diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 378005d..03435a8 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@
 #include <X11/X.h>
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 #include <X11/Xutil.h>
+#include "config.h"
 #include "dat.h"
 #include "fns.h"
-#include "config.h"
 
 Client* clients;
 Client* current;
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 9b70517..778a84c 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -16,12 +16,16 @@
 #define SMENUBGCOL 0x1F9B92
 
 /* This sets the size ratio for windows spawned via keyboard or
- * center-snapped
+ * center-snapped; CENTERNUM should be >= 2, so use 2/4 instead of 1/2
  */
 #define CENTERNUM 2
 #define CENTERDEN 3
 
-/* Centered windows should maximize vertically? */
+/* Centered windows should maximize vertically by default?
+ * This is the behavior of new windows spawned with the launch shortcut
+ * and of centered windows with SHORTCUTMOD + SNAPCENTER_KEY --
+ * use SHORTCUTMOD + SHIFT + SNAPCENTER_KEY to get the other behavior.
+ */
 #define CENTERVMAX
 
 /* Show 'Stick' menuitem? */
@@ -80,21 +84,33 @@
 
 #define LAUNCH_KEY XK_slash
 
+// clang-format off
+
 /* List of window classes to spawn as sticky;
  * Class values for currently open windows are conveniently shown in the last
  * column of the 'xshove' command given with no arguments.
  * Remember the backslash at the end of non-terminating lines!
  */
 
-#define AUTOSTICK                                                              \
-  { "XOsview", "XClock", 0 }
+#define AUTOSTICK {\
+   "XOsview",      \
+   "XClock",       \
+    0              \
+}
 
 /* List of fonts to try, in order, for rendering the menus.
  * Remember the backslash at the end of non-terminating lines!
  */
 
-#define FONTLIST                                                               \
-  {                                                                            \
-    "*-lucidatypewriter-medium-*-12-*-75-*", "lucm.latin1.9", "blit",          \
-      "*-lucidatypewriter-bold-*-14-*-75-*", "9x15bold", "fixed", "*", 0       \
+#define FONTLIST {                          \
+    "*-lucidatypewriter-medium-*-12-*-75-*",\
+    "lucm.latin1.9",                        \
+    "blit",                                 \
+    "*-lucidatypewriter-bold-*-14-*-75-*",  \
+    "9x15bold",                             \
+    "fixed",                                \
+    "*",                                    \
+    0                                       \
   }
+
+// clang-format on
diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index 593457b..075c5df 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@
 #include <X11/Xutil.h>
 #include <X11/Xatom.h>
 #include <X11/extensions/shape.h>
+#include "config.h"
 #include "dat.h"
 #include "fns.h"
 #include "patchlevel.h"
-#include "config.h"
 
 void mainloop(int shape_event) {
   XEvent ev;
@@ -280,12 +280,11 @@ void newwindow(XCreateWindowEvent* e) {
   }
   if (kbLaunch) {
     usleep(100000);
-    quickreshape(
-      c,
-      ra.width / 6,
-      GAPSZ,
-      2 * ra.width / 3,
-      ra.height - 2 * GAPSZ);
+#ifdef CENTERVMAX
+    centerclient(c, ra, 1);
+#else
+    centerclient(c, ra, 0);
+#endif
     kbLaunch = 0;
   }
 }
diff --git a/key.c b/key.c
index 43dda62..6b9ae27 100644
--- a/key.c
+++ b/key.c
@@ -183,6 +183,14 @@ void keysetup(void) {
       0,
       GrabModeSync,
       GrabModeAsync);
+    XGrabKey(
+      dpy,
+      ccode,
+      ShiftMask | SHORTCUTMOD,
+      screens[i].root,
+      0,
+      GrabModeSync,
+      GrabModeAsync);
     XGrabKey(
       dpy,
       ccode,
@@ -367,7 +375,19 @@ void keypress(XKeyEvent* e) {
 
   /* center snap */
   else if (e->keycode == ccode && (e->state & SHORTCUTMOD) == (MODBITS)) {
-    centercurrent(ra);
+    if ((e->state & ShiftMask) == (1 << 0)) {
+#ifdef CENTERVMAX
+      centerclient(current, ra, 0);
+#else
+      centerclient(current, ra, 1);
+#endif
+    } else {
+#ifdef CENTERVMAX
+      centerclient(current, ra, 1);
+#else
+      centerclient(current, ra, 0);
+#endif
+    }
   }
 
 #ifdef DEVEL
@@ -432,27 +452,27 @@ void quickreshape(Client* c, int x, int y, int dx, int dy) {
   sendconfig(c);
 }
 
-void centercurrent(XWindowAttributes ra) {
+void centerclient(Client* c, XWindowAttributes ra, int vmax) {
   static int centeroffsetnum =
     CENTERNUM % 2 == 0 ? CENTERDEN - CENTERNUM : (CENTERDEN - CENTERNUM) / 2;
 
   static int centeroffsetden = CENTERNUM % 2 == 0 ? CENTERDEN * 2 : CENTERDEN;
 
-#ifdef CENTERVMAX
-  quickreshape(
-    current,
-    centeroffsetnum * ra.width / centeroffsetden,
-    GAPSZ,
-    CENTERNUM * ra.width / CENTERDEN,
-    ra.height - 2 * GAPSZ);
-#else
-  quickreshape(
-    current,
-    centeroffsetnum * ra.width / centerofsetden,
-    centeroffsetnum * ra.height / centeroffsetden,
-    CENTERNUM * ra.width / CENTERDEN,
-    CENTERNUM * ra.height / CENTERDEN);
-#endif
+  if (vmax) {
+    quickreshape(
+      c,
+      centeroffsetnum * ra.width / centeroffsetden,
+      GAPSZ,
+      CENTERNUM * ra.width / CENTERDEN,
+      ra.height - 2 * GAPSZ);
+  } else {
+    quickreshape(
+      c,
+      centeroffsetnum * ra.width / centeroffsetden,
+      centeroffsetnum * ra.height / centeroffsetden,
+      CENTERNUM * ra.width / CENTERDEN,
+      CENTERNUM * ra.height / CENTERDEN);
+  }
 }
 
 static void alttab(int shift) {