SNOOKER AIMING :TECHNIQUES & EXECUTION (PARALLEL AIMING FRACTION)

Parallel Aiming Technique

The Parallel Aiming technique was first introduced by the great Willie Mosconi in his book, "Winning Pocket Billiards". It shows an alternative aiming method to the Ghost Ball system. The system is easy to understand and some players prefer to aim this way rather than the ghost ball method.

Let's start by examining the shot below.

TO EXECUTE THE PARALLEL AIMING SYSTEM, FOLLOW THE FOLLOWING STEPS.

STEP 1: Draw a line from the middle of the the pocket opening to the center of the object ball. Find the contact point on the object ball (OB).

STEP 2: Draw a line through the center of the cue ball that is parallel to the first line in step 1. Pick the contact point on the cue ball (CB).

STEP 3: Draw a line that connects the the contact point on the cue ball (CB) to the contact point on the object ball (OB). This is your Line of Aim.

As shown in the example illustrations below, the contact points does not change regardless of the position of the cue ball.

OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER

It is important to take note that there are some factors that was not considered here. Contact throw is one factor that can alter the path of the object ball as it makes contact with the cue ball. English will also affect the aiming method and adjustments will need to be made when using side spin.

EXERCISES

Start by practicing the parallel aiming technique your have just learned above. Setup your cue ball and object ball at different angles and keep shooting until you have a good grasp of the parallel aiming technique described in this article.

SNOOKER AIMING : TECHNIQUES & EXECUTION..(FRACTIONAL AIMING SYSTEM)

Fractional Aiming System

The Fractional aiming system refers to a type of aiming where the object ball is divided into "slices" or fractions and aiming the ghostball at the different "slices". The fractional aiming theory is the basis behind the initial aiming process taught to snooker players in Europe. Most professional players also use this technique or a variation of this technique.

The illustration below will hopefully give more clarity to what this system is all about. Typically, when using the fractional aiming system you divide the object ball into different fractions or slices as shownbelow.

The illustration above (Figure 2) shows the object ball being sliced into 8 equal parts. The slices represent where the imaginary ghost ball will overlap with the object ball. To clearly illustrate this concept, see the diagrams below.

The picture above (Figure 3) show 9 different aiming points. The first one is a full ball hit which is basically the straight-in shot. The next 8 fractional aiming points represents the aim areas for cutting an object ball to the left. The fractional aim points are 1/8 - this means that only 1/8ths of the object ball are showing and the rest are being overlapped (or covered) by your imaginary ghostball. Next, you have 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8 and then a VERY THIN HIT where you are barely hitting the object ball.

Below is a diagram showing how to use the fractional aiming points to cut an object ball to the right.

Again, the picture above represents the fractional aim points for cutting an object ball to the right. So, dividing the object ball into 8 equal slices will produce 17 different aim points - i.e. 1 for a full ball hit plus 8 points for cutting the object ball to the right and another 8 points for cutting the object ball to the left (1+8+8 = 17).

However, if you look at the "Phases of the moon" animation above, you will notice that there are gaps in between the different fractions or slices. For example, there are points in between the 1/8th ball hit and the 1/4th ball hit. See illustration below.

The illustration above shows two gaps between the 1/4 and 1/8th hits - it could very well be a lot more to handle the infinite number of shot angles. The gaps tells you that this is not an exact aiming system - no aiming system really is. The point of the fractional aiming system is to give you reference points that you can recognize and use as a basis for aiming. To handle the gaps in between the angles, all you can do is recognize for example that the shot requires a 1/8th ball hit but a little thinner (or thicker). Only experience (from thousands of hours playing on the pool table) will allow you to recognize a shot angle and associate it with the correct fractional aim point. For example, you might see a shot angle and your instinct will tell you that, "Tha'ts a 1/4th ball hit'' or "That angle is too thin for a 1/4th hit BUT it's to thick for a 1/8 ball hit" - in this case, you instinctively adjust your aim.

At the very least, you can slice the object ball into 3 equal parts. However, it is best to slice the object ball even further for better aiming accuracy. The example I have shown is dividing the object ball into 8 different slices and the different aim point it produces will cover many of the different aiming angles. If you can visualize thinner slices then it is theoritically the better option. For example, dividing the object ball into 16 equal slices will give you 33 different aiming points. Again, 1 for a full ball hit, 16 for cutting the object ball to the right and another 16 for cutting the ball to the left (1+16+16 = 33).

EXERCISES

Start by practicing the fractional aiming technique your have just learned above. Setup your cue ball and object ball at different angles and keep shooting until you have a good grasp of the fractional aiming technique described in this article.

Below are 2 specific Aiming Drills that you can execute to improve your fractional aiming technique.

TO BE CONTINUED..

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HOW TO AIM : CONTACT POINTS & GHOST BALL IN SNOOKER..

All the good players have a combination of a solid stroke and an exceptional sense of aim. Having learned the fundamentals of a superior stroke, you are now ready to learn the proper technique for aiming and you'll be on your way to becoming a good pool player.

Contact Point

The biggest question that a new player always asks is "Where do I hit the object ball to make it go into the pocket?". The answer is simple... you need to find the "point of contact" on the object ball. In other words, figure out the area on the object ball that needs to be hit by the cue ball. In Figure 1 below, imagine a line of aim indicated by line "a, b". This is a line that goes thru the center of the object ball towards the pocket. The "point of contact" or "contact point" is indicated by "cp". This is the spot on the object ball where the cueball needs to come in contact with to pocket the object ball.

Cue Ball Contact

Figure 2 displays where the cue ball should be when it makes contact with the object ball. Notice how the cue ball makes contact with the object ball... this is the "point of contact" that I am talking about. Let's say for example that you have a straight in shot at the one-ball, the "point of contact" will then be at the center of the "one" ball. For a straight in shot, you simply aim straight towards the center of the object ball to make the shot.

Contact Point versus Aim Point

Aiming for a straight-in shot is fairly simple because the contact point would be the center of the object ball. However, aiming for cut shots or angle shots are a little more difficult. Look at the Figure 3 below... as you'll notice the "point of contact" (cp) is no longer at the center of the object ball, instead it is located a little bit on the left of center. One of the most common mistakes that a newer player makes on cut shots is aiming at the "point of contact" (cp) on the object ball instead of aiming at the "aim point" (ap) as shown. Aim Point is the spot where you aim the center of the cue ball at to pocket the object ball. In the illustration below, line "x, y" is your aiming line. Along the aiming line is the center of the ghost ball and the Aim Point.

Ghostball Aiming Technique

One technique for aiming is using an imaginary ball besides the object ball that lines up directly towards the pocket. Refer to Figure 4 below. The imaginary ghost ball is represented by a solid circle. Now all you have to do is aim at the center of the imaginary ball as if you are doing a straight-in shot with the imaginary ghost ball.

It takes a while before you can feel comfortable with your sense of aim but if you spend enough time practicing it you will slowly learn to aim even without using an imaginary ball

Cue Stick Aiming Technique

Another technique for aiming is by the use of your cue stick. Refer to the Figure 5 below.

Figure 5: Cue Stick Aiming Technique

• First, you need to determine the line of path of your object ball to the pocket and point your cue stick in that direction.
• Measure the diameter of the object ball. A pool ball has a diameter of 2 and 1/4 inch.
• Place the tip of your cue stick at half the diameter (1 and 1/8 inch) from the object ball along the line of path of your object ball to the pocket. This is your aim point
• Next, you need to do is simply draw a line from your aim point (ap)to the center of your cue ball. This is your aim line (x,y).
• Lastly, line up your cue stick along the aim line and shoot.

Margin for Error

Depending on the size of the pocket opening (which varies between different types of tables), you normally have an allowed margin for error. Just remember that the closer the object ball is to the pocket, the larger is your margin for error and the farther away the object ball is from the pocket, the smaller your margin for error will be. However, it is always a good idea to strive for a perfect shot right in the middle of the pocket so you won't have to worry about your margin for error regardless of the size of the pocket opening.

Exercises

Start by practicing the techniques you have just learned above - The Ghostball Aiming and the Cue Stick Aiming technique. Setup your cue ball and object ball at different angles and keep shooting until you have a good grasp of the techniques described in this article. Repetition is key. Keep aiming and shooting until it becomes second nature to you.

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