[mosta]

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The only technique-advice I have is to get way down low and look down the length of your cue find the spot on the OBJECT ball (not the cue ball) that makes a direct line to the pocket and make sure the cue ball hits that spot precisely. Take a moment and line your cue stick with that spot on the object ball, really fixate on that specific spot; then back away never taking your eyes off that spot and line the cue stick up so it makes a direct line through the cue ball directly to that spot on the object ball. Make a nice even stroke (takes lots of practice) and make the cue and object balls connect.

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unfortunately, nothing in pool is that simple. suppose you wanted to cut a ball as thinly as possible, as close to a 90-degree angle as physically possible. so you want to the cue ball to contact the object ball all the way on the side. well now, according to your instructions, you would aim the center of the cue ball at the side of hte object ball. unfortuantely, because the cue ball as width, it will not hit the outer edge--it will hit half-way in between the outer edge and the dead center. and you will get a 45-degree cut, not a 90-degree cut.

you have to use a complex system of estimation: 45-degree = half ball hit. 77-degree = quarter ball hit. etc. it is a cruel game. practice and more practice is the only way.

note also, spin on the cueball will affect the correct contact point, as will to a smaller degree speed of the cueball. but, because of friction ("throw"), the correct contact point given a cue ball with no side spin ("english") is in fact not the point directly opposite the target. it just gets worse and worse.