Helpful side

[misspentoldage]

I know it's said that even the pros avoid side when they don't have to do it, but I'm finding recently that my potting seems to be helped by adding a little side to kind of straighten into the contact point of the object ball (difficult to explain). I think for me it's to do with helping me focus, to watch the shot onto the object ball. I know the cue ball is going to deviate this way or that depending on what side I put on, and it forces me to concentrate to get the deviation I want. Ironically I think it may also help me to strike the cue ball straight without playing across, precisely because the risk is greater so I take more care.

Of course this may turn out to be like so many other 'improvements ' I make to my game - a short term improvement which soon disappears like the magic wearing off.

[Neil Taperell]

Wow.......exactly what i am doing . Ex-pro showed me a few months ago . And the breaks are starting to come , 62 the other week ..........and that's good for me !

Regular 40 breaks now as well .

And you are right , makes you concentrate more .

Reckon it has added 20 points more a frame to my game .

[ace man]

I have gone the other way. Removed most of this helping side from my game. Perhaps I was applying a bit too much which was hurting me a lot when switching tables.

[tomwalker147]

It sounds like you're overcomplicating things to me however....... if it's working then crack on

[alabadi]

i was told by a coach while we were in a lesson to use helping side on certain shots as it makes it easier. to be honest it did help me on particular shots. however i wouldn't use it on all pots.

[Neil Taperell]

I think that when he means side , he means a .....' trace' of side . Its hard to explain , but it appears to be working for me at the moment !

[alabadi]

I think that when he means side , he means a .....' trace' of side . Its hard to explain , but it appears to be working for me at the moment !

exactly , half a tip at most

[Neil Taperell]

Yes , that's correct .

[pottr]

Just hit the ball clean... Far more important than where you hit it, is how you hit it.

[ExtinctSKB]

Maybe you think you're adding side. First session with coach showed that I wasn't hitting center CB, although from my point of view I was hitting center. So to really hit center (verified by camera) I had to aim as if adding a trace of side to compensate for the "fault" in my vision.

[tomwalker147]

Just hit the ball clean... Far more important than where you hit it, is how you hit it.

he's back

[alabadi]

Maybe you think you're adding side. First session with coach showed that I wasn't hitting center CB, although from my point of view I was hitting center. So to really hit center (verified by camera) I had to aim as if adding a trace of side to compensate for the "fault" in my vision.

i am opposite to this, my vision i see i am a touch left when i am actually center. so i i have to play with side , especially left i have to exaggerate it more because of my vision

[Byrom]

very hard to hit centre - many players do either hit to the left or right of centre

[tomwalker147]

very hard to hit centre - many players do either hit to the left or right of centre

"unhelpful side"?

[itsnoteasy]

As long as you aren't miles away from centre, and cue up consistently to the same spot, you will improve as you will just get used to how you cue. Timing ,tempo and movement are probably far more important than finding pure dead centre every shot. I was told most players flick bits of unintentional side on here and there even the pros.
Didn't Willie Thorne put helping side on nearly every shot?