VLOG# 15: "Splitting the Difference" Aiming System 

Cool man can you explain more on the bank shot method?

@@gruesomebugbear9108 I had been using Little Mike's method for over a year and was amazed at how much it had improved my ability to pocket balls. The hardest part of the learning period was learning which method was needed for each angle of the shot. I was never very good at bank shot aiming but one day I had an epiphany of using Mike's method on pocketing balls to also try using it when shooting various angles of bank shots as well. I just visualize what kind of angle I need to hit the object ball to send it towards the pocket, then used Mike's method and shoot it like any other shot. My side rail to side pocket bank shots are now successful around 95% of the time, while my table length bank shots where there's less margin for error are around 2 out of 3. It all comes down to visualizing the angle and then using the proper aiming technique for that angle. The one point I need to add is although Mike never mentions it, I have found that there are many times when I have to aim directly at the 25 or 75% lines and make no pivot at all. Certain angles just require it.

@@gruesomebugbear9108 I replied to your question yesterday and it was showing up then, but for some reason it's not showing up now. I hope you were able to see it before it disappeared.

Yeah, he really didn't reference the 1/4 ball hit. The not quite edge to edge shots.

Top of the ball is a good tip. Thanks

@@AVR-88 Isn't a 1/4 ball hit the same as "split the difference"? 25% seems to be 1/4 of 100% to me.

@@MikeyD22 Exactly - it’s the same

I agree, some angles you will have to hit like 88% about halfway between split the difference 75% and the edge, I refuse to believe no angle will ever fall halfway between those two. You might even have 92% and 83% for example, there are many, many angles that occur in pool, but overall I do like the method and will use it for sure. There is also quess work to this method, the quess work is determining which one to shoot but with a little practice it will get easier. THE QUESS WORK ALSO WILL BE DETERMINING IF IT'S 75% OR 88%, there will be times when you have to cheat a bit to one side or the other based on the angle. Unless you are playing on a table with big pockets then that can reduce how many angles you can pocket a ball, but play on tighter pockets and see the difference. A good method none the less and can help you improve.

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U right bro, they would have not given this much information. That guy is pretty cool for doing that

then plz tell me what he means by pivot, does yhe move his nbridge to 75% or does he not move his bridge and , stay aimed at 50% and just the just move the tip to 75%?

@@robertedmonds2075Any respond

​@@robertedmonds2075 I thought this too but he just means change the angle of the shot. So its not back english or anything. I kind of already use this method but mainly the find the center and pivot part to work on my shots. Its not what i usually do in a game though. What he's doing is mainly half ball where you aim at the edge and 3/4th ball shots and the 1/8th ball he hit once. So he's purposely setting them up that way and that's why it always works. We don't know how long it took them to make this video and hit each shot in.

Funny to read the same story as mine, exactly! enjoy getting back your skills!

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Is that how USAPL ranks a league player? BCA does not. Where was he in the Division Bronze, Silver, Gold or platinum?

Thank YOU Leroy. I've been spending a lot of time at Las Vegas Cue Club and there are lots of old timers down there with a vast wealth of knowledge on the game. They have great stories that goes along with the experience. They've also been giving me tips and pointers and man, what they know about the game, you can't put a price on.....then again, you can just pay them for it and they will happily tell you their secrets. Little Mike wants to share his knowledge with people and make it more fun for everyone. He wants to get more people excited about the game by showing them how to be better. He once told me that when he passes, his knowledge goes with him. Why not share what he knows and maybe it will better others and the sport.

I agree when I met Hal years ago he said it’s simple and it was close to this . The great Babe Cranfield had a chapter in his book about aiming and he said don’t over complicate it . He said to keep it simple.

Ali Shueib split the difference!!

I think his system is objective...that he is aiming how he says he's aiming. LOTS of systems work on the shorter shots (distance from OB to pocket) due to pocket width so it's not important...and possibly not correct to aim for the center of the pocket anyway. But clearly, on longer shots only 3 points of aim is NOT enough to pocket long shots consistently. So, yes...a lot of "system advocates" are actually correcting for errors...especially on the longer shots. Finally, while most amateurs use far too much spin, few racks allow for position correct position using only center CB hits. THAT truth is where any and every aiming system must be adjusted for side spin UNLESS the OB is close enough to the pocket that it doesn't matter.

I want to add that SOME systems...like this one...or CTE or fractional aiming are way better than byguessorbygod. (unless you shoot a million balls that way like Mosconi). That is true because the major systems DO work on a LOT of shots that amateurs would miss a lot of buy guessing. So, I am NOT disrespecting the system...at all. Players must simply understand which shots (especially long rolls of the OB) will not work and/or when position play demands side spin in which case the systems often won't work.

That is exactly what is happening.

FXBilliards im almost sure this entire video is just a prank. Like the little fraction rants in the video. It’s actually really funny to listen to if you listen to the video as a joke.

That means you’re always hitting the cue ball off center and putting unintended English on the ball

@@chrisanderson4044 I find that the amount that I pivot on average is probably a 1/4 of a tip off center and because I tend to shoot the ball as softly as possible to increase my odds against pocket rattlers, English on the cue ball is not really an issue for me.

Are you aiming at the cue ball at 25, 50, 75 and changing where you hit the cue ball like english or aiming 25, 50, 75 on the object ball? I can not figure this out no matter how many times I watch the video

@@freedomhard2310 You begin by lining your cue at the center of the cue ball and aiming at the 25, 50 or 75 on the object ball. Then you move only your back hand so that you are now aiming at the new aiming point for the type of shot you need to execute.

Well duh

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Thank you!

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Riley’s World.... I know exactly what you mean!

It's comments like yours that keeps me going. I can't pay attention to all the negative comments and the haters.👍✌

Which by the way doesn't work except in a few cases that you could easily do without any "system" . Here's a tip: the secret to pool isn't aiming it's delivering the Cue in a straight line to hit the aim point. No unworkable aiming system will teach you that.

That's awesome!!!

gearing is when you pivot the cue where it rests on your bridge hand, some people call it "back hand english". Mike's method is pivoting the cueball to split the difference to aim for a shot. very different.

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Pivot to 25 or 75. Throws ball left or right into pocket

Great to hear!

You're welcome. Glad it helps. 👍✌

You pivot on object ball or cue ball i am confused

👍Glad it helps!

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The system is simple and it werks everyone wins play 🎱 play pool

Wrong, you are forgetting the size of the pocket. Which allows for the 3 aiming spots.

Roxpa - I don't think most of us are "trolling", it just frustrating to me in particular when experts in any field give a minimal example of their technique and then say "see - it's that simple". It always looks simple when they complete something they are very good at (especially when they are using very simple cases of techniques directed towards the tough shots you really want help with that need better descriptions).

@@78tag I understand your frustration. I think we can all agree that pool can be very frustrating. However, I don't think you can say that Mike and Kenny give minimal examples. They have posted 9 different training sessions thus far (most in two or three parts), and they continually accept and invite questions that subscribers might have about the various techniques. I myself have been applying the techniques during the last two weeks in my BCA league. I won 7-0 last week against an average player, and got an ero and missed three others on the 8 ball this week (because I was too nervous) and won the match against a better player. I admit that I'm still having a bit of trouble with the horizon shot, but I'm sure I will figure it out if I can just find some time to practice. We don't all learn to read the same way; pool is no different. If this method isn't working out for you, try another. But it is sure working for me.

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the cueball is the pivot in this case, not your hand. highly unrecommended because it requires you to MOVE when you're down on your shot. this probably would work on such a small table but when you're playing for real (9footers) any odd movement in your stroke or cue delivery is gonna throw the object way off.

FaDa Vlogs expect CTE youtuber will visit your channel and reject your system. We almost have the same system. The 25 and 75 for semi straight shot is the path of the white ball to the center point of the ghist ball that's why im agree with ur sysytem. I know ur computation. To all viewers just explore this system showed in this video, it will put your game into another level and you can achieve consistency in every shots.

+juan ball I agree

+juan ball For those who think this is the same aa the CTE system, I strongly disagree. At the end of the day, every system gets you to the same point of contact. It's the different ways of explaining how to get there that makes it the system. Everyone has their preferences and what they are more comfortable with. One system might be better for one individual then another. There is no one system that's for everyone.

Ye s this is different from CTE. Hooe they can follow this system us very easy to apply.

no aiming technique is better than a another..its prefferance

Nice!

If you're cutting the ball to the left start off with your q-tip a half tip to the left including your bridge hand being planted a half tip to the left and pivot to the center same thing when shooting to the right. Your bridge hand should be half a tip to the right of Center and then pivot to the center but most importantly do not move your head during this process as moving your head will cause your eyes to establish a new center and your shot will be offline.

+Gregory Helberg you're welcome.

With your point of view, you just need to figure out the center of the ball. Once established, you can go from there. As you practice more, you will figure out the point of contacts. Hope that helps.

I don't know how to answer the question with respect to his aiming system, but playing carom pool games (e.g., carom nine ball), is a fun way to train your eyes to see the edges of balls. Fantastic for improving kiss defensive shots, too.