The sidespin in a pool game is also known as the “English” by many pool players. It is a very helpful maneuver and it opens up your game to many possibilities, if it is performed properly. There are, however, many effects that come into play when you add a sidespin to the cue ball, which makes it a move that should be used only by advanced pool players. Given below are ways how the sidespin induces a significant change in the direction of the object ball, and what you must do to compensate for it.
The Throw
When executing a sidespin on the cue ball, the effect of the spin carries on to the object ball after impact, and deflects the path of motion. Pool players call this effect the “throw”. The amount of throw depends upon the angle at which the cue ball makes contact with the object ball, the amount of side spin and the direction of the spin apart from other factors like pool table friction and ball conditions. The general observation is that a left side spin will throw the object ball to the right.
Types of throw
Although the effects of a throw are basically the same, there are two types of throw with regard to what causes it. A cut-induced throw is when you overcut the cue ball, without using english while a spin-induced throw is created when you use a sidespin on the cue ball. Both these kinds of throw can be compensated or augmented with the help of varying degrees of sidespins and speeds, but it depends on the distance of travel of the shot.
Compensating for the throw effect is a very tricky prospect as slight differences in aiming and shot speed influence the path of the cue ball. Understanding the contributing factors, however, can help you gain better control of the cue ball. For instance, a slow stun-shot has a maximum effect for a cut-induced throw while a 50% English provides the maximum effect for a spin-induced throw. With some practice and observation, such shots can become useful in competitions and make you more formidable over the pool table.
