Using Throw to Help Hold or Kill the Cue Ball

Can throw be used to “kill” cue ball motion on a cut shot?

When the CB is close to the OB, spin-induced throw (SIT) can most definitely be used to limit how much the CB drifts after the hit. For illustrations and explanations, see “VEEB – Part IV: Throw Hold Shots” (BD, February, 2016) and “Throw – Part XII: calibration, and hold shots” (BD, July, 2007). Here are some examples, the first dealing with SIT hold shots from from Vol. II of the Video Encyclopedia of Eight Ball (VEEB):

Swerve and drag control become bigger factors at larger distances (see the article and below for more info). TP A.29 presents a full analysis for those with math and physics backgrounds.

Bob Jewett has a good test to explore the ability to use english to hold the CB. At small distances with slow-speed stun, with about 50% english, the effect of throw is irrefutable and dramatic. In fact, with a small enough cut angle, and the right speed and amount of spin, the CB can actually be made to move in the same direction as the OB (e.g., to the right, with a cut to the right). An example can be viewed in the middle video above and in the first shot of the following video:

NV B.21 – Straight shot squirt, swerve, and throw

As pointed out at the bottom of TP A.29, it is theoretically possible (neglecting swerve) to hold the CB and create an OB angle at any CB-OB distance. However, at the table, there is a practical limit to the CB-OB distances over which this can be done. The analysis in TP A.29 ignores the effects of swerve. Swerve changes the effective cut angle of the shot, making it more difficult to hold the CB. And at larger distances, swerve becomes more of a factor. Also, stun (for maximum throw) is more difficult to control at larger distances. Also, it is much more difficult to judge squirt and swerve and be accurate with the hit at larger distances. At larger CB-OB distances, a plain stun shot will be the most effective at holding the CB.

If you want to cheat (e.g., in a proposition shot), add chalk at the OB contact point. This will make larger throw possible (see cling), and you will be able to cut the OB and hold the CB at larger CB-OB distances.

Is inside english a better choice than outside english to limit CB sideways drift on some shots?

See the following two videos that study this effect:

See also the 3rd section on the inside spin resource page.

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