not enough margin for error on the pockets to allow for driving the cue just off the correct line of aim and that is exactly what you recommended to Sidd (whether you realized it or not).

It also appears to me that you were very lucky since you 'couldn't miss a long ball if you tried' and it sounds to me as if you picked that up either naturally or else by watching good players and copying them when you were younger. It really doesn't matter very much how a player sets up his alignment for a shot as long as he delivers the cue consistently straight down the line of aim. There are hundreds of different ways to achieve that but it is the most difficult thing for a player to LEARN how to do, especially after playing for years with bad habits. You must have been truly blessed.

But because you were blessed it doesn't mean you should make recommendations based on your own experience to other players that may screw them up for good. You should ensure you don't recommend something as serious as an alignment change to a player who is attempting to learn how to cue consistently straight.

I played on the pro-am circuit in the late 80's by the way and played most of those great players, all of whom did end up as pros eventually when they opened it up in 89/90 or so. Yes, they all had differing techniques but they all had just one line and that was straight through the cueball on the line of aim, so you're correct in saying every good player has just one line and they all have the same line, but what about all the not-so-good players out there who are trying to improve?

Terry

[nrage]

No I'm not and I know what is said.

That makes 1 person at least..

[j6uk]

I don't see how turning the head a friction to get your eye onto the line would through someones game, or screw them up as you say.
It is very difficult to help someone without seeing them play in the flesh but it would make sense to get the eye on line

j6uk:

I honestly don't think you understand how serious your advice to Sidd was. If he moves either the head or the cue he will change his alignment unless he makes other adjustments to compensate for moving either one. That would completely screw him up.

Terry

[j6uk]

I am not recommending anything that will mess anyone up and that is plane to see in my approach in what I have said.

j6uk:

But because you were blessed it doesn't mean you should make recommendations based on your own experience to other players that may screw them up for good. You should ensure you don't recommend something as serious as an alignment change to a player who is attempting to learn how to cue consistently straight.

Terry

[Sidd]

Okay so that's an interesting mix you got. If you feel your eye is over the shot then good for you but if not, you could simply try to cue slightly left of center chin
Do you eye your alignment as straight when you cue along the baulk line?

Oh yes i do...

[Sidd]

j6uk (and Sidd):

If Sidd decides he wants to get his left eye more over the cue there are only 3 ways of doing it and two of them DO change his alignment. They are:

1. Move his head (Sidd is a lefty, left eye preferred) slightly to the right so the cue is more to the left on the chin or more under the left eye. If he moves his head to the right then his shoulders will also move to the right the same amount as they are all connected. This will force him to change his set-up as now his upper arm, forearm, elbow and grip hand will all be moving to the right a bit and the tip of the cue will move to the left on the cueball. Now he has to re-align everything so he isn't cueing across the cueball left-to-right.

2. Secondly, move the cue to the left but keep the head and shoulders in the same spot in relation to the cueball. Moving the butt of the cue to the left means his upper arm, forearm, elbow and grip hand are now out of their original alignment and the tip will move to the right on the cueball so it means Sidd will have to re-align the elbow to get everything back to centre-ball again or he will be cueing right-to-left.

3. All of this is ONLY if Sidd feels that presently he is not seeing the pot correctly when he is sighting along the cue. If Sidd feels everything is correct when he is in the address position and sighting then there is no need to change things. By now his present alignment has become ingrained and natural to him.

4. In my opinion, if a player does feel he is not sighting correctly and feels he must get the cue more underneath his preferred eye then the best way to do this is to turn the head slightly (in Sidd's case to the right) but keeping the head and shoulders still and the cue on the same point on the chin and therefore on the centre of the cueball. This method means there is no need to re-align the grip hand upper arm, forearm and grip hand to get back to the centre of the cueball with the cue straight along the line of aim or line of sighting if you prefer.

Any change in alignment of the head/shoulders/upper arm/forearm/elbow/grip hand will take a long time to adjust to and then the player will have to practice with it a lot to get it natural or else he will be thinking about his new alignment when playing and that's not a good thing. It probably takes at least 3 months to ensure a new alignment becomes ingrained and natural and this should only be done if the player feels 'off' when sighting the pot.

The only time I would advocate moving the head or the cue sideways is if a player introduces discomfort when he turns his head slightly. Then it will become necessary to try something that gets the cue more underneath the preferred eye without causing any discomfort.

I have to emphasize this is only if the player feels he is not sighting correctly and can't confirm his line of aim when in the address position and sighting.

(I'd like to hear what some of the other coaches feel about this, not only the cue-under-preferred-eye thing but also coaching a player to change his natural alignment to get an accurate sighting image).

Terry

Coach: thank you so very much for the detailed response. To be honest and after giving it much thought I have decided to stay the same. Although when i do the chalk test with left eye closed my finger points a few inches away but then I have made 60 odd breaks with the same setup (centre chin) and also if I am playing well I can take long straight blues with stun and follow and screw to corner pocket being dead straight on them with the CB about 4-5 or even at times 6 out of 10... I don't think my sighting has any problem even with left eye master because if there was some problem how could I do the above. And one thing more... Just to further simplify things: I can take straight blues in centre pocket and screw the CB in the other centre pocket dead straight with my eyes closed 4 out of 5. I am not kidding on this trust me. I am not a good player but this I can do as a piece of cake...! But still I know the chalk test reveals I am left eye dominant. Dont know how this happens !!!

I think more of the missing has to be related not to sighting the line incorrectly but perhaps getting down incorrectly...!!!

Having said that, I have a great reason to believe I do not need to change or realign anything and carry on the way i am- hopefully.

[j6uk]

Fine
Just a side note, I can play to with the cue in the center of my chin to a good level but I find I see more clearly Iv I'm over my stronger eye.
Hope the 100 comes soon..Good luck

Oh yes i do...

[j6uk]

I was around good players but Iv also had 4 coaches who all had a slightly different approach, the single thing they did have in common was they would not talk too much or get to technical. They also had a great knack of spotting flaws and they were nearly always with the basics.. The rest was my part with untold thousands of hours practice.

j6uk
Yes, they all had differing techniques but they all had just one line and that was straight through the cueball on the line of aim, so you're correct in saying every good player has just one line and they all have the same line, but what about all the not-so-good players out there who are trying to improve?

Terry

[Sidd]

Fine
Just a side note, I can play to with the cue in the center of my chin to a good level but I find I see more clearly Iv I'm over my stronger eye.
Hope the 100 comes soon..Good luck

Hmmm... Now you have me thinking again that if I carry on like that with my existing setup, would I still be stuck in the 60s and wont progress until I sort this eye thing out? what if I bring my left eye on the line through whatever method ... would it help me improve to 80s and beyond ?

thinking thinking thinking... you have me thinking here dude.
Ah ! Being an OCD and a snooker player at the same time is not good at all

[Terry Davidson]

Sidd:

Keep what you have and PRACTICE is my recommendation. If you change your set-up to get the cue under the preferred eye somehow you will take a step back. This might not be for any other reason than you're thinking about your set-up when on a shot.

If you think you cannot make centuries because of a flawed technique then you have to do one of two things...either spend the money and go to a GOOD COACH (by the way a guy named Faad Waheed is a Master Coach trained by me and he is in Islamabad right now I think) or else take a very good video of yourself and get it posted here or even mail it to me and I will analyse what I see and give you some recommendations (or not).

Just remember also, you are not a teenager any more and learning to master a new skill will come harder to those of us who are a bit older.

Terry

[Sidd]

Sidd:

Keep what you have and PRACTICE is my recommendation. If you change your set-up to get the cue under the preferred eye somehow you will take a step back. This might not be for any other reason than you're thinking about your set-up when on a shot.

If you think you cannot make centuries because of a flawed technique then you have to do one of two things...either spend the money and go to a GOOD COACH (by the way a guy named Faad Waheed is a Master Coach trained by me and he is in Islamabad right now I think) or else take a very good video of yourself and get it posted here or even mail it to me and I will analyse what I see and give you some recommendations (or not).

Just remember also, you are not a teenager any more and learning to master a new skill will come harder to those of us who are a bit older.

Terry

I got it Coach; totally.

I will follow your advice and shall upload a video here very soon and shall also email it to you. You have always been very kind. That effort of yours would be really great and I am sure I will learn a lot from it and shall be able to have confidence in my technique areas that are correct and in areas where you recommend changes I shall do so and practice.

As for the master eye thingi ... you are right ... even wearing glasses to play is sometimes hard so forget about changing to the master eye etc... I will stick to my set up and have decided NOT to get in to this master eye thing again...!

Video coming soon, very soon indeed.

Warmest regards,
Sidd.

[j6uk]

Well that's positive. Sounds like you know what your doing..
Looking forwards to the video

I got it Coach; totally.
As for the master eye thingi ... you are right ... even wearing glasses to play is sometimes hard so forget about changing to the master eye etc... I will stick to my set up and have decided NOT to get in to this master eye thing again...!

Video coming soon, very soon indeed.

Warmest regards,
Sidd.